《Serpent Ancestor》


 Chapter 1

    Chapter 1: The Old Snake Awakens


    The old snake did not remember when it first gained intelligence.


    It only remembered that it was famous in the nearby village area as the Snake King, notorious for having devoured over twenty lives. The authorities had encircled him, and the demon hunters had pursued him, but none ever succeeded in capturing him.


    As a result, a legend spread throughout the village about the old snake king eating people, scaring children into staying indoors, keeping their lights on at night, and causing snake hunters to patrol the area all night.


    The exact number of people he had devoured was forgotten by the old snake, but he remembered the last two.


    The first was a youth named Ren Dan, who was being chased by an old Taoist priest and ran into the mountains.


    ¡°Ren Dan should pay for his life. How can you escape after consuming so many of my medicinal materials?¡± the Taoist priest shouted while pursuing him.


    The youth, Ren Dan, ran for a whole day and night, exhausted and covered in wounds. He knelt before a Bodhisattva in a ruined temple, crying out for the Bodhisattva¡¯s protection.


    Seeing his pitiful state, the old snake decided to end his suffering and swallowed him.


    The Taoist priest, who had just arrived at the ruined temple, witnessed this scene and screamed, ¡°No! My elixir!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve spent ten years making Ren Dan, spit him out!¡±


    Feeling remorseful for the priest¡¯s despair, the old snake swallowed him as well, so he could be reunited with Ren Dan inside his belly.


    The old snake only remembered this.


    After that, he began to develop intelligence and acquired much knowledge about the human world.


    For example, snake catchers are those who catch snakes; Taoist priests practice spells; Ren Dan is a type of human-shaped elixir that prolongs life and increases cultivation.


    There were also strange and peculiar bits of knowledge from human stories and texts that appeared from time to time.


    ¡°Since humans have names, I¡¯ll give myself one too. I¡¯ll call myself Xu Hei!¡±


    He liked the human world¡¯s story of Xu Xian, so he chose Xu Hei as a substitute for his nickname ¡°Old Black Snake.¡±


    In fact, he envied humans, who were born with intelligence, while Xu Hei didn¡¯t know how many cycles of reincarnation he had gone through before gaining intelligence.


    He wanted to cherish this life and never die easily!


    The more one has, the more one fears losing it. The old snake, who had once known no fear, became anxious about life and death.


    ¡°Humans are too dangerous. I should stay away from them. Fierce beasts are also quite frightening. I¡¯ll stick to safer food.¡±


    Xu Hei decided to avoid humans and fierce beasts. Eggs, poultry, and livestock would become his main targets.


    In the days that followed, Xu Hei wandered around small towns and villages by rivers, stealing chickens, ducks, fish, geese, and small rodents.


    As days went by, the story of the old snake king eating people faded, but livestock began to disappear in large numbers. The fish in the ponds also dwindled, causing residents to avoid letting their chickens and ducks roam outside, bringing them all back home.


    Xu Hei had a large appetite, capable of eating several chickens in one meal, and the village¡¯s poultry could not withstand such consumption.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A month passed.


    Xu Hei had not eaten for seven days.


    During this time, Xu Hei had fully digested human knowledge. His body had grown to five meters in length, and a demon core had appeared in his abdomen.


    ¡°With the demon core, I am now a serpent demon,¡± Xu Hei said with delight.


    The demon core was his core, similar to the dantian of human cultivators. Although only the size of a fist, it was his most valuable possession.


    The birth of the demon core meant he was no longer an ordinary beast but a demon beast.


    However, excessive stealing had led to a loss of food sources.


    He dared not hunt large beasts, mainly out of fear of injury. Compared to risking danger in the wild, he preferred to be a petty thief, stealing chickens and ducks.


    ¡°It¡¯s been a long time since I last ate. I need to find something to eat in the town.¡±


    Xu Hei, moving his massive body, slithered toward Chenjia Town.


    Chenjia Town was the largest town in the area. As its name suggested, the Chen family was the wealthiest household, and the town had the most abundant food. Xu Hei, who had lived in the area for years, was well aware of the Chen family¡¯s location.


    Xu Hei carefully and quietly crawled into the Chen family¡¯s backyard.


    In the Chen family¡¯s backyard, many livestock were kept. Xu Hei flicked his tongue to sense the scents in the air and his eyes lit up.


    He smelled pigs!


    Pigs were his favorite food¡ªfatty and filling. Eating one could sustain him for a month. Unfortunately, the pigs were kept in a pigpen.


    Since gaining intelligence, he had never eaten pork because he was afraid of being discovered by humans.


    ¡°After eating one pig, I¡¯ll stop.¡±


    Xu Hei, feeling ravenous, coiled his body and climbed onto the roof beams. Like a leech, he slithered in and stealthily entered the dark pigpen.


    The pigpen was large. Xu Hei found a corner and crawled in along the wall. The pigs, sensing a snake approaching, grunted and instinctively backed away but were not too frightened. Some even curiously nudged him with their noses, thinking he might be food.


    This was also why Xu Hei preferred pigs¡ªthey were less wary compared to other animals that would run away at the sight of him.


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei opened his gaping maw and bit into a small pig, swallowing it whole.


    Given his size, which previously allowed him to swallow live humans, devouring a somewhat smaller pig was no challenge.


    The pigs immediately screamed in terror, scrambling to the corners of the pen, realizing the danger.


    It took Xu Hei a considerable effort and two minutes to swallow the pig. His body swelled up, becoming oval-shaped.


    ¡°Time to leave,¡± Xu Hei thought, but then an idea struck him.


    Since he had gone through the trouble of sneaking in, why not eat a little more?


    With the demon core, his digestion speed had greatly increased. He estimated that he could digest the pig within half a day.


    Xu Hei flicked his tongue again and surveyed his surroundings. It was night, and Chenjia Town was quiet. Distant snoring could be heard. As long as he made no significant noise, he should not be discovered.


    Even if someone went to the toilet in the middle of the night, his speed would allow him to escape without much trouble.


    With this in mind, Xu Hei coiled around another fat pig and swallowed it. This time, it took him a full five minutes to finish. His body expanded, resembling a small hill.


    The pigpen had only five pigs in total, and with three remaining, Xu Hei could no longer move. He curled up in a dark corner and began digesting his meal.


    Xu Hei estimated that by dawn, he would have nearly digested everything.


    About an hour later.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    Suddenly, the door to the pigpen was kicked open. Xu Hei, startled, quickly coiled up into a small ball and hid behind the wall.


    ¡°Thud!¡±


    A bloodied figure was thrown into the pigpen. It was a young man, fairly handsome but covered in wounds and barely alive. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Is this trash going to die?¡±


    ¡°Even if he dies, so what? He dared to vie with Young Master Qiu for a woman. This is his fate!¡±


    The two men at the door clapped their hands and left the pigpen.


    The young man¡¯s eyes were tightly closed. The faint breath he had left flickered for a moment before disappearing without a trace.


    Dead!


    A human had died right under Xu Hei¡¯s eyes.


    This person seemed somewhat familiar, possibly the young master of Chen Family Village whom Xu Hei had seen before.


    Xu Hei quickly moved away, climbing up to the roof beams. It was said that death was very ominous, and he did not want to be associated with such bad luck.


    As soon as the two men had left, Xu Hei planned to wait until they were far away before leaving and never returning to this place.


    Suddenly.


    The young man who had just died opened his eyes again.


    ¡°Reanimation!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s pupils constricted as he recalled a term from the Taoist knowledge he had acquired. His breath stopped, and he dared not move. The term ¡°reanimation¡± was something he learned from the Taoist priest.


    He saw the young man sit cross-legged, a trace of surprise in his eyes. He mumbled to himself, ¡°Chen Fan? Haha, to think I have the same name as this immortal.¡±

 Chapter 2

    Chapter 2: The Immortal Reborn With a Gulp


    ¡°Broken Engagement, Useless, Dantian Destroyed¡­¡±


    ¡°Fine, since I, the Immortal, have inherited your body, I will naturally clear your grievances. Those who humiliated you, I won¡¯t spare a single one!¡±


    Chen Fan closed his eyes and took a deep breath. ¡°The injuries are severe. If I hadn¡¯t taken over, you would have already died. But this can¡¯t stop me¡­ hmm?¡±


    Chen Fan suddenly frowned.


    At this moment, Xu Hei was hiding on the roof beam, not daring to breathe heavily. His heartbeat had slowed to its lowest.


    The youth¡¯s muttering had all entered his ears, though he didn¡¯t understand what it meant. Just a moment ago, Xu Hei felt as if someone was observing him.


    Since that sense of being watched appeared, the young man had stopped speaking, indicating that he had already discovered him!


    ¡°Oh no! He has his eyes on me!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s pupils contracted, and a strong sense of crisis filled his heart. The snake scales on his body stood on end. This young man gave him an extremely terrifying feeling!


    ¡°The pigs in the pigpen are short by two. He must know I ate his pigs!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯m done for! This person is definitely going to kill me!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s scalp went numb as if a thief had been caught red-handed.


    In these times, countless people starved to death on the streets. How precious were two pigs? The Chen Family would definitely not let him go easily.


    Not to mention, so many livestock and poultry had gone missing nearby. They would definitely connect it to him!


    It was over, completely over. Xu Hei felt his snake life was shrouded in darkness, as if he could already see himself being skinned and dismembered, his corpse lying on the street.


    And at this moment, an even more shocking scene unfolded.


    That young man¡¯s nearly fatal wounds were slowly healing. The spiritual energy between heaven and earth trickled into his shattered dantian.


    Gradually, the spiritual energy swirled around him, forming the shape of a dragon.


    ¡°Hehe, I didn¡¯t expect this¡ªthe demon race¡¯s supreme treasure, the Demon God Cauldron, has also reincarnated with me! Taixu Ancestral Dragon, you miscalculated!¡±


    The youth smirked inwardly. From beginning to end, he didn¡¯t even glance at Xu Hei.


    But Xu Hei¡¯s mental state was on the verge of collapse.


    ¡°He¡¯s casting a spell, he¡¯s casting a spell! He¡¯s going to kill me!¡±


    Xu Hei didn¡¯t know what the youth was thinking, but the terrifying aura emanating from him grew stronger, leaving Xu Hei¡¯s heart pounding in fear. It was clear that he was preparing some spell to kill him!


    Xu Hei¡¯s eyes widened in terror, then gradually transformed into madness.


    In the natural world, it¡¯s the survival of the fittest; it¡¯s either you die or I die! He stole the young man¡¯s pigs, and the man would definitely kill him!


    ¡°He¡¯s gathering power to deliver a fatal blow!¡±


    ¡°That must be it, that must be it!¡±


    ¡°If you¡¯re going to kill me, then I¡¯ll just have to eat you! I¡¯ll just eat you!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s gaze turned crazed. He could no longer hold back. If he didn¡¯t make a move now, once the young man fully recovered and finished gathering power, it would be his death.


    This man had clearly noticed him but pretended not to, to avoid alerting him. He was secretly gathering power to kill him. Cultivators were all this cunning and sinister!


    This trick might deceive other snake demons, but it wouldn¡¯t fool Xu Hei!


    Xu Hei¡¯s body was like a tightly wound spring stretched to its limit. In the next instant, he shot forward like a lightning bolt, a gust of wind hurtling downward!


    ¡°Ahhh! You forced me to do this!!!¡±


    Xu Hei lunged forward, opening his bloody mouth wide to bite Chen Fan, looking utterly frenzied.


    Chen Fan: ¡°???¡±


    A foul wind swept past. In a flash of lightning, Chen Fan was swallowed into Xu Hei¡¯s belly in one gulp.


    Swallowed into the snake¡¯s belly, Chen Fan remained puzzled. By all accounts, after he deliberately released some of his immortal aura, the other party should have been scared off by his presence.


    However, he didn¡¯t panic. He didn¡¯t even struggle. Instead, he let out a cold snort.


    ¡°A mere first-level spiritual beast dares to strike at me? Truly seeking death!¡±


    His divine sense had already detected Xu Hei but merely glanced past him, not taking him seriously.


    Though he was in a young man¡¯s body, the immortal aura and killing intent he emitted were enough to make any low-level demon beast avoid him, not daring to come near.


    Yet, this unexpected thing happened. This serpent demon seemed to be different.


    It didn¡¯t matter. Not to mention that Chen Fan had already recovered to the second level of Qi Refinement, just by using a bit of his immortal techniques, he could destroy this serpent demon a thousand times over.


    ¡°Boundless Sea!¡±


    Chen Fan raised both hands. A boundless wave of energy, like a tsunami, erupted from his palms.


    Xu Hei¡¯s serpent body immediately began to swell, inflating like a balloon, growing larger and larger!


    Greedy snake swallowing an elephant. At this moment, Xu Hei¡¯s body was already larger than an elephant. Even with the flexibility of a snake¡¯s body, it couldn¡¯t endure such torment.


    ¡°Ahhh! I¡¯m going to die!¡± Xu Hei screamed internally.


    He didn¡¯t want to die!


    He had finally awakened his spiritual intelligence after countless cycles of rebirth, having been a chicken, duck, and fish before finally becoming Xu Hei. He didn¡¯t want to die just like this!


    Just for stealing two pigs, he now faced the calamity of death. This was the cruel human world! Xu Hei¡¯s heart was filled with regret. If he had known, he would never have come to eat that pig.


    For the first time in his life, he felt the horror of humans.


    ¡°Buzz!¡± His demon core emitted a faint glow. A force supported his body, preventing him from bursting immediately.


    ¡°Ha!¡±


    Chen Fan spat out true energy, striking at Xu Hei¡¯s demon core. Xu Hei¡¯s hard demon core shattered like fragile glass.


    With his demon core destroyed, the intense pain nearly caused Xu Hei to faint. His consciousness blurred, his body on the verge of collapse, teetering on the edge of death.


    A mere youth could easily kill him. Humans were more terrifying than he had imagined!


    ¡°I¡¯ll have some snake meat to replenish my energy.¡± Chen Fan thought to himself. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, a pitch-black small cauldron emerged from his spiritual sea, landing at Xu Hei¡¯s demon core, spinning slowly.


    ¡°Hmm?¡± Chen Fan was startled. This was the demon race¡¯s supreme treasure, the Demon God Cauldron!


    Just as he intended to retrieve the Demon God Cauldron, he was shocked to find that his connection to it had been severed.


    The next second, an immense and terrifying power exploded from the cauldron, enveloping Xu Hei¡¯s body, slamming heavily onto Chen Fan.


    ¡°How could this be? Why is my Demon God Cauldron helping this beast!!!¡±


    Chen Fan let out a shrill scream. In an instant, his flesh shattered, and even his soul was about to be extinguished.


    The reversal happened too quickly. Chen Fan had no time to react. Against the Demon God Cauldron¡¯s attack, he had no resistance and was utterly annihilated!


    ¡°No!! I refuse to accept this! How could I, a mighty immortal¡­ ah!!¡±


    Amid the unwilling roars, he self-detonated his soul, swearing to smash into Xu Hei. Yet, he was absorbed by the Demon God Cauldron and vanished into nothingness.


    Everything returned to calm. Xu Hei¡¯s swollen body, which was about to burst, gradually returned to normal. He lay in the pigpen like a pile of mud, his snake scales shattered, meridians severed, barely clinging to life.


    ¡°My demon core¡­ is gone¡­¡± Xu Hei blacked out and fainted.

 Chapter 3

    Chapter 3: Swallowing Qi and Nurturing Divine Sense


    Xu Hei awoke, not knowing how much time had passed.


    His body was in tatters. Two pigs had rooted around him, grinding their teeth on his snake skin, producing a ¡°creak¡± sound. They couldn¡¯t bite through, so they retreated to a corner.


    ¡°Argh! It hurts so much!¡± Xu Hei convulsed in agony.


    This was the most severe injury he had ever suffered. His body had nearly burst, his meridians were completely severed, his skin had entirely cracked open, and his Demon Core was gone.


    The fact that he had regained consciousness was already a miracle.


    He twisted his body with difficulty, crawling to the other side to avoid being rooted by the pigs.


    ¡°My Demon Core is gone.¡±


    Thinking about this, Xu Hei almost burst into tears. It was the foundation of his cultivation, and now, it was completely destroyed!


    However, he was suddenly startled.


    Where his Demon Core should have been, there was now a small black cauldron, sitting silently.


    The cauldron had eight legs and was round in shape, with intricate patterns on its surface. A dragon was carved around it, encircling the cauldron with its head and tail connected, looking lifelike, as if it were a living creature.


    This cauldron was precisely the thing that the young man had called the ¡°Demon God Cauldron.¡±


    He could see what was inside his body, which was strange! His gaze could look inward and even extend outward. Even with his eyes closed, he could see an area ten meters around him.


    It was as if a third eye existed in the void, allowing him to see everything around him without obstruction.


    ¡°Strange.¡±


    Xu Hei shook his head. This was not an illusion; he could indeed see, just like how Chen Fan had spied on him before. Now he could spy on others in the same way.


    ¡°Divine Sense?¡± Xu Hei had this term pop up in his mind.


    How he had developed Divine Sense was unclear. It was said that only legendary cultivators had Divine Sense.


    At the same time, new knowledge appeared in his mind.


    It was the circulation path of true Qi, each step clearly outlined, and somewhat familiar.


    ¡°This is that young man¡¯s cultivation method!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s eyes lit up. He didn¡¯t know what this cultivation method could do, but he was sure that it could heal his injuries!


    Xu Hei was not a hesitant snake. After making up his mind, he immediately calmed his mind and began to run the technique¡¯s path.


    Gradually, threads of spiritual energy began to drift in from the world around him, intertwining to form a long dragon of spiritual energy that poured into his body.


    This scene was exactly the same as when Chen Fan healed his injuries the previous night.


    A tingling sensation spread through his body, alleviating the pain. Xu Hei let out a long breath, circulated the second path, and the spiritual energy flowed into his body, cycling through and slowly healing his wounds.


    An incense stick¡¯s worth of time later.


    Xu Hei reopened his eyes and looked inside his body.


    ¡°It really can heal wounds!¡± S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei gasped, his heart racing.


    In the wild, serious injuries usually meant death. Having a healing technique was like having an extra life. How could he not be excited?


    Moreover, he had a vague feeling that this technique was mainly used for cultivation to enhance one¡¯s level, with healing being just a secondary effect.


    After just a brief session of breathing and nurturing, his body felt light and full of spiritual energy, as if he had ingested some kind of spiritual herb.


    ¡°Strange! My Demon Core has shattered. Normally, I shouldn¡¯t be able to store spiritual energy.¡±


    Xu Hei was puzzled. The spot where his Demon Core had been was now occupied by a cauldron. Could this cauldron have become the new Demon Core?


    He tried to move his body to push the small cauldron out, but it didn¡¯t budge. Xu Hei had to give up.


    ¡°Even a mere young man is so powerful. Humans are truly the spirits of all living things. I must never provoke humans again in the future!¡±


    Xu Hei swore to himself and quickly left the pigpen.


    Before leaving, he glanced at the three pigs. He figured he might as well go all out, swallowing the fattest one in a single gulp before swaggering away.


    He fled into the wilderness and found a tree hole to crawl into, where he fell into a deep sleep.


    ¡­¡­


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    During these days, Xu Hei continuously practiced the mysterious technique. His injuries were already healed, and he had expelled a large amount of impurities, piling up like a mountain. He had even shed his skin once.


    This made him realize that the technique could not only heal but also improve his physique, cleansing and refining his body.


    The only thing that dissatisfied him was that his body size had shrunk by half, now only over two meters long.


    ¡°A fat pig can be two meters long; how am I supposed to swallow pigs now?¡± Xu Hei frowned.


    Snakes can swallow prey much larger than themselves, but there is a limit.


    However, although his size had shrunk, his speed and strength had increased significantly. His flexibility also improved, allowing him to stretch several times his original length, giving Xu Hei some peace of mind.


    With his previous experience, Xu Hei dared not venture into human towns again. He only hunted small prey in the wild.


    Quickly, a few more days passed.


    This day, Xu Hei suddenly opened his eyes. New knowledge had appeared in his mind.


    ¡ªThe cultivation system!


    Human cultivators were divided into the Qi Refinement stage, Foundation Establishment stage, and Core Formation stage.


    For demonic beasts, this corresponded to the First-Level Spiritual Beast, Foundation Establishment stage, and Demon Core stage.


    ¡°My current level is at the peak of the First-Level Spiritual Beast, equivalent to the peak of the Qi Refinement stage for humans.¡±


    Xu Hei murmured to himself. This was the new knowledge he had just gained.


    Ever since he had swallowed the Ren Dan and the Taoist priest, he occasionally acquired human knowledge. This time, it seemed to come from that young man named Chen Fan?


    This suspicion was not unfounded. Recently, he had often dreamt of Chen Fan and simultaneously experienced some unfamiliar memories.


    Moreover, there was another matter that puzzled him.


    ¡°I lost my Demon Core, which is like a human losing their dantian. I should have become a cripple, but my cultivation level has instead increased.¡±


    Instinctively, Xu Hei looked inward, focusing on the Demon God Cauldron at the spot where his Demon Core used to be.


    Wisps of mist-like spiritual energy gathered within the cauldron. This was the spiritual energy he had acquired through his breathing exercises.


    ¡°It really did replace the Demon Core!¡±


    Xu Hei was secretly alarmed. He racked his brains but couldn¡¯t figure out what was going on. The human knowledge he had acquired offered no explanation for this situation.


    But he didn¡¯t have time to ponder it further.


    The problem he was facing now was that he was hungry again!


    His cultivation technique allowed him to absorb the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, but mere spiritual energy wasn¡¯t enough. He also needed a massive supply of Qi and Blood.


    Demonic beasts in their cultivation cannot practice fasting; they need a large amount of food!


    Xu Hei could only drag his body, glance down at the village below the mountain, shake his head, and turn to climb up the mountain.


    He did not want to go back to the human world. It was too dangerous there; he would rather starve to death than go back to the pigpen.


    Xu Hei extended his Divine Sense, searching for food along the way.


    Throughout the entire afternoon, he ate a nest of bird eggs, a squirrel, and a wildcat. In pursuit of a hare, he even ran down the mountain.


    These morsels weren¡¯t even a third of what a fat pig could provide.


    Xu Hei¡¯s food demand was growing increasingly larger, and this amount of food wasn¡¯t even enough to fill the gap between his teeth. He needed to hunt larger creatures.


    Xu Hei glanced down the mountain again and spotted a watermelon field, lush and green, spreading across the mountainside.


    The area was far from the village, with only one farmhouse nearby.


    At this moment, Xu Hei suddenly noticed a pitch-black wild boar in the watermelon field, munching on a watermelon noisily.


    The wild boar wasn¡¯t very large, roughly one and a half meters long. Given Xu Hei¡¯s current size, it seemed like one bite would be just right.


    Xu Hei felt tempted.


    He was now facing the first major decision of his life as a serpent demon: to prey on a large beast.


    ¡°Will attacking the wild boar be dangerous?¡±


    Xu Hei hesitated. Under normal circumstances, he would avoid facing large beasts unless absolutely necessary. But he had no choice. His appetite was too vast. For survival, he had to take risks.


    ¡°According to the cultivation system, I am now at the peak of the First-Level Spiritual Beast. This wild boar has yet to awaken its intelligence, so its level is lower than mine! In theory, I should be able to take it down easily!¡±


    Xu Hei had countless thoughts swirling in his mind. He wasn¡¯t an ordinary beast; he could think, and this was his advantage. He needed to make good use of it.


    ¡°To be safe, let¡¯s take it slow.¡±


    Xu Hei finally decided to take a risk and hunt this wild boar.


    He crawled to the edge of the watermelon field, wrapped his tail around a large rock, and cautiously approached.


    On the way, he also put some small stones into his mouth.


    In reality, given his strength, killing a wild boar wasn¡¯t difficult. He had once been the snake king in this area, had devoured many people, and had also killed wild boars. But thinking back, he realized his survival back then was purely due to luck.


    Now that he had gained intelligence, he needed to be more cautious. He didn¡¯t want to get injured, and he feared pain.


    When wild boars resist, they stomp with their hooves and ram with their tusks, making them quite terrifying. But of course, they were still not as terrifying as humans.


    When Xu Hei got within a ten-meter range of the wild boar, he suddenly raised his neck, opened his mouth, gathered all the internal Qi within him, and concentrated it at his throat.


    ¡­


    ¡°Poof!¡±


    A stone shot out from Xu Hei¡¯s mouth like a cannonball, striking the wild boar on the head.


    ¡°Bang!¡± The boar¡¯s head caved in directly, blood splattered everywhere, and it collapsed to the ground.


    Xu Hei was overjoyed. He spat out another stone, creating a large hole in the boar¡¯s head.


    After approaching the fallen beast, he lifted a stone with his tail and smashed it down repeatedly, striking the boar¡¯s head until it was a pulpy mess. Only after the wild boar had completely stopped moving, and no more blood was flowing, did he stop.


    Xu Hei spat out the remaining stones from his mouth and breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡°It should be completely dead, but even the dead can sometimes reanimate.¡±


    Still feeling uneasy, Xu Hei proceeded to break all four of its limbs and crushed the bones of its entire body to prevent any chance of reanimation.


    Only then did he feel at ease and began to measure the boar.


    Comparing it to his own body size, he concluded it would be just right for one big gulp.


    ¡°It is said that wild boar meat is tougher than domestic pork. Hopefully, it¡¯ll last a bit longer,¡± Xu Hei calculated in his mind. He opened his mouth wide and swallowed the boar whole.


    The boar¡¯s fur was rough, and its skin was tough, which meant it would take longer to digest. The upside was that it would stave off hunger for longer.


    Xu Hei started swallowing from the head. Before long, only the boar¡¯s two hind legs were left outside.


    As the pork entered his body, Xu Hei could clearly feel a surge of heat rising inside him. The wild boar meat was rapidly digested and transformed into pure qi and blood, bringing a feeling of fullness. This was the benefit of consuming food!


    Moments later, Xu Hei had entirely swallowed the wild boar. Suddenly, he began to cough violently. He opened his mouth and spat out a black crystal the size of an egg. It fell to the ground¡ªit was a Demon Core.


    ¡°This is¡­ the wild boar¡¯s Demon Core?¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s snake scales stood on end, his eyes widened in shock.


    No, that couldn¡¯t be right! How could a wild beast have a Demon Core? Could it be¡­


    Staring at the bloodstains on the ground, Xu Hei finally realized, gasping in shock, ¡°This was a Pig Demon?¡±

 Chapter 4

    Chapter 4: The Watermelon Field Under the Moonlight


    Xu Hei had not been gone for long.


    A young child, barely half-grown, ran to the spot where the Pig Demon had died, pointing excitedly at the bloodstains on the ground and shouting.


    Behind him, a farmer with rolled-up sleeves came running over.


    ¡°Dad! Great news, the Pig Demon that killed Mom is dead! It was eaten by the big snake!¡± the child shouted with excitement.


    Unexpectedly, the farmer picked up a stick and hit the child on the buttocks, causing him to cry out loudly.


    ¡°Don¡¯t you dare come out again! Be careful or the old serpent king will eat you too. Get back inside immediately!¡± the farmer scolded angrily, grabbing the child by the ear and pulling him away.


    ¡­¡­


    Xu Hei, holding the Demon Core, rushed back to the mountains. Although the trip was smooth, he felt a chill down his spine and was still shaken.


    ¡°Fortunately, I was cautious. If I had rashly rushed in and fought the Pig Demon, the outcome would have been uncertain!¡±


    Xu Hei was apprehensive, realizing he had encountered a demonic beast just like himself.


    As for the level of the First-Level Spiritual Beast it had reached, Xu Hei was unsure. Being cautious had indeed been wise; you never know what kind of existence you are dealing with.


    After swallowing the wild boar, his body had expanded to twice its size. Fortunately, he was quick, and Xu Hei dragged his massive form back to his tree hollow.


    This tree hollow was a temporary shelter he had chosen, verified to be free of large creature activity within a five-mile radius.


    Xu Hei lay in the tree hollow, digesting the boar meat he had just consumed.


    The meat of a demonic beast was indeed extraordinary. Rich in Qi and Blood, it was more filling than ordinary meat. By the next morning, Xu Hei had only digested one-third of it.


    He felt closer to reaching the Second-Level Spiritual Beast.


    At this time, he took out the black Demon Core.


    The Demon Core, also known as the Inner Core, contains the spiritual essence of a demonic beast¡¯s lifetime and is a valuable material for alchemy, artifact forging, and talisman crafting.


    Swallowing a Demon Core was extremely dangerous; a slight mistake could lead to broken meridians and explosion of the body. Generally, it is used for alchemy.


    ¡°Human knowledge may not necessarily apply to me. Why would a demonic beast have so many rules?¡± Xu Hei was somewhat doubtful.


    ¡­¡­


    Another day passed.


    That night, Xu Hei opened his eyes. The wild boar meat had been completely digested. His muscles and meridians felt a sense of satisfaction, like a bucket that had been filled to the brim.


    Xu Hei immediately made a decision¡ªbreakthrough!


    This was an instinctual drive for a demonic beast; he needed to become stronger.


    Xu Hei held the Demon Core in his mouth, swallowed it, and crushed it with his teeth, producing a crunching sound.


    In an instant, a violent surge of energy erupted from the Demon Core, rushing towards Xu Hei¡¯s meridians and bones with a constant roar. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He felt a slight pain within his body but could endure it completely.


    Indeed, the physique of demonic beasts is not the same as humans.


    ¡°Breakthrough!¡±


    Xu Hei focused his mind.


    The violent power instantly surged, and his body cracked and popped, undergoing a rapid transformation. This was the metamorphosis of his body.


    The initial stage of the transformation was quick, but then it slowed down. Xu Hei¡¯s aura remained at the limit of the First-Level Spiritual Beast.


    Suddenly, the Demon God Cauldron within him trembled. The energy was absorbed into it, and the spiritual mist rapidly expanded, then compressed to a single point!


    ¡°Boom!!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s body shook violently, his aura soaring, breaking through that bottleneck.


    After a while, when he opened his eyes again, his aura was completely different.


    Second-Level Spiritual Beast!


    ¡°Success!¡±


    Xu Hei exhaled a breath of turbid air, feeling immensely joyful.


    At this moment, the spiritual mist inside the Demon God Cauldron had contracted to a small point. Its area was tiny, but its concentration was more than ten times greater, signifying a qualitative change.


    According to human knowledge, a breakthrough cannot always be achieved on the first try; some may fail several times, and some even remain stuck at a certain realm for a lifetime.


    His first breakthrough had been successful, indicating that his talent was indeed good, though it was uncertain what spiritual root he had.


    Xu Hei did not become complacent.


    He was still in the early stages of the First-Level Spiritual Beast.


    Unless he reached the Fourth-Level Spiritual Beast, entering the mid-stage, there would be substantial changes. At that level, he would be able to use true Qi to harm others from a distance and learn some basic spells.


    Xu Hei was still far from that level.


    ¡°Though hunting the wild boar was dangerous, it brought opportunities,¡± Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Danger and opportunity always coexist. If it weren¡¯t for that Pig Demon, relying solely on mundane food, he might not have made any progress for several years.


    Feeling the increased strength, Xu Hei valued life even more and was determined to cherish his existence.


    ¡­¡­


    A day later, Xu Hei returned to the Watermelon Field.


    This was an instinct of demonic beasts, to remain active within their familiar territory. They generally do not leave their activity area unless faced with significant danger.


    Xu Hei hoped to encounter a second Pig Demon. Although the chances were slim, he chose to wait; it was the safest approach.


    Not just Xu Hei, but many demonic beasts have their own fixed hunting grounds.


    The entire day passed without any sign of the wild boar. Instead, the melon farmer appeared again in the Watermelon Field, applying manure and fertilizer.


    In the evening, the half-grown child also showed up, holding a book. However, not long after, he was pulled back by his father.


    Xu Hei waited all day and saw nothing¡ªno wild boar, not even a mouse.


    Under the moonlight, Xu Hei gazed at the lush green watermelons and suddenly had a flash of inspiration.


    ¡°Wild boars eat watermelons, and I eat wild boars. Can I skip that step and directly eat the watermelon?¡± Xu Hei thought of a bold idea.


    Xu Hei was no ordinary demon beast. Since gaining intelligence, he occasionally pondered logical problems, much like a baby encountering the world for the first time, filled with curiosity.


    With the attitude of giving it a try, Xu Hei crawled to a large watermelon, opened his serpent mouth, and swallowed the watermelon whole.


    As his abdominal muscles churned, the watermelon rind was crushed and burst open inside his belly.


    Xu Hei felt a slight increase in his qi and blood, though it was very minimal.


    ¡°I can eat it, but it only replenishes about as much qi and blood as a mouse would,¡± Xu Hei estimated.


    Since he could eat watermelon, it meant he could also eat potatoes, corn, sweet potatoes, and other plants. With his current digestive ability, even the bones of the Pig Demon could be digested, so these were naturally not a problem.


    However, while he could eat them, his body¡¯s instincts resisted, unwilling to consume such food.


    ¡°I hope I can get some meat tonight,¡± Xu Hei thought to himself.


    A day passed, and Xu Hei waited until late into the night, finally spotting a badger.


    Xu Hei first used his divine sense to scan the area, confirming that the badger was not a demon beast. He then immediately acted, swiftly attacking, entangling the badger, and swallowing it whole in one go.


    Feeling his belly swell, Xu Hei was very satisfied.


    ¡°I¡¯m full now, time to leave.¡±


    Just as Xu Hei was about to leave, he suddenly froze.


    Under the moonlight, a young boy holding a fork stood not far in front of him. With his fork raised and a dazed expression, he stared blankly at Xu Hei, motionless, like a statue.

 Chapter 5

    Chapter 5: Xu Hei and the Blood Mountain God Temple


    Xu Hei immediately halted, his pupils contracting as he stopped in his tracks.


    ¡°Damn it, I¡¯ve been spotted by a human!¡±


    ¡°Is he about to attack me? Could this be another Chen Fan?¡±


    In that brief moment, countless thoughts flashed through Xu Hei¡¯s mind.


    As the infamous old snake king of Snake Village, Xu Hei had consumed countless people and was a wanted fugitive by both the authorities and snake hunters. Once discovered, it wouldn¡¯t take half an hour before someone would come to capture him.


    Just moments ago, Xu Hei had been entirely focused on his prey and hadn¡¯t noticed anyone nearby!


    At this moment, the boy holding a fork was clearly also startled. It was his first time seeing the old snake king up close.


    The old snake king bore a striking resemblance to the portraits circulated in the village: a thick, elongated snake body, an oval head, triangular scales, and pale golden snake eyes, though the size was not as large as imagined.


    Xu Hei stared at the boy in front of him, and in his eyes, the boy¡¯s face slowly morphed into a cold and ruthless visage.


    That face faintly transformed into Chen Fan¡¯s face!!


    ¡°Boom!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s scalp instantly went numb with shock. His eyes widened with horror, and without hesitation, he turned and vanished, moving faster than he ever had in his life!


    After Xu Hei left, the boy collapsed onto the ground, his pants already soaked.


    ¡°That¡¯s the old snake king? Why didn¡¯t he eat me?¡±


    The boy was terrified but also puzzled.


    ¡­


    Xu Hei ran several kilometers before finally stopping, panting heavily.


    ¡°What just happened? Why did his face turn into Chen Fan¡¯s?¡±


    Xu Hei looked horrified.


    ¡°Impossible. It must be an illusion!¡±


    Xu Hei shook his head. He suddenly realized that the immortal had cast a significant psychological shadow on him, making everyone look like Chen Fan.


    Previously, he had even had nightmares about Chen Fan¡¯s figure.


    He hadn¡¯t cared much before, but now he had to be cautious.


    According to humans, this was a type of mental illness known as post-traumatic stress.


    If it¡¯s an illness, it must be treated!


    ¡°I¡¯m having a mental issue. I need to pay respects to the Bodhisattva for peace of mind.¡±


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and made up his mind.


    The next day.


    Three miles outside Chenjia Town. [Chen Family Town]


    Here stood an abandoned mountain god temple, the deity inside unknown. It was seldom visited for worship, and the surrounding area was deserted.


    Xu Hei arrived and first scanned the area with his divine sense. Confirming that no one was around, he crawled through the main entrance.


    Before him was a massive statue, gray and white, its appearance vague, with one arm broken. Dust and spider webs covered it, giving it a dilapidated look.


    To Xu Hei¡¯s surprise, offerings were still placed on a table: a pig¡¯s head, a roasted chicken, and a pile of white buns.


    ¡°So extravagant! Which rich young master left these?¡±


    Xu Hei instinctively wanted to rush over and eat them all, then leave. But considering he was here for a purpose, he had to restrain himself.


    He climbed onto a mat, wondering if he should burn some incense.


    After some contemplation, Xu Hei gathered three dry twigs and placed them in the incense burner.


    Then, returning to the mat, he followed the human practice of bowing three times.


    ¡°Bodhisattva, bless me to be free from mental demons,¡± Xu Hei prayed sincerely.


    After completing the ritual, Xu Hei felt significantly relieved, as if he had been purified and all distracting thoughts had vanished.


    ¡°It really works!¡±


    Xu Hei was overjoyed.


    With the main task accomplished, Xu Hei wasted no time and immediately climbed onto the table, opening his mouth wide and devouring all the offerings.


    Human food was indeed different; it was especially tasty.


    Having finished his meal and feeling satisfied, Xu Hei planned to leave.


    ¡°Hee hee hee, little girl, let¡¯s see where you run to!¡±


    Suddenly, a strange, eerie laugh and a woman¡¯s scream came from outside the door.


    Xu Hei shivered and quickly hid behind the statue.


    Through his divine sense, he saw a young woman, dressed in luxurious attire¡ªwearing a jewelled phoenix hairpin and a silk robe¡ªfrantically enter through the door. She was evidently a wealthy young lady.


    The pursuer outside was a young man holding a knife.


    Xu Hei had seen this knife-wielding youth before; he was one of those who had thrown Chen Fan into the pigpen that day.


    Xu Hei frowned. He only wanted to leave quickly, but behind the statue was a wall with no back exit.


    Whether climbing out the window or going through the main door, he would be discovered.


    ¡°This is troublesome.¡±


    Xu Hei sighed and decided to stay put and wait until they were done before leaving.


    ¡°What do you want? I¡¯m the third young lady of the Chen Family. I can give you anything you want; just don¡¯t kill me.¡±


    ¡°Hehe, Miss Chen, I¡¯m only following orders. It¡¯s not my fault you have bad luck. But before you die, I¡¯ll make sure you have a bit of pleasure.¡±


    The conversation between the two came through, the man¡¯s voice full of sinister laughter.


    Xu Hei shook his head silently. In his view, killing for reasons other than food was unnecessary.


    At this moment, the young woman was punched and sent flying. The knife-wielding man, not rushing to kill her, approached with a wicked smile. S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Humans were peculiar creatures, in a perpetual state of heat throughout the year, unlike Xu Hei, who only experienced it in spring.


    As for the woman¡¯s appearance, it might seem extraordinary to humans, but from Xu Hei¡¯s perspective, she was weak and unremarkable.


    Suddenly, the woman seemed to sense something and cried out, ¡°Please, senior, save me! The Chen Family will reward you greatly!¡±


    Her gaze turned towards the back of the statue.


    Xu Hei was stunned. Had he been discovered?


    ¡°Who?!¡±


    The knife-wielding youth was startled and quickly looked around.


    He glanced at the dust marks on the ground, narrowing his eyes as he glanced at the statue with suspicion.


    ¡°Hehe, there¡¯s no one here. You can accept your fate!¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sure if someone was hiding behind, but as long as they kept quiet, he preferred to avoid complications and leave after finishing his task.


    However, the young woman was very decisive. She got up and dashed towards the back of the statue.


    Xu Hei was immediately alarmed.


    In almost no time, the woman had crossed the short distance and reached the back.


    ¡°Don¡¯t come near!!!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s heart screamed as he saw the woman, filled with hope, come around the statue and look towards him.


    ¡°Senior¡­¡±


    She was about to speak when a huge snake tail slapped her face.


    ¡°Smack!!!¡±


    The woman¡¯s head was instantly knocked off, her blood splattering everywhere.


    The young man was horrified and immediately turned to flee.


    Xu Hei would not let him escape so easily. He flicked the woman¡¯s head with precision, hitting the young man on the back of his head.


    ¡°Boom!!¡±


    With a muffled thud, the young man fell to the ground. Xu Hei immediately rushed over and twisted the man¡¯s head off.


    To prevent any possibility of reanimation, Xu Hei shattered his bones, crushed his organs, and turned him into a pile of minced meat. They were dead beyond recovery.

 Chapter 6

    Chapter 6: Late Summer, Early Autumn, and the Plump Salmon


    Xu Hei stopped in his tracks, staring at the bloodstained ground, his heart racing uncontrollably.


    That was close! He nearly lost his life; fortunately, he reacted quickly, or it would have certainly been him who died.


    Xu Hei didn¡¯t dare to underestimate humans. The appearance of these two people was highly unusual; they might have been part of a plot.


    ¡°Why does something always happen every time I come to a temple? Last time it was the Ren Dan and the Taoist priest, and now it¡¯s a man and a woman. Why do I always encounter these things?¡±


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly, doubting whether he was under some kind of curse, always encountering trouble upon entering a temple.


    He glanced one last time at the large, vague statue and suddenly felt a strange sense of palpitations.


    Could it be that his act of stealing the offerings had angered the Mountain God?


    Xu Hei hurriedly wrapped up the two corpses and placed them on the offering table before returning to his mat and performing a few kowtows.


    ¡°Lord Mountain God, these offerings are to make up for the ones I¡¯ve disturbed; they¡¯ll surely be tastier than the roast chicken. I¡¯ll be leaving now.¡±


    Xu Hei climbed out through the window and left without looking back.


    He left at an incredible speed.


    After this experience, Xu Hei vowed never to return to this cursed place. It was better to stay in the mountains. Not just this temple but the entire Chen Family Town within a twenty-mile radius had become off-limits in his eyes.


    Not long after Xu Hei left.


    The statue seemed to flicker slightly, with dust falling down.


    The smell of the corpses quickly attracted some wild dogs, but that was no longer Xu Hei¡¯s concern.


    ¡­


    ¡­


    After returning, Xu Hei resumed his usual quiet life.


    Fortunately, since that day he prayed to the deity, he had not experienced any nightmares, nor had he dreamt of Chen Fan. It seemed to have worked.


    The experience gradually faded from his memory.


    Time passed.


    In the blink of an eye, two months had gone by.


    During this period, Xu Hei wandered in the mountains, hunting small prey and occasionally eating fruits and vegetation to replenish his energy.


    He passed by the farm outside Snake Village a few times, seeing the farmer teaching his son how to farm in the fields.


    Perhaps by coincidence, the young boy always managed to spot Xu Hei, once in the trees and once among the rocks.


    From afar, their eyes met, but there was no exchange of words.


    ¡°Xiao Niu, why are you daydreaming?¡±


    ¡°Nothing.¡±


    Under his father¡¯s scolding, the boy looked away.


    From his observations, Xu Hei learned that the boy¡¯s name was Wang Xiao Niu, and his father was Wang Da Niu. They were both farmers from the village. In addition, the family also had an elderly mother and a younger sister named Wang Ya.


    Wang Xiao Niu did not want to spend his whole life farming. He wished to study, pass the imperial exams, and take his sister to live in the city. He often carried books and sneaked to the watermelon field at midnight to study under the moonlight.


    Wang Da Niu, on the other hand, was very helpless. The family did not have the money to support his studies, but he did not want to completely crush his child¡¯s aspirations. He often sighed when thinking about it.


    Xu Hei quietly left.


    ¡­


    ¡°Studying, gaining knowledge¡­¡±


    Xu Hei, hanging from a tree branch, suddenly felt a pang of envy.


    He too wanted to read and gain knowledge, to live like a human.


    Humans are born with superior conditions, without the constant fear of danger, unlike these wild beasts who face the threat of death at every moment.


    Unfortunately, becoming human is a skill, not every living being has such good luck.


    A squirrel climbed up the tree and into a hole full of pine cones.


    This was its hard-earned harvest of the year, ensuring it could safely get through the winter.


    Suddenly, a green snake darted out from a corner, coiling and strangling the squirrel, killing it instantly. The squirrel didn¡¯t even know how it died.


    The green snake had been hungry for a long time.


    Xu Hei wondered if they envied human life.


    ¡°Hey! Can you understand me?¡±


    Xu Hei used his divine sense to communicate with the green snake.


    The green snake seemed startled, releasing its prey and fleeing, disappearing without a trace.


    As he watched the snake disappear, Xu Hei suddenly felt a wave of loneliness.


    He had gained spiritual intelligence but had no one to speak with.


    However, he had no time for idle thoughts because he was hungry.


    Xu Hei devoured the squirrel and then went after the green snake, swallowing it in one gulp.


    ¡°May you be reborn as a human in your next life.¡±


    Xu Hei plunged into the forest, starting a new round of hunting.


    However, such food could only barely satisfy his hunger and could not improve his cultivation. Relying solely on breathing and nurturing, his training progressed very slowly.


    He fantasized about eating a demon beast again soon.


    ¡­


    Late summer, early autumn, heavy rain poured down.


    It was the annual downpour. The river swelled, creating tributaries, and many fish leaped out of the river into the branches, making it a good season for fishing.


    This year¡¯s rain was exceptionally heavy, and there were particularly many salmon. At the village entrance, farmers often went out with fishing nets and returned full after an hour. Even blacksmiths who did not know how to fish could return with a large bucket.


    Wang Xiao Niu¡¯s family also joined the fishing team.


    ¡°Another tide coming.¡±


    Seeing the teams leaving the village, Xu Hei recalled last year.


    At this time last year, Xu Hei had hidden in the river, launching a surprise attack and swallowing both people and fish, causing several deaths and prompting the authorities to dispatch a hundred men and even Taoist priests to hunt him down.


    It was that time that Xu Hei almost met his end.


    ¡°I won¡¯t go this year,¡± Xu Hei thought to himself.


    With his current perspective, he could naturally see that the Taoist priest was a Qi Refinement stage cultivator.


    He suspected that he was already a demon beast last year, otherwise, he would not have been able to escape from a cultivator.


    ¡°Dad, we¡¯ve caught enough fish, too much will spoil, and we won¡¯t be able to eat it all.¡±


    ¡°What do you know! Take these fish back, and I¡¯ll go out again.¡±


    Wang Da Niu threw the fish at the door and went out with his fishing net again. The fish at the door had already been placed in several buckets.


    Wang Xiao Niu could only carry the heavy bucket of salmon back home.


    Suddenly, Wang Xiao Niu¡¯s head turned, and he spotted Xu Hei on the distant hillside, who was also looking at him.


    In recent days, Xu Hei had often wandered near the farm, listening to the conversations of the Wang family. He had grown accustomed to it.


    And Wang Xiao Niu had spotted Xu Hei more than once.


    Although there was no direct communication between the Boy and the serpent, they had grown quite familiar with each other.


    ¡°Old Snake King is back again. Does he also want to eat fish?¡± Wang Xiao Niu wondered inwardly.


    In fact, a normal person would be terrified if they saw a snake circling around their home, but Wang Xiao Niu was not afraid at all.


    He looked at Xu Hei, mustering his courage, and took a step forward.


    Xu Hei immediately shrank back a bit.


    He had been hiding in the shadows, observing human life, but that did not mean he wanted any contact with humans.


    Wang Xiao Niu, carrying a bucket of fish, boldly walked forward and placed it not far from the hillside.


    ¡°Old Snake King, everyone is afraid of you, but I¡¯m not. This bucket of fish is for you,¡± Wang Xiao Niu said, placing the fish down and retreating to a distance with a smile.


    Having learned human knowledge, Xu Hei could understand what he said and was puzzled.


    ¡°Why is this foolish boy giving me fish? Could it be poisoned?¡±


    If it were someone else offering fish, Xu Hei would certainly think ill of their intentions, but Wang Xiao Niu was someone he knew well, just a naive boy with no scheming.


    Moreover, Xu Hei had seen the Wang family catching these fish, so they couldn¡¯t be poisoned.


    Xu Hei looked at the large bucket of fish, flicked his tongue, and his appetite was immediately stimulated. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Never mind, let¡¯s try a bite.¡±


    Xu Hei climbed over and bit into a fish.


    Wang Xiao Niu sat at a distance, watching quietly with a silly grin.


    Xu Hei tasted it; the flavor was quite good. These two-legged beasts had such peculiar thinking, even offering food to a snake. Don¡¯t they know the story of farmers and snakes?


    Though he didn¡¯t understand, his body was honest. Xu Hei quickly devoured the entire bucket of fish, easily satisfying his hunger, which made him very content.


    He looked at Wang Xiao Niu in the distance and mimicked a human gesture, nodding.


    This nod immediately brightened Wang Xiao Niu¡¯s eyes, exclaiming, ¡°The Old Snake King nodded at me! He actually nodded at me!¡±


    ¡°Where?¡±


    His sister in the house immediately ran out, looking into the distance and also seeing Xu Hei¡¯s nodding gesture, her mouth wide open in surprise.


    As someone outside the village returned, Xu Hei quickly vanished into the woods.


    Wang Xiao Niu and his sister remained stunned, still unable to recover from their shock.


    Rumors should not be fully trusted; the Old Snake King was not a man-eating monster but rather polite.


    ¡°I told you, the old snake king isn¡¯t a villain who harms people; he¡¯s actually helped us before!¡± Wang Xiao Niu said with a tone of someone who is pointing out the truth.


    ¡°I know, I know, he ate the pig demon and avenged our mother,¡± Wang XiaoYa replied innocently.


    Just as their conversation ended, a scream suddenly came from the village entrance.


    ¡°Help! The old snake king is eating people again!¡±


    The voice was extremely tragic, and it came from the blacksmith Zhou¡¯s son next door.


    Hearing this, Wang Xiao Niu and his sister immediately ran out of their courtyard. Outside the village, villagers were frantically running into the village, each of them looking terrified, as if they had seen a ghost. Among them was their father.

 Chapter 7

    Chapter 7: The Celestial Monitoring Bureau and the Snake Catcher


    ¡°Bad news, the Old Snake King has eaten someone again!¡±


    ¡°The Old Snake King has eaten people! Zhang Mazi and Zhou the Blacksmith have been swallowed!¡± S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Right by that river ditch, everyone hurry to report to the officials!¡±


    The villagers, terrified, hurried away, while Wang Da Niu hurriedly dragged his two children into the courtyard and locked the gate.


    ¡°From today on, you are not allowed to step out of the door!¡±


    Wang Da Niu said sternly, his face still showing signs of panic.


    After more than half a year, the Old Snake King had appeared again, which was undoubtedly a major event.


    ¡°Old Snake King, eating people?¡± Wang Xiao Niu asked, puzzled.


    The Old Snake King had just been under his nose, finishing a bucket of fish. How could he suddenly start eating people?


    ¡°That¡¯s right! Just a moment ago, I saw with my own eyes that a dark shadow emerged from the river and dragged Zhou the Blacksmith and Zhang Mazi down. In an instant, both of them disappeared!¡± Wang Da Niu said in fear.


    ¡°Not possible! Just a moment ago, the Old Snake King even nodded at us. How could he have time to eat people?¡± Wang Xiao Niu¡¯s younger sister, Wang Ya, interjected.


    Wang Da Niu immediately glared at her: ¡°What are you talking about?¡±


    Wang Xiao Niu quickly pulled his sister¡¯s hand: ¡°Don¡¯t speak nonsense, sister!¡±


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, Xu Hei in the mountains also heard the villagers¡¯ cries and looked confused.


    ¡°I ate people? How come I don¡¯t know about it?¡±


    He hadn¡¯t even been to the river; how could he have had a chance to drag people under the water and eat them?


    He was being wronged.


    Seeing the villagers heading towards the government office, Xu Hei knew it was dangerous to stay here and decided to flee.


    Ordinary wild beasts eating people wouldn¡¯t attract the attention of the officials or lead to a hunt, but Xu Hei was different. As the King of Serpents in this area, there was a bounty posted by a Taoist Priest from the Celestial Monitoring Bureau for his capture. This was why he was taken seriously.


    The Celestial Monitoring Bureau (˾Ìì¼à), an official organization, had great power, and local officials dared not ignore it. The snake catchers (²¶ÉßÈË) were a civilian organization specifically targeting serpent demons, possessing many techniques and some formidable experts with magical tools.


    These were Xu Hei¡¯s two greatest threats: one official, one civilian.


    Having already been exposed, Xu Hei wouldn¡¯t stay in this area; he needed to hide for at least half a year, until next spring.


    However, he was curious about what creature could have eaten people so quickly.


    ¡°Could it be a water demon beast that could drag two men underwater instantly?¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s eyes flickered with speculation.


    Throughout the summer, aside from the initial pig demon, he hadn¡¯t encountered any other demon beasts.


    His cultivation had made no progress, remaining at the Second Level of Spiritual Beast. However, his Demon Core had been gradually filling with spiritual mist over time.


    ¡°Forget it, escaping is more important.¡±


    Xu Hei dismissed the thought, prioritizing his survival over anything else. Even if he could defeat a demon beast, the officials and snake catchers were not to be underestimated.


    Heavy rain poured down, and strong winds howled.


    Xu Hei reached the swollen riverbank, dove in, and swam downstream with powerful strokes of his tail. Swimming was the fastest way to escape, and the river water would cover his scent, making it difficult for the snake catchers to track him.


    Of course, Xu Hei didn¡¯t swim too far¡ªat most fifty miles. This distance was sufficient to evade pursuit. The mountains were filled with wild beasts, and venturing too deep would be suicidal.


    ¡°I¡¯ll hide out for now and come back next year.¡±


    Xu Hei had done this before.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time passed, and as night fell.


    Xu Hei climbed out of the river and reached the shore.


    Here, he was already fifty miles away from the village he had left, so he was unlikely to be followed.


    Upon arriving in an unfamiliar environment, Xu Hei spread out his Divine Sense and remained vigilant. As the King of Serpents in his home area, this didn¡¯t mean he was the king everywhere.


    Every beast had territorial instincts.


    He would keep his activity range as small as possible and avoid provoking others.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside the village, at the scene of the incident.


    This was a river ditch that had formed after heavy rain. Many people had gathered here.


    A middle-aged man in Daoist robes walked to the river¡¯s edge. This man looked ordinary, but his demeanor carried an extraordinary aura. The officials immediately showed respect and made way for him.


    This man was Chen Ping, the Taoist Priest from the Celestial Monitoring Bureau.


    ¡± Daoist Chen, have you found any clues?¡± asked the county magistrate.


    Chen Ping, holding a whisk, gazed intently at the water¡¯s surface: ¡°There is indeed a trace of demonic energy!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the villagers erupted in noise.


    ¡°Indeed, it¡¯s the Old Snake King. After disappearing for half a year, he¡¯s come out to harm people again!¡±


    ¡°He¡¯s truly a scourge; every year he eats several people before he¡¯s satisfied. When will this end?¡±


    The villagers wept and lamented, crying out in anger.


    Chen Ping, however, frowned. This unfamiliar demonic energy did not seem to match the Old Snake King¡¯s.


    He calculated with his fingers, and his expression grew somber.


    ¡°I am currently at the Third Level of Qi Refinement, and this demonic energy is quite comparable to mine. But I am unsure what kind of demon beast it is.¡±


    If it were a mouse demon, cat demon, or small demon beast, he would have no fear, but if it were a snake demon or tiger demon, he would leave without hesitation.


    An ordinary person can easily crush a mouse but cannot compete with a tiger or lion.


    Cultivators are the same. They can easily kill a mouse demon at the Third Level of Spirit Beast, but they have little chance against large demon beasts.


    Chen Ping stared at the surface of the water. After a moment, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he shouted, ¡°Everyone, retreat!¡±


    ¡°Whoosh!!!¡±


    The surface of the water suddenly exploded, and a dark shadow shot up into the sky, creating a hundred-foot splash of water that fell like rain. The dark shadow lunged at a soldier.


    Without hesitation, Chen Ping immediately swung his whisk and emitted a beam of golden light. The dark shadow suddenly accelerated, grabbed a soldier, and dragged him back into the water in a flash.


    ¡°Beast!¡±


    Chen Pingz was furious. This creature not only devoured people but continued to stay and eat more, how audacious!


    The villagers screamed in terror and fled in all directions.


    The county magistrate asked cautiously, ¡°Master Chen, what should we do next?¡±


    Chen Ping said, ¡°Withdraw! Seal off this area. When the tide recedes, the demon beast in the water will leave.¡±


    ¡°Are we not going to exterminate the demon?¡± The county magistrate was surprised.


    Chen Ping did not speak, only casting him a glance. The magistrate immediately fell silent.


    Chen Ping knew that the demon in the water was not the old snake king. With his strength, he could have dealt with it, but it would have been too troublesome and would require using some of his trump cards.


    Those trump cards were meant for the old snake king!


    ¡°My senior brother disappeared around here. He was probably swallowed by the old snake king. Along with him was the elixir refined for ten years; its medicinal power should still be inside the old snake king.¡±


    ¡°I must capture it. This is the key to my breakthrough to the mid-stage of Qi Refinement.¡±


    Chen Ping¡¯s eyes flashed with determination, but he did not reveal his thoughts to anyone.


    The leap from Third Level to Fourth Level of Qi Refinement is a major transition from the early to mid-stage. This step has kept him stagnant for ten years.


    Soon, the soldiers sealed off the area.


    Just as Chen Ping was about to leave, his gaze fell upon a young boy at the village entrance ¨C it was Wang Xiao Niu.

 Chapter 8

    Chapter 8: Serpent Scales Transform and Slay the Water Demon


    Chen Ping glanced for a moment, then walked over to Wang Xiao Niu, took his pulse, and pinched his forehead.


    ¡°Immortal, what¡¯s wrong with my little son?¡± Wang Da Niu asked nervously.


    ¡°No need to worry.¡±


    Chen Ping¡¯s tone was gentle. Looking at the tattered books behind Wang Xiao Niu, he said, ¡°He was born with a high spiritual awareness, but unfortunately, his aptitude is too poor for cultivation. It would be better for him to be a scholar. If he can pass the county exam, he could enter the Celestial Monitoring Bureau for a civil position; just report my name.¡±


    Earlier, he had noticed Wang Xiao Niu but didn¡¯t have time to examine him in detail. Now, after the inspection, he was somewhat disappointed.


    With that, he turned and left without lingering.


    Once Chen Ping left, the nearby villagers gathered around, their faces full of envy.


    ¡°The Celestial Monitoring Bureau, that¡¯s the place of the immortals!¡±


    ¡°To be recognized by an immortal, the Wang family is truly fortunate!¡±


    Amidst the flattery, Wang Da Niu gritted his teeth and resolved to send Xiao Niu to study, even if it meant selling everything he had.


    ¡­¡­


    After the officials left, the snake hunters came again. They searched the mountains but found no trace of the Old Snake King.


    Instead, they encountered a water demon by the river and fought it, suffering injuries on both sides.


    As time passed, the incident gradually faded from memory.


    ¡­¡­


    Downstream of the big river, where the current was swift, a long black shadow slithered through the water.


    Suddenly, water splashed as if a huge fish was struggling in the water, but it soon calmed down.


    Moments later, a snake head emerged from the water and crawled onto the shore.


    This snake was pitch black, its scales gleaming with a faint shine, its belly swollen and its body fat, as if it had just swallowed a large fish.


    It was Xu Hei.


    A month had passed since Xu Hei arrived here, and the torrential rain had gradually stopped.


    Living by the river, the food was much better, often catching some fish over a meter long, allowing Xu Hei to feast.


    However, these ordinary foods provided little benefit to his cultivation. He still longed for demon beast meat and even considered returning to the river ditch.


    But such dangerous thoughts were fleeting.


    Xu Hei had a cultivation method now, and with time, his cultivation could slowly improve without risking danger.


    Xu Hei lay on a rock, coiling up, and practiced the Breathing and Nurturing technique, absorbing strands of spiritual energy from the heavens and earth, which transformed into dragons and entered the gaps between his scales.


    Gradually, his scales began to shine.


    The scales at the tip of his tail even developed faint golden lines, forming a triangular pattern, a new kind of scale he had never seen before.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, and as his scales rubbed against the stone, stone powder fell off, while his scales remained intact.


    ¡°These scales¡­ have reached the level of fine iron!¡± Xu Hei was astonished.


    This phenomenon, unknown to him until recently, had been occurring for the past month. He had discovered that his tail had developed two special new scales.


    Moreover, a third one was gradually forming next to them, though very slowly.


    He searched his memories but found no explanation for this.


    Xu Hei suspected it might be related to the cultivation technique he practiced, which came from Chen Fan and was rather mysterious.


    As for the Demon God Cauldron within him, he had been studying it as well.


    The cauldron had completely replaced the function of the Demon Core, with the spiritual energy mist inside representing Xu Hei¡¯s cultivation. Although the mist¡¯s volume had not changed, its density had increased with Xu Hei¡¯s breakthroughs.


    Xu Hei focused his mind, looking at the surface of the cauldron. There, a vividly carved dragon was depicted. The dragon¡¯s body appeared smooth but actually had countless tiny scales that were only visible when magnified a hundred times.


    Inside the dragon¡¯s body, there were numerous fine lines resembling blood vessels and meridians, vividly detailed and requiring at least a thousand times magnification to be seen.


    Even with Xu Hei¡¯s divine sense, he could only magnify it a hundred times.


    Xu Hei sighed and withdrew his divine sense.


    ¡°My divine sense is still insufficient. When I become stronger and can see the paths of these meridians clearly, I might gain some insights,¡± Xu Hei thought thoughtfully.


    ¡­


    Upstream of the Zhang River, a gigantic shadow moved stealthily through the water, heading downstream.


    It was a massive octopus.


    Its huge, jet-black body and seven tentacles extended up to three meters long, grabbing and devouring any fish in its path.


    This was a tidal-time predator in the river.


    Recently, it had fought with a snake-catcher, sustaining injuries. Now, with the tide receding, it was returning to the main river.


    If observed closely, one could see that one of its tentacles was severed, as if sliced by a sharp sword, and its underside bore burns from flames.


    Demon beasts possessed spiritual intelligence.


    Before leaving, it had lured a human child to consume a snake-catcher in the Qi Refinement stage, taking out its vengeance.


    Now, it was at the Third Level of Spiritual Beast, nearing the mid-stage, having lived for countless years and reigning supreme in the waters.


    The giant octopus flowed downstream, preying on fish, which all fled in panic.


    On the riverbank, Xu Hei¡¯s gaze was fixed on a willow tree. His tail was retracted behind him, like a tightly wound spring, ready to strike.


    Xu Hei focused his mind.


    Suddenly, the two scales at the tip of his tail stood upright, sharp as blades. In the next moment, the tail whipped out like a steel whip, striking the willow tree.


    ¡°Bang!¡±


    A crisp sound echoed as the willow tree was cleanly cut, falling into the river and splashing water everywhere.


    Seeing his work, Xu Hei mused, ¡°These scales are as hard as iron, and their edges are sharp. They can be used as weapons. Unfortunately, only two of them are on my tail. Once I have these scales all over my body, my defense should be quite formidable.¡±


    Xu Hei also had his own poisonous fangs, but their toxicity was too weak. In contrast, these scales were much more direct in their impact.


    ¡°Let¡¯s catch a fish and test their effectiveness.¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s figure flashed, and he submerged into the river. Every technique must be tested in practice.


    If catching a fish was difficult, it would be better to avoid using it, as it could endanger him instead of protecting him.


    Oddly, after searching for a while, Xu Hei found no fish.


    Just as he was about to return, he suddenly sensed a rush of current beside him. A massive shadow was emerging from the riverbed, rapidly approaching.


    ¡°A giant octopus?¡±


    Xu Hei was momentarily stunned. He had never seen such a large octopus before, but he didn¡¯t dwell on it. He had seen even larger fish, and the taste of the three-meter-long fish caught in the snake village was still unforgettable.


    As the octopus approached, Xu Hei moved forward, his serpent scales erect, and his tail lashed out like a long whip, treating the creature as an experimental subject.


    ¡°Swish!¡± S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The octopus recoiled, two of its tentacles severed.


    Xu Hei, taken aback, continued advancing. Another lash targeted the octopus¡¯s head. The creature seemed to try to escape but was too late. With a flash of cold light, its head was cleaved open.


    The massive body thrashed in the water before sinking to the riverbed, lifeless after a moment.


    Xu Hei was not satisfied with his performance. It took two strikes to kill a fish, which would be inadequate against a real demon beast, let alone a snake-catcher.


    ¡°This move is best avoided. If catching an octopus is this tough, encountering a demon beast would be suicidal, not to mention a snake-catcher,¡± Xu Hei thought, shaking his head.


    Just as he was about to consume the octopus¡¯s corpse, he noticed a wooden token floating up from the cracked area of the octopus. It floated in front of Xu Hei, clearly visible.


    The sight of the token left Xu Hei stunned, as he recognized it as a snake-catcher¡¯s token!

 Chapter 9

    Chapter 9: The Snake Catcher Enters the Mountain to Capture Snakes


    Xu Hei stared for a long time, repeatedly observing, before confirming that the token was indeed that of a snake catcher.


    This token bore the mark of a cultivator, and its special material made it extremely durable.


    How did it end up inside that octopus¡¯s body?


    Even Xu Hei, who was usually slow to react, sensed something was wrong.


    He immediately extended his divine sense into the octopus¡¯s body and was shocked to discover a fist-sized demon core inside the creature¡¯s head.


    It was quite large, twice the size of the previous pig demon¡¯s core!


    ¡°Is this really a demon beast?¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s pupils contracted, and he instinctively took a step back, but then realized the creature was already dead.


    After hesitating for a moment, Xu Hei cautiously approached the octopus¡¯s corpse.


    Even after death, the muscles of the corpse remained active, with the tentacles twitching. Xu Hei observed for a long time until the tentacles finally ceased movement before advancing.


    He swung his tail, cutting off the remaining tentacles and then dividing the corpse into several parts.


    Only then did he feel confident enough to examine it closely.


    Inside the octopus¡¯s stomach, there were remnants of other corpses, including fish and two human skeletons. The flesh and blood had been digested, but the clothing remained. One of the garments was recognizable as belonging to a snake catcher.


    Clearly, this demon beast had devoured a snake catcher.


    This powerful water demon had been unintentionally slain by Xu Hei, as if it were an ordinary wild creature!


    Xu Hei felt a sense of disbelief. When did he become so powerful? Had the scales on his tail become this formidable?


    ¡°Dear demon brother, I didn¡¯t intend to kill you. I was just hunting a wild beast. Had I known it was you, even a hundred of me wouldn¡¯t dare approach,¡± Xu Hei thought to himself. ¡°I hope you are reborn as a human in your next life!¡±


    Xu Hei silently prayed for the creature, acknowledging its contribution to removing a snake catcher.


    Next, Xu Hei cut up the corpse, spending another half hour transporting it from the riverbed back to his lair.


    During the process, he discovered that the demon beast had been injured before he found it and took advantage of the situation.


    Xu Hei¡¯s lair was located not far from the riverbank, in what seemed to be an old animal burrow. He had expanded it and camouflaged the entrance with grass and foliage, making it indistinguishable from the outside.


    He consumed the octopus¡¯s head in one go and buried the remaining tentacles in the snake hole, covering them with sand, planning to eat them gradually.


    Although the octopus appeared soft, its flesh was actually very tough, like leather, and contained a substantial amount of energy.


    Just from eating the head, Xu Hei felt a surge of vital energy flooding into him, rapidly being absorbed into the Demon God Cauldron.


    The spiritual mist inside the cauldron visibly increased in volume, reaching ten percent, twenty percent, thirty percent¡­


    Even the third scale on his tail rapidly evolved.


    His long-stagnant cultivation finally showed signs of progress.


    ¡°This is much better than the pig demon. Demon brother, I will remember your merit,¡± Xu Hei said as he focused and practiced his technique.


    It had been a long time since he had such a smooth cultivation experience!


    With so much demon beast meat, Xu Hei no longer needed to hunt and could focus solely on meditation. He might even make it through to winter.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A month later.


    After consuming the entire octopus, Xu Hei¡¯s cultivation level had risen again, reaching the late stage of the Second-Level Spiritual Beast realm.


    The spiritual mist in the Demon God Cauldron now covered more than half of its surface.


    Previously it was only ten percent, but now it was eighty percent.


    Xu Hei sensed that when the mist covered a full hundred percent, he would break through to the Third-Level Spiritual Beast realm. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Although he had not yet broken through, Xu Hei¡¯s strength had significantly increased, with his power and speed enhanced by around fifty percent, and a third black-gold scale appeared on his tail.


    This filled Xu Hei with joy and hope, lifting his spirits.


    Time passed, autumn turned to winter.


    In early winter, temperatures plummeted, and food sources became scarcer. Snakes would gradually reduce their bodily functions, conserve energy, and eventually hibernate in a burrow.


    Even a serpent demon like Xu Hei was subject to this natural law.


    He abandoned the riverbank lair as it was unsuitable for hibernation and sought a deeper burrow, preferably in an uninhabited area.


    Wild beasts were manageable, but humans were the main concern. Winter was the peak season for snake catching, and Xu Hei did not want to be discovered.


    He returned to the deep mountains and forests he was familiar with.


    This area had wolf packs and bear droppings, with few visitors. After confirming no dangers with his divine sense, Xu Hei dug a deep underground tunnel and settled twenty meters underground.


    This depth was beyond the reach of any wild beast and even humans would struggle to dig that deep.


    Xu Hei covered the entrance with some bear droppings to mask the scent and then returned to the tunnel, coiling up and entering a state of hibernation.


    Even in hibernation, Xu Hei continued to absorb the spiritual energy of the world.


    As a cautious serpent, he kept a sliver of consciousness, ready to awaken immediately if any anomalies occurred.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the vicinity of Chen Family Town, there were two well-known villages: Snake Village and Python Village.


    From the names, it was clear that the mountains in this area were abundant with snakes, and snake catchers were active here.


    Winter was the prime season for hunting snakes.


    Many fierce wild beasts choose to hibernate in winter. With the withering of plants and the loss of cover, the safety of entering the mountains greatly increases.


    This year, the snake catcher posted an announcement at the village entrance:


    ¡°Recruiting young and strong men for hunting in the mountains. One person per trip, a reward of one guan.¡±


    This announcement stirred quite a commotion in the village. In previous years, the snake catchers only cooperated with hunters. This year, however, there were no restrictions; everyone was eligible to join, and every trip to the mountains earned a guan!


    However, ordinary people going into the mountains also faced greater dangers, and might risk their lives without a chance to spend the money.


    ¡°Xiao Niu, stay at home and take good care of your sister. I¡¯m going into the mountains,¡± Wang Da Niu instructed.


    ¡°But father, you¡¯ve never been into the mountains!¡± Wang Xiao Niu expressed concern.


    ¡°Don¡¯t worry. Uncle Sun will be with me. He¡¯s an experienced hunter who has been working with the snake catcher for over a decade without any mishaps!¡± Wang Da Niu patted Xiao Niu¡¯s head and smiled, ¡°Once I earn the money, I¡¯ll send you to the private school in Chen Family Town to study with Mr. Chu. You¡¯ll definitely pass the exams.¡±


    Wang Xiao Niu looked at his father, holding back tears, and nodded.


    Wang Da Niu wrapped the guan in cloth and hid it under the bed. Before leaving, he glanced at the yellowing books on the bed, put on his coat, grabbed his belongings, and walked out the door.


    In his hibernation place twenty meters underground, Xu Hei could only sense up to the surface, which was his limit. This distance allowed him to see the ground above.


    Above ground, occasionally, roe deer, snow hares, and other game passed by. There were also tigers and brown bears. Sometimes, reptiles would crawl into the cave, but they were blocked by the entrance and could not enter.


    Xu Hei made no movements except for his breathing, with his heartbeat slowed to the minimum and his body temperature cold and stiff. This was his most vulnerable state.


    As a cold-blooded creature, Xu Hei could only regain his vitality and movement in spring when the temperature rose.


    Days went by.


    The external temperature dropped to its lowest. Xu Hei¡¯s consciousness was in a state of dullness, only recovering some function when spiritual energy entered his body, giving him a faint sense of the outside world.


    Suddenly, there was a rustling sound from above.


    Two hunting dogs approached the cave entrance and sniffed around.

 Chapter 10

    Chapter 10: Demons and Human Hearts


    Xu Hei¡¯s consciousness suddenly awoke. He took a breath of spiritual energy to regain some awareness, then extended his divine sense.


    He saw two hunting dogs sniffing around on the surface, with the sound of human footsteps coming from behind.


    ¡°These are trained hunting dogs; they can detect the scent of snakes!¡± Xu Hei was shocked.


    Xu Hei knew well that these dogs could detect any place where snakes had passed and easily find their wintering spots!


    However, he was hiding twenty meters underground and had deliberately covered his scent with bear dung, so they definitely couldn¡¯t smell him.


    Sure enough, the two dogs only sniffed for a while before showing signs of panic and retreating to the side.


    The team behind also quickly moved away, changing direction to continue their search.


    Xu Hei sighed in relief. Even if they did discover him, such a deep distance would be impossible to reach.


    However, the large number of people above was causing him considerable trouble.


    ¡°This is really troublesome. I can¡¯t even hibernate peacefully.¡±


    Xu Hei complained inwardly.


    Before long, the hunting dogs started barking, and the hunters gathered around, digging under a large rock to find a wintering snake.


    The snake, two meters long, was a forest rattlesnake. Its meat was edible, and its venom could be used for medicine.


    The wintering snake, cold and stiff like iron, had no ability to move. It was beheaded, its gallbladder extracted, and its skin removed before being packed into a bag.


    Xu Hei observed the entire process with no change in his expression, hoping they would leave quickly.


    Unfortunately, things didn¡¯t go as he wished.


    ¡°It¡¯s getting late. Let¡¯s make a fire and have a meal. After eating, we¡¯ll descend the mountain,¡± the leader called out.


    ¡°Alright!¡±


    Instead of leaving, the large group gathered around and started a fire in the open space.


    Xu Hei was almost furious, wondering why they had to eat right here.


    At this moment, he noticed the two leaders: one a handsome young man, the other a plump middle-aged man.


    Both were wearing dark blue-black python robes with a distinct aura, and there were faint fluctuations of spiritual energy within them.


    These python robes were worn by snake catchers.


    ¡°Snake catchers!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s eyes flashed. Without a doubt, this was a snake-catching team led by a snake catcher, which annually carried out large-scale snake captures in winter.


    However, the number of people this time was excessive¡ªover thirty, including hunters, young men, farmers, and even Wang Da Niu, which was peculiar.


    The crowd built a bonfire and set up an iron pot.


    Inside the pot were many sections of freshly captured snake meat. The meat was vibrant and was placed into mountain spring water before being boiled over a high flame.


    Soon, the aroma filled the air, and the people enjoyed the snake soup and meat with great delight.


    ¡°Humans raise so many livestock, yet they¡¯re not satisfied. Why do they still eat snakes?¡±


    Xu Hei felt indignation watching his kind being consumed, but he couldn¡¯t help but swallow.


    Suddenly, he felt a pang of hunger.


    ¡°Wang Da Niu, how do you feel?¡±


    The old hunter, Li San, asked Wang Da Niu, who was sitting beside him.


    Wang Da Niu, having drunk some snake soup, said bitterly, ¡°I still don¡¯t fit in the mountains. After this trip, I¡¯ll return home. It¡¯s almost New Year¡¯s anyway.¡±


    ¡°Haha, returning home is good. Your Xiao Niu will certainly achieve something great in the future,¡± Li San said with a hearty laugh.


    Wang Da Niu hesitated for a moment and said, ¡°Actually, I always feel that the immortals have been frequently entering the mountains and gathering so many people, not just to catch snakes. It seems like they are looking for¡­¡±


    ¡°Shh!¡±


    Before he could finish, Li San interrupted him.


    Li San had a serious expression and said in a low voice, ¡°We all know about this matter. Don¡¯t ask too much or speculate. Just do your job and collect your pay.¡±


    Wang Da Niu nodded.


    At this moment, two snake catchers stood at the edge of the crowd, discussing something with serious expressions.


    ¡°Shixiong, since the location has been found, this group of people is useless and might leak information. Why not¡­¡±


    The handsome young man¡¯s eyes flashed as he took out a cyan-purple pill.


    The plump middle-aged man immediately stopped him and said coldly, ¡°Fool, do you think the Celestial Monitoring Bureau is useless? They can detect poison easily.¡±


    As snake catchers were cultivators, the Celestial Monitoring Bureau would not sit idly by if they acted recklessly against ordinary people.


    ¡°So what does Shixiong suggest?¡± The young man asked, putting the pill away.


    The middle-aged man snorted coldly and said proudly, ¡°There is a bear demon nearby that is currently hibernating.¡±


    The young man¡¯s eyes lit up, and he cupped his hands in salute, ¡°Shixiong is brilliant. No wonder you chose this place; you must have planned it all along.¡±


    The middle-aged man struck a profound pose and remained silent.


    Xu Hei overheard their entire conversation with his divine sense.


    Xu Hei¡¯s scalp tingled with apprehension.


    ¡°You want to kill people, can¡¯t you choose another place?¡±


    He didn¡¯t care about the lives of the humans, but whether he could continue his peaceful hibernation was at stake.


    If thirty or so people died, wouldn¡¯t the Celestial Monitoring Bureau dig three feet into the ground to eradicate the demons?


    Xu Hei knew that the root cause of all this was the presence of a bear demon nearby.


    Before hibernating, Xu Hei had checked for traces of demon beasts in the vicinity. However, he hadn¡¯t anticipated this inconvenience after he began hibernating; it was purely bad luck. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Unlike snakes, bears are warm-blooded animals. Even if awakened from hibernation, they could become violent and kill people.


    ¡°This cursed place, why am I so unlucky? Should I go burn some incense and pray to Buddha?¡±


    Xu Hei pondered inwardly.


    At this moment, the young snake catcher took out a jar of fine wine and served it to everyone.


    ¡°Fellow villagers, you¡¯ve worked hard these days. This is our last time in the mountains. After this meal, you can all go home!¡±


    ¡°I toast you all!¡±


    Upon hearing this, the crowd cheered immediately, eagerly accepting the wine jar and filling their cups.


    This was wine for immortals, something they rarely even got to smell!


    ¡­


    ¡°Thank you for the wine, Immortal!¡±


    ¡°Let¡¯s drink up together!¡±


    As the young man drank the wine, everyone followed suit.


    The wine was harmless, just an ordinary spiritual wine with a stronger kick, which made cultivators a bit dizzy, and even more so for mortals.


    ¡°Good wine, good wine indeed!¡±


    ¡°I¡¯ve never drunk anything this good in my life!¡±


    ¡°Haha, drink to your heart¡¯s content, I still have more!¡± The young snake catcher laughed.


    Before long, everyone was getting woozy, and many had passed out on the ground.


    Just when most people were getting drunk, a sudden rumbling came from the distance. The ground trembled, as if the mountain was shaking.


    Two drunk men suddenly ran towards them from afar, their faces filled with terror, their drunkenness gone in an instant.


    ¡°Not good, a beast is coming, run!¡±


    Before the two drunk men could finish speaking, a shadow fell from behind and smashed them into a pulp, with blood and flesh splattering everywhere.


    Then came the earth-shaking roar of the bear demon, resonating through the mountains and forests.


    ¡°Help! It¡¯s a bear demon!¡±


    ¡°Run away!¡±


    The entire hunting team was thrown into chaos. People woke up in panic, fleeing for their lives.


    However, the effects of the alcohol were too strong. Some people crashed into trees, some fell to the ground, rolling and crawling. Some even spoke in their sleep, unable to run at all.


    The outcome was predictable.


    ¡°Alas, more deaths again.¡± Xu Hei sighed.


    Xu Hei had no affection for humans. He only hoped they would die far away, not near his cave, so it wouldn¡¯t be so filthy.


    He moved further outside, so his divine sense could see farther.


    At this moment, the bear demon was in a killing spree.


    The bear demon moved with incredible speed, charging into the crowd and slapping people to death with a single swipe. The wind from its paws swept through, smashing people into pieces, blood and flesh flying everywhere, creating a scene of great carnage.


    ¡°Immortal, save me, save me!¡±


    ¡°Help! Don¡¯t leave us behind!¡±


    Screams rose as the villagers had never seen such a demon before, all terrified out of their wits.


    However, two snake catchers who were well-prepared ran the fastest. Even though the handsome young man was drunk, he still sprinted like a leopard.


    Only Li San was the most sober among the hunters.


    ¡°Immortal, you can¡¯t just watch us die!¡±


    Li San lunged forward and grabbed the handsome young man¡¯s leg, but was kicked away with disgust by the latter.


    ¡°You lowly people, causing such a big mess, and still have the face to ask for help. It¡¯s your own fault. Don¡¯t bother me!¡± Zhao Wenzhuo shouted angrily, his face red.


    ¡°Zhao Shidi, hurry up.¡±


    The fat middle-aged man ahead urged.


    Zhao Wenzhuo spat in disgust and leapt ten zhang forward, just landing near Xu Hei¡¯s cave entrance.


    Li San gritted his teeth, took out his crossbow from his back, and shot an arrow forward.


    Zhao Wenzhuo sidestepped, and though the arrow missed him, it hit his waist storage bag, scattering its contents all over the ground.


    Pills, jade bottles, talismans, and two jars of spiritual wine all fell out.


    One jar of spiritual wine shattered with a loud crash, its liquid flowing into the cave.


    ¡°Seeking death!¡±


    Zhao Wenzhuo was furious. How dare a mortal attack an immortal, it was simply outrageous! But he didn¡¯t have time to deal with the mortal and had to bend down to pick up his things.


    He had not yet reached the middle stage of Qi Refinement and could not retrieve items from afar.


    ¡°Shixiong, come help me!¡± Zhao Wenzhuo called out.


    The fat middle-aged man was extremely impatient but still stopped to help him pick up things, grabbing a handful of pills and stuffing them into his own storage bag.


    They picked up the items, but whether they would be returned later was another matter.


    Xu Hei, hidden in the cave, saw the wine and spiritual pills flowing into the cave, some of which dissolved in the water.


    Xu Hei quickly moved aside, pressing against the rock wall to let the liquid flow past him.


    ¡°Who did I offend?¡±


    Xu Hei cursed, and for a moment, the cave was filled with the smell of alcohol.


    At that moment, Zhao Wenzhuo, while picking up items, grabbed a talisman from the ground and suddenly infused it with spiritual energy.


    ¡°What are you doing?!¡±


    The fat middle-aged man¡¯s face changed, and he hurriedly reached for his waist storage bag, but was too late.


    Zhao Wenzhuo, holding the talisman, formed a hand seal, and the talisman exploded with green light. A fierce gale erupted, blasting towards the fat middle-aged man.


    ¡°Ah!!¡±


    With a scream, the fat middle-aged man was blown away, flying towards the bear demon that was still slaughtering.


    This sudden change left Xu Hei dumbfounded.

 Chapter 11

    Chapter 11: The Human¡¯s Wine Shouldn¡¯t Be Drunk Recklessly


    Zhao Wenzhuo sneered internally. As a cultivator, how could he possibly be hit by an ordinary hunter¡¯s arrow aimed at his storage bag? Did the hunter really think he was drunk?


    He had deliberately let the bag be hit and the contents scatter, creating an opportunity for a surprise attack.


    If he had directly reached for the storage bag, his senior brother would have immediately become alert, and given the distance between them, even if he acted first, he might not have been able to hit his target.


    By pretending to collect the scattered items, he lured the opponent closer and picked up the spiritual talisman to strike swiftly. The opponent wouldn¡¯t have had time to react.


    The fat middle-aged man had also been planning to hoard some elixirs for himself, falling right into Zhao Wenzhuo¡¯s trap.


    ¡°Zhao Wenzhuo, may you die a terrible death!¡±


    Ding Hai quickly realized what had happened, his eyes turning blood-red with rage. But soon, he was forced to fight the bear demon.


    The bear demon¡¯s strength was beyond his imagination, reaching the middle stage of the Spirit Beast level, and in close combat, there was no way out!


    His fate was sealed!


    Xu Hei was stunned, taking a long while to come to his senses.


    ¡°What a situation! The snake catchers are having an internal conflict!¡±


    Xu Hei was amazed, his eyes wide open at the scene.


    ¡°Brother Ding, don¡¯t blame me! Both of us have been stuck at the Qi Refinement early stage for years, but that spiritual item could only let one of us break through. Brother Ding, I¡¯m sorry!¡±


    Zhao Wenzhuo said with a tone full of regret.


    Before leaving, he didn¡¯t forget to add an extra layer of cruelty. He took out a Wind Blade Talisman, activated it, and shot two blades at Ding Hai, one at Li San, and one at the two villagers who had witnessed the scene, eliminating all witnesses.


    Then, he took out a peculiar cow horn flute and blew into it, immediately producing a wolf howl.


    This flute would summon a pack of wolves to devour all the bodies and erase all traces.


    His movements were so practiced they seemed almost mechanical.


    After finishing these tasks, Zhao Wenzhuo picked up the remaining elixirs.


    Finally, he looked with a touch of regret at the shattered wine jar, sighed, and turned to leave.


    ¡°Brother Ding, to stage this scene, I really had to spend a lot!¡±


    He wasn¡¯t sad about the wine but about the elixirs. They were essential for his daily cultivation, and he had paid a high price to make the scene convincing.


    Meanwhile, Ding Hai, who was covered in blood and about to activate a talisman in his final moments to strike Zhao Wenzhuo from afar, let out a desperate roar and threw the talisman at the bear demon.


    ¡°Boom!!¡±


    With a loud explosion, both figures were blasted away. Ding Hai¡¯s limbs were shattered, his head blown off, and he died on the spot.


    The bear demon was severely injured as well, its fur charred black, burned off in patches, and it had lost one eye.


    Not long after Zhao Wenzhuo left, the howling of the wolves could be heard in the distance.


    The arrival of the wolves meant that no one would survive.


    Xu Hei, no longer in the mood to pay attention to the events, just wanted to finish up quickly and find another place.


    He couldn¡¯t stay here any longer; not only had many people died, but the place was also filled with the smell of alcohol.


    Xu Hei seriously suspected that he had offended the Mountain God and was cursed. Had he ever offended anyone?


    This place was not suitable for staying. Restoring his energy was the priority.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, practiced his breathing technique, and absorbed the spiritual energy from the air.


    Gradually, a large amount of spiritual energy was released from the wine and elixirs, entering his body and slowly warming his icy cold body.


    ¡°Hm?¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s gaze froze as he looked at the wine.


    This was a spirit wine consumed by cultivators, infused with herbs, poisonous snakes, turtles, and other spiritual items, already possessing considerable spirituality. It had further increased its spiritual energy by merging with elixirs.


    Just a whiff made Xu Hei feel the surge of spiritual energy.


    ¡°Humans say that young people shouldn¡¯t drink, but I¡¯m an adult now, so it should be fine to try a little, right?¡±


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment before deciding to take a sip.


    He first licked a drop with his tongue, and instantly, a spicy sensation spread through his body, not only sharpening his mind but also raising his body temperature.


    Xu Hei waited for a while and found no abnormality. The spiciness gradually faded.


    ¡°What a strange taste.¡±


    He licked a few more drops, the fiery sensation surging again, a wave of heat rushing to his brain, warming his cold body rapidly, and the numbness dissipated, leaving a slight euphoria.


    Xu Hei¡¯s eyes lit up.


    He bent down and took a big gulp, the spicy liquid flowing down his throat, directly reaching his brain, and the dizzy feeling intensified.


    ¡°I¡¯m getting drunk, I can¡¯t stand it!¡±


    Xu Hei no longer hesitated, absorbing all the spirit wine in the cave, leaving none behind.


    He even swallowed the earth the wine had seeped into.


    At this moment, torrents of scorching and violent energy surged into his meridians and flesh. Xu Hei felt as though his stomach was on fire, intensely hot, and the heat spread throughout his body, almost unbearable.


    But soon, he adapted to the feeling.


    ¡°What an incredible aftereffect! Is this what alcohol does? Haha!¡±


    Xu Hei was overjoyed and quickly focused on refining the energy.


    As time went by, Xu Hei suddenly felt his consciousness drifting away from his body, as if he was floating in the sky.


    ¡°What¡¯s happening?¡±


    Xu Hei looked up at the cave entrance, which seemed to split into three, five, eight¡­ sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡°Hmm? Why has the entrance become eight?¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s face showed confusion.


    His body became increasingly hot, with boundless energy flowing out. He felt he had endless strength to release.


    A surge of restless emotion suddenly surged into his brain.


    Xu Hei let out a furious roar, slamming his tail against the stone wall with immense force, and his body shot towards the cave entrance.


    With a tremendous ¡°boom,¡± the entire cave collapsed under the immense power, debris flying everywhere as if a bomb had exploded underground, causing the ground to shake violently.


    The wolf pack was startled and looked around in confusion. They saw a black, slender shadow shoot up from the distance and fall to the ground.


    When they realized it was just a snake blasted away, the wolves ignored it and continued eating.


    ¡­


    The cold wind blew, rustling the forest, and snowflakes fell.


    Snow began to blanket the ground, covering everything in a layer of white. Before long, the world was a vast expanse of whiteness.


    At this moment, wolves surged from all directions, pouncing on the corpses, and even the few survivors were mercilessly attacked by the wolves, their screams echoing through the air.


    As for the giant bear demon, one of its eyes was blinded, its fur was mostly burned off, and it limped, likely with broken bones.


    The wolves circled the bear, eyeing it menacingly. Initially, two wolves charged, but they were swatted dead by the bear demon and did not dare to approach again.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The bear demon roared in anger, and the wolves retreated, unwilling to provoke it.


    Xu Hei looked at the snowy forest, feeling as if the sky was spinning and the earth was no longer solid.


    His snake skin was red and hot, and the ice and snow it touched were melting.


    Beyond the intense heat and dizziness, he also felt hunger, an overwhelming hunger.


    ¡°I¡¯m so hungry!¡±


    ¡°Eh? So many rabbits?¡±


    Xu Hei stared at the starving wolves attacking humans with suspicion.


    In his sight, countless rabbits appeared, splitting into two, then four, and increasing in number, densely packed.


    Out of curiosity, Xu Hei climbed up, only to find that the rabbits not only did not run away but instead bared their teeth and growled at him.


    ¡°Damn it, rabbits daring to be arrogant, do you think you¡¯re wolves or something!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s temper flared, and without saying a word, he charged and bit down on a wolf that was growling at him, swallowing it whole.

 Chapter 12

    Chapter 12: Xu Hei Battles the Black Bear Demon


    Muscles in his body tensed, and a cracking sound echoed from within as the Demon God Cauldron automatically activated. The terrifyingly fast digestion of the evil wolf began! S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The digestion speed was unprecedented!


    The massive body of the recently devoured wolf rapidly shrank, and in just a few breaths, Xu Hei returned to his normal size, expelling a pile of black ash.


    Everything happened so quickly that the surrounding wolves only noticed their companion was missing after the fact.


    ¡°I¡¯m so hungry, so hungry!¡± Xu Hei once again lunged at another starving wolf, opening his bloody maw and biting down on its head.


    With a contraction of his throat, the entire wolf was swallowed instantly.


    The wolf pack was thrown into chaos, retreating in fear. They had all seen that this serpent was attacking them! In the blink of an eye, it had devoured two wolves!


    At this moment, Xu Hei burped and expelled more black ash, digestion completed.


    ¡°Not enough!¡± Xu Hei flicked his tail and darted off like a phantom in the snow, targeting another wolf.


    He bit down, toppled it, and swallowed it in one smooth motion. In just two breaths, another wolf was consumed.


    The wolf pack was in total disarray, fleeing in panic.


    Just as they dared not attack the bear demon, now faced with Xu Hei¡¯s onslaught, the wolves were terrified, their escape routes leaving them food behind.


    Xu Hei, seizing the opportunity, sped up like lightning, devouring one wolf after another with insatiable hunger.


    In an instant, four more wolves were swallowed, their resistance non-existent, vanishing the moment he got close.


    It was as if Xu Hei was consuming mere chicks.


    ¡°Little rabbits, don¡¯t run away!¡±


    As he consumed the wolves, Xu Hei¡¯s eyes grew even more excited. He felt an emptiness, as if he were a beast that had been starving for a long time, with no sign of satiety.


    The Demon God Cauldron also frantically refined qi and blood, emitting a constant craving.


    Xu Hei was driven by his most primal instinct: the instinct to kill!


    Xu Hei charged forward, swallowing the wolves one by one. Every target he focused on met with an inevitable end. In no time, the wolf pack was reduced to mere scattered remnants, disappearing without a trace.


    It was only at this point that Xu Hei let out a full burp, and his digestion slowed down.


    Despite eating so much, he still felt something was missing.


    Xu Hei¡¯s gaze shifted, and he looked to the side.


    ¡°Uwoo!¡±


    A roar came from ahead.


    The bear demon glared at Xu Hei with a pair of sinister eyes, baring its teeth and growling warnings from its throat.


    Xu Hei showed no fear. He coiled his serpent body, raising his head high to scrutinize the creature before him.


    Xu Hei couldn¡¯t help but gasp in amazement.


    ¡°My heavens! What a fat pig! How did this pig get so big?¡±


    At this moment, Xu Hei regarded the bear demon as a fat pig.


    It was the largest pig he had ever seen, standing four meters tall. Could he even swallow it?


    ¡°Doesn¡¯t matter, I¡¯ll swallow it first!¡±


    Xu Hei made a sudden dash towards the bear demon.


    ¡°Roar!!¡±


    The bear demon roared in anger.


    Despite its injuries and a blind eye, it would not tolerate any beast challenging its territory!


    It raised its bear paw and swiped at Xu Hei, creating a fierce wind with a hint of thunder and lightning.


    But to Xu Hei, it seemed like the fat pig was lifting its trotters to strike him.


    ¡°Damn! Even fat pigs can fight back now!¡±


    Xu Hei, though dazed, reacted with extraordinary speed, maneuvering in a bizarre way.


    In mid-air, Xu Hei bent his body like a rubber band, dodging the attack and hanging onto the bear demon¡¯s paw.


    The fierce wind didn¡¯t blow Xu Hei away. Instead, he used the momentum to propel himself onto the bear demon¡¯s face.


    The tip of Xu Hei¡¯s tail, with its scales upright like a sharp sword, stabbed into the bear demon¡¯s eye.


    ¡°Shush!¡±


    ¡°Roar!!!¡±


    The bear demon let out a horrifying scream, frantically slapping its face with its paws, trying to knock Xu Hei off.


    ¡°Ouch!¡±


    Xu Hei was thrown away but felt no pain, only increased anger.


    ¡°How dare a fat pig hit me! Watch me bite off your pig head!¡±


    Xu Hei raged and lunged again, biting into the bear demon¡¯s face.


    ¡°Roar!¡±


    The bear demon cried out in agony, grabbing Xu Hei¡¯s body. Xu Hei retaliated by slashing with his tail, severing the bear demon¡¯s paw.


    ¡°Even pigs dare to resist? I¡¯ll make you regret it!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s eyes were fierce as his body slammed into the ground and sprang up again. His massive tail whipped like a whip, striking the bear demon¡¯s face.


    Blinded, the bear demon couldn¡¯t see and wildly flailed its paws.


    ¡°Wham!!¡±


    A cracking sound echoed as the massive bear demon¡¯s head was sent flying, like a soccer ball, crashing into a tree and falling to the ground, motionless.


    The bear demon¡¯s body froze and slowly fell to the ground moments later.


    ¡°How dare you hit me! I¡¯ll kill you!¡±


    Xu Hei, still unsatisfied, charged forward and relentlessly struck the corpse, turning the bear demon into a meat patty.


    Only at this moment did Xu Hei start to catch his breath, his body exuding heat as it gradually cooled down.


    The cold wind blew, and snowflakes fell.


    Xu Hei shivered and observed the surroundings.


    ¡°That¡¯s right, there are bear demons and wolf packs nearby. I can¡¯t delay any further or they¡¯ll come and snatch my food! I must eat it quickly!¡±


    Xu Hei, even in his dreams, remained cautious and unwilling to be careless.


    Without hesitation, he bit into the bear demon¡¯s leg, swallowing it from the bottom up.


    However, the bear demon was too large¡ªfour meters long, while Xu Hei was only a two-meter small creature. After swallowing a small portion, he could no longer continue.


    But when it came to eating, Xu Hei refused to back down!


    He could be hesitant in battles, and cautious in dangerous situations, but if he hesitated when eating, he¡¯d rather slam his head against a wall and quickly reincarnate.


    ¡°I¡¯ll swallow, I¡¯ll swallow, I need to get it down!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s snake skin tightened, showcasing his remarkable flexibility as he continued to force the food down.


    Before long, the entire bear demon was completely swallowed.


    At this point, Xu Hei had grown to an astonishing four meters in length, his body swollen into a small hill, bloated and elongated, resembling an oval shape, with his scales stretched tight.


    He perfectly embodied the concept of being too greedy¡ªa serpent trying to swallow an elephant.


    Xu Hei simply couldn¡¯t move anymore, lacking even the strength to crawl. His mouth could no longer close, and he immediately blacked out and fell unconscious.


    After Xu Hei fainted, the Demon God Cauldron activated automatically, drawing the bear meat inside and quickly refining it.


    Intense heat and vitality surged into Xu Hei¡¯s muscles and bones, reviving him once more.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, and the scene before him had become clear.


    His head was no longer dizzy, his body was no longer hot, and his vision was restored.


    ¡°Eh? Where is this?¡±

 Chapter 13

    Chapter 13: Fortune Out of Misfortune and Another Breakthrough


    ¡°How did I get out?!¡±


    Xu Hei¡¯s face changed drastically as he hurriedly tried to crawl back into the snake¡¯s den.


    Outside, there were many wolves and a bear demon at the mid-stage of spiritual enlightenment¡ªcreatures he could not provoke.


    But he was soon horrified to find that his body had become swollen like a large ball, nearly four meters long, as if he had swallowed a gigantic entity.


    Struggling to move several meters back, Xu Hei looked around in confusion.


    Snow continued to fall, covering the world in a blanket of white. The wolf pack had long vanished, and the bear demon was nowhere to be seen.


    Xu Hei felt as if his head had been hit by a heavy hammer, causing intense pain.


    ¡°What just happened?¡±


    His head throbbed, and fragmented memories surged back, quickly piecing together the events.


    Earlier, in the snake¡¯s den, he had accidentally drunk too much alcohol, his body overheated, and he wanted to cool off.


    He had eaten a lot of rabbits and apparently even a pig, but in this icy world, how could there be a pig?


    Xu Hei realized with shock that the wolves he had thought were rabbits were, in fact, wolves!


    As for the so-called pig¡­


    Xu Hei swallowed hard and looked at the black bear¡¯s head lying under a tree, staring back at him.


    ¡°I¡­ didn¡¯t mean to.¡±


    Xu Hei felt a bitter pang in his heart.


    This was a bear demon at the mid-stage of spiritual enlightenment, capable of killing snake catchers with a single slap. Even if he had a hundred lives, he wouldn¡¯t dare to provoke it!


    He had only been drunk and foolishly ended up killing the bear demon.


    It was dangerous! He could have lost his life!


    Xu Hei was deeply afraid, and he vowed never to drink alcohol again.


    ¡°If there¡¯s anyone to blame, it¡¯s humanity. Not only did they kill their own, but they also killed you, my demon brother. If you¡¯re angry, go after them; don¡¯t come after me.¡±


    Xu Hei silently muttered these words, bowed deeply, and crawled forward to swallow the bear¡¯s head.


    This place was no longer safe.


    He couldn¡¯t return to his original spot, so Xu Hei had to find a new wintering place.


    Taking a deep breath and using his remaining strength, Xu Hei crawled outside.


    At this moment, he felt waves of pain¡ªnot only from swallowing but also from the bear demon¡¯s slap. Xu Hei recalled the battle; it had been excruciating.


    Facing such a gigantic beast, charging at it head-on was suicide.


    Fortunately, his tough hide only resulted in a few broken bones; otherwise, a normal snake demon would have been killed multiple times over by a single slap.


    Xu Hei could barely crawl; he had to wriggle like a worm, moving forward with the help of his tail scales. Fortunately, his speed was not slow.


    Having lived in the mountains for many years, Xu Hei was familiar with the terrain and had prepared several wintering spots.


    Soon, Xu Hei reached a crevice in the mountain rock, where a hidden pond lay below.


    The pond was frozen, and Xu Hei crawled into the crevice, breaking through the ice and diving into the icy water.


    The entrance to the pond was small, but the interior was vast, connected to a cave. It was extremely concealed, one of Xu Hei¡¯s pre-selected wintering spots.


    He swam for a while, then surfaced and entered the cave.


    The cave was pitch black, and Xu Hei preferred this kind of environment. He lay on the ground, absorbed in digesting the bear demon meat, breathing and nurturing.


    The snow continued to fall heavily, and the strong wind outside buried the corpses.


    It was as if everything had never happened.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    That night, the government immediately organized a search team, arriving at the scene but only finding the scattered and snow-covered corpses.


    The news spread back to the village, causing shock and grief everywhere.


    Zhao Wenzhuo stood at the back of the crowd, his eyes red, kneeling and crying.


    Next to him stood a woman in a red Taoist robe, frowning.


    ¡°Junior Brother Zhao, did you say there was a bear demon at the mid-stage of spiritual enlightenment here?¡± the woman in the red robe asked, puzzled.


    ¡°Yes, I didn¡¯t expect the bear demon to be so strong! Senior Brother Ding died protecting me!¡± Zhao Wenzhuo said with deep sorrow.


    Soon, they found Ding Hai¡¯s dismembered corpse. His storage bag was destroyed, and everything was gone, though his eyes remained open, filled with resentment as if staring at Zhao Wenzhuo.


    Feigning anger, Zhao Wenzhuo said, ¡°Senior Sister, that bear demon must have been heavily injured by a mid-level fire explosion talisman. We should go into the mountains to eliminate the demon and avenge our Senior Brother¡­¡±


    ¡°Absolutely not! A bear demon at the mid-stage of spiritual enlightenment is far more formidable than you think. Moreover, being a bear demon, its vitality is tenacious. Injured, it will only become more ferocious. It is not something we can handle!¡±


    The woman in the red robe interrupted him sternly.


    Zhao Wenzhuo quickly bowed, ¡°Senior Sister, your guidance is wise.¡±


    Outwardly, Zhao Wenzhuo appeared naive, but in reality, he was quite clear about the bear demon¡¯s strength. That bear demon had reached the fifth level of spiritual enlightenment, and a fire explosion talisman could not have injured it significantly.


    The woman in the red robe grew suspicious. Why would Zhao Wenzhuo and Ding Hai need to bring thirty people to the mountains to capture snakes?


    Clearly, they had ulterior motives, but with no survivors, she couldn¡¯t gather more information.


    ¡°Regardless, it¡¯s fortunate that you survived. Ding Hai¡¯s death was an accident. I will explain it to the Master,¡± the woman in the red robe said calmly.


    ¡°Thank you, Senior Sister Song.¡± Zhao Wenzhuo bowed deeply.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the pitch-black cave.


    A massive shadow lay in the corner, its body rising and falling with rhythmic breaths, emitting white smoke.


    This enormous shadow was Xu Hei, hibernating.


    At this moment, the spiritual energy mist within the Demon God Cauldron had expanded to fill the entire cauldron, a sign of reaching the second level of spiritual enlightenment.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei¡¯s body trembled violently, and the spiritual energy mist within the cauldron compressed rapidly, shrinking to a point.


    Although the area had shrunk, the concentration of the spiritual energy had increased by more than ten times, nearly becoming tangible.


    At the same time, an immense force burst forth, spreading throughout his body. Xu Hei¡¯s bones cracked and thundered like a storm, and his flesh underwent a transformation. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An old snake skin fell off, replaced by a more resilient new skin.


    Spiritual enlightenment, third level!


    This was a critical juncture; the next four levels would lead to the mid-stage of spiritual enlightenment, marking a significant difference from the early stage.


    At this moment, there was still plenty of the bear demon¡¯s blood and qi left, and Xu Hei continued to absorb and refine it at an incredible speed.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside Chen Family Town, in a dilapidated mountain temple.


    The place was desolate, with only some beggars frozen to death, no other figures in sight.


    According to old tales, this place was not a mountain god¡¯s temple but a place of an evil deity. It had seen several murders, causing fear among people.

 Chapter 14

    Chapter 14: The Annual Breeding Season


    Outside Chen Family Town, there is an ancient Mountain God Temple, whose construction dates back to an unknown time but has been standing for over a century. The statue¡¯s appearance has weathered so much that its full form is no longer discernible.


    It is said that strange occurrences frequently happen here, and no one dares to approach, leading to its gradual desolation.


    This year, not even beggars are seen around, with only a stray wild dog roaming in and out in search of food.


    Suddenly.


    The massive statue in the center trembles slightly, shaking off all the dust and snow accumulated.


    ¡°Woof!¡±


    The big black dog, frightened, rolls and crawls away from the temple in terror.


    From within the statue, a faint sigh is heard.


    ¡°After two hundred years, this seat has finally awakened. It¡¯s time to find a new body. Unfortunately, the last two bodies were destroyed by that little beast!¡±


    ¡°That little beast is also considered half a disciple of mine. When he comes next time, I must make him find a perfect body for me!¡±


    ¡­


    Unknowingly, three months have passed.


    Winter has gone, and spring has arrived, bringing the revival of all things and the melting of ice and snow.


    The villagers of Snake Village have begun the new year¡¯s sowing, but compared to previous years, this year¡¯s farmers are noticeably fewer.


    In the deep mountains and forests, everything is bursting with new life, whether plants or animals. The hibernating snakes are awakening from their burrows and starting their foraging for the new year.


    Inside the underground cave.


    As the temperature gradually rises, water droplets seep from the rock layers on the ceiling, falling onto the ground and forming small puddles.


    Xu Hei, who had been in deep slumber, finally opens his eyes.


    After a winter¡¯s hibernation, Xu Hei¡¯s body feels somewhat stiff. He practices breathing and nurturing, and the spiritual energy flows through his meridians, slowly restoring him.


    Xu Hei inspects his body.


    At this moment, the spiritual energy mist within the Demon God Cauldron has expanded again, covering eighty percent of the area from a small breakthrough.


    Eighty percent of this was obtained from devouring the bear demon.


    This surprises Xu Hei slightly. The bear demon¡¯s flesh not only allowed him to break through but also brought him directly to the peak of the Third-Level Spiritual Beast.


    It seems that reaching the Fourth-Level is not far off.


    The black-golden scales on the tip of his tail have also reached six pieces.


    ¡°It¡¯s true that greater risks bring greater rewards. Relying solely on peaceful cultivation makes it difficult to make progress. Only through devouring and plundering can one advance!¡± Xu Hei thinks to himself.


    Xu Hei spreads his divine sense.


    Now, his divine sense can extend up to thirty meters, a significant improvement from the initial stage.


    ¡°According to memory, only humans at the mid-stage of Qi Refinement can initially use divine sense, but it doesn¡¯t exceed ten meters. What¡¯s going on with me?¡±


    Xu Hei is puzzled.


    Just like Chen Fan, who could use divine sense from the beginning, perhaps their talents are extraordinary.


    During these three months of hibernation, human knowledge and memories often surfaced, including both cultivation knowledge and advanced thoughts.


    Some of these have deeply inspired Xu Hei.


    He often reviews his actions, finding many immature aspects.


    For example, eating human food is clearly a foolish behavior. If someone wanted to scheme against him, they could easily manipulate it.


    A few days later.


    As the temperature rises again, Xu Hei starts moving.


    He crawls around the cave, stretching his muscles and bones. Although it is dark, he has scanned the area within thirty meters with his divine sense.


    The cave is vast, deep, and narrow, with an unknown destination.


    Nearby, there is a pond, a place he passed when he entered.


    However, the pond is empty of any creatures, not even insects. At the bottom lies a solitary large black stone.


    Xu Hei jumps into the pond and swims to the shore. He doesn¡¯t linger, immediately climbing up the steep rocks to land.


    The pond seems somewhat eerie, and Xu Hei has no intention of exploring it further. He¡¯ll leave that to others once his cultivation is stronger.


    With the warm sun shining, it is the early spring season.


    The snow melts, flowing from the mountains, gathering in the mountain stream and forming a waterfall.


    Xu Hei reaches a pond, where he catches some frogs, a few river clams, and crabs.


    This place is teeming with life. Xu Hei¡¯s divine sense scans and finds hundreds of creatures, and he immediately starts devouring them one by one.


    He also discovers some snakes that have just ended their hibernation and devours them as well.


    It is only at this point that Xu Hei feels somewhat full.


    ¡°There¡¯s too much food here. I should move to another place to hunt.¡±


    Suppressing his urge to continue hunting, Xu Hei leaves the pond and heads to the next location.


    In spring, food is abundant. In the past, he would have devoured everything here without hesitation. But now, he has realized something.


    During his hibernation, he acquired a new concept called ecological balance.


    If a certain species in an area is lost in large numbers, it will gradually become extinct, leading to extinction.


    For Xu Hei, this is undoubtedly a nightmare.


    At that time, he would be forced to go down the mountain to seek food and drink from human villages, significantly increasing the risk.


    Moreover, he now consciously spares pregnant female beasts or those with young to ensure their successful reproduction.


    ¡°Even the hunters from Snake Village will release young fish when caught. My appetite is large, but it is still much smaller compared to endless human consumption.¡±


    ¡°As long as I control it a little and occupy two more mountain peaks, I can certainly be self-sufficient.¡±


    Xu Hei thinks to himself.


    ¡­


    As time passes.


    Xu Hei continues to roam between two mountain peaks, dealing with competitors one by one.


    As long as no other fierce beasts intrude, he is the only ruler here.


    With divine sense monitoring, he has a general understanding of the species on these two mountains.


    Xu Hei counted the animals in the vicinity: twenty-five roe deer, twenty wild boars, thirty muntjacs, and hundreds of rabbits.


    ¡°There are also monkeys, sika deer, wild goats, and lynxes, totaling over a hundred.¡±


    Xu Hei had only counted the larger animals that could satiate him with just one meal. For the smaller creatures such as rodents, amphibians, birds, and fish, he couldn¡¯t keep track.


    As long as these species continued to thrive and he didn¡¯t overeat, he would be self-sufficient. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He didn¡¯t dare venture into other mountain ranges because of the scent markings left by the demon beasts. Instead, he marked the edges of his territory.


    He made a trip back to Snake Village and noticed that Wang Xiao Niu, the young boy he had seen last year, had grown taller and matured. However, Wang Da Niu, Wang Xiao Niu¡¯s father, was missing. There was only a solitary grave in the watermelon field.


    Xu Hei sighed and left.


    He had passed by the mountain god temple outside Chen Family Town once before, intending to offer incense and pray. He even brought a mountain chicken as an offering. But as he approached, he couldn¡¯t bring himself to part with the chicken, so he ate it and left.


    Another month passed.


    One day, Xu Hei left his territory and ventured into the deep mountains. His direction was precise, as if guided by a clear path, leading him to a specific place.


    Unknowingly, he arrived at a valley.


    It was a basin-like terrain, surrounded by mountains, with damp and chilly air. The ground was dotted with water puddles and numerous snake holes.


    A casual sweep with his divine sense revealed no less than ten snakes.


    This valley was known as the ¡°Valley of Serpents.¡±


    Xu Hei had been drawn to this place by the scent of his kind. Every year during this season, he would come here as it had become a habit.


    This was the breeding season for snakes!


    As an adult male black snake, although Xu Hei didn¡¯t know his exact species, he had left many offspring here over the years.


    There was a chance that his descendants might be among the snakes he sensed.


    Of course, he had no clear memory of these matters.


    This year, however, he wasn¡¯t here to breed but had recalled an important matter.

 Chapter 15

    Chapter 15: The Medicine of the Ten Thousand Serpent Valley


    The Ten Thousand Serpent Valley is lush with greenery, overgrown with weeds, and dotted with pools of water. The sunken terrain creates a damp climate, with standing water that attracts mosquitoes, snakes, and ants.


    Spiritual energy from heaven and earth often gathers here, leading to the growth of some spiritual herbs.


    The most famous of these is the Snake Fruit located at the deepest part of the valley!


    Xu Hei dove into a pool and swam toward the depths of the Ten Thousand Serpent Valley.


    Before long, he reached the end of the valley. The soil here was soft and wet, with no weeds, only a small tree growing on a high slope, having absorbed all the nutrients.


    The tree was small, about the height of a person, and bore three pitch-black fruits.


    ¡°Snake Fruit!¡±


    Xu Hei stared at the fruit on the tree with burning eyes.


    The Snake Fruit, as the name suggests, is an extremely attractive fruit for snakes. Consuming it can enhance their physical abilities and has a certain chance of transforming them into snake demons.


    Years ago, Xu Hei had become the fearsome Old Snake King after consuming a Snake Fruit.


    The Snake Fruit matures every three years.


    Calculating the time, this year is when it matures again.


    Back then, Xu Hei did not know the purpose of the Snake Fruit and had merely consumed it by instinct.


    Only after gaining human knowledge did he understand the true value of the Snake Fruit. Not only can it be consumed directly, but it can also be used in alchemy, making it very valuable.


    The reason the Ten Thousand Serpent Valley attracts so many snakes is partly due to the breeding season and partly because of the Snake Fruit.


    ¡°Three years ago, I only consumed one Snake Fruit. This time, if I consume all three at once, I wonder if I can break through to the fourth level of the Spirit Enlightment stage.¡±


    T/n: Spirit Enlightment Stage or Spiritual beast.


    Xu Hei thought to himself. Once he reached the mid-stage of the Spirit Enlightment stage, he could use some spells, no longer relying solely on physical combat.


    This would be a qualitative leap!


    Before the Snake Fruit fully matures, it does not emit any fragrance, and its energy is very mixed. Only when it is fully mature does it exert its medicinal effects and emit a strong aroma that attracts snakes to consume it.


    According to Xu Hei¡¯s estimation, the maturity time is just in the next few days.


    ¡°Don¡¯t get too excited too soon. Let¡¯s see if there are any dangers nearby.¡±


    Xu Hei left the fruit tree, sinking into the swamp, and extended his divine sense to observe the surroundings.


    ¡­¡­


    The Ten Thousand Serpent Valley is not very large.


    Xu Hei spent an hour wandering around and did not find any dangers. Except for a few eagles circling in the sky, preying on the snakes, there was nothing else.


    The presence of these eagles is normal, given that the valley is full of snakes and insects, attracting some natural predators.


    These eagles pose no threat to Xu Hei, and unless they are demon beasts, he has no interest in them.


    However, Xu Hei vaguely felt that such a place where spiritual herbs grow should be guarded by demon beasts.


    Xu Hei suddenly froze. Isn¡¯t he a demon beast himself?


    After resting for a while, he planned to continue exploring the periphery.


    At this moment, a female white snake slithered towards him.


    The white snake was about a meter long, resembling him in shape but different in color. It was likely attracted by Xu Hei¡¯s scent.


    Xu Hei was not interested in such wild beasts now. For cultivation purposes, only a powerful snake demon would be of any benefit.


    Xu Hei was about to leave.


    Suddenly, he felt that the white snake seemed somewhat familiar, both in aura and appearance.


    The white snake stopped about ten feet away from Xu Hei, lying still on the ground, observing him silently.


    Its gaze was calm, and it made no sound, indicating it meant no harm.


    ¡°I remember now. This is an old friend. Every time I return, she comes to find me.¡± sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei realized that the white snake had memorized his scent and could track him whenever he returned.


    Usually, it¡¯s males that follow females, but this white snake was an exception.


    Xu Hei thought of a saying and sighed, ¡°We are separated by immortality and mortality. Let us part ways here.¡±


    He made a rustling sound and turned to leave.


    It was a pity he did not have a Forgetfulness Elixir; otherwise, he could have given her one.


    Of course, it¡¯s more likely that Xu Hei was being sentimental. Snakes generally do not have emotions. Even demon beasts with spiritual awareness mostly act on instinct, unlike Xu Hei.


    After Xu Hei left, the white snake followed him for a while.


    Xu Hei suddenly accelerated, shaking off the white snake, and disappeared from sight.


    ¡­¡­


    In a blink of an eye, several days passed, and the day of the Snake Fruit¡¯s maturity arrived.


    Outside the Ten Thousand Serpent Valley.


    Two figures arrived simultaneously, one in front of the other.


    The two stood on a tree, exuding a strong smell of realgar, causing nearby snakes to avoid them, repelled by the odor.


    These two were a man and a woman, dressed respectively in dark green python robes and red Taoist robes.


    If Xu Hei were present, he would recognize the young man as Zhao Wenzhuo.


    The woman in the red Taoist robe was his senior sister, Song Shiyu.


    ¡°Senior Sister Song, this is the Ten Thousand Serpent Valley that Ding Shixiong and I discovered. The spiritual Snake Fruit is inside!¡±


    Zhao Wenzhuo pointed to the valley, bowing and showing a flattering expression.


    ¡°Hmm! You did well.¡±


    Song Shiyu nodded in satisfaction.


    She had already sensed something strange about the events that day. Ding Hai had gathered many villagers, clearly searching for something. So, she investigated secretly.


    When she uncovered some clues, Zhao Wenzhuo had eagerly spilled all the information.


    He even revealed the details about Ding Hai disturbing the bear demon and causing the villagers¡¯ deaths.


    As for the rest, she did not press further.


    ¡°I won¡¯t take advantage of you, we¡¯ll split the Snake Fruit evenly, is that alright?¡± Song Shiyu said calmly.


    Zhao Wenzhuo was instantly excited, cupping his hands in thanks, ¡°Thank you, Senior Sister!¡±


    ¡°However, Senior Sister, any spiritual herbs are usually guarded by demon beasts, so we must be cautious!¡± Zhao Wenzhuo said seriously.


    Song Shiyu nodded slightly, then coldly smiled and said, ¡°Don¡¯t worry, Senior Sister is well-prepared. The only snake demon in this area is the old snake king. If it dares to appear, I can use its snake gallbladder for medicine!¡±


    Zhao Wenzhuo immediately laughed heartily, ¡°Haha, what a coincidence! Junior Brother is also well-prepared¡ªspecifically for dealing with the old snake king!¡±


    After saying this, Zhao Wenzhuo took out a snake-shaped flute and showed it off.


    Song Shiyu smiled knowingly and said no more. She took out a yellowish clay block and applied it to herself.


    This was the cinnabar powder made by snake catchers, which could repel snakes and insects. As long as they smelled this odor from afar, snakes would avoid it automatically and it had a certain effect on snake demons as well.


    Zhao Wenzhuo did the same, and after finishing, the two entered the Valley of Serpents one in front of the other.


    ¡­


    That day, Xu Hei was lying on a large rock, practicing his breathing techniques.


    The white snake was lying not far away, always watching him.


    Aside from when it was hunting, the white snake stayed close to Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei did not mind; after all, it was a semi-familiar face. Once it finished eating the snake fruit, it would leave.


    At this moment, the white snake, which had been still, seemed to catch a whiff of something and quickly slithered away.


    Xu Hei was taken aback.


    Meanwhile, in the distant grass, there was a constant rustling sound. All the snakes seemed to be retreating, heading in the same direction.


    ¡°What¡¯s going on?¡± Xu Hei wondered.


    The next moment, a nauseating smell hit him, almost making him vomit.


    ¡°Damn it, what is this smell?¡±


    Xu Hei couldn¡¯t describe the stench.


    In human terms, it was like a mixture of rotten eggs, feces, and urine¡ªa terrible, nauseating stench.


    One whiff made him gag, two whiffs made him vomit, and three whiffs almost made him pass out.


    Although it was a bit exaggerated, Xu Hei almost couldn¡¯t control his body¡¯s urge to flee. Who could stand this?


    However, his rationality won over his instinctive reaction.


    Something unusual must be happening. Xu Hei forced himself to endure the smell, holding his breath, and looked ahead.


    He saw a man and a woman walking through the marsh, advancing deeper into the area.


    As they walked, they scattered yellow powder, and the snakes and insects all retreated, indicating it was the cinnabar powder which snakes were extremely afraid of.


    Some snakes that didn¡¯t manage to escape in time were even fainted or poisoned to death.


    ¡°Another damn snake catcher!¡±


    Xu Hei immediately recognized the man as Zhao Wenzhuo.


    Xu Hei had witnessed Zhao Wenzhuo¡¯s scheming before, and although he didn¡¯t recognize the woman, Zhao Wenzhuo seemed to be trying to curry favor with her.


    ¡°They must be here for the snake fruit as well.¡±


    Xu Hei looked at the direction they were heading, which was precisely where the snake fruit was located.


    The snake fruit, besides being ingested, could also be used to refine pills, benefiting human cultivation. It was a rare and precious material.


    Had it been before, Xu Hei would have been afraid of the snake catchers and might have fled.


    But now, he felt confident.


    In Human terms he was at the peak of the third level of the Qi Refinement stage, and in terms of cultivation, he was not weaker than the others.


    Snake catchers were not invincible. Xu Hei had easily killed them before, and he was much stronger than those creatures.


    Xu Hei pondered for a while, then hid in the water and quietly followed.


    His small size, only two meters long even after a year, made him well-suited for concealment, which was his advantage.


    Xu Hei didn¡¯t act immediately; he just wanted to observe first.


    What if these two suddenly turned against each other? That would be a fine human tradition.


    ¡°Senior Sister Song, what if the old snake king doesn¡¯t show up?¡± Zhao Wenzhuo asked with a smile.


    Song Shiyu glanced at him and replied, ¡°The old snake king has lived for over ten years and is nearing the end of its lifespan. The spiritual snake fruit is crucial for it; if it doesn¡¯t eat it, it will age and die. It can¡¯t possibly not show up!¡±


    Xu Hei was startled upon hearing their conversation.


    It lived for over ten years? He had no idea!


    Although he had forgotten exactly how long he had lived, he clearly remembered that the snake fruit had ripened three years ago. This was something he could not mistake.


    It was also in these three years that he had repeatedly eaten humans, which earned him the title of the old snake king.


    But listening to this woman, he was supposed to have lived for ten years?


    Looking at Zhao Wenzhuo¡¯s expression, it didn¡¯t seem unusual to him. He even nodded in realization.


    This made Xu Hei even more confused.


    ¡°Am I really that old?¡±

 Chapter 16: The life of a snake is ten years

    Chapter 16: The life of a snake is ten yearsThe lifespan of snakes is generally about ten years. Even for a Spirit Communion Stage Snake Demon, twenty years is the limit.


    After more than ten years, it was almost old enough to die, and Xu Hei couldn''t possibly not notice it.


    His bodily functions were clearly increasing day by day, with no signs of aging at all.


    "What nonsense is this woman spouting? You''re the one who''s old!"


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    But then, Xu Hei suddenly froze. Old Snake King, Old Snake King¡ªthis nickname itself carried the word "old," which clearly symbolized longevity.


    Xu Hei had gotten used to being called Old Snake King and never analyzed why he was called that.


    "Am I really old? Why do they call me that?"


    Xu Hei frowned deeply, suddenly feeling that things were not so simple.


    Xu Hei scanned the Myriad Serpent Valley with his Divine Sense. There were thousands of snakes, many of which were similar to him, even identical.


    For instance, that white snake was of the same species as him, only its color had mutated.


    Although Xu Hei was a Snake Demon with limited knowledge, he wasn''t stupid.


    After careful analysis, Xu Hei suddenly thought of a possibility. His pupils dilated, and his breathing became rapid.


    "Could it be?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened as he submerged into the water, quietly following behind.


    He watched as the two people got closer and closer to the Serpent Fruit tree.


    Their timing was perfect; the Serpent Fruit tree was maturing today.


    And at that moment.


    The ground suddenly began to shake, and the water in the puddles rippled as if an earthquake had occurred.


    Xu Hei immediately stopped moving and observed in secret.


    The two people ahead also halted. Zhao Wenzhuo looked tense, clutching his Storage Bag, while Song Shiyu had a disdainful expression.


    "Sure enough, it''s here."


    Song Shiyu sneered coldly, retreating rapidly.


    In the next moment, the ground below suddenly exploded, sending dirt flying. A massive, pitch-black figure emerged from the soil.


    As soon as this figure appeared, it opened its bloody maw and lunged at Song Shiyu, its venomous fangs gleaming coldly.


    "The Old Snake King has appeared!"


    Zhao Wenzhuo exclaimed in shock.


    Song Shiyu was prepared. With a wave of her jade hand, a golden Talisman shot out, forming a soft shield. The black venomous fangs struck the golden shield and sank into it, as if trapped in a quagmire.


    "What is this..." Xu Hei immediately focused his attention.


    He saw that the black figure was a giant snake, identical in appearance to him, with an oval head, pale golden pupils, and triangular scales.


    In terms of appearance, it was exactly the same as Xu Hei, clearly the same species.


    However, its size was much larger, about eight meters long and as thick as a barrel, with a ferocious face and enormous venomous fangs. From a distance, it looked like a larger version of Xu Hei.


    Seeing this snake and the expressions of the two people, Xu Hei was deeply shocked.


    "This is the real Old Snake King. I''m a fake!"


    Xu Hei finally understood the truth. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In his mind, he quickly analyzed the cause and effect of the situation.


    For more than ten years, this Old Snake King had wreaked havoc, acting tyrannically, eating countless people, and earning a notorious reputation.


    But as it aged, it reduced its frequency of eating people. Three years ago, it almost never appeared.


    Coincidentally, three years ago, Xu Hei emerged, continuously eating people.


    As a result, people mistook him for the Old Snake King.


    If not for the difference in size, the two snakes looked almost identical, making it difficult to distinguish between them.


    Except for the black-gold scales at the tip of his tail, which were unique to Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei wondered if this was some relative of his, but snakes had no concept of relatives. They were cold-blooded animals, only attracted to each other during the breeding season.


    Outside the breeding season, they would kill each other for territory and food, regardless of any familial ties.


    Even in the Myriad Serpent Valley, many male snakes fought fiercely for mates.


    "No wonder every time I appeared, I attracted Snake Catchers. It turns out I was taking the blame for you."


    After understanding the truth, Xu Hei felt conflicted.


    This was the first time he had seen another Snake Demon besides himself.


    At this moment, the Old Snake King was displaying extremely fierce strength. Despite its age, its combat power was not weak at all. It was immensely powerful, with sharp venomous fangs, shattering Song Shiyu''s golden shield Talisman in one strike.


    Song Shiyu took out a copper bell, which rapidly enlarged in her palm and blocked in front of her.


    "Clang!!!"


    The Old Snake King collided with the copper bell, causing it to hum loudly. Visible sound waves swept out, making the Old Snake King dizzy and briefly stunned.


    Song Shiyu threw a dart, which struck the scales with a crisp "ding" sound, only penetrating slightly.


    "What tough scales! If these snake scales were skinned, they could definitely be refined into a treasure armor!"


    Song Shiyu''s eyes burned with desire. She retreated rapidly, throwing darts as she moved, all hitting their mark.


    Although the darts didn''t penetrate deeply, they completely enraged the Old Snake King, which lunged forward in fury.


    "Retreat!" Song Shiyu shouted.


    Zhao Wenzhuo quickly retreated.


    The Old Snake King, blinded by rage, chased after the two. Song Shiyu kept throwing darts, while Zhao Wenzhuo used Talismans to unleash wind blades, leaving shallow wounds on the Old Snake King''s scales.


    The two fought while retreating, using various Talismans, darts, and hidden weapons, essentially throwing money at the problem!


    Every time the Old Snake King charged, it was blocked by the copper bell, getting dizzy and briefly stunned, much to its annoyance.


    "So this is a human''s Magical Treasure?"


    Xu Hei followed from behind, his eyes burning with curiosity. It was the first time he had seen a battle between humans and Demonic Beasts that was evenly matched.


    The fighting styles of both sides were vastly different.


    One side used Magical Treasures and Talismans for long-range attacks, retreating while fighting, not allowing the enemy to get close.


    The other side kept closing in, relying mainly on close combat.


    Demonic Beasts had strong physical bodies, and if human cultivators got too close, they would die, just like Ding Hai, who was severely injured by a Bear Demon with one slap.


    So far, Xu Hei had only fought with Demonic Beasts and had never faced a human cultivator.


    Xu Hei simulated in his mind what he would do if he encountered such a situation, where the enemy kept retreating while fighting, making it impossible to catch up.


    Both of them had a Swift Wind Talisman on their feet, making them incredibly fast and capable of brief aerial maneuvers. Xu Hei estimated that their speed was about half of his full speed.


    However, throughout the fight, only Song Shiyu used Magical Treasures, while Zhao Wenzhuo held back.


    The two seemed confident and at ease, clearly having more tricks up their sleeves.


    "What should I do? Help them? Or eat the Serpent Fruit and run?"


    Xu Hei hesitated. The Serpent Fruit was not yet mature, its energy chaotic, and eating it might not be beneficial.


    But if pushed to the limit, he would rather destroy it than let it fall into human hands.


    At this moment, the two humans and the snake had chased each other out of the Myriad Serpent Valley, with the sounds of battle still echoing from afar.


    "Forget it. Since we''re both Snake Demons, I''ll secretly help it."


    Xu Hei quietly followed.


    After swimming a certain distance.


    At that moment, a strange noise came from behind the Serpent Fruit tree.


    "Who''s there?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened, and he immediately turned back, flashing away.


    He saw a young man in gray clothes, carrying a bamboo basket and a hoe, approaching the Serpent Fruit tree.


    The young man''s bamboo basket was filled with herbs, and his attire made him look like a mountain herb gatherer, with his body covered in sulfur to repel insects and snakes.


    He reached the Serpent Fruit tree, raised his hoe, and swiftly dug up the tree. His movements were quick and decisive, as if he had prepared in advance, giving no time to react.


    Xu Hei was too far away to stop him in time.


    The Serpent Fruit tree was not large, only about the height of a person. The herb gatherer carried it on his shoulder, heavy and cumbersome.


    He took a deep breath and ran towards another mountain, intending to climb over it and return.


    "Task completed. This should fetch a good price."


    The herb gatherer had a simple and honest look on his face, as if he had just picked an ordinary Spirit Medicine.


    "Bastard!!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold. He accelerated suddenly, rushing forward and swallowing the man whole.

 Chapter 17: When it rains, it pours

    Chapter 17: When it rains, it poursXu Hei expanded his Divine Sense, and from a distance, he could instantly determine the other party''s cultivation level. This person had no trace of Spiritual Qi within him, clearly just an ordinary mortal.


    Without a moment''s hesitation, Xu Hei lunged forward and swallowed him whole.


    The herb gatherer didn''t even have time to scream before he was inside the snake''s belly, dead on the spot.


    Xu Hei looked at the already uprooted Serpent Fruit tree, his heart filled with rage. It bore fruit once every three years, and now it had been dug up.


    Replanting it was obviously impossible; those two would definitely notice something was amiss.


    Moreover, Xu Hei''s knowledge was limited to the Serpent Fruit itself; he knew little about the tree and wasn''t sure if it could survive being replanted.


    "Even I know to leave a bit of leeway when hunting. You humans, uprooting the tree and destroying the roots, deserve death!"


    Xu Hei was furious but helpless.


    At this moment, the commotion in the distance gradually subsided, and the hissing of a large snake could be heard, indicating that the battle had ended.


    Xu Hei''s mind raced, and he quickly made a decision.


    He opened his mouth wide, bit down on one end of the Serpent Fruit tree, and swallowed it whole.


    The Serpent Fruit tree wasn''t very large, about three meters tall, with a slender trunk. It was more like a shrub than a tree.


    Once inside, the tree stretched Xu Hei''s body straight, making him look like a bamboo pole. He had expected it to be quickly digested, but it remained intact, which surprised him.


    He had eaten plants before¡ªwatermelons, wild fruits, grasses, even stones¡ªand no matter what entered his body, it would immediately show signs of corrosion and digestion.


    The herb gatherer had been half-digested in just a few breaths.


    But this tree remained completely undamaged.


    Only the edges of the leaves were shrinking at an extremely slow pace.


    "Forget it, time to get out of here!"


    Xu Hei immediately slipped away. The undigested tree made him stiff and awkward to move.


    Fortunately, once he entered the pool, he could stretch and contract like a leech, allowing him to move quickly.


    The black-gold scales at the tip of his tail flicked rapidly, increasing his speed even more.


    "That herb gatherer was definitely instigated by someone, probably one of those two, wanting to monopolize the Serpent Tree."


    Xu Hei wasn''t stupid; a bit of analysis revealed the cause and effect.


    But he couldn''t be bothered to care. He had swallowed the Serpent Fruit tree; now he just needed to leave and find a place to digest it, avoiding detection.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei froze.


    A massive surge of energy erupted within him, an indescribable force crashing into his meridians like a wild ox, causing excruciating pain.


    "What''s happening?" Xu Hei was shocked.


    In his panic, Xu Hei found a snake hole and burrowed in.


    The snake hole wasn''t large, but Xu Hei kept digging deeper with his tail, making it even deeper than his last hibernation hole.


    "This is unbearable!"


    Xu Hei quickly looked inside his body and saw that the Serpent Fruit tree had unknowingly digested all its leaves and part of its bark.


    These barks had transformed into boundless, violent energy rampaging through his body, threatening to shatter his bones.


    Unable to endure it, Xu Hei spat out a mouthful of blood.


    It wasn''t that the Serpent Fruit tree was poisonous; the energy was simply too overwhelming for him to handle.


    In fact, the Serpent Fruit tree was a top-grade spiritual item, suitable for consumption only in the late Qi Refining Stage, and even then, it needed to be refined into a pill to remove impurities.


    Swallowing it raw would cause the violent energy to immediately rupture one''s meridians, potentially leading to an explosive death.


    Xu Hei made a quick decision and spat out the Serpent Fruit tree.


    Even after spitting it out, Xu Hei was still in immense pain, with several streams of violent energy rampaging through his meridians.


    At this moment, the Demon God Cauldron suddenly absorbed all the violent energy, calming Xu Hei down.


    "That was terrifying! This Serpent Fruit tree is poisonous!"


    Xu Hei gasped for breath, still shaken.


    No wonder the Serpent Fruit tree had existed for so many years without any demonic beasts gnawing on its bark or branches; it was indeed dangerous.


    He had sensed it too, but in his desperation, he had no other choice but to try.


    Clearly, the mastermind was after the tree, with the Serpent Fruits being a secondary objective.


    At this moment, Xu Hei noticed something astonishing.


    The Spiritual Qi mist inside the Demon God Cauldron had unknowingly expanded from eighty percent to ninety percent!


    The seventh scale on his tail had also completed its transformation.


    Xu Hei was stunned. When did this happen? Just now?


    Meanwhile, above ground.


    Two streaks of light flew rapidly and landed where the Serpent Fruit tree had originally been.


    These two were Zhao Wenzhuo and Song Shiyu, who had just dealt with the Old Snake King.


    They hadn''t even used their full strength against the aged Snake King, relying on long-range attacks and strategic retreats to eventually kill it.


    However, before they could inspect the corpse, they discovered that the Serpent Fruit tree was gone!


    Standing on the slope, they looked at the large pit and the shovel marks on the ground, their expressions uncertain.


    Clearly, someone had taken advantage of their battle with the Old Snake King to dig up the Serpent Fruit tree.


    Song Shiyu gritted her teeth, "Damn it, who did this?"


    Zhao Wenzhuo glanced at her and calmly said, "Senior Sister, if you needed the Serpent Tree, you could have just said so. Why do this behind my back?"


    Song Shiyu was taken aback and glared at Zhao Wenzhuo, "What do you mean? Suspecting me? Ridiculous, I haven''t even suspected you yet!"


    "Junior Brother Zhao, are you feeling guilty and trying to shift the blame?"


    Xu Hei, deep underground, heard their conversation clearly.


    He didn''t know who had done it. He was unfamiliar with the female cultivator, but he had witnessed Zhao Wenzhuo''s cunning firsthand and leaned towards suspecting him.


    Zhao Wenzhuo examined the ground for a while and found several footprints.


    He said solemnly, "Senior Sister, this isn''t the place to talk. Call your friend out, and I''ll give you the Serpent Tree. I only want one Serpent Fruit. We can discuss the rest later."


    Song Shiyu angrily retorted, "Ridiculous! I have no such friend. If it wasn''t you, then the Old Snake King''s commotion must have attracted other experts."


    "Other experts?" Zhao Wenzhuo squinted his eyes and said coldly, "Do you take me for a three-year-old? Trying to fool me with such an excuse?"


    Song Shiyu stared directly at him, and Zhao Wenzhuo stared back.


    "Why aren''t they fighting yet? Hurry up and fight!"


    Xu Hei was getting anxious. He was tired of their bickering and wanted them to get to the part where they both got injured.


    Both of them reached for their Storage Bags simultaneously but then stopped, staring at each other without saying a word.


    "Hurry up! Start fighting!"


    Xu Hei cheered them on in his mind, excited beyond measure.


    He loved watching such scenes, where both sides ended up worse off.


    At this moment, Zhao Wenzhuo suddenly sighed, released his grip, and said, "Let''s leave it to Master to decide." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He took out a communication jade talisman and tossed it into the air, letting it fly towards the horizon.


    During this process, Song Shiyu kept a close eye on him, ready to activate her copper bell at any moment, but in the end, she didn''t make a move.


    "Snap!"


    The communication jade talisman hadn''t flown far before a large hand grabbed it.


    A figure appeared in the distance, holding the talisman, walking on water, and quickly approached, arriving in just a few breaths.


    This person looked middle-aged, wearing a green Python Robe, with a stern face and a mustache, resembling a scholarly middle-aged man.


    "Senior Brother?"


    "Greetings, Senior Brother!"


    The two were initially surprised but quickly bowed respectfully.


    They had no choice but to be respectful. This person was their strongest senior brother, Mu Yun.


    Eight years ago, Mu Yun had already broken through to the mid-Qi Refining Stage, reportedly reaching the sixth level of Qi Refining, three levels higher than them.


    Both were secretly alarmed. Why was Mu Yun here?


    Mu Yun landed in front of them, seemingly aware of their confusion, and said calmly, "Master knew your plans and sent me to protect you in secret. I already know what happened."


    Upon hearing this, the two quickly bowed and thanked him.


    Xu Hei, on the other hand, was startled.


    Thinking back on his recent experiences, Xu Hei felt a chill down his spine.


    "How insidious, having someone secretly protect them! Luckily, I didn''t act rashly, or I''d be dead by now!"


    Xu Hei felt fortunate. Fighting humans was entirely different from fighting demonic beasts; you never knew what tricks humans had up their sleeves.


    Zhao Wenzhuo hesitated for a moment, unwilling to give up, and said, "Senior Brother, what about the Serpent Tree..."


    "It wasn''t me who dug it up; someone else did," Mu Yun said calmly.


    "What?" Zhao Wenzhuo''s eyes widened.


    "That person was very cunning, sending a mortal to dig up the tree. Otherwise, I could have tracked them through their Spiritual Qi. But with a mortal, it''s impossible to track, only through footprints."


    Mu Yun shook his head and said slowly, "But unfortunately, the footprints are gone too."


    Everyone could see that the footprints disappeared five meters away from the Serpent Tree.


    Mu Yun stared at the ground, silent for a moment, then closed his eyes and spread his Divine Sense.


    Xu Hei quickly retracted his Divine Sense and remained motionless deep underground.


    He knew the other party''s Divine Sense couldn''t reach him, and as long as he didn''t release his own Divine Sense, he wouldn''t be discovered.


    Just then, the three Serpent Fruits on the Serpent Fruit tree beside Xu Hei suddenly turned a deep black, emitting a rich fragrance that seeped through the soil.


    The Serpent Fruits had ripened!


    The scent of the ripened Serpent Fruits was so strong that it couldn''t be concealed, even permeating through the soil.


    "Fing hell..."


    Xu Hei nearly cursed out loud.

 Chapter 18: With divine assistance, the Demon God Cauldron

    Chapter 18: With divine assistance, the Demon God CauldronWhat you fear most often comes true.


    Just as Xu Hei was worrying about when the Serpent Fruit would ripen, it suddenly did.


    The moment the Serpent Fruit ripened, its scent wafted through the cracks in the soil. Without hesitation, Xu Hei rushed forward and swallowed all three ripe fruits.


    "Hmm?"


    Above ground, Mu Yun''s eyes widened, his gaze fixed on the ground.


    Just now, he sensed a slight fluctuation of spiritual power from the ripening of the Serpent Fruit. Though he couldn''t pinpoint the exact location, he knew it was deep underground.


    "It''s underground!"


    Without hesitation, he sank his feet into the ground and burrowed into the earth.


    It was a common spell among cultivators, the Earth Escape Technique.


    At the mid-stage of Qi Refining, one could learn the Five Elements Spells, gaining abilities that mortals would consider god-like. This was the fundamental difference between the mid-stage and the early stage.


    If one were only at the early stage, they could only rely on talismans and magical treasures to exert their strength.


    "Underground?"


    Zhao Wenzhuo''s eyes flickered, his brow furrowed.


    "Senior Sister Song, I wrongly accused you earlier. It was all my fault, and I apologize."


    "Who knows what kind of expert is hiding underground? We should leave quickly to avoid causing trouble."


    Zhao Wenzhuo cupped his fists and bowed apologetically.


    Song Shiyu said nothing, her expression cold as she turned and left.


    A flash of coldness appeared in Zhao Wenzhuo''s eyes as he followed her.


    At this moment.


    Although Xu Hei hadn''t released his divine sense, he could clearly feel the vibrations underground, and a sense of impending danger filled his heart.


    "He''s coming down. It''s the Earth Escape Technique from the Five Elements Spells!"


    Xu Hei''s mind, filled with human knowledge, had information about this technique.


    The opponent was coming for the Serpent Tree. Xu Hei hesitated no longer, biting into the Serpent Tree and burrowing deeper underground.


    The opponent clearly didn''t know the exact location and had gone in the wrong direction, failing to find Xu Hei.


    After burrowing a distance, Xu Hei spat out the Serpent Tree and began to fully operate his cultivation technique to digest the energy of the Serpent Fruit.


    "Hurry up and refine it! Hurry up!"


    Xu Hei roared internally.


    At this moment, being chased by a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator, Xu Hei felt an unprecedented sense of crisis. This wasn''t brought by a demonic beast, but by a human.


    Compared to the clumsy bodies and minds of demonic beasts, the danger humans posed was more than ten times greater!


    Because you never knew what trump cards the opponent had, whether they were hiding their true cultivation, or if they had hidden protectors.


    Everything was unknown.


    Xu Hei''s nature was not to take risks. Without more than ninety percent certainty, he wouldn''t make a move! Let alone now, when the opponent''s cultivation surpassed his own, their magical treasures surpassed his own, and their spells were overwhelmingly superior. Xu Hei couldn''t find a single chance of winning.


    He could only hide! He could only run!


    Xu Hei bit into the Serpent Tree, continuously burrowing through the ground. After escaping a certain distance, he stopped and desperately refined the Serpent Fruit.


    Meanwhile, the opponent also used the Earth Escape Technique to pursue him.


    However, the speed of the Earth Escape Technique was far slower than on land and consumed a large amount of true qi, requiring occasional pauses to adjust, which slowed the pursuit.


    Mu Yun had already discovered that the opponent was hiding underground. Although his divine sense couldn''t lock onto the opponent, he had found the escape route.


    "Quite the escape artist! The opponent''s Earth Escape Technique is no weaker than mine, but I wonder what their cultivation level is."


    "Hmph, no matter your cultivation level! With the magical treasure left by my master, as long as you''re not a Foundation Establishment cultivator, I can kill you without fail!"


    Mu Yun guessed that the opponent was likely a newbie who had just entered the mid-stage of Qi Refining, too scared to even show their head, only focused on running away, clearly lacking confidence in winning.


    This only strengthened his resolve to pursue.


    "Daring to steal from a snake catcher, you won''t escape death today!"


    Mu Yun swallowed a Rejuvenation Pill, his speed suddenly increasing as he swiftly moved through the soil.


    Xu Hei also pushed himself to the limit, desperately opening a path through the earth.


    "Refine it!" Xu Hei roared internally.


    Suddenly, as if responding to his call, the Demon God Cauldron erupted with a strong suction force, drawing the Serpent Fruit inside. The fruit dissolved at a visible rate, releasing pure energy that nourished his entire body.


    Xu Hei was overjoyed; it had finally begun. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As long as the Demon God Cauldron was operating, he could refine while escaping, doing both simultaneously.


    The spiritual qi mist within the Demon God Cauldron quickly reached its peak.


    The black-gold scales on Xu Hei''s tail were rapidly transforming, with the eighth scale undergoing a swift metamorphosis, faster than ever before.


    The eighth scale, the ninth scale!


    In the blink of an eye, the transformation was complete!


    The scales stopped at nine, seemingly reaching the limit, while the spiritual qi mist also overflowed, no longer increasing.


    Xu Hei immediately realized he had reached a bottleneck in his cultivation, the Great Perfection of the third layer of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    For humans, this would be the Great Perfection of the third layer of the Qi Refining Stage.


    The next step would be the mid-stage.


    At this moment, the remaining Serpent Fruit in the Demon God Cauldron was rapidly being digested, but the spiritual qi seemed to fluctuate, sometimes overflowing, sometimes retracting, unable to break through the barrier.


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth and made a ruthless decision, tearing off a branch of the Serpent Tree along with half its bark and swallowing it.


    As soon as the Serpent Tree entered his body, dramatic changes occurred.


    It was like throwing a red-hot iron into calm water; the water immediately boiled. The spiritual qi mist in the Demon God Cauldron rapidly expanded, becoming increasingly intense.


    When it reached its limit, it began to compress inward, with droplets of spiritual qi liquid appearing within the mist.


    No longer mist, but droplets, dotting the inside of the Demon God Cauldron.


    Xu Hei''s physical body also underwent a dramatic transformation. His muscles swelled, his bones trembled, his fangs grew, and even his long-stagnant body lengthened.


    "Hiss hiss hiss!!!"


    Xu Hei let out a painful cry, unable to move a step further, stopping in his tracks.


    Spiritual qi compressed, his physical body transformed.


    An old snakeskin slowly peeled off his body, revealing a brand-new form emerging from the old skin.


    Shedding skin symbolized rebirth; every breakthrough Xu Hei made involved shedding his skin.


    Fifteen meters away, Mu Yun, who had been tailing him, finally stopped. His eyes were filled with disbelief, his divine sense locking onto the front as if he had seen a ghost.


    "This, this is..."


    He thought he had seen wrong, repeatedly confirming it before gasping in shock.


    His mind was somewhat frozen, unable to believe that after chasing all day from morning till night, he wasn''t pursuing a cunning cultivator but a snake?


    He knew that demonic beasts could achieve Spirit Communion, hence the name Spirit Communion Stage.


    But what kind of demonic beast was this? He hadn''t seen a single person, just a snake burrowing through the ground, carrying a tree. This wasn''t just Spirit Communion; this was practically becoming a spirit!


    What puzzled him even more was that this tree seemed to have been dug up by someone. How did it end up in the hands of a snake?


    Mu Yun''s thoughts raced, and he hesitated for a moment, unsure whether to approach.


    He considered the possibility that a powerful being had snatched a body and was rebuilding their cultivation in a demonic beast''s form. But such a thing was too outrageous to believe.


    "This demon can''t be killed; it must be captured alive. It might even attract the attention of the headquarters!"


    Mu Yun made up his mind, his eyes burning with determination.

 Chapter 19: Break through the mid-term dragon scales

    Chapter 19: Break through the mid-term dragon scalesAt this moment, Xu Hei''s physical body was undergoing a transformation, gradually growing taller. Finally, his length increased from two meters to two and a half meters. His bones trembled incessantly, producing crackling sounds.


    An old layer of snake skin shed from his body, blending into the soil, while the black-gold scales on Xu Hei''s tail underwent another change.


    Surpassing the extreme number of nine, it reached ten scales!


    The difference between ten and nine was not just an addition of one; it represented a qualitative change in the entire system. The scales could now connect seamlessly, making control more effortless and increasing their power significantly.


    Inside Xu Hei''s body, within the Demon God Cauldron, the Spiritual Qi mist had disappeared, replaced by droplets of Spiritual Qi. Each droplet was equivalent to the entire mist from before.


    And now, there were three droplets.


    The current Xu Hei had undergone a transformation in both his external physical body and internal Spiritual Qi, becoming several times stronger than before.


    He had reached the fourth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, officially stepping into the mid-stage.


    "Not bad, you''ve even broken through. Now this is more like it!"


    Mu Yun sneered, touching his storage bag and taking out an item.


    This item was a golden ring called the Beast Control Ring, a top-grade Spiritual Treasure.


    Once the Beast Control Ring was unleashed, not to mention mid-stage Spirit Communion beasts, even late-stage demonic beasts could only surrender to its power.


    He initially thought the opponent was at the mid-stage of Qi Refining, but it turned out he had just broken through, even weaker than he had expected.


    "Go!"


    Mu Yun approached within thirty meters, raised his hand, and cast a spell. The Beast Control Ring flew out.


    The golden ring gradually enlarged, aiming to encircle Xu Hei''s neck, emitting an irresistible pressure.


    Xu Hei abruptly opened his eyes.


    At this moment, he felt his Divine Sense growing like ocean waves, extending infinitely, seemingly able to cover a radius of a hundred meters.


    Such Divine Sense had far exceeded the mid-stage range.


    With one glance, he locked onto the incoming Beast Control Ring.


    "Human, I didn''t want to fight you, but you''ve pushed me to the brink!"


    A trace of madness appeared in Xu Hei''s eyes.


    He didn''t revel in his breakthrough; he wanted to kill the person before him to eliminate future troubles!


    "So, I can only kill you. You must die!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were filled with madness. He suddenly swung his tail, striking the Beast Control Ring. The ring trembled slightly, paused for a moment, and then continued towards Xu Hei.


    "Hmph! You can''t escape!"


    Mu Yun sneered inwardly. No beast locked by the Beast Control Ring had ever escaped.


    But at this moment, he suddenly felt a vast and boundless Divine Sense drilling into the Beast Control Ring, seemingly trying to erase his Divine Sense within it.


    "What''s going on?"


    Mu Yun was incredulous. This was a top-grade Spiritual Treasure, already refined by him, with an unbreakable Divine Sense. Only a Foundation Establishment cultivator could forcibly erase it.


    Xu Hei certainly couldn''t do that, but he managed to make the Beast Control Ring pause.


    But that was enough.


    Xu Hei opened his mouth wide and swallowed the Beast Control Ring.


    Since he couldn''t erase the Divine Sense, he would use his physical body to forcibly imprison it. He didn''t believe the ring could escape!


    After swallowing the Beast Control Ring, Xu Hei turned and ran, burrowing deep into the soil.


    "Bastard! Stop right there!"


    Mu Yun was shocked, then enraged. He activated the Earth Escape Technique, closely following behind.


    He tried to activate the Beast Control Ring but found it stuck, unable to come out unless he made a hole in Xu Hei.


    "Cunning beast!"


    Mu Yun''s eyes grew colder, and his speed increased.


    Xu Hei knew that the best way for a demonic beast to deal with a human cultivator was close combat. Human bodies were fragile; one hit could be fatal or crippling!


    But the opponent excelled in the Earth Escape Technique. Even if they left the soil, they could use the Swift Wind Talisman to move quickly. The opponent knew this too and wouldn''t let him get close easily.


    Therefore, Xu Hei had to wait for an opportunity.


    He knew Mu Yun''s True Qi wasn''t infinite. Each time he used the Earth Escape Technique for a while, he would have to stop to recover his True Qi.


    This was his best chance to counterattack!


    Xu Hei didn''t flee at full speed but maintained a slightly slower pace, gradually closing the distance between them.


    Giving the opponent a glimmer of hope to catch up.


    "Unfortunately, I just broke through and haven''t learned the Five Elements Escape Technique. Otherwise, with my speed and the escape technique, I wouldn''t need any strategy and could easily get close!" Xu Hei sighed inwardly.


    Mu Yun continued to chase, the distance between them slowly closing.


    When they were within fifteen meters, Mu Yun took out a talisman and cast it into the air.


    "Wind!" Mu Yun chanted a spell.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!"


    The talisman immediately dispersed, transforming into three wind blades, cutting through the soil towards Xu Hei.


    A mid-grade Wind Blade Talisman could easily slice through the body of any mid-stage Spirit Communion beast in one strike!


    He saw that Xu Hei had swallowed the Beast Control Ring and wanted to cut open Xu Hei''s skin to retrieve it. Otherwise, it would be difficult to capture Xu Hei alive.


    With his strength, he could easily kill Xu Hei, but capturing him alive was challenging and required the Beast Control Ring''s power.


    "Great opportunity!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes lit up. This was the moment he had been waiting for.


    The opponent had been chasing for so long, consuming most of his True Qi. Now, activating the Wind Blade Talisman had reached a critical point.


    Although the opponent had reserved some True Qi for self-preservation, Xu Hei was not afraid.


    Facing the Wind Blade Talisman, Xu Hei swung his tail, and the ten black-gold scales instantly expanded, smashing into the wind blades.


    "Clang! Clang! Clang!"


    Three crisp sounds echoed as the wind blades, capable of killing any mid-stage Spirit Communion beast, didn''t even scratch Xu Hei''s scales. He was unharmed.


    "What?"


    Mu Yun was dumbfounded.


    Everything happened too quickly. In the next second, after the wind blades were deflected, Xu Hei charged towards Mu Yun''s face.


    "Escape!"


    Mu Yun reacted swiftly, shooting upwards towards the soil surface.


    His remaining True Qi was insufficient to sustain the Earth Escape Technique for long; he had to leave the underground and return to the surface.


    Xu Hei had already anticipated his plan, charging upwards ahead of him, intercepting him faster than tracking.


    "What are those scales? Why can''t the Wind Blade Talisman harm them?"


    "Not good!"


    As Mu Yun''s thoughts raced, his Divine Sense detected Xu Hei intercepting him. Unless he immediately turned back and sank down, he would definitely collide!


    "Cunning beast, do you think I''m afraid of you?"


    Mu Yun didn''t retreat; instead, he accelerated upwards.


    But now, he had a snake-shaped longsword in his hand.


    The Snake-Slaying Sword!


    This sword had accompanied him for twenty years, slaying no less than a thousand snakes in his career as a Snake Catcher, including nearly a hundred Snake Demons!


    Later, after being refined, the sword had the potential to become a Flying Sword. He had sealed it away, rarely unsheathing it, even for Snake Demons.


    But now, this Snake Demon had piqued his interest.


    "To die by this sword is an honor!"


    Mu Yun accelerated upwards. As Xu Hei approached, he shook the Snake-Slaying Sword and slashed towards Xu Hei.


    At such close range, Xu Hei didn''t retreat. For the first time, he chose to face it head-on!


    "Your sword isn''t worthy of cutting my scales!"


    Xu Hei roared angrily, his tail scales transforming into steel blades, slashing towards the Snake-Slaying Sword.


    "Clang!!"


    The scales and the longsword clashed, producing a clear sound that echoed through the soil, spreading far and wide.


    Mu Yun''s Snake-Slaying Sword shattered into countless fragments under the impact of the scales!


    Mu Yun was struck as if by lightning.


    But there was no time for shock. After shattering his sword, Xu Hei''s momentum continued, slashing at his arm and hitting his leg.


    "Slash!!"


    "Ah!!!"


    A scream echoed.


    In the next second, the soil burst open, and a blood-soaked figure flew into the air.


    This person had two Swift Wind Talismans on his leg, his right arm was empty, and his right leg was missing a section. His hair was disheveled, and he was covered in blood, looking like a madman. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhao Wenzhuo and Song Shiyu, who had been watching the situation closely, were shocked at the sight.


    The disheveled person was none other than their senior brother, Mu Yun.

 Chapter 20: Old Snake Kings Last Wish

    Chapter 20: Old Snake King''s Last Wish"Run! There''s a young Flood Dragon down there!"


    As soon as Mu Yun appeared, he only had time to shout before turning to flee.


    He activated two Swift Wind Talismans to their limit, causing a fierce wind to sweep him away towards the outside of Myriad Serpent Valley.


    "A young Flood Dragon?!"


    The two were instantly horrified.


    A Flood Dragon was a legendary creature, and it was said that whenever one appeared, it was at least at the terrifying Demon Infant Stage!


    How could there be a young Flood Dragon beneath Myriad Serpent Valley?


    If it truly was a Flood Dragon, even a young one, how could they possibly survive?


    Despite their doubts, seeing their senior brother in such a panic, they knew the creature below must be terrifying. Without hesitation, they took out their Swift Wind Talismans and fled immediately.


    "Boom!"


    Xu Hei burst out of the ground and, without a word, chased after Mu Yun.


    Only this person had seen his true form, and he absolutely couldn''t let him escape!


    If Mu Yun brought back news of him, the Snake Catchers would surely send stronger experts to hunt him down, and that was a consequence Xu Hei couldn''t bear!


    He couldn''t let this person go!


    Mu Yun flew towards the mouth of Myriad Serpent Valley, where the corpse of a massive black snake lay.


    It was the body of the Old Snake King.


    The corpse was so large that it couldn''t be stored in a Storage Bag all at once. It had been cut into several pieces, with only the head remaining intact.


    Without a glance, Mu Yun flew over it.


    Suddenly, the head of the Old Snake King moved!


    It opened its mouth and sprayed a jet of venom from its poison sac.


    In the blink of an eye, the venom hit Mu Yun''s face.


    The distance was too close; by the time Mu Yun noticed, it was too late, and he was sprayed directly in the face.


    "Ah!!!"


    Mu Yun clutched his face, letting out a piercing scream as his face immediately swelled up.


    "Damn it, how could I make such a rookie mistake?"


    Mu Yun''s face darkened. It was common knowledge that even after a venomous snake''s head was severed, it still retained its toxicity, and the head could still leap up and attack. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In his panic, he had lost his composure, and the Old Snake King''s head had blocked his path, leaving him no time to dodge.


    Fortunately, as an expert Snake Catcher, he had antidote pills with him. He quickly took one, and the symptoms rapidly subsided.


    But this brief delay allowed Xu Hei to close the distance to within thirty meters!


    Mu Yun''s face turned pale with fear. He bit his tongue, and his speed suddenly increased. Thankfully, with the high-quality Swift Wind Talisman, as long as Xu Hei didn''t get too close, he could gradually widen the gap.


    "Just wait, I''ll return and ask the Grandmaster to come out of seclusion. This demon is too strange and must be captured with the full force of the sect!" Mu Yun gritted his teeth.


    At this moment, Xu Hei felt as if he heard a voice in his mind.


    "Child, live well, live on..."


    It was the voice of the Old Snake King in its final moments.


    Xu Hei didn''t understand why this voice appeared in his mind or why he was so fixated on the dead snake head.


    But the killing intent in his eyes had already surpassed its limit.


    "Today, you will die without a doubt!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed with boundless ferocity and determination.


    He raised his tail, and the black-gold scales on it stood up one by one, gleaming with a cold light.


    Mu Yun, constantly watching his rear, saw Xu Hei raise his tail and felt his hair stand on end for some unknown reason.


    In the next moment.


    Ten of Xu Hei''s scales broke off, separating from his flesh with excruciating pain that pierced to the bone.


    But Xu Hei''s expression didn''t change; he was only filled with madness.


    "Die!"


    Xu Hei flung the scales out, and they shot towards Mu Yun''s back like a storm!


    "No!!!"


    Mu Yun screamed sharply.


    He summoned a jade pendant, a life-saving treasure left by his Grandmaster, capable of unleashing a strike at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage, which no one below the Foundation Establishment Stage could withstand.


    But it was too slow!


    In such a short time, he couldn''t activate it. From the moment Xu Hei flung his tail to the scales flying out, it was only a breath''s time!


    "Swish, swish, swish..."


    The scales struck the jade pendant, which exploded into fragments under the immense force, and the scales continued their assault, hitting Mu Yun''s body, legs, face, and head.


    "Thud, thud, thud..."


    In just one breath, Mu Yun was riddled with scales, blood gushing out, his face unrecognizable.


    His eyes lost their color, and he fell from a meter high, the Swift Wind Talisman on his leg still exerting its remaining power, causing gusts of wind but unable to lift him.


    With a heavy thud, Mu Yun hit the ground, dead.


    "Pain! Pain!"


    Xu Hei''s whole body was in agony, the pain of the scales falling off exceeding his imagination, but he endured it, smashing Mu Yun''s body into a pulp to ensure he was thoroughly dead.


    Then, Xu Hei picked up the ten scales one by one.


    Reattaching the scales was unrealistic; it was better to let them regrow.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and simply swallowed the scales, hoping they would regrow as he imagined.


    Xu Hei crawled to Mu Yun''s corpse, swallowed him whole, and took the Storage Bag, holding it in his mouth.


    With a wave of his Divine Sense, Xu Hei erased the imprint on the bag and imprinted his own.


    He took the nearly depleted Swift Wind Talismans and stored them in the bag, along with the Beast Control Ring.


    The spoils of war could be sorted out later.


    At this moment, Xu Hei looked at the dead snake head.


    The Old Snake King''s eyes were still open, all the venom in the poison sac gone, silently staring at Xu Hei.


    Looking at the snake head, Xu Hei suddenly felt as if struck by lightning, his whole body trembling.


    In an instant, a memory from three years ago surfaced in his mind.


    At that time, the Serpent Fruit had ripened, producing two large fruits with a fragrant aroma.


    Xu Hei, not yet fully sentient, instinctively went to devour them.


    However, the overwhelming number of snakes attracted by the fruit''s scent made it impossible. Over half the snakes in Myriad Serpent Valley were drawn, and only two would be lucky enough to get the fruit.


    It was destined to be a brutal battle.


    But then, a deafening hiss rang out.


    The Old Snake King appeared, his presence overwhelming everything. All the snakes stopped fighting and prostrated themselves.


    Xu Hei, trembling with fear, didn''t dare move forward.


    At that moment, the Old Snake King looked at Xu Hei, a black snake identical to himself. After a long gaze, the coldness in his eyes dissipated.


    The pressure on Xu Hei vanished without a trace.


    Xu Hei quickly went up and swallowed one of the Serpent Fruits.


    Under the Old Snake King''s protection, no snake dared to challenge him.


    Even during his transformation after consuming the Serpent Fruit, the Old Snake King guarded him until Xu Hei fully turned into a Snake Demon, then left peacefully.


    The memory from three years ago was very vague, something Xu Hei couldn''t recall, but now it all came back to him.


    It was like a human recalling memories from infancy, vague and fleeting, only surfacing at certain moments like a bolt of lightning.


    "Old Snake King, why did you treat me like this?"


    Xu Hei couldn''t understand.


    In his impression, snakes were cold and ruthless, even among their own kind, they would kill each other, the strong surviving.


    But the Old Snake King''s actions overturned this belief.


    Xu Hei stood still, lost in long silence, unable to let go.


    A sense of sorrow gradually filled his heart.


    This indescribable emotion slowly accumulated, eventually turning into overwhelming hatred.


    "Humans, Snake Catchers, I, Xu Hei, will never share the same sky with you!!"

 Chapter 21: The new Snake King, set off

    Chapter 21: The new Snake King, set offOutside Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Xu Hei dug a large pit and buried the corpse of the Old Snake King, placing a large stone as a marker.


    He was mimicking human customs, hoping that the Old Snake King could rest in peace and be reincarnated as a human in the next life, free from suffering.


    A snake''s life is short, barely over a decade. Even if the Old Snake King hadn''t died in battle, his lifespan was near its end.


    "Anything with intelligence cares about its offspring. I guess that''s why you gave me the Serpent Fruit," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He bowed three times to the stone.


    He didn''t know if the Old Snake King was his parent, grandparent, or great-grandparent, but he was certain that the Old Snake King was his predecessor.


    Without the Old Snake King, there would be no Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei returned underground, stored the Serpent Fruit tree in his storage bag, and left Myriad Serpent Valley, heading back to his own territory.


    Since the Snake Catchers had discovered Myriad Serpent Valley, he couldn''t stay there any longer.


    As for the fate of Myriad Serpent Valley, Xu Hei didn''t know. Snake Catchers captured countless snakes every year, and Myriad Serpent Valley, being rich in snakes, was likely to face a bloody disaster.


    Not long after Xu Hei left Myriad Serpent Valley, he suddenly noticed something.


    By a small stream ahead, a figure lay motionless, covered in black, with multiple snake bites on their body, on the brink of death.


    It was one of the two Snake Catchers who had escaped, Song Shiyu!


    Song Shiyu lay on the ground, barely breathing.


    "It''s her?"


    A flash of murderous intent appeared in Xu Hei''s eyes, and he instinctively wanted to rush forward and devour her.


    But then he hesitated.


    "Why is she poisoned and lying here? Something''s off!"


    Xu Hei, always cautious, didn''t approach rashly.


    He extended his divine sense, covering the area like a web, scanning both above and below ground.


    His divine sense now covered an impressive ninety meters, equivalent to the late Qi Refining Stage, but he found nothing unusual.


    There were no other people, no traps. Song Shiyu was indeed on the verge of death.


    "Could it be... Zhao Wenzhuo''s doing?" Xu Hei was shocked.


    He suddenly recalled a detail.


    Why was the Old Snake King''s head blocking the entrance to Myriad Serpent Valley, hidden by a tree in such a precise position?


    A snake''s head remains active for a long time after being severed. Snake Catchers wouldn''t make such a basic mistake!


    The body was taken away, leaving only the head, filled with venom. It was clearly intentional!


    The more Xu Hei thought about it, the more his scalp tingled.


    What was Zhao Wenzhuo up to? Why would he kill his senior brother and harm his senior sister?


    Killing Ding Hai could be seen as a conflict of interest, but how to explain this?


    Xu Hei even suspected that the Snake Catchers inside the octopus were also Zhao Wenzhuo''s doing!


    "What is he trying to achieve? Why is he doing this?"


    Xu Hei was increasingly shocked.


    At that moment, a large snake slithered over, biting Song Shiyu''s legs and starting to swallow her from the bottom up.


    Xu Hei observed for a moment and confirmed it wasn''t a trap.


    Song Shiyu was indeed close to death, but she seemed to have used a turtle breathing technique, sealing her heart and all her acupoints to prevent the venom from spreading.


    As a result, she couldn''t move and had entered a state of suspended animation.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment, then turned and left without approaching or taking the storage bag.


    The reason was simple: he didn''t know what tricks the other side might be playing.


    Since the woman wasn''t dead and still had a breath left, it meant Zhao Wenzhuo didn''t dare to kill her. If so, why should Xu Hei take the risk?


    If she had some kind of restrictive magical treasure that activated upon her death, he would be doomed without scales to protect him.


    Not long after Xu Hei left, there was a loud "boom" in the distance, as if something had exploded, sending up a hundred-foot-tall pillar of fire.


    Xu Hei sighed and quickly moved away from the area.


    ...


    Outside Snake Village, on a hill.


    There was a grave with two tombstones in front of it, surrounded by overgrown weeds.


    Zhao Wenzhuo knelt before the tombstones and kowtowed heavily three times.


    "Father, Mother, Little Sister, I am about to avenge you!"


    "Liu Tong, Chen Xue, Ding Hai, Song Shiyu, Mu Yun, they have all gone to accompany you. Three more to go!"


    Zhao Wenzhuo''s eyes were red, and he gritted his teeth, saying each word with determination, "Chen Daoling, and all his disciples, I won''t spare a single one!"


    Zhao Wenzhuo stood up and returned to the outskirts of Myriad Serpent Valley, his body covered in wounds.


    He released a venomous snake, which bit him. Before long, he collapsed into unconsciousness.


    ...


    About half an hour later.


    Two figures descended outside Myriad Serpent Valley, an old man and a young one. The old man stared at the bloated python and sent out a sword light.


    "Slash!"


    The python was cut in half, revealing the figure inside¡ªZhao Wenzhuo.


    The other person quickly checked him and sighed in relief, "That was close, he''s still alive. If we had been a moment later, he would have been beyond saving."


    The person took out a pill and fed it to Zhao Wenzhuo, simultaneously helping him circulate his cultivation technique.


    Chen Daoling''s face was grim as he coldly said, "I want to see which demon caused me to lose two disciples!"


    He spread his divine sense, armed with a sharp sword, and stepped into Myriad Serpent Valley.


    ...


    The instigator, Xu Hei, after a long journey, returned to his mountain.


    This place was located outside Snake Village, in the mountains ten miles away, far from Myriad Serpent Valley. Even at Xu Hei''s speed, it took him two full days to climb.


    Back in his familiar territory, Xu Hei scanned with his divine sense and found all his prey still there, which made him sigh in relief. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, there were some wolf droppings on the ground, which made him frown slightly. But as long as there were no human footprints, he didn''t care.


    Xu Hei had no time to deal with it and immediately returned to the cave where he had hibernated last winter.


    Back in the familiar dark environment, Xu Hei completely relaxed.


    He then spat out the storage bag and extended his divine sense into it.


    He had already checked it once on the way, and now he took out a large handful of jade slips, more than a dozen in total, and examined them one by one with his divine sense.


    Instantly, streams of information flowed into Xu Hei''s mind.


    Xu Hei''s eyes lit up.


    "Five Elements Spells: Fireball Technique, Water Bullet Technique."


    "Five Elements Escape Techniques: Earth Escape Technique, Water Escape Technique, Fire Escape Technique."


    "Basic Spells: Gravity Technique."


    "..."


    The information in the jade slips was all about cultivation spells.


    Xu Hei had learned a lot about these spells from the human knowledge he had acquired, but he didn''t have the specific cultivation steps.


    Now, all these steps were presented in the jade slips, ready for him to learn.


    Xu Hei''s physical body was already strong and fast. With the aid of spells, he didn''t believe the Snake Catchers could do anything to him!


    "The difference between me and a demonic beast is that I possess intelligence comparable to humans. Even complex spells, I can learn!"


    "Once I master these spells, let''s see how the Snake Catchers can capture me!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were resolute. He would inherit the Old Snake King''s will.


    He had to survive, survive!

 Chapter 22: Uninvited guest in the mountains and forests

    Chapter 22: Uninvited guest in the mountains and forestsIn addition to the spell jade slip, the storage bag contained a few talismans, pills, a magical treasure, and a Serpent Fruit tree.


    There was also a scroll named the Myriad Serpent Record, which documented over ten thousand types of snakes and hundreds of snake demons, all encountered by snake catchers.


    Each snake''s characteristics were detailed meticulously.


    Xu Hei skimmed through it and found his own species.


    "Black Yin Snake, mildly venomous, prefers cool and shady environments, grows to two meters in adulthood, and can reach five meters when transformed into a snake demon..."


    "...The strongest Black Yin Snake encountered by snake catchers was a Great Perfection Foundation Establishment Stage snake demon, reaching eighteen meters in length. It developed demon fire within its body, capable of spewing fire poison that kills upon contact!"


    "In the end, this snake was slain by an elder and refined into a pill."


    Xu Hei was secretly shocked as he read this record.


    "So, I am a Black Yin Snake. However, I can''t find any record of the scales on my tail, not even in the Myriad Serpent Record."


    Xu Hei felt puzzled and, after a quick look, put the Myriad Serpent Record away.


    Two days had passed, and a new black-gold scale had grown on his tail. It would take about half a month for all ten scales to grow.


    During this period, he didn''t plan to go out.


    The storage bag contained food, pills, and other supplies to sustain him for some time.


    Although the Serpent Fruit tree had a broken branch and no leaves, it seemed not to be dead. Xu Hei planted it in a spot with soil.


    He had already erased the divine sense imprint on the Beast Control Ring and imprinted his own.


    After studying it for a long time, he discovered that as long as it was placed around the neck, it could control any living being, making them act according to his will.


    Even humans were no exception.


    Of course, it could only control the physical body, not the mind.


    Finally, Xu Hei took out a golden jade slip.


    This jade slip was the only thing he couldn''t decipher. Even when he fully activated his divine sense, he couldn''t penetrate it, as if it was sealed.


    Xu Hei guessed that it probably contained the cultivation techniques of the snake catcher.


    Although he was very curious, to prevent any tracking or locating function, he directly shattered it with the scales on his tail.


    "Crack!"


    The jade slip broke, and a golden light dispersed, turning into nothingness.


    Xu Hei continued to attack the jade slip until it was ground into powder and threw it into the nearby pond.


    "First, I need to cultivate escape techniques like the Earth Escape Technique and Water Escape Technique, which can also be used for pursuit. These are my top priorities."


    "Second, the Fireball Technique for destroying evidence is my second priority."


    "Third, the Gravity Technique for retrieving items from a distance, so I don''t have to use my tail or mouth every time."


    Xu Hei formulated a detailed cultivation plan in his mind.


    As for the Wind Blade Technique, Thunder Strike Technique, and Turtle Breath Technique, they were advanced spells. The jade slip mentioned that they could only be cultivated in the late Qi Refining Stage, so Xu Hei didn''t consider them for now.


    Xu Hei lay on a patch of soil, silently reciting incantations. Spiritual Qi flowed from his body along a specific route to his lower abdomen.


    "Earth Escape Technique!"


    With a thought, his lower abdomen sank an inch into the ground but could go no further.


    The first experiment yielded some results, and Xu Hei was delighted. He did have some talent.


    "It''s said that the Earth Escape Technique works better if you have an earth spiritual root. I wonder what my spiritual root is."


    Xu Hei had never tested his spiritual root and could only speculate.


    ...


    A hundred miles away, in Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Chen Daoling appeared in Myriad Serpent Valley once again.


    This time, he had a compass in his hand.


    This compass had divination capabilities and was borrowed from a friend at the Astrology Bureau at great cost.


    Chen Daoling pointed at the compass, and a shadow of a black snake was projected onto it.


    This black snake shadow was drawn based on Zhao Wenzhuo''s divine sense and bore eighty percent of Xu Hei''s essence.


    Soon, the compass began to spin, round and round.


    Finally, the needle pointed in a direction, swaying back and forth, the amplitude getting smaller but never stopping.


    "If you had a fragment of its skin or blood, the accuracy would be higher. With just a projection, even the Destiny Compass can''t perfectly locate it."


    Those were his friend''s words. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chen Daoling''s face immediately darkened.


    Next, he tried to locate the snake catcher''s spell jade slip but found it couldn''t be located, indicating it had been destroyed.


    "What a cautious demon. I refuse to believe I can''t find you!"


    Chen Daoling began searching Myriad Serpent Valley, hoping to find any leftover bloodstains.


    ...


    Unknowingly, a month passed.


    During this month, Xu Hei had been in seclusion, cultivating spells.


    Although his Earth Escape Technique hadn''t reached perfection, it had improved significantly. He could now move through the ground using pure magical power without moving his physical body.


    His speed was even faster than Mu Yun''s at that time.


    This made Xu Hei feel completely at ease. In terms of cultivating Five Elements Spells, he was no worse than humans.


    However, Xu Hei also had a disadvantage: the amount of True Qi he had.


    He was only at the fourth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, just mid-stage. Such intense use of the Earth Escape Technique could only be maintained for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.


    "The Earth Escape Technique is meant to be a trump card; it''s enough if it works," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    A month had passed, and the ten scales on his tail had regrown. After consuming a large number of pills, the eleventh scale was also in the process of transforming.


    He didn''t know when the next crisis would come, so he had to be prepared at all times.


    As for the Fireball Technique, progress was slower.


    Xu Hei spent a week and only managed to form a small fireball the size of a palm, with no lethality.


    "Right, I remember seeing a red vine with strong fire attributes on my way back. I wonder if it will help with the Fireball Technique," Xu Hei thought.


    After more than a month in seclusion, he had almost exhausted his food and pills, leaving only a few for critical moments. It was time to go out and forage.


    Xu Hei left the cave for the first time and ventured into the outside world.


    It was now June, and the weather was getting hotter.


    After half a year of letting nature take its course, the species on the two mountains he controlled had gradually become more diverse. Xu Hei casually scanned the area and found a group of rock goats climbing a cliff.


    Such a steep location was to prevent predators from attacking.


    Xu Hei climbed the cliff, swallowed a goat, and quickly refined it with the Demon God Cauldron, expelling impurities.


    Now, he could control the Demon God Cauldron more freely.


    "Full and satisfied, time to check it out."


    Following the route in his memory, Xu Hei crawled towards his destination.


    The place wasn''t far, just beyond the neighboring mountain. Xu Hei reached it in an hour.


    It was a bare rocky terrain with no shrubs nearby, making the temperature high. The red vine grew in the middle of the rocks, absorbing the high temperature from the surrounding hundred meters of sunlight.


    This was a mid-grade spirit medicine, the Earth Flame Vine, but Xu Hei didn''t know its name.


    Xu Hei initially wanted to use the Earth Escape Technique to get closer but found the rocks too hard to penetrate.


    "Screw it!"


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, spread his divine sense, and charged forward with all his might, turning into a black streak heading for the Earth Flame Vine.


    "Roar!"


    Suddenly, a loud beast roar echoed from afar, and a silver figure sprinted towards him at high speed.


    Wherever there is spirit medicine, there must be a demonic beast guarding it.

 Chapter 23: Beast Control Ring: Taming the Wolf King

    Chapter 23: Beast Control Ring: Taming the Wolf KingXu Hei quickly spotted the demonic beast¡ªa demonic wolf, three meters long, as large as a bull, with cultivation at the third layer of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    Apart from the demonic wolf, there was also a pack of ordinary wild wolves trailing behind it.


    Though the early Spirit Communion Stage was far inferior to Xu Hei, he still stopped cautiously, coiling into a defensive stance and concealing his aura. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The demonic wolf halted nearby, not rushing forward recklessly.


    Its eyes gleamed like lightning, its fur was half black and half white, and a crescent moon mark adorned its forehead.


    This was a Moon Cang Wolf, a mutation in the process of a wolf becoming a demon.


    "Roar!" The demonic wolf let out a low growl.


    The wolf pack behind it immediately scattered, encircling the area from a distance, possibly to prevent Xu Hei from escaping or to guard against third-party interference.


    "They even know how to coordinate."


    Seeing this, Xu Hei felt a sudden pang of envy.


    The wolf king hesitated no longer and lunged at Xu Hei, aiming to bite him.


    Xu Hei sidestepped swiftly, noticing the crescent moon mark on the wolf king''s forehead flickering as it raised its claws to strike, sharp and fierce.


    In the void ahead, a pair of phantom wolf fangs appeared, snapping towards him from both sides.


    "It can use demonic spells?"


    Xu Hei was slightly taken aback. Demonic beasts capable of using spells usually had high intelligence, a rare sight.


    However, Xu Hei''s cultivation was a notch higher. He dodged swiftly as the wolf king spewed a mouthful of flames, covering a wide area.


    "Fire!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes lit up.


    He was now certain that the red vine enhanced fire-based spells.


    Not wanting to get entangled, Xu Hei braved the flames, flashing beneath the wolf king''s belly and headbutting upwards.


    "Thud!"


    Xu Hei''s head struck the wolf king''s stomach hard, sending it flying several meters into the air, spewing blood and crashing to the ground with a wretched cry.


    At this moment, the wolf king''s eyes showed fear. Like a dog with its tail between its legs, it turned to flee.


    This wolf had high intelligence and realized Xu Hei was not to be trifled with, decisively choosing to escape.


    The wolf pack, seeing their leader flee, howled mournfully and scattered like lost dogs.


    "Trying to escape?"


    Xu Hei spat out a golden ring¡ªthe Beast Control Ring.


    The ring shot out like lightning, transforming into a stream of light, hovering above the wolf king''s head, and quickly enlarging.


    "Bind!"


    Xu Hei activated his divine sense, and the ring instantly fell, locking around the wolf king''s neck, shrinking to secure it tightly.


    "Awooo!"


    The wolf king rolled on the ground, howling in pain.


    Xu Hei felt a strange sensation; his divine sense, through the Beast Control Ring, permeated the wolf king''s entire body, making him feel he could control every inch of it with a mere thought.


    "Come here."


    Xu Hei willed it, testing his control.


    The wolf king struggled to stand, unable to resist, and walked over to Xu Hei.


    "Bow down, lie down." Xu Hei commanded again.


    The wolf king immediately bowed and lay down, eyes filled with humiliation and deep fear.


    Xu Hei''s divine sense moved, issuing more commands.


    The wolf king performed various bizarre actions¡ªstanding up and walking like a human, crawling like a snake, or barking like a dog.


    Under divine sense control, the wolf king could perform any action.


    Initially, its eyes were filled with anger and shame, but gradually, it sank into deep fear, showing a pleading look and whimpering for mercy.


    "This Beast Control Ring is quite interesting!" Xu Hei''s heart surged.


    Previously, the demonic beasts he encountered were either accidentally killed by him or slain by humans.


    But this wolf king was captured alive.


    If it posed a threat to Xu Hei, he would kill it without hesitation, but this wolf was clearly harmless now.


    Moreover, it had its value.


    "Summon your pack back." Xu Hei ordered.


    The wolf king understood and howled.


    Soon, the fleeing wolf pack returned, appearing all around.


    Because of Xu Hei''s presence, they dared not approach, eyes filled with fear, hiding behind the wolf king.


    "Guard the area within a five-mile radius, and forbid any creature from entering."


    Xu Hei commanded, and the wolf king immediately complied, arranging the pack to guard various positions.


    Then, Xu Hei approached the Earth Flame Vine, inhaling its scent. A surge of scorching energy entered his body, raising his temperature.


    This was pure fire-based spiritual qi.


    Xu Hei''s eyes gleamed with excitement. Besides the Serpent Fruit tree branch, he hadn''t consumed any spirit medicine.


    Human pills were too mild, easy to absorb but lacking this potent medicinal property.


    Xu Hei tore off a small piece and swallowed it.


    "¡­" The wolf king was dumbfounded.


    This scorching spirit medicine, it only dared to nibble on the surface slowly. This snake swallowed a large piece in one go, unafraid of being burned alive?


    "Boom!"


    The scorching energy rampaged within Xu Hei, causing a burning sensation in his meridians.


    He was certain that if a human consumed even a tiny bit, they would be burned alive instantly. Even the demonic wolf wouldn''t dare consume too much.


    "Demon God Cauldron, refine it!"


    Xu Hei activated the Demon God Cauldron, absorbing the small piece of vine and slowly refining it.


    During this process, Xu Hei''s body heated up rapidly, becoming scorching hot like a furnace, and his cultivation level rose.


    The wolf king watched intently, hoping Xu Hei would be burned to death.


    But as time passed, Xu Hei not only survived but grew stronger, leaving the wolf king in shock.


    After half a day, Xu Hei finished refining the piece of vine.


    Xu Hei exhaled a breath of hot air, looked at a nearby rock, and with a thought, opened his mouth, casting the Fireball Technique.


    "Boom!!"


    A massive flame spewed from his mouth, burning the rock into molten lava.


    The wolf king''s eyes nearly popped out.


    Is this a snake? This is a monster!


    It tried spitting a small flame, only managing to scorch the ground slightly, nowhere near the same temperature.


    "Indeed, it enhances the Fireball Technique and improves my cultivation. This vine is quite long; I''ll eat another piece." Xu Hei tore off another piece and swallowed it.


    Seeing Xu Hei consume more vine, the wolf king completely abandoned any thoughts of resistance. This snake''s strength far exceeded its imagination.

 Chapter 24: The old black dog digs graves and steals corpses

    Chapter 24: The old black dog digs graves and steals corpsesIn the days that followed, Xu Hei stayed there.


    Consuming too many vines at once had some side effects, making his entire body feel scorching hot, with smoke rising from his skin and a constant burning pain in his meridians.


    Xu Hei wasn''t afraid of pain, but he hated this relentless torment.


    He decided to consume the vines slowly.


    Xu Hei also discovered that, besides the rapid progress in his Fireball Technique, his Earth Escape Technique had also become more proficient, likely due to the enhancement of his True Qi.


    His eleventh scale had also grown out.


    During this time, the Wolf King always stayed by his side.


    At first, he needed the Beast Control Ring to manage it, but later, without Xu Hei''s control, a single command was enough for the Wolf King to obediently follow orders.


    Occasionally, it would even take the initiative to help hunt and bring back some food.


    "I heard that dogs were domesticated from wolves. Can I domesticate one too?"


    Xu Hei thought of the Snake Catcher''s hunting dogs, incredibly loyal, protecting their master even unto death.


    But soon, Xu Hei abandoned this idea; he didn''t have the time to domesticate a demonic wolf. He preferred to trust the Beast Control Ring over loyalty.


    Half a month later.


    Xu Hei had completely refined the entire vine, reaching the peak of the fourth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, not far from the fifth layer.


    The scales on his tail had grown to thirteen.


    There were still many vines underground, deeply rooted, but without absorbing sunlight from the surface, they couldn''t generate fire-type True Qi.


    Xu Hei didn''t destroy the roots, thinking that perhaps in a few decades, the vines would grow back, which wouldn''t be his concern.


    "Fireball Technique!"


    Xu Hei opened his mouth, condensing a pitch-black flame.


    This was the mutation that occurred after consuming the vines.


    According to the Myriad Serpent Record, the demonic fire of the Black Yin Snake was black and usually only appeared after Foundation Establishment. Was Xu Hei an exception?


    He spat out the black flame, which burned a large pit five zhang wide into the mountain rock ahead, with magma flowing down.


    Satisfied with his handiwork, Xu Hei felt this trip was worthwhile.


    Glancing at the Wolf King beside him, Xu Hei retracted the Beast Control Ring.


    "You''re free now."


    The Wolf King had guarded him day and night, keeping watch and helping with hunting. Though not very useful, it had earned some merit.


    In the end, Xu Hei let it go, turning to leave, planning to return to his territory.


    To his surprise, the Wolf King didn''t dare to run away, still following behind, along with its pack.


    Xu Hei ignored them, returning to his mountain, with the Wolf King trailing behind.


    He looked back at the Wolf King and said, "You''re really free. I won''t trouble you."


    After thinking for a moment, Xu Hei added, "Of course, you can continue to keep watch. If you spot any humans, let me know immediately, and I''ll reward you."


    With that, Xu Hei headed straight into the mountain, returning to his cave.


    The Wolf King waited for a long time until Xu Hei completely disappeared, then let out a low growl, eyes filled with joy and complexity, and quickly ran off.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Wherever there are Spirit Medicines, there are always Demonic Beasts guarding them.


    On his way back, Xu Hei pondered this issue. He hadn''t returned for half a month; would the Serpent Tree he planted be guarded by a Demonic Beast?


    Xu Hei smiled wryly and shook his head. Even if there were a Demonic Beast, he had nothing to fear.


    Over time, Spirit Medicines naturally attract some Demonic Beasts to settle nearby, absorbing Spiritual Qi. It''s instinctual.


    As Xu Hei approached his cave, he indeed sensed a trace of Demonic Aura.


    "Huh?"


    Xu Hei let out a soft sound of surprise, quickly approaching and spreading his Divine Sense.


    He sensed a hint of battle.


    Xu Hei concealed his aura and quietly crawled into the cave, hiding in a shadow.


    By the Serpent Fruit tree, a large lizard was fighting a white snake. Both were Demonic Beasts, at the early Spirit Communion Stage.


    To Xu Hei''s surprise, he recognized the white snake.


    It was the one he was very familiar with from Myriad Serpent Valley.


    "She''s a Demonic Beast?" Xu Hei was astonished.


    The white snake was still the same, slightly small, only about a meter long, a tiny thing compared to the giant lizard.


    Xu Hei thought the white snake would be devoured.


    But then he saw the giant lizard collapse, twitching and dying from poison.


    "..." Xu Hei was speechless.


    He had never used poison for hunting, yet the white snake''s venom was so potent.


    He suddenly thought of the Old Snake King''s poison.


    Could this white snake be a descendant of the Old Snake King? Did she consume the second Serpent Fruit?


    These were all speculations, but Xu Hei quickly found the answer.


    The white snake lay under the Serpent Fruit tree, starting a Breathing Exercise, the same technique Xu Hei had used in Myriad Serpent Valley.


    "This..."


    Xu Hei was dumbfounded. The white snake had followed him and even learned the Breathing Exercise. What kind of talent was this?


    Suddenly, the white snake seemed to sense something, turning its head to see Xu Hei''s eyes in the shadows.


    Without hesitation, the white snake turned and fled out of the cave.


    "High intelligence, highly alert, talented, and learned Breathing Exercise..."


    Xu Hei''s mind stirred, and the Beast Control Ring flew out, encircling her neck and bringing her back.


    Only then did Xu Hei crawl out from the shadows, revealing himself.


    The white snake hesitated, clearly recognizing Xu Hei.


    "What''s your relation to the Old Snake King?" Xu Hei asked, knowing she could understand him. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The white snake flicked its tongue, indicating it was a descendant.


    Xu Hei''s heart tightened. "So, you are indeed a descendant of the Old Snake King. I am also a descendant of the Old Snake King. What does that make us..."


    Xu Hei fell silent.


    In the past, he would kill any intruders without mercy, but he thought of the Old Snake King.


    "In honor of the Old Snake King, I''ll spare you. You can stay here and cultivate."


    The Old Snake King''s gift of the Serpent Fruit had made Xu Hei what he was today.


    This was a word unknown to snakes¡ªinheritance.


    Inheritance was a flourishing concept in the human world: family inheritance, sect inheritance, national inheritance... It was inheritance that kept humanity thriving.


    The white snake nodded, pondered for a moment, and then drew a human figure on the ground.


    "Human?" Xu Hei''s body trembled, staring at the white snake.


    The white snake then drew an arrow pointing at Xu Hei.


    Seeing this symbol, Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold. He tentatively asked, "Humans are looking for me?"


    The white snake nodded.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and said, "Thank you for the warning."


    Xu Hei moved the lizard''s corpse over, dividing it into several parts for the white snake to consume.


    Then he said, "I''m going out for a while. Cultivate well and don''t go outside."


    The white snake nodded obediently.


    Xu Hei retracted the Beast Control Ring and left the cave. He had long anticipated this day, just not so soon.


    Humans were not as easy to deal with as Demonic Beasts; he needed a meticulous plan.


    With his current strength, Xu Hei couldn''t guarantee victory in every battle. He had to rely on favorable terrain and environment.


    If he couldn''t win, he would have to flee.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Thirty li away, on a rocky mountain.


    This was where Xu Hei had previously consumed the Earth Flame Vine.


    An old man in a Daoist robe and a young Snake Catcher arrived there.


    Chen Daoling held a compass, staring at the Earth Flame Vine''s location, and murmured, "It''s close. I can feel it; he''s nearby!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Three days later.


    Xu Hei had scouted the area, finding some treacherous spots to set traps.


    He also located some Demonic Beast territories.


    He planned to lure humans to the Demonic Beasts, but those beasts were too weak to be of much use, so he had to rely on himself.


    "If worst comes to worst, I''ll hide in the river and swim as far as I can."


    Xu Hei had developed a sense of belonging to this land. Unless absolutely necessary, he didn''t want to move to an unfamiliar place.


    During this time, Xu Hei hadn''t neglected his spells and had learned the Gravity Technique.


    From two meters away, he could retrieve objects, bringing them to his hand.


    "Hmm? Demonic Aura!"


    One day, Xu Hei suddenly smelled a strong Demonic Aura.


    His eyes flashed, and he quickly crawled over.


    This was the strongest Demonic Aura he had ever encountered, indicating a powerful opponent.


    What puzzled Xu Hei was that the Demonic Aura came from near Snake Village!


    That was a place where humans lived!


    Before long, Xu Hei arrived at a grave.


    He focused his gaze and saw that the grave had been dug out, leaving a large pit.


    A huge black dog was holding a human skull, jumping out of the pit and gnawing on it, making crunching sounds.


    The dog was pitch black, shiny, with a bare tail, and its eyes glowed with malevolence.


    Just looking at it made Xu Hei''s heart race.


    "Digging up graves and eating corpses, my goodness! It''s even more savage than me!" Xu Hei was secretly shocked.

 Chapter 25: The Heavenly Master is hunting me down

    Chapter 25: The Heavenly Master is hunting me downThe old dog couldn''t remember when he first became enlightened.


    He only remembered that he was a notorious vicious dog around Snake Village, infamous for stealing food from beggars, biting many people, and even eating corpses. He was a tyrant among the wild dogs.


    He couldn''t recall exactly how many corpses he had eaten, but he remembered two people clearly.


    It was in an abandoned temple, where a man and a woman were placed on the tribute table.


    Since then, he had become enlightened and often gained some human knowledge.


    "Heh, so humans hide their dead in graves. What a waste."


    The old dog was very excited and started digging graves and stealing corpses, always reaping some rewards.


    Especially last winter, when thirty people in the village died at once, he couldn''t dig up the graves fast enough. S§×ar?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, over time, he was discovered, and the authorities issued a warrant for his arrest, indirectly leading to the slaughter of all the wild dogs in the nearby villages.


    The old dog narrowly escaped, but he no longer dared to enter the village and had to survive by digging up wild graves.


    "I heard there''s a new cemetery outside Chen Family Town. I''ll check it out someday," the old dog thought to himself.


    Suddenly, his gaze shifted to a patch of grass, and he sniffed with his dog nose.


    "A snake?"


    He vaguely caught the scent of a snake.


    These days, he had eaten snakes before, but the old dog had an extremely keen sense of danger. His scalp tingled, and goosebumps rose all over his body.


    "Danger, run!"


    The old dog trusted his instincts completely, which was why he had repeatedly escaped the authorities'' hunts!


    Without hesitation, he bolted, not even bothering with the human bones.


    "Why did it run away?"


    Xu Hei, hiding in the shadows, watched in amazement.


    Xu Hei was certain he was a hundred meters away from the big black dog and hadn''t shown himself. There was no way the dog could have detected him.


    "Is its nose that sensitive? Let''s follow and see."


    Xu Hei immediately used the Earth Escape Technique to pursue.


    Having lived in Snake Village for many years, Xu Hei had a keen eye.


    This black dog was clearly not a wild survivor but a stray dog from a human city, living off human scraps.


    Yet, this stray dog had evolved into a dog demon with such keen senses, which surprised Xu Hei.


    What surprised Xu Hei even more was what happened next.


    The big black dog seemed to sense Xu Hei''s pursuit, quickening its pace and constantly changing directions, trying to shake him off.


    To think, Xu Hei was underground, and the dog could still smell him?


    The old dog rushed to a steep slope, leaped, and rolled down like a ball, increasing its speed.


    Xu Hei also sped up, chasing closely.


    The old dog felt Xu Hei getting closer, and goosebumps rose all over his body. Upon landing, he opened his mouth wide and shouted:


    "Help! Murder! A snake demon is killing people!"


    The old dog opened his mouth and, surprisingly, spoke human language, screaming continuously.


    The sound was extremely sharp, like the wailing of ghosts and wolves, immediately attracting the attention of distant villagers.


    "Damn!"


    Xu Hei almost cursed.


    He had heard of parrots mimicking speech, but a dog? And asking humans for help? What kind of trick was this?


    Seeing the black dog escape into the villagers'' sight, Xu Hei immediately stopped and ceased his pursuit.


    With his speed, he could catch up and capture the big black dog, but it wasn''t worth the risk. He was only curious about the dog.


    "Look, it''s that black dog!"


    "The one that digs up graves?"


    "Damn it! Stop right there!"


    Two villagers, seeing this, immediately grabbed their hoes and rushed over. The big black dog, sensing danger, turned and fled without fighting back.


    In truth, with the old dog''s strength, killing a few people would be easy, but he had only ever eaten the dead and never killed the living.


    The old dog was smart. If he committed murder, it wouldn''t just be a few soldiers after him; even the Astrology Bureau would get involved.


    Xu Hei, watching from a distant hill, saw the big black dog being chased into the alleys of Snake Village and fell into deep thought.


    "This old black dog seems famous? How come I''ve never heard of it before? Did it just appear this year?"


    Xu Hei was puzzled.


    Clearly, this old dog, like him, had also become enlightened and highly intelligent. Xu Hei had never seen another enlightened demon besides himself.


    Why did this happen? What did he and the old dog have in common?


    Could it be that the old dog also ate some kind of human elixir?


    Xu Hei immediately thought of something and shook his head.


    "No! It shouldn''t be the human elixir. That elixir was just a breakthrough pill for Taoists, nothing rare. There must be another reason!"


    Xu Hei seriously suspected that his enlightenment was due to some other cause!


    It was this cause that led to the black dog''s enlightenment as well!


    Xu Hei thought hard but couldn''t figure it out for now. He could only capture the big black dog and ask.


    But the big black dog had hidden in Snake Village and hadn''t shown any movement. Xu Hei didn''t know which direction it would come out from, making him a bit frustrated.


    Should he chase into Snake Village and capture the dog in the street?


    With the dog''s cunning nature, it would definitely shout and attract a crowd, possibly even the attention of the Astrology Bureau.


    That was an Imperial Court organization, far more formidable than the Snake Catchers. Xu Hei wouldn''t dare provoke the Astrology Bureau even with a hundred times his courage.


    "Hmph, you like digging graves? I''ll just wait by a grave for you to take the bait!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the mountains, outside Xu Hei''s territory.


    Two figures, one in front and one behind, reached the border of two mountain peaks. They were Chen Daoling and Mu Lei.


    Chen Daoling held a compass, squinting his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "Indeed, there''s a snake demon''s aura here."


    As a veteran Snake Catcher, he had spent his life dealing with snake demons. Sometimes, just a glance or a sniff was enough to distinguish a snake demon''s scent from countless demonic beasts.


    At this moment, his gaze shifted to the side, where a large pack of wolves was rushing out of the forest, quickly surrounding the two of them.


    Behind the wolf pack stood a tall Moon Cang Wolf, its fur black and white, with a crescent moon mark on its forehead, staring intently at the two men.


    "Howl!" The wolf king roared.


    The wolf pack immediately charged, attacking the two men.


    Chen Daoling stood with his hands behind his back, unmoving.


    Mu Lei took out a palm-sized thunder seal and pointed it with his hand. A bolt of lightning shot out from the seal, striking the center of the wolf pack.


    "Boom!!!"


    The thunder exploded, instantly blasting five wolves away, their bodies turning black. Two of them turned to ashes on the spot, leaving no trace.


    Seeing this, the wolf king was terrified and turned to flee without hesitation.


    "Die!"


    Mu Lei shouted coldly, pointing the thunder seal again. Another bolt of lightning shot out, chasing after the wolf king.


    The wolf king reached the edge of a cliff and leaped off. The lightning exploded three inches behind him, blasting his tail clean off. A wail echoed as he fell.


    Mu Lei walked to the edge of the cliff and looked down. The wolf king lay at the bottom, crippled if not dead.


    He hesitated for a moment but decided not to pursue.


    "Let''s go. I can feel the Flood Dragon''s lair is nearby," Chen Daoling said, looking at the compass in his hand.


    "Yes!" Mu Lei responded excitedly, clasping his fists.

 Chapter 26: Somewhat smart but not much

    Chapter 26: Somewhat smart but not muchAt the foot of the cliff, the wolf king, whose tail had been burned off, endured the excruciating pain and struggled to stand up, his eyes filled with sorrow and anger.


    The wolf pack was dead, and his tail was severed¡ªall because of that damned human!


    He wanted revenge, but he was powerless. The human was too strong, so strong it made him despair.


    At that moment, he suddenly remembered the order Xu Hei had given him¡ª


    "If you see any sign of humans, report to me immediately!"


    The wolf king hadn''t taken the order seriously before, but now, it was the only thought in his mind.


    "Snake, I need to find the snake!"


    The wolf king stood up, quickly gathered the remaining wolves, and issued the order to find Xu Hei.


    The wolf pack scattered, searching the mountains and fields.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    These days, Xu Hei had been restless, unable to find peace. Even when practicing spells, he couldn''t calm his mind.


    It felt as if something significant was about to happen, making it impossible for him to stay composed.


    Xu Hei wandered around the mountains, catching two wild animals, but the feeling only grew stronger.


    The birds in the sky and the beasts on the ground all showed signs of panic, as if they had been severely frightened.


    Such panic only occurred during torrential rains and thunderstorms, as wild animals were most afraid of the power of heavenly thunder.


    "Something''s wrong."


    Xu Hei had a foreboding feeling.


    At that moment, a gray wolf spotted him from a distance and immediately turned to leave.


    Not long after the gray wolf left, Xu Hei heard a loud howl in the distance.


    He saw an injured Moon Cang Wolf running towards him, panting heavily¡ªit was the wolf king.


    The wolf king was charred all over, his tail bare. Upon seeing Xu Hei, he ran over like he had found a family member, letting out sharp cries, his eyes filled with panic, as if trying to convey something.


    "Someone''s coming?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Howl!" The wolf king nodded quickly.


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment, then chose not to flee but to rush towards his own territory.


    Sure enough, the snake catchers had come. They had their own methods of finding snakes, even knowing them better than the snakes themselves. Xu Hei couldn''t hide from them.


    There was no one-size-fits-all solution.


    If he didn''t want to abandon his territory, there was only one way¡ªkill all the intruders!


    Of course, Xu Hei wasn''t a reckless snake. If he couldn''t win, he would escape immediately and had already planned his escape route.


    Led by the wolf king, Xu Hei returned to the scene of the incident.


    On the ground, there were scorch marks and faint waves of spiritual energy.


    "The intruder is not weak. The power of this strike is about half of my Fireball Technique," Xu Hei estimated silently.


    This person''s strength should be similar to Mu Yun''s.


    But since Xu Hei had killed Mu Yun, the other side wouldn''t just send someone of Mu Yun''s level. There must be someone stronger.


    Xu Hei immediately spread his divine sense and rushed towards the cave, hoping that the Serpent Fruit tree and the little white snake inside were safe.


    For the first time, Xu Hei was concerned about someone else''s safety.


    As Xu Hei approached, his divine sense suddenly touched another divine sense.


    The owner of that divine sense trembled and quickly approached, arriving in a few flashes. The person was young, dressed in a black python robe, holding a thunder seal¡ªit was Mu Lei.


    The moment he saw Xu Hei, Mu Lei didn''t say a word. He pointed the thunder seal at him.


    "Whoosh!"


    A bolt of lightning shot towards Xu Hei, who quickly burrowed into the ground. The lightning struck the ground, creating a ten-meter-wide crater.


    Such a scene surprised Xu Hei. This person''s cultivation was similar to Mu Yun''s, but the power of this magical treasure was far beyond Mu Yun''s.


    "Is it you, this little eel, who killed my brother?"


    Mu Lei looked down on him.


    A Flood Dragon? It didn''t look like one at all. Could it be a mistake? This was clearly a Black Yin Snake!


    He had been guarding the place under his master''s orders, waiting for the prey to come, while his master used a compass to search the perimeter.


    And he had indeed waited!


    For his safety, Chen Daoling had given him many defensive magical treasures, with multiple layers of protection, making it impossible for him to meet the same fate as Mu Yun.


    But to be safe, he still took out a communication jade talisman, intending to throw it into the sky. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Suddenly, his eyes widened.


    Xu Hei turned and fled without hesitation, rushing down the mountain.


    "Escaped?"


    Mu Lei was stunned. The snake actually escaped?


    "Master instructed me not to be impulsive when I see you, to delay for a stick of incense''s time, and he would arrive."


    Mu Lei''s eyes flickered. It was said to be for his safety, to avoid being killed by the snake demon.


    But now, this snake was only at the fourth level of the Spirit Communion Stage, two levels below him. How could it kill him when it was fleeing at the sight of him?


    As a snake catcher, killing a snake demon of the same realm was a basic skill. If he couldn''t even do that, he shouldn''t be called a snake catcher.


    Not to mention, he was two levels higher.


    "Could it be as Junior Brother Zhao said, this snake demon is extremely cunning, possessed by a great power, capable of fighting above its level, deliberately showing weakness to lure the opponent into pursuit, and then counterattacking?"


    Mu Lei''s contempt turned into a sense of caution.


    He took a few steps back, hid behind a tree, activated the communication jade talisman, and silently threw it into the distance.


    Then, he returned to his original spot, feigning arrogance, and shouted, "A mere fourth-level Spirit Communion Stage beast, and you need my master? I can kill you myself!"


    He chased in the direction Xu Hei had fled.


    Mu Lei was certain that the opponent hadn''t escaped and was waiting for him somewhere.


    His brother, at the peak of the sixth level of the Qi Refining Stage, couldn''t have been killed by a fourth-level beast. The opponent must have used despicable means!


    Today, those despicable means would be useless against him. He would use all his trump cards!


    At the same time, he had already informed Chen Daoling. With his master handling it, the snake demon couldn''t escape!


    "Come out, I found you!"


    His divine sense quickly locked onto Xu Hei, who was rapidly moving underground.


    Mu Lei''s eyes flashed. He took out two talismans and stuck them on his legs, then used the Earth Escape Technique to burrow underground, chasing after Xu Hei.


    He seemed to be chasing at full speed, but in reality, he was only using half his speed, keeping the other half in reserve.


    Similarly, Xu Hei wasn''t fleeing at full speed either, using only a fraction of his speed and not even employing the Earth Escape Technique, deliberately leading the opponent on.


    "This person''s speed is so slow, not even half of Mu Yun''s. He''s clearly pretending to be weak!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    This kid looked young but was very cunning, not as easy to fool as Mu Yun.


    As for his earlier posturing, saying he didn''t need his master and could handle it himself, it was clearly a case of "no silver here."


    Most likely, his master would arrive soon.

 Chapter 27: Rocks crushed the master

    Chapter 27: Rocks crushed the masterSince there were other hidden experts around who could arrive at any moment, Xu Hei immediately decided to stop engaging with this person and escape directly.


    Xu Hei increased his speed to fifty percent, quickly widening the distance between them.


    Without using the Earth Escape Technique, this was already his full speed!


    Mu Lei, who was chasing from behind, suddenly had a change in expression.


    "Is he really going to escape?"


    Mu Lei was anxious. He had hoped that the other party would stay and fight him, giving him a chance to hold him back.


    But Xu Hei didn''t even try to test him and fled at full speed, completely beyond his expectations, rendering all his preparations useless!


    "Stop right there!"


    Mu Lei pointed his thunder seal, sending out a bolt of lightning that blasted a large pit in the ground ahead, but Xu Hei had already disappeared from sight.


    "Chase him!"


    Mu Lei gritted his teeth and used the Earth Escape Technique with all his might, pursuing forward.


    Under Mu Lei''s full-speed chase, the distance between them finally began to close, but it was consuming a lot of his energy.


    "You little brat, do you really think you can escape? If you have the guts, stay and fight me! I don''t even need a magical treasure to kill you!"


    Mu Lei cursed from a distance, not caring whether Xu Hei could hear him or not.


    Xu Hei sneered inwardly. If the opponent had maintained fifty percent speed, he would never have counterattacked and would have immediately fled.


    But full-speed pursuit was different; it meant leaving no room for retreat.


    "You''re courting death!"


    Xu Hei suddenly stopped, using the Earth Escape Technique to eliminate inertia, then turned and charged directly at Mu Lei.


    His speed was unbelievably fast, almost twice that of Mu Lei!


    "What!"


    Mu Lei was shocked, but he reacted quickly, pointing his thunder seal and sending out a bolt of lightning that blasted a large pit ahead, dirt flying and creating a hollow space.


    "Boom!!!"


    The lightning was so close that not only did Xu Hei get struck, but even Mu Lei was affected, spitting blood and being thrown back, landing in the scorched earth.


    A deep pit, thirty meters wide, had appeared.


    Mu Lei immediately looked up ahead.


    He saw Xu Hei standing quietly in the hollow space, his body charred black, surrounded by a shattered golden light shield, the golden shield talisman.


    However, the golden shield talisman clearly couldn''t block all the lightning.


    Mu Lei''s face darkened, and he was about to activate the thunder seal again.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei opened his mouth, and a dense black flame shot towards Mu Lei''s face.


    Fireball Technique!


    This simple basic spell, in Xu Hei''s hands, displayed an unimaginable power. As the black fire emerged, the air twisted, and the dirt melted into lava, like hellfire, sweeping towards Mu Lei.


    "What kind of sorcery is this?!"


    Mu Lei was horrified, as if he had seen a ghost. He instantly took out a jade pendant and held it in front of him.


    "Gravity Technique!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were bloodshot, and he shouted inwardly. The Gravity Technique descended, acting on the jade pendant in Mu Lei''s hand.


    Mu Lei felt a thousand-pound force pressing down, causing the jade pendant to deviate from its position and slip from his hand.


    Everything happened too fast, too fast for Mu Lei to think or grab the jade pendant, and the Fireball Technique had already arrived.


    "Boom!!"


    The flames surged, igniting a fifteen-meter-wide black fire, completely melting the dirt behind Mu Lei, with lava flowing out. Mu Lei let out a piercing scream.


    Hearing this scream, Xu Hei didn''t feel any joy; instead, his face darkened.


    Being able to scream meant he wasn''t dead!


    Sure enough, Xu Hei focused his gaze and saw the jade pendant shattered, forming a soft white light shield that protected Mu Lei''s body.


    However, the jade pendant''s position had deviated slightly, and the light shield didn''t fully protect Mu Lei''s body.


    His left arm, left shoulder, and part of his body were outside the light shield, completely melted in the flames, burned to nothingness.


    All of this was caused by the slight deviation of the jade pendant, with Xu Hei''s Gravity Technique playing a crucial role. Otherwise, Mu Lei might have been unharmed.


    "Damn, just a bit more!"


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly. He had only practiced the Gravity Technique for three days. Given another week, he could definitely move the jade pendant completely.


    Having failed to kill in one strike, Xu Hei didn''t hesitate, immediately grabbing Mu Lei''s storage bag and diving into the earth to escape.


    Three breaths after Xu Hei left.


    An old man, burning with a blood-red aura, descended into the pit. He glanced at the severely injured Mu Lei, his face expressionless, and helped him up.


    "It''s all my fault. I failed to protect you."


    Chen Daoling, with a blank expression, gave Mu Lei a pill and carried him on his back.


    "Don''t worry, I will avenge you!"


    Chen Daoling flashed and dove into the earth, chasing forward.


    His Divine Sense spread out, instantly covering over a hundred meters, quickly locking onto the rapidly fleeing Xu Hei.


    For the first time, Xu Hei felt the other party could detect him while he couldn''t detect the other party, feeling a Divine Sense collide with his, filled with murderous intent.


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense could reach ninety meters, indicating the other party''s Divine Sense exceeded a hundred meters.


    "A Divine Sense over a hundred meters, what level of cultivation is this?"


    Xu Hei''s mind raced.


    Such a Divine Sense had surpassed the late Qi Refining Stage, likely an old monster who had been stuck at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage for countless years.


    As for Foundation Establishment, Xu Hei believed he couldn''t provoke such an existence yet.


    "Young one, I underestimated you. I left my disciple with so many life-saving treasures and repeatedly warned him not to underestimate you, yet he was still almost killed."


    "If you surrender, you can keep your life."


    From afar, Chen Daoling''s Divine Sense transmitted.


    Xu Hei treated these words as nonsense, without any intention of mocking. Under the dual effects of the Earth Escape Technique and his physical strength, he fled forward at unprecedented speed.


    "Eh? You actually mastered the Earth Escape Technique, how strange!"


    Chen Daoling was inwardly surprised.


    His speed also suddenly increased. Chen Daoling had practiced for many years, mastering the Earth Escape Technique to a level far beyond ordinary people.


    Under his full-speed pursuit, even Xu Hei could clearly feel the distance closing.


    Not only was speed an issue, but True Qi consumption was also a major problem.


    Xu Hei had been continuously using spells, and with his current True Qi, he could only sustain it for half an incense stick''s time!


    Soon, Xu Hei''s Divine Sense could already capture the other party, an old man in a Daoist robe, with the injured Mu Lei on his back.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, and he changed direction, heading towards a large mountain.


    Ninety meters, eighty meters, seventy meters...


    Before long, the distance between them was only fifty meters.


    At this moment, a rocky area appeared ahead, full of hard granite.


    In such terrain, the Earth Escape Technique was difficult to use. Xu Hei immediately emerged from the ground, his figure flashing towards the cliff above.


    The next second, Chen Daoling also emerged from the ground, his eyes narrowing. He was in a canyon, with towering cliffs on both sides.


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, it sounded like an explosion overhead, smoke filled the air, and the canyon shook.


    Immediately, countless rocks fell from the cliffs on both sides, crashing towards Chen Daoling.


    "Not good!" S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Chen Daoling''s face changed, hurriedly dodging back, but more and more rocks kept falling, blocking his retreat completely.

 Chapter 28: Xu Hei Returns to the Mountain God Temple

    Chapter 28: Xu Hei Returns to the Mountain God Temple"Boom, boom, boom..."


    Boulders fell, crashing onto his head, arms, and back. Yet, a golden aura rose from Chen Daoling''s body, elastic and resilient, causing the boulders to bounce off upon impact.


    "A protective magical treasure, huh? Let''s see how you protect yourself when buried under a hundred layers!"


    Xu Hei continuously detonated talismans, hurling rocks down, covering Chen Daoling''s rocky exterior with another layer of stone, and then another. Hundreds of large boulders fell in unison, creating a spectacular scene.


    The rumbling sound persisted without end.


    Soon, Chen Daoling was buried under countless stones, completely submerged.


    This canyon was a treacherous spot Xu Hei had scouted for a long time.


    A month ago, he had already envisioned encountering a formidable enemy, slower than himself. How would he escape?


    From Mu Yun, he had scavenged many talismans, mostly mid-level, barely effective against mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, and almost useless against late-stage ones.


    Such talismans were useless to Xu Hei, so he used them all to attack the rocks.


    As long as there were enough stones, even if you were at the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining, what could you do? A mortal body, you can''t escape being crushed!


    After detonating all the talismans, endless stones fell, crashing down like an earthquake, dust rising, mountains shaking, as if a great mountain had collapsed.


    After finishing, Xu Hei didn''t care about the other''s fate and immediately dashed down the mountain, fleeing at full speed.


    Xu Hei estimated that such power could likely kill even a Great Perfection Qi Refining cultivator on the spot, but he didn''t dare to take the risk and gamble. He fled first.


    After Xu Hei escaped, the place gradually calmed down, the canyon completely blocked by rubble.


    Who knows how much time passed.


    Suddenly, the rubble began to tremble, cracking layer by layer like an eggshell, turning into powder.


    A figure, burning with a blood-red flame, slowly emerged from the rubble.


    It was Chen Daoling. The blood-red flames on his body burned even more fiercely, his white hair fluttering without wind, his eyes blood-red.


    At this moment, Chen Daoling''s aura had surpassed the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining, reaching the early stage of Foundation Establishment.


    Behind him, Mu Lei was bleeding from the head, barely breathing. His previously stabilized injuries had been aggravated by the falling rocks, and he might not survive much longer.


    Chen Daoling''s hatred for Xu Hei was beyond words. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A mere fourth-layer Spirit Communion snake had such cunning, setting up a rock trap, not only killing his disciple but almost causing his own death.


    If not for the Divine Pill left by his grandmaster, which could boost his cultivation to the Foundation Establishment level at the cost of twenty years of lifespan, he wouldn''t have escaped.


    Even if not crushed to death, he could have suffocated or starved.


    He had underestimated that snake!


    "I don''t care what kind of demon you are, today, I, Chen Daoling, will skin you alive, extract your tendons, and refine your bones!!!"


    Chen Daoling was furious. Without further ado, he leaped and sped in a certain direction. The powerful spiritual vortex lifted him into the air, flying faster than before.


    At this moment, he was deeply wary of Xu Hei. If this snake wasn''t eliminated, it would become a major threat to all snake catchers!


    In almost an instant, Chen Daoling crossed a thousand feet, his eagle-like eyes scanning below.


    After several searches, he couldn''t find Xu Hei.


    "I''ve collected your demonic aura; you can''t escape!"


    Chen Daoling remained calm, taking out a compass and injecting a strand of demonic aura into it. The compass immediately spun, pointing in a direction.


    Chen Daoling changed direction, chasing after it.


    Soon, he locked onto a figure fleeing towards the river.


    "You can''t escape!"


    Chen Daoling''s eyes were cold as he dived towards Xu Hei, who was desperately running towards the river, already at the riverbank.


    When the distance between them reached a hundred feet, Chen Daoling clenched his fist from afar.


    Instantly, Xu Hei felt as if a thousand-pound boulder was pressing down on him, his bones creaking, unable to move.


    "This is the Gravity Technique!"


    Xu Hei was horrified. Such a small Gravity Technique had such power in the hands of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.


    This wasn''t even a true Foundation Establishment, but one boosted by secret pills, yet it had such might. If it were a true Foundation Establishment, Xu Hei had no doubt his body would shatter.


    Seeing Xu Hei immobilized, Chen Daoling sneered and stepped forward.


    Suddenly, his foot seemed to trigger a thin wire.


    "Whoosh!"


    A sapling beside him suddenly sprang up, shooting a dart straight at Chen Daoling''s face.


    Chen Daoling looked disdainful, raised his hand to use the Gravity Technique to intercept the dart.


    However, the dart was unaffected, instantly reaching his face at incredible speed.


    Chen Daoling, shocked, dodged sideways but was still grazed on the neck, even tearing a large gash in his protective True Qi, ignoring all defenses!


    The dart fell to the ground, and Xu Hei swallowed it in one gulp, diving into the river and disappearing.


    Chen Daoling touched the trickle of blood on his neck, his expression uncertain.


    "What was that hidden weapon?"


    The incident happened so fast, he only vaguely remembered it seemed to be a black-gold scale?


    Chen Daoling''s chest heaved, his face twisted, feeling an unprecedented humiliation.


    Being ambushed at the Great Perfection stage of Qi Refining was one thing, but even at Foundation Establishment, he was ambushed. If he hadn''t dodged in time, he might have lost his life.


    This only intensified his killing intent.


    Such a cunning and sly demon, if allowed to grow, would undoubtedly lead to the extinction of snake catchers!


    He couldn''t leave any future troubles. Even at great cost, he had to kill this snake!


    "I said, even if you hide at the ends of the earth, it won''t matter!"


    Chen Daoling took out the compass again, injecting Xu Hei''s aura into it. The compass immediately spun, pointing in a direction.


    ...


    At this moment, Xu Hei was underwater, frantically swimming downstream.


    It was a pity. If he had known, he would have set ten scale darts, shooting them all at once. He didn''t believe the other wouldn''t die. But Xu Hei couldn''t risk everything, as he wasn''t sure the other would fall for it.


    This great river was also a pre-planned escape route, with turbulent currents and countless whirlpools, difficult for humans to navigate, easily swept away by the water.


    However, for powerful cultivators, the impact was minimal.


    Xu Hei had already overestimated the opponent, but still faced the worst situation.


    A Foundation Establishment cultivator was not someone he wanted to provoke unless absolutely necessary.


    However, snake catchers and snakes were mortal enemies. This day would come sooner or later.


    Fate was like this. No matter how cautious Xu Hei was, he couldn''t escape!


    The only fortunate thing was that the opponent was only at Foundation Establishment in cultivation, not in Divine Sense. Foundation Establishment Divine Sense could extend for miles, making everything visible.


    "The opponent has cultivated for over a hundred years and surely knows the Water Escape Technique. I can''t stay in the water; I must get ashore..."


    Xu Hei knew it was only a matter of time before the opponent found his location. So, where should he escape to?


    Being hunted by a Foundation Establishment cultivator, where was his way out?


    Xu Hei''s mind raced, and unconsciously, he had moved a thousand meters.


    At this time, his Divine Sense saw the Dragon King Temple by the river, with villagers from Chen Family Town burning incense and worshiping.


    A flash of inspiration struck Xu Hei''s mind, and he couldn''t help but think of a place.


    ¡ªThe Mountain God Temple!


    Xu Hei had his awakening in the Mountain God Temple, and it had also helped him resolve Chen Fan''s inner demon.


    Xu Hei had pondered many questions over a year of cultivation. That Mountain God Temple was definitely not a simple place!


    Perhaps, Big Black''s awakening was also related to the Mountain God Temple. Back then, Xu Hei had left two corpses there.


    "The Mountain God Temple is two miles outside Chen Family Town, and Chen Family Town is nearby."


    Xu Hei''s heart raced. This was fate.


    Xu Hei didn''t act immediately. He calmed down in the water, took a pill from his storage bag, and then leaned against the riverbank.


    "Go!"


    Xu Hei used the Earth Escape Technique, rushing towards his destination.


    At this moment, he unleashed unprecedented speed, his blood starting to burn, like an underground earth dragon, only erupting in moments of life and death.


    As Xu Hei dashed out, Chen Daoling seemed to sense something. He stared at the compass, looking sharply in Xu Hei''s direction.


    "Little beast, even at great cost, I will tear you to pieces today!"


    Chen Daoling shouted from afar, pursuing.


    One in the sky, one underground, both racing at top speed, passing by Chen Family Town.


    Except for a few cultivators who sensed something and looked puzzled, the mortals were completely unaware.


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense soon spotted the dilapidated Mountain God Temple. He gritted his teeth and burst out of the ground, rushing into the temple.


    Shortly after, Chen Daoling followed the compass''s guidance, arriving. He stared at the broken temple, about to chase in, but stopped.


    "Hmm?"


    Chen Daoling squinted, focusing on the temple''s entrance, deep in thought.


    "This snake is cunning and sly. Why would it choose to hide here? Could it be a trap?"


    Chen Daoling couldn''t understand.


    If he were the snake, he wouldn''t leave the river, but follow the current, using the water''s changes to set traps.


    But now, hiding in this broken temple, what did it mean?


    Chen Daoling''s Divine Sense scanned the temple inside and out, finding nothing unusual.


    However, when his Divine Sense swept over the Mountain God statue, he inexplicably felt a pang of fear.

 Chapter 29: The Mountain God is actually alive

    Chapter 29: The Mountain God is actually aliveThis sense of foreboding vanished in an instant.


    Chen Daoling''s gaze was fixated on the statue, as if trying to see through it. However, that feeling from before never returned, as if it had been a mere illusion.


    "There must be something fishy here," Chen Daoling said coldly.


    At this moment, two figures in white flashed over from a distance, their bodies emitting faint waves of spiritual power. Both were cultivators from Chen Family Town, but only at the early Qi Refining Stage.


    They had sensed Chen Daoling''s presence and came to investigate. Upon approaching, their expressions changed, and they hurriedly bowed.


    "Greetings, Senior!"


    The two bowed deeply, their expressions respectful.


    Chen Daoling glanced at them and said, "You two, come here!"


    The two were taken aback, exchanged a glance, and then walked over, puzzled. "What are your orders, Senior?"


    Chen Daoling pointed at the Mountain God Temple and said, "Destroy the statue inside."


    The two couldn''t help but feel puzzled. This Mountain God Temple had stood here for many years, existing since their birth, long abandoned. Why destroy the statue inside?


    They suddenly recalled some rumors that the Mountain God Temple had been haunted, with many strange occurrences.


    Seeing Chen Daoling''s serious expression, their suspicions grew.


    But they dared not defy him. Taking a deep breath, they each took out a Fireball Talisman and a Wind Blade Talisman and walked towards the temple entrance.


    At that moment, a black flame shot out, giving them no chance to react.


    "Ah!!!"


    A scream echoed as the two were instantly turned to charcoal, falling to the ground, dead.


    "Bastard!"


    Chen Daoling gritted his teeth in anger.


    "In that case, I''ll level the entire temple and see what tricks you can play!"


    Chen Daoling took out a light red talisman, exuding an extremely violent aura, and threw it into the Mountain God Temple.


    As the talisman landed inside the temple, Chen Daoling retreated thirty meters, made a hand seal, and shouted, "Explode!"


    "Boom!!!"


    The talisman exploded, flames soaring into the sky, shaking the heavens. The entire Mountain God Temple collapsed in an instant, turning to nothingness. Everything within fifty meters was reduced to ashes.


    During this time, Chen Daoling''s divine sense was locked onto the temple, not missing a single movement.


    As the flames swept through, walls crumbled, and the structure was obliterated, leaving a huge crater. Even the statue was blown to pieces.


    Suddenly, his eyes narrowed.


    He saw a black light burst out from the statue, rushing towards him at an incredible speed, too fast for him to react even with his full cultivation.


    "Not good!"


    Chen Daoling didn''t know what it was, but he sensed a soul power fluctuation, possibly an ancient monster''s primordial spirit as recorded in ancient texts.


    He immediately threw Mu Lei in front of him as a shield and retreated swiftly.


    "Whoosh!"


    The black light shot into Mu Lei''s forehead, and Chen Daoling didn''t dare to stay, fleeing with his life-saving talisman, his speed exploding to more than five times its usual.


    From afar, he heard a voice enter his mind.


    "Dare to appear before me again, and I will shatter your soul, never to reincarnate!"


    The voice was like a thunderclap, causing blood to seep from Chen Daoling''s seven orifices, leaving him terrified.


    His previous anger vanished in the face of this life-and-death crisis, replaced only by fear.


    "Please calm your anger, Senior. I promise never to set foot here again."


    Chen Daoling left a message and fled, disappearing without a trace.


    At this moment, Xu Hei was hiding deep underground. Although he had avoided the core of the explosion, he was still affected by the shockwaves, barely holding back the urge to spit blood.


    "That was close, but I bet right!" Xu Hei''s heart pounded wildly.


    He had never gambled in his life, and this was the most thrilling gamble he had ever taken.


    However, he had prepared enough contingencies. If pushed to the brink, he would swallow the pill in his mouth and unleash all his scales. That old man would be severely injured if not killed.


    But such an outcome was unacceptable to Xu Hei.


    At this moment, the figure in the sky descended¡ªit was the lifeless Mu Lei.


    Mu Lei lay on the ground, breathless, but his eyes slowly opened.


    "Zombie?!"


    Xu Hei''s mind buzzed, immediately recalling the resurrected Chen Fan, and his fear exploded.


    "Ah!! Don''t come back to life!"


    Xu Hei shouted, charging forward madly, his tail whipping out and striking Mu Lei''s face.


    Mu Lei''s face was smashed, his bones shattered, and blood spurted wildly.


    Then, Xu Hei gathered a mouthful of fire and sprayed it on Mu Lei, burning his body to charcoal, then to ashes with another breath, and finally to dust with a third.


    Still not reassured, Xu Hei whipped his tail again, scattering the ashes.


    "Phew! Good thing I practiced the Fireball Technique. He should be dead now!"


    Xu Hei let out a long breath, nearly scared out of his wits.


    After a long time, with no movement from Mu Lei, Xu Hei finally relaxed.


    He then turned to the statue''s fragments, bowed respectfully, and said, "Thank you, Mountain God, for saving me!"


    He knew it was the Mountain God who had scared Chen Daoling away.


    Otherwise, he would have had to risk his life, and even if he survived, he would have been severely injured.


    The Mountain God had shown him kindness, and Xu Hei always knew how to adapt to circumstances.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment, took out three incense sticks from his storage bag, planted them in the ground, lit them with the Fireball Technique, and even caught a rat as an offering, placing it on the ground and kowtowing three times.


    "Thank you, Mountain God, for your protection. I will come to worship you every year from now on!"


    Xu Hei smiled and turned to leave.


    "Stop right there, you little brat!"


    Suddenly, an angry voice thundered in his mind, freezing Xu Hei in place.


    He looked around, confirming he hadn''t misheard. The voice was indeed in his mind.


    "Mountain God, did you speak?"


    Xu Hei asked, both panicked and excited, looking at the broken statue.


    The voice seemed extremely angry, panting for a long time before continuing, "You have half an hour to find me a physical body, or I will curse you to never reincarnate!"


    Hearing this, Xu Hei''s face turned dark.


    Never reincarnate? That meant no afterlife, which was worse than death!


    He didn''t know why the Mountain God wanted a physical body, but he dared not disobey.


    Xu Hei hurriedly said, "I''ll find a body right away."


    He turned and left, moving at top speed. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Wait!" The voice shouted again, "Don''t just find any body to fool me. I want a strong, young one! Preferably with cultivation!"


    As for spiritual roots and physique, he didn''t dare to ask, fearing Xu Hei wouldn''t understand. He couldn''t expect much from this beast''s intelligence.


    "Yes!"


    Xu Hei didn''t dare delay, darting away and disappearing without a trace.


    At this moment, his heart was in turmoil. The Mountain God was alive, a living Mountain God!


    No wonder he had gained enlightenment; it must have been the Mountain God''s doing!

 Chapter 30: The Perfect Physical Body of the Demon Lord

    Chapter 30: The Perfect Physical Body of the Demon LordXu Hei had limited knowledge, but he had read some ancient texts.


    In ancient times, there were deities who could enlighten even stubborn stones, turning them into spirits. So, what''s the big deal about enlightening a demonic beast?


    Indeed, there were still deities in this world.


    "The Mountain God wants me to find him a physical body, young and strong, and with some cultivation. I have to choose carefully. Only if he is satisfied will he bless my cultivation."


    Xu Hei thought to himself, planning to complete this task seriously.


    But capturing a living body might cause trouble, so Xu Hei decided to follow the example of that black dog and capture a dead one.


    Just now, he had passed by a graveyard. He decided to try his luck there first.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, the so-called Mountain God was hiding in the tribute of a dead rat, his primordial spirit rapidly dissipating.


    "Damn beast, how did I end up with such a thing?"


    He was not a Mountain God but a demonic cultivator who had fled here two hundred years ago, the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person.


    His primordial spirit had been sealed in the Mountain God statue, enjoying the villagers'' worship and surviving on that sliver of faith. However, because his power was too sinister, this place frequently experienced ghostly phenomena, and over time, the Mountain God Temple was abandoned.


    However, two hundred years of recuperation had allowed his primordial spirit to recover slightly, giving him the ability to perform body snatching. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Last year, he saw a Human Elixir and a Taoist fleeing into the Mountain God Temple and was about to perform the body-snatching technique when Xu Hei suddenly swallowed them.


    Along with a sliver of his primordial spirit, Xu Hei had swallowed it into his stomach.


    The Heavenly Demon Scattered Person''s primordial spirit was immensely powerful. Just a tiny bit was enough to enlighten a demonic beast.


    That''s why Xu Hei had become enlightened!


    The second time, the young lady of the Chen Family and an assassin fled into the Mountain God Temple, and he attempted body snatching again.


    This time, Xu Hei directly killed them!


    Although he didn''t swallow them, the corpse was later eaten by a wild dog, which also became enlightened.


    Both attempts at body snatching ended in failure, and he lost a sliver of his primordial spirit each time.


    This time was the third attempt, and he didn''t act rashly.


    He only flew out to perform body snatching on Mu Lei when the statue he was hiding in was blown up.


    As a result... Xu Hei burned him to ashes!


    The Heavenly Demon Scattered Person was on the verge of going mad. He had never suffered such a huge loss, and his hatred for Xu Hei was beyond words.


    Yet Xu Hei was completely unaware, still smugly thinking he was showing great respect to the Mountain God.


    "Just wait, once I get a physical body, I''ll make sure you pay!"


    The Heavenly Demon Scattered Person was seething with rage.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside Chen Family Town, in the graveyard.


    Xu Hei arrived at the graveyard, spreading his Divine Sense to scan the graves, searching for corpses.


    To his disappointment, all the corpses had turned into skeletons. Such bodies were obviously unqualified; they had to be freshly buried at the very least.


    Some graves showed signs of being dug up, with the corpses inside missing, clearly stolen by some creature.


    Xu Hei thought of that big black dog.


    "The Mountain God only gave me half an hour. I need to hurry."


    Xu Hei was getting anxious; he just wanted to complete the task.


    But where could he find a young, strong body with cultivation?


    Suddenly, Xu Hei seemed to sense something. He quickly used the Earth Escape Technique, burrowing underground, retracting his Divine Sense and gaze.


    Xu Hei remained motionless, not daring to release a hint of killing intent, relying solely on his hearing.


    In the distance, he heard faint sounds of digging. Judging by the subtle noise, it wasn''t a human but a four-legged creature, clearly a dog.


    The dog was digging at a grave, making noises.


    Xu Hei immediately knew it was that black dog digging up graves again.


    "Heh, this time I didn''t release my Divine Sense or even glance at you. I don''t believe you can escape again!"


    Xu Hei knew the other party was highly perceptive, but he was prepared this time. Finally, he would catch it.


    "Go!"


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei rushed towards the target, fully utilizing the Earth Escape Technique.


    As Xu Hei moved, the big black dog digging the grave finally sensed danger.


    It tried to escape, but it was too late.


    "Awooo!"


    A dog''s wail echoed as Xu Hei emerged from the ground, rushing a hundred meters away, capturing the dog on the spot outside the grave.


    As expected, it was the enlightened big black dog.


    At this moment, the black dog''s eyes turned blood-red, extremely sinister, with dark energy emanating from its head. It had clearly eaten many corpses and was now filled with resentment.


    "Awooo!"


    The black dog tried to bite Xu Hei, but Xu Hei''s cultivation was far superior. With a strong grip, cracking sounds echoed, and the black dog wailed continuously.


    "Spare me, spare me!" the black dog pleaded in a human voice.


    Xu Hei ignored it, releasing the Beast Control Ring and placing it around its neck.


    The black dog immediately became docile.


    Xu Hei stopped and examined the black dog.


    After a careful look, his eyes lit up.


    "He wants a physical body, strong, young, handsome, with cultivation..."


    The more Xu Hei looked at the black dog, the more he felt it met the requirements.


    This aura, this body, was simply perfect!


    Almost the most perfect body in Xu Hei''s mind, second only to his own.


    Xu Hei immediately grabbed the black dog and hurried towards the Mountain God Temple.


    "What are you doing? What are you doing?"


    The black dog cried out, sensing something ominous, struggling continuously, but it was futile against the superior magical treasure.


    Moments later, Xu Hei returned to the ruins of the Mountain God Temple.


    He entered the pit in the ruins, placing the black dog down, excitedly saying, "Mountain God, I''ve found the body you wanted! Look, it absolutely meets your requirements!"


    With the allotted time almost up, Xu Hei had completed the task perfectly, feeling pleased with himself.


    But at this moment, the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person was on the verge of collapse.


    This damn thing is the body you found? A dog?


    Are you kidding me? You want me to snatch a dog''s body?


    He had already lowered his expectations of Xu Hei''s intelligence, yet he had still overestimated him.


    He forgot to specify the condition: human.


    "You bastard, why don''t you just die! Die!" the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person roared in anger.


    Xu Hei looked confused. What did he do wrong? He had completed the task as required!


    The Heavenly Demon Scattered Person was speechless.


    This Xu Hei, cautious and perceptive in his actions, why was he so clueless in this matter?


    Now, his primordial spirit was showing signs of disintegration after leaving the statue. If he didn''t perform body snatching soon, he might have to sleep for another few hundred years.


    At this moment, the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person suddenly paused, looking at the big black dog in surprise.


    "A Fiendish Demon Body? Just like my physique back then. Is this a coincidence?"


    The Heavenly Demon Scattered Person examined the big black dog closely, growing more astonished.


    After a long hesitation, he finally sighed.


    A dog is a dog, at least it has my old physique. It''s better than my soul dissipating.


    At worst, once my cultivation recovers, I''ll find a human to snatch later.


    Immediately, his primordial spirit flew out of the rat''s body, flashing into the big black dog''s forehead.


    The big black dog instantly stiffened, no longer moving, its blood-red eyes gradually dimming.


    The primordial spirit slowly fused with the physical body. This time, without interference, the process was surprisingly smooth, quickly merging into one.


    Even the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person himself was surprised by the speed of the fusion.


    Under the powerful primordial spirit''s force, the Beast Control Ring on its neck flew off.


    Xu Hei quickly caught the Beast Control Ring, turning to look at the dog.


    "Mountain God, if there''s nothing else, I''ll be leaving now?"


    Xu Hei felt something was off and planned to leave early.

 Chapter 31: Here’s some shit for you to eat

    Chapter 31: Here¡¯s some shit for you to eat"Stop right there!"


    Suddenly, a cold voice came from behind.


    Xu Hei turned around and saw the big black dog glaring at him with its eyes fixed intently on him.


    Those eyes were no longer eerie and sinister as before but filled with human-like anger. The voice, too, was no longer that of the black dog but had become the Mountain God''s!


    Xu Hei felt his mind go blank with a "boom."


    At this moment, his thoughts raced, and he stammered, "Mountain God, how... how did you turn into a dog?"


    "I''ve already performed body snatching. Didn''t your inherited memories include this term?"


    The big black dog stared at him, its voice devoid of any emotion.


    Heavenly Demon Scattered Person was furious with Xu Hei to the extreme, wishing he could kill him on the spot. If it weren''t for Xu Hei obtaining his memory inheritance, making him half a disciple, he would have acted long ago.


    "Body snatching?"


    Xu Hei was initially shocked but quickly understood.


    He wasn''t stupid, just inexperienced and lacking in knowledge. He had never heard of body snatching before, but now he quickly grasped its meaning.


    Xu Hei retreated several feet, his eyes filled with anger and fear, and asked in a low voice, "You''re not the Mountain God?"


    "When did I ever say I was the Mountain God? I merely parasitized a Mountain God statue. It was your wishful thinking, not my problem," the big black dog sneered.


    At this moment, Xu Hei felt a surge of anger explode in his chest, his breath unsteady.


    He had been fooled!


    He had offered sacrifices, bowed to the statue, and prayed for smooth cultivation. But in the end, there was no Mountain God, just a cultivator who appeared out of nowhere!


    Despicable! Absolutely despicable!


    Xu Hei felt utterly deceived.


    "You''re impersonating a deity. Aren''t you afraid of retribution and going to hell after you die?" Xu Hei shouted in anger and shame.


    "Retribution? Hahaha!"


    The big black dog seemed to have heard an extremely funny joke and let out a dog-like laugh.


    "In the memories I passed to you, there''s no mention of retribution. Hell is just a comforting lie for ants. How could you think of such nonsense?"


    "Look at that black dog, digging graves and stealing corpses, not believing in gods or evil. Now that''s more like my memory inheritor!"


    At this point, he paused, staring at Xu Hei for a long time, feeling something was off.


    Xu Hei stared back at him, unflinching.


    After a long while, the big black dog tentatively asked, "Have you ever heard of the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person?"


    "What scattered person? A dismembered person? I swallow them whole," Xu Hei replied.


    The big black dog was deeply shaken.


    In his memory inheritance, although the information was limited and didn''t involve secrets, it definitely included his own title.


    However, Xu Hei didn''t recognize the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person at all. There was no such person in his memory! And it didn''t seem like he was pretending.


    This snake didn''t obtain his memories?


    How could that be? Then how did he gain enlightenment?


    The big black dog''s mind was in turmoil. He stared at Xu Hei, finding it more and more unbelievable. His intense gaze made Xu Hei feel uneasy.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to deal with him. He didn''t know the strength of a body-snatching cultivator, but he was sure it was beyond his capability. It must be stronger than him.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to provoke such an unknown entity. Without a word, he turned and crawled away. Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Seeing Xu Hei walk away, the big black dog thought for a moment, then sneered and followed.


    Xu Hei quickened his pace, and the big black dog matched it. Xu Hei used the Earth Escape Technique, but the big black dog was even more adept at it.


    The two of them, one in front and one behind, were inseparable, no matter how hard Xu Hei tried to shake him off.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A day later.


    Xu Hei returned to the vicinity of his territory.


    He turned around, looked at the black dog, and said, "This is my territory."


    The big black dog sneered, "What, your territory and I can''t come?"


    Xu Hei was both angry and helpless. He had tested his speed for a day and found that he couldn''t shake off this dog. Its strength was clearly unfathomable.


    He could only think of giving the dog some benefits to make it leave, so it wouldn''t cause trouble in his territory.


    At this moment, the wolf king ran over from a distance, carrying a rock goat in its mouth.


    It enthusiastically ran to Xu Hei, dropped the rock goat, and squatted on the ground with a fawning expression.


    Perhaps in its mind, Xu Hei had already dealt with that detestable human, and it now held Xu Hei in fervent reverence.


    "Just in time, I''m hungry."


    Xu Hei nodded in satisfaction. This wolf king was quite intelligent, knowing to offer food without being taught.


    Xu Hei swallowed the rock goat whole, quickly digesting it, feeling a wave of comfort wash over him.


    The big black dog watched him silently, saying nothing.


    It wasn''t until Xu Hei finished digesting that the big black dog coldly said, "I count as half your master. Aren''t you going to show some filial respect?"


    "Roar!" The wolf king immediately glared and growled upon hearing this.


    The big black dog''s eyes narrowed, a flash of ferocity in them, causing the wolf king to retreat in fear, its legs trembling, hiding behind Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment and said, "Wolves eat meat, dogs eat shit. Wolf king, go take a dump for him."


    The wolf king immediately ran over happily, raised its tail, and prepared to defecate in front of the big black dog.


    The big black dog was stunned, and soon its face twisted in extreme anger, feeling a surge of fury rushing to its head, almost making it steam with rage.


    He didn''t know if Xu Hei was truly stupid or pretending, but this time, it was clearly to disgust him on purpose.


    "Die!"


    He lunged forward, biting the wolf king''s thigh.


    "Awwooo!"


    The wolf king let out a miserable howl, its thigh torn open, and it fled behind Xu Hei, glaring at the black dog with hatred.


    It was clearly showing a stance of relying on Xu Hei''s power.


    The black dog was both angry and amused.


    It had been a long time since anyone had humiliated him like this, but this snake didn''t seem to see it as an insult.


    In the past, he would have killed without hesitation, but now, after two hundred years of slumber, his cultivation had greatly diminished. There was no need to stoop to the level of these two beasts.


    Heavenly Demon Scattered Person was inherently stubborn, never giving up until he achieved his goal. Xu Hei had given him a rare bit of amusement.


    "Disciple, do you know the consequences of disrespecting your master?" the big black dog coldly asked.


    Xu Hei could see that the black dog was bluffing. If it wanted to teach him a lesson, it would have done so already, instead of putting on a show.


    Therefore, Xu Hei wasn''t afraid.


    "I wasn''t disrespecting you. Dogs naturally eat shit," Xu Hei said calmly.


    "Oh? So, you''re admitting you''re my disciple?" the black dog sneered.


    Xu Hei''s expression changed, and he quickly denied, "I didn''t say that!"


    "Hmph, I helped you gain enlightenment, and you bowed to me in a disciple''s ceremony. Whether you admit it or not, I''m your master," the big black dog laughed.


    Xu Hei panicked.


    He really didn''t want to admit it, but going around in circles, the other party seemed to have a point.


    "I won''t be fooled!"


    Xu Hei shrieked and fled.


    The big black dog laughed even more triumphantly and followed.

 Chapter 32: The Historical Origins of the Snake Catcher

    Chapter 32: The Historical Origins of the Snake CatcherThe Snake Catchers were a folk organization in the southern part of the Chu Kingdom, known among mortals for capturing snakes.


    However, in the eyes of cultivators, this was actually a sect dedicated to cultivation.


    This sect had a heritage spanning thousands of years. In ancient times, it was once a flourishing and powerful sect known by the domineering name¡ªDragon Subduing Sect!


    Over the long course of history, the Dragon Subduing Sect gradually declined, and its disciples dwindled. After the fall of the eighteenth sect leader, no one could cultivate the Dragon Subduing Technique to its highest level.


    Thus, they had to lower their status by two levels and rename themselves the Snake Catchers Sect, with their disciples calling themselves Snake Catchers.


    If they didn''t change their name, they feared that the name Dragon Subduing Sect would attract some terrifying entities, bringing disaster to the sect.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Recently, an astonishing piece of news had been circulating among the cultivators in the Chen Family Town area.


    "Have you heard? A thousand-year-old snake demon has appeared in the mountains, almost wiping out the Snake Catchers in the area!"


    "I heard that six out of the eight disciples under Chen Daoling were killed. He personally went to seek revenge and was severely injured, almost dying. He aged twenty years overnight!"


    "My God! Chen Daoling is a cultivator at the half-step Foundation Establishment stage!"


    "You don''t know, that day Chen Daoling took a Divine Pill, gaining the true power of Foundation Establishment, but he still lost." S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "That''s terrifying. We better stay out of those mountains!"


    In the tavern where cultivators gathered, almost everyone was discussing this matter, talking fervently and in shock.


    Not only were the cultivators talking about it, but even among the mortals, there were rumors about an old snake demon appearing in the mountains.


    The rumors spread far and wide, and over time, even a portrait of the old snake demon appeared, described in an almost mythical manner!


    In the portrait, the old snake demon was pitch black, with ink-like scales, a row of black-gold scales on its tail, pale golden pupils, and a round head, looking no different from the previous Old Snake King.


    Whether the rumors were true or not, everyone decided to avoid such snakes if they saw them.


    Some people believed that the old snake demon''s heinous crimes would surely alert the Snake Catchers'' headquarters, and they would send powerful cultivators to capture it, so it wouldn''t be able to cause trouble for long.


    In the private school in Chen Family Town, Wang Xiaoniu and his sister looked at the portrait of the old snake demon, covering their mouths in surprise.


    "So the Old Snake King is that powerful!"


    Wang Xiaoniu was secretly shocked. As for the rumors that Xu Hei was a ruthless killer who ate countless people, he didn''t believe it at all because he had seen with his own eyes that Xu Hei didn''t eat people.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After returning, Xu Hei immediately went into seclusion to heal his injuries. It took him three full days to completely recover.


    Afterward, he took out Mu Lei''s storage bag and placed it on the ground.


    Xu Hei glanced at the big black dog in the distance and said, "Can you step aside for a moment?"


    "Heh! Just some trash, and you treat it like treasure. I wouldn''t want it even if you gave it to me," the big black dog mocked.


    Xu Hei gave him a deep look and didn''t avoid him, taking out the items from the storage bag.


    Mu Lei''s treasures were far more abundant than Mu Yun''s! They filled the ground completely.


    Eight bottles of pills, a thunder seal, several talismans, a large amount of medicinal herbs, a small pill refining furnace, and numerous spell jade slips.


    Additionally, there was a palm-sized stone emitting a faint milky white glow, with a slight spiritual qi fluctuation.


    "A spirit stone!"


    The big black dog''s eyes lit up, and it was about to grab it with its paw.


    Xu Hei reacted quickly, using his divine sense to instantly retrieve all the items, swallowing the storage bag into his abdomen, and stepping back a bit, watching the dog warily.


    The big black dog was stunned, awkwardly retreating and snorting, "Hmph, I was just curious, just wanted to take a look. I don''t care about it."


    Xu Hei quietly watched him, saying nothing.


    The big black dog scratched its head, feeling extremely embarrassed, and turned to leave.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Days passed by.


    Xu Hei''s life remained simple. Besides practicing spells, he would catch some prey for a meal.


    His comprehension was extremely high. Any spell he could practice, he could use it proficiently within three days.


    The Gravity Technique was his main focus. Through repeated practice, he had achieved a small success, able to use it within a five-meter range.


    That day, the only injury he suffered was from being squeezed by the opponent''s Gravity Technique.


    "That old man''s Gravity Technique could attack me from a hundred meters away. I must reach that level too!" Xu Hei resolved fiercely in his heart.


    During this period, the big black dog occasionally sat cross-legged nearby, with black qi emanating from its head and a faint glow from its body, seemingly practicing some cultivation technique.


    Xu Hei completely ignored it, acting as if the dog didn''t exist.


    "Disciple, if you keep eating this stuff, when will you ever break through?"


    One day, Xu Hei was devouring a wild boar when the big black dog suddenly appeared beside him, mocking him.


    Xu Hei glanced at him and ignored him, continuing to eat the boar.


    The big black dog continued to mock, "This junk food, even a dog would shake its head at it!"


    "Then what should I eat?" Xu Hei asked irritably.


    "Obviously, top-grade demonic beasts and top-grade spirit medicine," the big black dog sneered.


    "The demonic beasts around here are few in number. Eating them won''t improve much, and we need them to keep an eye on humans," Xu Hei said. He was already at the mid-stage of the Spirit Realm, and eating low-level demonic beasts had little effect.


    The big black dog looked at him for a long time, then smiled meaningfully.


    Without saying anything, it disappeared in a flash.


    Xu Hei was slightly stunned and immediately spread out his divine sense.


    Within a hundred meters, there was no sign of the black dog, not even a trace of its aura.


    "Did it leave?"


    Xu Hei was puzzled.


    He searched around the mountain but couldn''t find any trace of the black dog, its aura completely gone.


    Still feeling uneasy, he waited for a day, but the big black dog didn''t reappear.


    Xu Hei finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Having such a mysterious presence wandering around made him uneasy. Now, it seemed to have left.


    Xu Hei returned to his cave, took out Mu Lei''s storage bag, and began sorting through the items.


    He spent an hour removing the divine sense imprint from the thunder seal and left his own imprint.


    He arranged the pills, talismans, and miscellaneous items in a row.


    He now had two storage bags. The first storage bag was for precious items, top-grade pills, top-grade talismans, and magical treasures.


    The second storage bag was for mid-grade and low-grade items that weren''t very useful to him.


    There were also many materials he didn''t recognize, metallic substances, herbs, and scraps, which Xu Hei piled in a corner.


    He paid special attention to the spirit stone, placing it in the first storage bag.


    Finally, he placed Mu Lei''s jade slips on the ground and used his divine sense to examine them one by one.


    At first, they were basic spells that Xu Hei had already learned and found of little value.


    But the later jade slips made Xu Hei''s eyes light up.


    "Miscellaneous Talks on Spirit Medicine, Forty-Five Essays on Spirit Medicine, Pill Refining Notes..."


    Xu Hei skimmed through them, his heartbeat quickening, and his breathing becoming slightly rapid.


    Knowledge about pills and spirit herbs.


    These were exactly what Xu Hei craved!


    Although he had some knowledge about spirit medicine and herbs in his memory, it was only superficial.


    The jade slips, however, contained very detailed information.


    For example, the Serpent Fruit Tree, which Xu Hei only knew by name but not its true value, was detailed in the jade slips.


    "Serpent Spirit Fruit, low-grade spirit medicine, can give snakes an eighty percent chance to transform into demons. Taking three at once gives a twenty percent chance to break through to the mid-stage. It can be used as a main ingredient for Rejuvenation Pills and Rejuvenation Elixirs..."


    "Serpent Spirit Fruit Tree, high-grade spirit medicine, its branches, bark, and trunk all have strong medicinal properties. Do not consume raw, or it will cause the body to explode. Must be refined into Small Foundation Establishment Pills..."


    "Earth Flame Vine, mid-grade spirit medicine, absorbs the essence of sunlight, containing violent fire-type spiritual qi..."


    "......"


    Xu Hei devoured the information eagerly, spending two full hours to finish reading.


    This knowledge came at the perfect time, greatly enriching Xu Hei''s understanding and vision.


    Mu Lei was skilled in pill refining, and his storage bag contained a small pill refining furnace and many dried spirit herbs for use.


    Xu Hei had no immediate plans to learn pill refining. He still had many pills, and he could study it slowly after consuming them.


    Just then, Xu Hei suddenly froze, quickly putting away all the treasures.


    A black shadow flashed in front of him, and the big black dog returned.


    This time, it had two colorful feathered birds in its mouth, which it placed on the ground.

 Chapter 33: The old black dog incites chicken theft

    Chapter 33: The old black dog incites chicken theftThe two birds were plump and large, their feathers a dazzling array of colors. They had a faint trace of spiritual power within them, clearly demonic beasts of a high level.


    "Demonic beasts at the late Spirit Communion Stage?"


    Xu Hei was startled. He had searched within a radius of twenty miles but hadn''t found any beasts of this level. Even if he had, he wouldn''t dare provoke them.


    At this moment, the old black dog was drenched in sweat, panting heavily, clearly exhausted from catching these two chickens.


    He sat on the ground, grinning.


    "Hehe! These things are called Spirit-Tail Chickens, raised by a nearby sect specifically for eating. They taste way better than wild beasts. I happened to pass by and snatched two." The old dog said with a sly smile.


    Hearing this, Xu Hei quickly used the Earth Escape Technique to burrow underground, scanning the area with his divine sense to check for any human trackers.


    "Relax, I did it cleanly. No one in this world can track me, the Heavenly Demon... Hmph, no one''s following, so don''t worry."


    The old dog was quite proud, and as he spoke, he used his paws like hands to start plucking the Spirit-Tail Chickens.


    Seeing his calm expression, Xu Hei emerged from the ground.


    The old dog plucked the feathers swiftly, and in no time, the chickens were bare.


    The old dog touched the ground with his paw, and a pile of charcoal appeared. Right in front of Xu Hei, he set up a grill and began roasting the chickens.


    The charcoal heated up, and the Spirit-Tail Chickens sizzled, their spiritual qi wafting out with a mouth-watering aroma.


    Midway through, the old dog pulled out some salt, cumin, and spiritual herbs from who knows where, sprinkling them on the chickens, making the aroma even richer.


    Xu Hei tried hard not to look, but the scent was too strong, and it even had a hint of spiritual resonance that could aid in cultivation, making Xu Hei swallow his saliva.


    The aroma not only attracted a little white snake but also drew the wolf king from outside into the cave.


    The wolf king stood behind Xu Hei, staring eagerly, drooling.


    Before long, the Spirit-Tail Chickens were done. The old black dog tore off a drumstick and started gnawing on it happily.


    He tossed the chicken bones aside. The wolf king glanced at Xu Hei, and seeing no reaction, darted forward, grabbed the bones, and crunched them down.


    Xu Hei, annoyed, turned and walked away.


    The old black dog followed behind, eating as he walked, deliberately making loud crunching noises, driving Xu Hei crazy.


    "Get lost!"


    Xu Hei couldn''t take it anymore and shot a Fireball Technique back.


    The old black dog dodged quickly, laughing, "Don''t be mad. I''m your master, after all. Giving you a chicken is no big deal."


    "Just give me that spirit stone, and we''re even."


    Xu Hei was surprised, but the old dog''s next words made him choke.


    So it was all for that spirit stone.


    "Don''t be so quick to refuse. This Spirit-Tail Chicken could sell for at least three spirit stones. You''re getting a great deal." The old black dog laughed.


    Xu Hei ignored him, but the old dog kept chattering away.


    After a long while, Xu Hei couldn''t take it anymore and reluctantly agreed.


    "Give me the chicken first," Xu Hei said.


    Without a word, the old black dog tossed the whole Spirit-Tail Chicken over.


    Xu Hei inspected it carefully, then took out the spirit stone and tossed it to the old black dog.


    "That''s more like it!" The old black dog nodded in satisfaction.


    With the spirit stone in paw, the old black dog threw the chicken bones to the wolf king and the little white snake, then sat down to absorb the spirit stone.


    Xu Hei looked at the Spirit-Tail Chicken in front of him, took a deep sniff, and swallowed it whole.


    The Spirit-Tail Chicken wasn''t large, easy to swallow, but it digested much slower than wild beasts.


    Xu Hei fully activated the Demon God Cauldron. From the Spirit-Tail Chicken''s body, a thin line of blood energy was absorbed into the cauldron, where the spiritual qi droplets visibly increased.


    Before long, the cauldron was filled.


    Xu Hei was already at the peak of the fourth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, and now, he reached a bottleneck.


    "Breakthrough!"


    Xu Hei focused, compressing all the spiritual qi droplets into a single point. At that moment, he felt a new power surge through his body.


    Black-gold scales appeared one by one on his tail, continuously increasing. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An old snake skin shed from his body.


    Xu Hei had broken through to the fifth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage!


    The Spirit-Tail Chicken wasn''t fully digested yet, still being absorbed, and new spiritual qi droplets formed in the Demon God Cauldron.


    Seeing this, Xu Hei took out a bottle of Qi Condensation Pills and swallowed it whole.


    These pills aided in cultivation but couldn''t be used for breakthroughs. They sped up daily cultivation.


    As the pills entered his body, the accumulation of spiritual qi droplets accelerated, dotting the Demon God Cauldron.


    One-tenth, two-tenths, three-tenths... Finally, it stopped at nine-tenths.


    Xu Hei had reached the peak of the fifth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    Only then was the Spirit-Tail Chicken fully digested, bringing Xu Hei to this level, leaving him quite shocked.


    That spirit stone was well spent!


    The old dog was right; this chicken could indeed sell for three spirit stones.


    By now, three days had passed since Xu Hei''s breakthrough.


    The little white snake and the wolf king were both in a state of cultivation, seemingly having gained something too.


    The old black dog was the first to open his eyes, the spirit stone in his paw turned to waste. He glanced at Xu Hei, slightly surprised.


    "Only three days to refine a Spirit-Tail Chicken and a whole bottle of Qi Condensation Pills, breaking through to the peak of the fifth layer."


    "Such cultivation speed suggests this snake must be practicing a powerful technique, not weaker than my Heavenly Demon Technique."


    The old black dog had been observing Xu Hei secretly. From the way Xu Hei digested wild beasts in just a few breaths, he had a suspicion.


    He had considered teaching Xu Hei a cultivation technique, but now it seemed unnecessary.


    "Disciple, how does the Spirit-Tail Chicken taste?" the old black dog asked with a smile.


    "Not bad," Xu Hei nodded honestly.


    "Then go catch a few more. We''ll work together, split fifty-fifty. I guarantee you''ll reach the late Spirit Communion Stage in a month and the Great Perfection in a year!" the old black dog laughed.


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened, and he shook his head repeatedly, "No way, those are late Spirit Communion Stage demonic beasts, too dangerous. If you want to go, go yourself."


    A month to late stage, a year to Great Perfection¡ªsuch speed would tempt anyone, human or beast!


    But Xu Hei wouldn''t fall for it. There''s no such thing as a free lunch.


    "Hmph! These Spirit-Tail Chickens dare call themselves demonic beasts? Raised by humans, they''ve long lost their combat ability, not even as strong as mid-stage demonic beasts. I can catch two with one hand."


    The old black dog snorted disdainfully.


    Xu Hei remained silent. Last time he stole a human''s pig, he almost died. He didn''t want to do it again.


    Seeing Xu Hei still hesitating, the old black dog sneered, "If you don''t go, I''ll go alone. If humans chase me, I''ll run to you."


    Xu Hei''s face turned dark, veins bulging, and he cursed, "I''ve never seen anyone as shameless as you!"


    The old black dog laughed triumphantly, "Haha! Don''t worry, follow me, and you''ll eat well and live well. If there''s danger, I''ll sense it immediately. Would I lie to you?"

 Chapter 34: The notorious combination of snake and dog

    Chapter 34: The notorious combination of snake and dogXu Hei was at a loss for words.


    He knew that this old dog had a stubborn personality. If he didn''t agree, the old dog would pester him endlessly, trying all sorts of methods to make his life miserable. And Xu Hei had no way to deal with him.


    Xu Hei said, "Fine, but you can''t call me your disciple. I have my own name. My name is Xu Hei."


    "Xu Hei!" The old dog''s eyes lit up, and he praised, "Not bad, disciple. You even know how to name yourself, though it''s a terrible name."


    Xu Hei ignored him and crawled out of the cave, emerging into the outside world. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After two months, he had to go out and fight again. Xu Hei just wanted to finish quickly. He didn''t like traveling far; he preferred staying at home.


    "Follow me."


    The old dog appeared ahead and sped off.


    Xu Hei followed closely behind.


    Even though he was following, he kept a certain distance from the old dog. This way, if there was any danger ahead, it would go for the old dog first.


    Along the way, the old dog began to explain some common knowledge and insights to Xu Hei.


    "Xu Hei, do you know what this country is called?"


    "I know, the Chu Kingdom."


    "Then do you know how many cultivation sects there are within the Chu Kingdom?"


    Xu Hei looked puzzled and said, "I only know the Snake Catchers Sect."


    The old dog chuckled, "The Chu Kingdom has five major sects in the north, south, east, west, and center. North is the Ice Snow Sect, west is Kunlun, east is Penglai, south is the Snake Catchers Sect, and in the center is the Imperial Court''s Astrology Bureau. All the sects in the country, big and small, are under the jurisdiction of these five major sects."


    Hearing this, Xu Hei curiously asked, "Is the Snake Catchers Sect very strong?"


    "Currently, it''s barely a two-star sect, but in ancient times, the Snake Catchers Sect was one of the strongest sects on the entire continent. Back then, this place was called the Xia Kingdom, until two hundred years ago..."


    The old dog suddenly stopped talking.


    Xu Hei didn''t continue to ask. As long as he wasn''t strong enough, he wouldn''t provoke them.


    A snake and a dog spent a day traveling before reaching their destination.


    This place was a minor sect called the Carefree Sect, under the jurisdiction of the Snake Catchers Sect. There were five Foundation Establishment Stage elders in the sect, and the sect leader was also at the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Ahead, there were five giant peaks surrounding a plain, which was the mountain gate of the Carefree Sect.


    Before long, the old dog arrived at the foot of one of the giant peaks.


    Xu Hei hid in the grass, slowly approaching.


    "Hey, look at that mountain. Aren''t there a lot of Spirit-Tail Chickens?" The old dog pointed at the slope of the giant peak.


    Xu Hei focused his gaze and indeed saw many Spirit-Tail Chickens with colorful feathers foraging on the slope.


    These chickens were quite large, comparable to big goats, strutting around majestically.


    "On this giant peak, there is an old man at the early Foundation Establishment Stage. These chickens are his, and there are over a hundred of them!" The old dog laughed.


    Xu Hei used his Divine Sense to probe and found that the edge of the giant peak had a faint light barrier, preventing his Divine Sense from penetrating.


    He approached and tested it with his body. It was the same, as if an invisible wall was blocking him from entering.


    "This is a formation barrier to prevent outsiders from entering, but it won''t stop me."


    The old dog chuckled, took out some unknown black powder, and sprinkled it on the barrier.


    In an instant, the barrier dissolved at a visible speed, creating a large gap ten meters wide centered on the black powder.


    Then, the old dog took out some spirit insects and placed them at the gap.


    "These spirit insects are irresistibly attractive to Spirit-Tail Chickens. Wait for my signal, and we''ll grab as many as we can and then run." The old dog smiled.


    "Got it!" Xu Hei''s breathing quickened.


    Time passed by the second.


    Xu Hei and the old dog used the Earth Escape Technique to hide underground, waiting for the Spirit-Tail Chickens to take the bait.


    Before long, a chicken spotted the spirit insects and immediately ran over. The other chickens followed, swarming over, totaling more than a dozen.


    These chickens had very low intelligence and had never encountered danger, so they had no sense of precaution.


    "They''re here, get ready!" the old dog called out.


    Xu Hei held his breath, but his Divine Sense spread out to guard against human ambushes.


    "Go!" the old dog shouted.


    As soon as he spoke, the old dog sprang from the soil, opened his mouth, and bit a chicken. His paws grabbed two more.


    The Spirit-Tail Chickens tried to resist, but the old dog exhaled a black gas from his nostrils, and the three chickens immediately froze, their bodies stiffening.


    Xu Hei also made his move. With a thought, his Beast Control Ring broke through the soil and flew towards the Spirit-Tail Chickens, rapidly enlarging mid-flight.


    Simultaneously, he activated the Gravity Technique, and from ten meters underground, he forcibly pulled three Spirit-Tail Chickens together.


    "Trap!"


    With a low shout, the Beast Control Ring quickly shrank, trapping the necks of three chickens¡ªtwo at the late stage and one at the mid-stage.


    One had to admit, these Spirit-Tail Chickens had decent cultivation, but they had almost no combat ability.


    They were bred to be eaten.


    It was like tigers raised by humans. Having lived in captivity all their lives, they had never experienced fighting or danger. Once released into the wild, they would be doomed when facing real enemies.


    Even a slightly fierce hunting dog could bully them.


    Despite this, the Spirit-Tail Chickens were quite strong. Only Xu Hei and the old dog could subdue them so easily. Anyone else would have struggled.


    "Done, let''s go!" The old dog grabbed three chickens and was about to use the Earth Escape Technique to retreat.


    Suddenly, an angry roar came from the sky, like thunder exploding in their ears.


    "Ah, so it''s you, you beast, stealing my chickens. No wonder two of my chickens went missing!"


    As soon as Xu Hei succeeded, he controlled the Beast Control Ring to drag the three chickens into the soil.


    At this moment, hearing the voice, Xu Hei didn''t hesitate. He swallowed the three chickens in one gulp, flicked his tail, and ran, fully activating the Earth Escape Technique.


    The old dog wasn''t so lucky. Just as he began to use the Earth Escape Technique, the soil turned hard, becoming a stone slab.


    "Hardening!"


    An old man with white whiskers flew in on a flying sword, making hand seals.


    In an instant, the soil within a hundred-meter radius hardened into iron-like stone slabs, making the Earth Escape Technique useless.


    The old dog reacted quickly. With a chicken in his mouth and one under each arm, he stood up on his hind legs and ran like a human.


    Even more absurd, his speed was not slow, almost matching Xu Hei''s underground escape.


    "This..."


    Not only was Xu Hei underground stunned, but the white-whiskered old man in the sky was also dumbfounded.


    Is this a dog or a human? Has the dog become a spirit?


    "Stop, you beast!"


    The white-whiskered old man flew on his sword, chasing after them. He was a genuine Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, far beyond Chen Daoling.


    "You think you''re the only one who can fly? I can fly too!"


    The old dog thought, and two green talismans flew out, sticking to his legs.


    In an instant, his running speed increased dramatically, becoming a blur, creating strong gusts of wind as he ran towards the horizon.


    "Whoosh!"


    Amidst the howling wind, the old dog sprinted into the sky, flying away at an incredible speed.

 Chapter 35: Rapid cultivation has hidden dangers

    Chapter 35: Rapid cultivation has hidden dangersThe white-bearded elder''s face alternated between green and white. Gritting his teeth, he swallowed a pill, and his speed suddenly increased, transforming into a long rainbow as he chased after the old dog.


    Xu Hei, on the other hand, changed direction and easily shook off his pursuers.


    The white-bearded elder didn''t even notice him.


    "Old dog, you''re on your own. I''m going to find a place to refine this."


    Xu Hei didn''t care whether the old dog lived or died. After killing three Spirit-Tail Chickens, he put them into his storage bag and wandered for half a day before finding an uninhabited forest. He hid in a natural cave.


    Xu Hei had a feeling that refining these chickens, combined with the pills he had previously obtained, would easily push him to the peak of the sixth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, right at the threshold of the later stage.


    Indeed, the greater the risk, the greater the reward. Xu Hei had to admit this.


    In the blink of an eye, another hour passed.


    Just as the sky was getting dark.


    Suddenly, there was a commotion at the cave entrance. A disheveled black figure rushed in, panting heavily, sweat pouring down like rain, and collapsed on the ground, tongue hanging out.


    It was the old dog!


    "You''re not dead?" Xu Hei said in surprise.


    "Who said I was dead? Damn it!"


    The old black dog cursed, his hands empty. "To distract that old man, I had to abandon three Spirit-Tail Chickens. All that effort for nothing, I''m so pissed off."


    He was truly furious, gritting his teeth, his face turning green with anger.


    Xu Hei, as usual, went out to check if anyone was tracking them. Only after the old dog repeatedly assured him did he return.


    Xu Hei took out the three Spirit-Tail Chickens, hesitated for a moment, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes, and then handed one over.


    "Huh?"


    This time, it was the old black dog''s turn to be surprised. He looked at Xu Hei, astonished.


    "We agreed to split fifty-fifty. I got three, so you get one and a half," Xu Hei said helplessly.


    If it weren''t for the old dog distracting the enemy, he wouldn''t have obtained the three chickens so smoothly. According to their previous agreement, all gains were to be split equally. Xu Hei wasn''t an unreasonable person; he had a sense of contract spirit.


    This gesture left the old black dog stunned for quite a while.


    "I suddenly feel like you''re not a disciple I taught!" the old black dog said.


    "I never admitted I was your disciple," Xu Hei retorted.


    The old black dog didn''t care, smiling as he grabbed the Spirit-Tail Chicken. "I only need one. The other half is yours."


    Xu Hei didn''t refuse. After swallowing two chickens, he began refining them on the spot.


    The old black dog looked at the chicken in his hand, took out charcoal, a wooden rack, and an iron pot, planning to make a pot of soup.


    At the same time, he took out many precious medicinal herbs, which glowed brilliantly and were filled with spiritual energy.


    He licked his lips, secretly laughing to himself, "This foolish disciple, I already ate the three chickens, and he''s still naively giving me one. So innocent."


    After Xu Hei swallowed the two chickens, the spiritual liquid in the Demon God Cauldron quickly reached a perfect state, pushing towards a higher level.


    However, this time, as the Spirit-Tail Chickens were digested, Xu Hei still couldn''t break through that barrier.


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth, his heart silently shouting.


    "Break!"


    The Demon God Cauldron trembled slightly, the spiritual liquid inside vibrating intensely, compressing inward, but it always fell short. Xu Hei tried several times, but each time he failed to compress it.


    Xu Hei was getting anxious. This wasn''t the first time this had happened. He had encountered a similar situation when breaking through to the mid-Spirit Communion Stage.


    This only meant that two chickens weren''t enough.


    At this moment, the old dog''s pot of chicken soup was almost ready. He had added many spirit medicines, making the whole soup fragrant.


    He also noticed Xu Hei''s situation and hesitated.


    "Break for me!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were bloodshot. These were the spoils he had risked his life for; he couldn''t allow himself to fail.


    This time, if they were discovered stealing chickens, the next time would be even more dangerous. Perhaps this was his only chance!


    The Spirit-Tail Chickens in his stomach were quickly digested, but it was still not enough.


    The old dog watched for a long time and sighed.


    "Fine, I''ll help you."


    The old dog couldn''t bear it. He slapped the bottom of the pot, and the medicinal herbs inside flew up, igniting in mid-air and turning into medicinal liquid, gradually merging.


    After a long time.


    A round pill was completed under the old dog''s control. He flicked his finger, and the pill flew out, dispersing in mid-air and entering Xu Hei''s body.


    Xu Hei recognized this pill. It was a relatively rare Qi-Breaking Pill, which could increase the probability of breaking through realms during the Qi Refining Stage.


    With the Qi-Breaking Pill entering his body, the Demon God Cauldron seemed to be catalyzed by a strong external force. The spiritual liquid inside instantly boiled, compressing inward uncontrollably.


    ¡­¡­


    Southern border of Chu Kingdom, Carefree Sect.


    After two days of fruitless searching, Elder Zhou returned to the sect and issued a sect mission.


    "All disciples, listen up. Track down this dog. Ten spirit stones for killing it, twenty for capturing it alive, and ten for reporting its whereabouts."


    "Beside this dog, there seems to be a black snake accomplice. The reward for discovering it is the same."


    Elder Zhou posted the portrait of the black dog at the most conspicuous place at the mountain gate.


    At the same time, he arranged for the wanted notice to be issued in nearby counties and towns.


    However, he didn''t get a clear look at the black snake, so there was no portrait. He only knew it was black and very cunning, having also stolen three Spirit-Tail Chickens.


    The news spread, causing an uproar. People were astonished that even Foundation Establishment cultivators'' chickens were being stolen. These demonic beasts were becoming quite audacious.


    ¡­¡­


    A few days later.


    With the help of the old black dog, Xu Hei finally broke through to the sixth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage without any mishaps.


    Afterward, he consumed two bottles of Qi Condensation Pills and spent a week raising his cultivation to the peak of the sixth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    The next step was the later stage of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    These two breakthroughs took less than half a month, much faster than Xu Hei''s previous progress.


    "Haha, I told you, as long as you follow me, I guarantee you''ll reach the later stage within a month. I didn''t lie, did I?" the old black dog laughed.


    Xu Hei nodded.


    Thinking carefully, apart from pretending to be a Mountain God and deceiving him initially, the old dog hadn''t done anything bad and had helped him a lot.


    "That place has been discovered. I won''t go stealing chickens there again, not even if you beat me to death," Xu Hei said.


    "Don''t worry, I''m not stupid. We can''t keep targeting the same place. Next time, we''ll find a new target," the old black dog said slyly.


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment and said, "Actually, there''s no rush to do it within a month. I want to solidify my realm a bit before attempting to break through to the later stage. It doesn''t matter if it takes half a year or a year."


    This near-failure made Xu Hei a bit cautious.


    Although his cultivation realm was advancing rapidly, his physical body''s strength was not improving as much. Unlike before, when he would break through once every half year, his physical body would also transform.


    From the number of scales on his tail, it was clear that this breakthrough only added one black-gold scale, which was highly unusual.


    Humans primarily cultivate True Qi, while demonic beasts primarily cultivate their physical bodies.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to put the cart before the horse and imitate humans by pursuing True Qi. He wanted to perfect his physical body''s strength as well.


    The big black dog stroked his chin, nodding thoughtfully. "You have a point. Let''s go back and rest for a while. I''ll teach you some things."


    "Okay," Xu Hei nodded.


    There was another reason¡ªrecent events had caused too much commotion, and he wanted to lay low for a while.


    In the following days, Xu Hei focused on tempering his physical body.


    The method was simple: using the Earth Escape Technique to burrow deep underground, relying on the immense pressure of the earth to burden his body.


    This was taught by the old dog, but he had to control the intensity to avoid getting stuck underground due to exhaustion.


    The Carefree Sect also dispatched many cultivators to search the mountains, but the old dog''s nose was extremely sharp, always detecting danger in advance and allowing them to avoid it.


    During this time, Xu Hei asked the old dog for his name.


    The old dog perked up immediately.


    He stood tall, hands on his hips, and said proudly, "My name is renowned. In the past, on this Sky Dome Star, everyone knew and feared me. I could make powerful beings tremble and children stop crying. I was invincible in a realm. That''s me¡­"


    He was about to reveal the name "Heavenly Demon Scattered Person," but then he thought Xu Hei might not grasp the grandeur of the name and might spread it around.


    So, he changed his mind and said, "Since I''m black, I''ll call myself the Black Emperor."


    "Black Younger Brother?"


    "Emperor as in ruler!"


    "No way, if you''re called Emperor, doesn''t that make me inferior? I think, since you''re big, I''ll call you Big Black."


    "Damn it! That sounds like a dog''s name."


    "Aren''t you a dog?"


    After some arguing, the old black dog decided to compromise and changed his name to Hei Huang, but Xu Hei still strongly opposed it. The old dog had no choice but to change "Huang" to "Huang" meaning yellow.


    Only then did Xu Hei relent.


    "Earlier, you asked if I knew Heavenly Demon Scattered Person. I think that name sounds good. It has an evil ring to it, perfect for taking the blame. From now on, if we do something bad, we''ll say it was Heavenly Demon Scattered Person. If we do something good, we''ll say it was Xu Hei and Hei Huang," Xu Hei laughed.


    "¡­" Hei Huang was speechless.


    ¡­¡­


    One day, Xu Hei returned to his territory.


    As he neared home, Xu Hei looked into the distance and saw thick smoke rising from behind the mountain, turning the sky black.


    "What''s that?"


    Xu Hei raised his head, looking surprised.


    Hei Huang climbed a tree and jumped into the air, looking into the distance. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After landing, he shrugged and said, "What else could it be? A fire!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Xu Hei''s muscles tensed, and he dashed forward at an unprecedented speed.


    Hei Huang was stunned for a moment, muttering, "It''s just a wildfire. What''s the big deal?"


    But after saying that, he also felt something was off and quickly sped up to follow.

 Chapter 36: Setting fire to the mountains will lead to imprisonment

    Chapter 36: Setting fire to the mountains will lead to imprisonmentThe wildfire raged, thick smoke billowing, flames covering the entire forest, spreading at an incredible speed towards its depths.


    Before he even got close, Xu Hei saw countless birds fleeing and beasts crying out in agony.


    A wildfire, for the animals living in the mountains, was undoubtedly a catastrophe.


    Wherever the flames passed, only scorched earth remained. Any living being, any plant or animal, would perish.


    Xu Hei''s heart was heavier than ever before.


    This was his home, his home!


    "No!!!"


    Xu Hei roared and charged towards his territory.


    Hei Huang, seeing Xu Hei''s expression for the first time, surprisingly said nothing, simply following behind.


    Xu Hei rushed to the front of his territory. Two large mountains ahead were ablaze with towering flames. Most of the vegetation had already burned away, and the scene was like a hellscape, with rolling flames and scorching heat waves.


    The wildfire continued to expand, countless creatures dying miserably, falling in the flames.


    He saw a group of wild boars, a mother boar leading her piglets, fleeing through the flames, letting out heart-wrenching screams. Suddenly, a burning log fell, crushing the mother boar to the ground.


    The piglets gathered around, refusing to leave, and were soon engulfed by the flames as well.


    These piglets were ones Xu Hei had watched grow up, originally intended to be next year''s food supply.


    But right before his eyes, they were gone! Not a single one left!


    There was also a nest of mountain doves, still learning to fly, swallowed by the flames along with the entire forest, all turned to ashes.


    Countless creatures died one after another under Xu Hei''s sweeping gaze.


    The wildfire''s coverage was too vast, beyond human ability to extinguish. It would likely burn deep into the forest until heavy rain fell to stop it.


    Humans have a saying, "Set fire to the mountain, end up in prison," showing how severe the consequences of a wildfire can be.


    Gritting his teeth, Xu Hei charged into the flames, his Divine Sense spreading wildly.


    The flames burned on his body without causing any pain. Xu Hei sped up, arriving at a familiar pond, jumping in and entering a cave.


    Inside the cave, thick smoke rolled.


    In a corner, a group of wolf pups huddled together, along with the wolf king and a little white snake.


    The little white snake had grown significantly, almost as big as Xu Hei, having broken through to the third level of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    Fortunately, there was this cave. Otherwise, these creatures would have also struggled to escape the wildfire. But as time went on, the smoke grew thicker, and they would likely suffocate.


    The Serpent Tree planted in the corner was still there, bearing a young fruit. In three years, a new Serpent Fruit would appear.


    Seeing Xu Hei enter, the wolf king immediately approached, whimpering with its head lowered.


    Outside, the fire burned fiercely, and thick smoke drifted in from the cave entrance. Staying here was not a long-term solution.


    Xu Hei said nothing, rolling up the Serpent Tree and putting it into his Storage Bag. He spoke to the white snake and the wolf pack, "Let''s go, I''ll lead you out."


    ...


    Thirty miles away, at the entrance of Snake Village.


    An old man in a Taoist robe stood at the foot of the mountain, looking at the forest reduced to black ash, a cold smile on his face.


    This man was the aged Chen Daoling.


    Chen Daoling''s lifespan was nearly exhausted, with at most three years left to live. He had no great ambitions in this life, only wishing to capture that old snake demon before he died, to skin it and refine it into a snake pill.


    He didn''t hope to extend his own life but left his hopes to his two remaining disciples.


    Zhao Wenzhuo and Chen Duoduo.


    At this moment, the two stood respectfully on either side behind him.


    After months of secluded cultivation, Zhao Wenzhuo had reached the mid-stage of Qi Refining. For someone who had joined the Snake Catchers Sect only a year ago, this was considered a prodigious talent.


    Chen Duoduo, a Chosen of the Chen Family, was about to break through to the late stage of Qi Refining.


    "This wildfire has burned for three days. It should have reached that snake demon''s lair by now," Chen Daoling sneered.


    Zhao Wenzhuo was silent for a moment, then said, "Master, this fire has likely angered many demonic beasts. I''m afraid that snake demon will come down the mountain for revenge."


    "Hmph, so what?" Chen Daoling sneered, exuding confidence.


    "To tell you the truth, the old snake demon and the matter of Myriad Serpent Valley have already caught the interest of an elder from the headquarters. The Snake Catchers Sect is about to establish a branch hall here. When that happens, both of you can enter the branch hall for cultivation."


    Hearing this, Zhao Wenzhuo and Chen Duoduo were both shocked.


    The Snake Catchers Sect, one of the five major sects in Chu Kingdom and the southern overlord, had powerful forces with Qi Condensation cultivators stationed at every branch hall.


    The establishment of a branch hall meant that the local cultivation level would rise sharply. Whether it was Snake Village, Python Village, or Chen Family Town, they would all benefit immensely.


    There might even be a large population migration, establishing a new city here, leading to economic prosperity.


    "Where will the branch hall be established?" Zhao Wenzhuo''s eyes flashed as he asked.


    "This involves sect secrets, and I have no authority to know. However, the elder has already sent a clone to investigate. There should be results soon," Chen Daoling said slowly.


    The appearance of Myriad Serpent Valley was destined to attract the attention of the Snake Catchers Sect''s high-level members. It was a natural snake field with endless snake resources.


    If that were all, it would be fine, but the appearance of the old snake demon added fuel to the fire, further elevating the value of Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Therefore, the Snake Catchers Sect planned to establish a branch hall to firmly occupy Myriad Serpent Valley.


    ...


    In the deep mountains, the wildfire raged, thick smoke filled the sky, the air was full of dust, making it hard to breathe and impossible to open one''s eyes.


    "Water Bullet Technique!"


    Xu Hei spat out water balls, extinguishing the flames and creating a wide path.


    Behind him, the wolf king carried the pups, and the little white snake rushed out together, heading deeper into the forest.


    Hei Huang appeared beside him, saying, "Xu Hei, these wildfires happen from time to time. It''s nothing unusual. The weather is hot; it''s normal."


    Xu Hei crawled silently, saying nothing.


    Hei Huang stood on the mountaintop, looking around, and smiled bitterly, "But such a large-scale one is indeed rare."


    As they walked, all they saw was pitch-black scorched earth. Conservatively estimated, it had burned at least twenty miles, maybe more. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without strong winds and heavy rain, it would just keep burning.


    Hei Huang sighed, wanting to comfort Xu Hei but not knowing what to say. As a human, he couldn''t understand the thoughts of a snake.


    But thinking from another perspective, if his home were burned by a sudden wildfire, unable to be stopped, burning deeper and deeper, consuming the entire city, how would he feel?


    "I don''t think this was an accident."


    Suddenly, Xu Hei, who had been silent for a long time, spoke.


    "Hmm?" Hei Huang was stunned, waiting for Xu Hei to continue.


    Xu Hei said seriously, "Earlier, you told me about the Snake Catchers Sect. They have many branches, mostly set up in places rich in Spiritual Qi and snake resources, right?"


    "That''s right!" Hei Huang nodded.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, his voice icy cold.


    "I know who did this."


    Xu Hei''s eyes were cold and blood-red, bursting with unprecedented killing intent.


    Such terrifying murderous intent even stunned Hei Huang. It was hard to imagine that this came from a mid-stage Spirit Communion demonic beast.

 Chapter 37: The old dog has come up with another bad idea

    Chapter 37: The old dog has come up with another bad ideaThe old black dog was a shrewd character. He squinted his dog eyes and said, "Are you saying that deep in these mountains, there''s a place rich in serpent resources and abundant in spiritual qi, suitable for establishing a sect?"


    Xu Hei didn''t hide anything and nodded, "That place is called Myriad Serpent Valley. I go there every spring, and there are hundreds of thousands of serpents."


    As he spoke, he glanced at the little white snake. This white snake had escaped from Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Hei Huang sighed helplessly, "There''s nothing we can do about it. The Snake Catchers Sect is a two-star sect. If they''re setting up a branch, there will definitely be a Core Formation Stage cultivator overseeing it. We can''t beat them, so we can only run."


    "Burning the mountains is also for clearing the land. All human cities were established this way; it''s inevitable."


    Hei Huang consoled him. He didn''t feel much about it, but Xu Hei''s reaction was intense, as if it were a deep-seated grudge. His pale golden eyes turned blood red.


    Hei Huang was startled and instinctively reminded him, "Xu Hei, don''t be impulsive. You''ve always been the cautious one!"


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and nodded heavily, "I know, I''m not stupid!"


    A group of demonic beasts burst out of the encircling flames and headed deeper into the mountains. The flames behind them continued to chase, and Xu Hei didn''t dare to stop, fleeing forward.


    Now, in the dense summer vegetation, the fire would only grow stronger. Any firefighting measures would be like a drop in the bucket.


    Along the way, many animals joined the fleeing group.


    Most of those who could escape the flames were demonic beasts. These intelligent creatures formed small teams and fled deeper into the mountains.


    Unlike usual, they didn''t attack each other on sight. Instead, they were quiet, their expressions filled with fear and dread. They feared the flames and were also angry.


    In Xu Hei''s group, there were a bunch of pangolins, two porcupines, a giant centipede, and a large frog.


    For the sake of survival, these demonic beasts, who were usually natural enemies, had no intention of fighting.


    ...


    The raging fire turned the mountains into scorched earth, spanning dozens of miles. The sky was gray, covered by thick smoke.


    In the sky, a middle-aged scholar in white walked on air, his gaze like lightning, scanning the scorched earth below.


    The middle-aged scholar took out a jade slip and recorded the terrain he saw.


    "This place is flat and suitable for establishing a mortal town. Eight points."


    "This place has many mountain springs, suitable for raising spiritual birds. Five points."


    "This place is near a river, suitable for opening a herb garden. Seven points."


    "This place is suitable for planting spiritual fields, but the mountain is a bit ugly. Only three points."


    ...


    At each place, he recorded the terrain and gave his evaluation.


    This person was Xuan Yangzi, a core elder of the Snake Catchers Sect, who had a keen interest in this area.


    The plan to establish a branch hall was his idea.


    The terrain was still being surveyed, and his true body had not arrived. Only a clone was here.


    Xuan Yangzi moved quickly. Soon, he crossed the fire-ravaged area and reached the deeper parts of the mountains, untouched by the flames.


    "I heard Myriad Serpent Valley is ahead, rich in serpents. I must go and see how many points it deserves," Xuan Yangzi thought expectantly.


    ...


    Thirty miles ahead.


    Hei Huang was walking forward when he suddenly sniffed the air, his expression tensing. "A human cultivator is coming."


    In the past, if Xu Hei heard this, he would have hidden without hesitation.


    But now, with killing intent in his heart, his eyes flashed, and he said with a grim face, "What cultivation level?"


    "Core Formation Stage," Hei Huang answered without thinking, rubbing his nose.


    "Whoosh!" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without another word, Xu Hei turned and fled, disappearing faster than a dog.


    "Hey, I haven''t finished. It''s just a clone, not the true body," Hei Huang shouted.


    "Damn it, why didn''t you say so earlier!"


    Xu Hei stopped in his tracks, cursing as he turned back.


    Xu Hei asked, "What level is this clone?"


    "I don''t know. Clones have different levels. The strongest external incarnation is at least at the False Core Stage, while the weakest paper clone is barely at the Qi Refining Stage," Hei Huang said nonchalantly.


    Xu Hei squinted his eyes. If you don''t know, then why are you talking nonsense?


    Just then, the cultivator behind them approached rapidly, surprising even Hei Huang with his speed.


    He immediately took out a jade talisman, activated it with a spell, and a ripple flashed, making Xu Hei and Hei Huang''s figures transparent, blending into the natural environment.


    "Whoosh!"


    The middle-aged scholar''s figure swept past above them.


    But as he passed over Xu Hei and Hei Huang''s heads, he suddenly stopped, as if sensing something. He sniffed the air and landed on the ground.


    "Is this guy part dog too?" Xu Hei thought in surprise.


    "Don''t panic. My invisibility talisman is foolproof. Even a Great Golden Immortal wouldn''t detect us. Trust me!" Hei Huang reassured Xu Hei, holding him back from making any rash moves.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s heart was in his throat, and he didn''t dare to move.


    It was his first time observing a Core Formation Stage cultivator up close!


    Even though it was just a clone, the invisible pressure made Xu Hei''s heart tremble. Why did he come back? He should have just run!


    Xuan Yangzi frowned, observing for a moment before standing with his hands behind his back, closing his eyes, and loudly saying, "Your concealment technique only deserves two points. Stop hiding and come out!"


    With that, he raised his hand and struck a large boulder in front of him.


    The boulder split in two and crumbled into dust.


    There was nothing behind it!


    Xuan Yangzi frowned again and struck another boulder, splitting it open, but still found nothing.


    Xu Hei was puzzled. What was this guy doing?


    "He sensed something but doesn''t know where, so he''s trying to bluff us. Don''t worry," Hei Huang said with a smile.


    "Didn''t you just say even a Great Golden Immortal wouldn''t detect us?" Xu Hei glared at him.


    "Great Golden Immortal is the name of my pet," Hei Huang explained.


    Xu Hei: "..."


    At this moment, Xuan Yangzi was also stroking his chin, falling into self-doubt. He muttered to himself, "Could it be an illusion?"


    After observing again and finding nothing, Xuan Yangzi couldn''t help but shake his head.


    "Tch, this clone is of poor quality. I''ll dismantle it and make a new one when I get back!"


    Saying this, Xuan Yangzi flew up and headed towards Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Hei Huang didn''t move, and neither did Xu Hei.


    After thinking for a moment, Hei Huang suddenly whispered, "Xu Hei, how about we do something big?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    Xu Hei had a bad feeling when he heard this.


    Hei Huang licked his lips, a greedy look flashing in his eyes. "Did you see the storage bag on that clone''s waist? That''s..."


    "Stop!"


    Before he could finish, Xu Hei''s face darkened, interrupting him, "If you want to go, go by yourself. I don''t want to die!"


    This old dog was too bold. They couldn''t even handle a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and he wanted to target a Core Formation Stage one. Where did he get the courage?


    "Hey, listen to me! That clone is just a paper tiger, barely at the Foundation Establishment level, with even weaker resistance. One stab and it''s done. Trust me, I''m not bragging. I have more than a fifty percent chance of taking him down!"


    "We''ll split the loot fifty-fifty. That''s a Core Formation Stage cultivator''s storage bag. Who knows how many spirit stones are in there? Who knows how many Spirit-Tail Chickens we could buy!"


    Hei Huang kept persuading, but Xu Hei was unmoved, shaking his head like a rattle drum.


    "Kill the clone, and there''s still the true body. I don''t want a Core Formation Stage cultivator holding a grudge. If you want to go, go by yourself," Xu Hei shook his head.


    Hei Huang pondered for a while, then suddenly squinted his eyes, staring coldly at Xu Hei. "Xu Hei, don''t you want revenge? Your home was burned down!"


    Hearing this, Xu Hei''s shaking head immediately stopped.


    After a moment, his eyes gradually filled with blood.

 Chapter 38: Pitfall Killing Core Formation Stage Avatar

    Chapter 38: Pitfall Killing Core Formation Stage AvatarHei Huang, seeing that his words were having an effect, continued to fan the flames, "Xu Hei, Xu Hei, others have burned the wild boars you raised, the sheep you tended, your mountain, your chickens, ducks, and birds! Don''t you hate them? Don''t you want revenge?"


    "Do you want to be a stray dog for the rest of your life?"


    Hei Huang''s words grew more and more fervent.


    Xu Hei turned to look at him, coldly saying, "You''re the dog."


    "That''s not the point. The question is, do you want revenge?" Hei Huang urged.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, then said, "A fifty percent chance is too low."


    Hei Huang laughed, "I was talking about my chances alone. With you, the odds will be much higher."


    Xu Hei seemed to be considering this.


    After a moment, he took out a black-gold scale from his storage bag and placed it on the ground. "With this, how much higher?"


    This was a black-gold scale Xu Hei had plucked from his tail and stored in his storage bag. He had discovered that once the scale was removed, it would gradually lose its spiritual essence over time, becoming dull and no longer sharp. Only when it was freshly plucked was its power at its peak. Even so, its sharpness was still formidable, making it a rare weapon. The one he had now was plucked just yesterday, and its power was still at half strength.


    Hei Huang took the scale, scraped it against his palm, and saw blood. His eyes lit up.


    "Seventy percent! No, eighty percent!" Hei Huang exclaimed excitedly.


    "Alright, I''ll add fuel to the fire as needed," Xu Hei said.


    "Then it''ll be over ninety percent," Hei Huang laughed.


    ...


    Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Upon arriving, Xuan Yangzi swept his Divine Sense across the valley, quickly surveying the entire area.


    A glint of excitement flashed in his eyes.


    "Perfect! No, beyond perfect. This is an ideal serpent breeding ground!"


    "Every spring, it attracts all the serpents within a two-hundred-mile radius. What could be more thrilling?"


    Xuan Yangzi was visibly excited.


    He observed the area repeatedly, confirming his findings and recording them in a jade slip, giving it a perfect score in his mind.


    "It''s time to send this jade slip back. The master will be pleased," Xuan Yangzi smiled.


    Suddenly, his gaze sharpened, shooting towards the rear like lightning.


    "Hmph, I thought it was an illusion, but someone is indeed following me!"


    Xuan Yangzi vanished from his spot and instantly appeared atop a mountain peak.


    The place seemed ordinary, but he noticed a half-drawn formation etched into the ground.


    "Trying to hide, are we?"


    Xuan Yangzi snorted coldly, stomping his foot. A scream of "Ouch!" came from within the mountain, and the ground exploded, sending a black dog flying and landing on the ground.


    "Oh? A mangy dog? Where''s your master?"


    Xuan Yangzi raised his hand, activating the Gravity Technique, lifting the black dog into the air.


    The black dog merely grinned at him.


    "Boom!"


    Suddenly, the black dog''s body exploded into pieces.


    "An illusion formation?"


    Xuan Yangzi''s expression changed. He immediately realized he had stepped into an illusion formation, causing various hallucinations. The half-drawn formation was likely part of the illusion.


    His Divine Sense was sealed, unable to detect any fluctuations, confirming it was an illusion formation.


    However, he reacted decisively, throwing the jade slip towards the horizon. The jade slip soared at an incredible speed, flying far away.


    His mission as a clone was to survey the terrain and gather information. Dying was inconsequential.


    The opponent''s illusion formation was so convincing that even he couldn''t tell it was fake, indicating a formidable adversary.


    "Do you really think what just happened was an illusion?"


    Suddenly, a cold voice whispered in his ear.


    Xuan Yangzi''s eyes narrowed. The black dog that had exploded into pieces suddenly reformed, holding a black-gold scale.


    "Slash!"


    A flash of cold light, and Xuan Yangzi''s head flew off, his eyes still filled with shock.


    The black dog''s explosion had been real! It wasn''t an illusion!


    Hei Huang''s lips curled into a triumphant smile.


    However, the next second!


    Xuan Yangzi''s headless body suddenly moved, raising an arm to grab Hei Huang by the neck, lifting him up and holding him tightly.


    Hei Huang''s face changed drastically as he looked at the severed head on the ground, which was staring at him with a sinister smile.


    "I''m just a wooden puppet clone. Losing my head doesn''t matter. I''m not dead. Your trick only earns you six points, barely passing."


    Xuan Yangzi''s head sneered, with no blood at the severed neck, only wooden carvings.


    It was a wooden puppet clone, unaffected by losing its head.


    "Slash! Slash!"


    At that moment, Xuan Yangzi''s smile froze.


    Several black-gold scales flew out of nowhere, slicing his head in half, his arms into four pieces, his legs into three, and his body into countless fragments, turning into pieces of wood scattered on the ground.


    "Fireball Technique!"


    Xu Hei appeared, spitting a fireball that engulfed the wooden fragments, causing them to emit agonized screams as traces of Divine Sense were burned.


    After a long while, the Divine Sense was completely incinerated, reduced to nothingness.


    Hei Huang fell to the ground, panting heavily, his face pale. He cursed, "Miscalculation! It was a wooden puppet clone. Such a valuable thing used for scouting, what a waste!"


    Xu Hei ignored him, casting another fireball to burn the charred wood into black ash.


    "Fireball Technique!"


    Xu Hei spat another fireball, melting the ground into magma, leaving nothing behind.


    "Stop, stop, it''s already dead!" Hei Huang cursed.


    Xu Hei finally stopped.


    He retrieved the scales he had shot out, swallowing them one by one, then looked at Hei Huang. "This is the eighty percent chance you mentioned? How could it be so weak?"


    Hei Huang snorted, "To weaken his power, I used a costly formation to seal his Divine Sense. Otherwise, how could you ambush him? I even kept the jade slip!"


    "Besides, even if you didn''t act, I could have easily dealt with him."


    Hei Huang stubbornly defended himself, rattling off a list of reasons. Xu Hei didn''t argue, instead looking towards the horizon.


    The jade slip that had flown out seemed to hit an invisible wall, unable to escape. Hei Huang waved his hand, retrieving the jade slip. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It recorded everything encountered along the way, including their confrontation. If it were sent back, it would cause great trouble.


    Xu Hei scanned the jade slip with his Divine Sense, then destroyed it, burning it to ashes.


    "Is it safe now?" Xu Hei asked, still uneasy.


    "Not yet. Although the message didn''t get through, the fact that someone at the Core Formation Stage died here means they''ll come to investigate," Hei Huang said.


    Before he finished speaking, Xu Hei had already vanished.


    Hei Huang: "..."

 Chapter 39: Escaping is shameful but useful

    Chapter 39: Escaping is shameful but usefulMyriad Serpent Valley, within an underground serpent cave.


    Xu Hei stared at the storage bag in front of him, noticing a strong Divine Sense imprint on it that he couldn''t erase no matter what he tried.


    After several attempts, Xu Hei had two options: either use the black-gold scales to forcefully break it open, which might damage the contents inside, or swallow it into the Demon God Cauldron and refine it with the cauldron.


    Either way, there was a risk of damaging the items inside.


    Hei Huang appeared beside him, took the storage bag, and glanced at it.


    "Hmph, it''s just a Divine Sense. I can handle it easily."


    He weighed the storage bag in his hand.


    "Are you sure?" Xu Hei asked, not entirely convinced.


    "Leave it to me. Three days, tops," Hei Huang said, patting his chest confidently.


    Xu Hei nodded. In this matter, he still trusted the old dog.


    Afterward, Xu Hei went outside Myriad Serpent Valley and bid a hasty farewell to the little white snake and the wolf king.


    Before leaving, Hei Huang raised his hand and sent two strands of Divine Sense into their minds.


    "What is this?" Xu Hei asked, puzzled.


    "Some memory inheritance to help them gain wisdom. This is my unique secret technique; you won''t find another like it in the world," Hei Huang said proudly.


    At this moment, the eyes of the little white snake and the wolf king flashed with a human-like intelligence.


    Then, Hei Huang cast two golden light spells, leaving them on the little white snake and the wolf king to protect them in life-and-death situations.


    "Let''s go. The memory inheritance can''t be digested in a short time. It will take at least ten days to half a month. How far they can go depends on their fate," Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei sighed and turned to leave. He had only met these two creatures by chance and didn''t know when he would see them again.


    Hei Huang glanced at the terrain of Myriad Serpent Valley and sighed, "What a blessed land. It''s a pity it will benefit others."


    He could naturally see the unique structure of Myriad Serpent Valley, which could automatically absorb Spiritual Qi from the heavens and earth into the valley, forming a natural Gathering Spirit Array. Over time, it would even give birth to Spirit Medicines.


    Such a terrain was quite rare among blessed lands.


    After Xu Hei left, he remained silent along the way. Hei Huang could see his mood and didn''t try to persuade him. This was a path every powerful cultivator had to walk.


    The weak could only bow their heads and run when facing the strong, or else they would die.


    Xu Hei understood this and didn''t let his hot-bloodedness lead him to a pointless death, which made Hei Huang very pleased.


    Xu Hei felt the same way.


    ...


    Far away, in the southern region of Chu Kingdom, within a sect''s cave dwelling.


    A middle-aged scholar meditating with closed eyes suddenly opened them, a strange light flashing in his gaze.


    "The wooden puppet clone is dead."


    "Even the recording jade slip was left behind, and the Divine Sense on the storage bag was erased. Who could have done this?"


    Xuan Yangzi knew that his clone''s strength was average, but its aura and Divine Sense were extremely strong, genuinely at the Core Formation Stage.


    To see through the clone''s nature and dare to attack it, the opponent was either a brainless fool or extremely powerful, not fearing him at all.


    "Hmph, I didn''t expect Myriad Serpent Valley to attract competitors."


    "I''m getting more and more interested."


    Xuan Yangzi closed his eyes again, lightly tapping the ground with his finger, entering a state of calculation. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the southern region of Chu Kingdom, no one dared to oppose the Snake Catchers Sect, so it could only be an opponent from another country or perhaps a provoked great demon.


    "Su Bei!" Xuan Yangzi called out in a low voice.


    Moments later, a young man in a yellow robe appeared and respectfully bowed, "Greetings, Master."


    "Take five inner disciples and go to the vicinity of Myriad Serpent Valley to investigate the person who attacked my clone," Xuan Yangzi ordered.


    "Yes!" The young man in the yellow robe flashed and disappeared from sight.


    ...


    In the days that followed, the snake and the dog traveled south, crossing mountains and rivers. Besides avoiding forest fires, they also had to evade the strong members of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    As they ventured deeper into the mountains, they occasionally encountered powerful demonic beasts, even once encountering a Foundation Establishment great demon. But with the old dog''s keen nose, they could always avoid danger in advance.


    During this time, Xu Hei didn''t idle. He tempered his physical body and honed his foundation every day.


    "Earth Escape Technique!"


    Xu Hei''s body sank, drilling into the ground. He wanted to use the pressure of the earth to temper his body. This was the simplest yet most effective method.


    Previously, he could only dive up to a hundred meters.


    This time, Xu Hei descended two hundred meters, three hundred meters... and kept going.


    "Take it easy. If you can''t get back up, I won''t save you!" the old dog''s voice echoed from afar.


    At this moment, Xu Hei had descended from the soil layer to the sand layer. Here, the soil was no longer soft but mixed with a lot of sand and gravel, greatly increasing the pressure.


    Even with the Earth Escape Technique, it was difficult to move here.


    Although Xu Hei feared death, he was no coward.


    He was like a venomous snake, hiding in the dark, cultivating diligently, waiting to deliver a fatal blow when the opponent was off guard!


    "If humans lose their True Qi, they become weak and vulnerable! I am a demonic beast; I cannot be as fragile as humans. I must become stronger!"


    Xu Hei''s resolve was firm.


    Under the immense pressure, his muscles and bones creaked, the heavy force squeezing his flesh, making it hard to breathe or move.


    But Xu Hei''s eyes were bright, his willpower unprecedentedly strong, as if he had found his path to cultivation.


    The Demon God Cauldron trembled violently, emitting vast and heavy waves, merging with his body to resist the earth''s pressure.


    Suddenly, the black-gold scales on his tail began to regrow.


    One, two, three...


    Soon, the scales covered his tail, and their number continued to increase, surpassing the previous limit.


    Unknowingly, the number of scales on Xu Hei''s tail exceeded twenty.


    "Sure enough, the number of scales is linked to the strength of my physical body. The stronger my body, the more scales I have," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    His cultivation had reached the peak of the mid-Spiritual Awareness stage, but his physical body had not, leaving much room for improvement.


    When Xu Hei reached his limit, he returned to the surface, collapsing from exhaustion.


    A week passed in such days.


    Xu Hei traveled a long distance, not knowing how far he had gone.


    According to Hei Huang, they were no longer in Chu Kingdom''s territory. If they continued forward and crossed a great river, they would reach another country, the Qin Kingdom.


    Finally, the old dog erased the Divine Sense on the storage bag.


    "Damn, I can finally open it. That Divine Sense was tough to crack!"


    Hei Huang lay on the ground, panting heavily. It had taken him a whole week to erase the Core Formation cultivator''s Divine Sense.


    "Open it and see."


    Xu Hei hurried over. If there wasn''t a substantial reward for taking such a risk, it wouldn''t be worth it.


    "You open it. I''m out of strength."


    Hei Huang, out of breath, didn''t even have the strength to get up and tossed the storage bag over.


    Xu Hei took it suspiciously, scanning it with his Divine Sense, and his expression turned strange.


    The storage bag did contain treasures, but far fewer than he had imagined, mostly common items he had seen before.


    Pills, talismans, herbs, low-level magical treasures, spell jade slips... but not a single Spirit Stone.


    This was far from what he expected from a Core Formation cultivator''s storage bag.


    "Could it be that the old dog pocketed some of it?"


    Xu Hei considered the possibility.


    Spending seven days to open a storage bag was already suspicious, but seeing the old dog panting heavily, it didn''t seem like he was faking it.


    "Why are you staring at me?" Hei Huang asked, sitting up immediately.


    He grabbed the storage bag, glanced inside, and exclaimed, "Damn! Such bad luck, not a single Spirit Stone. All that effort for nothing."


    "These treasures are useless to me, so I''ll give them to you."


    Hei Huang tossed the storage bag to Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei didn''t take it, staring intently at him.

 Chapter 40: Meeting an acquaintance in a foreign land

    Chapter 40: Meeting an acquaintance in a foreign land"According to our agreement, you should get half of these things," Xu Hei said coldly.


    Hei Huang was taken aback, then forced a laugh, "Haha, there''s no need for that. I don''t need these."


    Feeling uneasy under Xu Hei''s gaze, he turned to leave.


    Whoosh!


    Suddenly, Xu Hei lunged at him with his mouth wide open.


    "Ah! Stop, let''s talk this out!"


    Hei Huang screamed repeatedly, using both hands and feet to hold Xu Hei''s jaws apart.


    "You old dog, hand over the Spirit Stones!"


    "Stop, stop!"


    "Hand them over!"


    "¡­"


    After a fierce struggle, Hei Huang finally spat out ten Spirit Stones, giving half to Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei saw through this old dog.


    Damn it! Too greedy! Even scams his own people.


    He wasn''t even sure if these ten Spirit Stones were all of them.


    "Xu Hei, I''m doing this for your own good. You''re still young. Why do you need so many Spirit Stones? I''m saving them for you to use in critical moments," Hei Huang said earnestly.


    Xu Hei couldn''t be bothered to argue. He took out a large pile of jade slips and began to probe them with his Divine Sense. These human knowledge records were what he craved the most.


    After a short while, Xu Hei skimmed through them and took out one jade slip, placing it in front of him.


    "Wooden Puppet Clone." S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This jade slip recorded the method to refine a Wooden Puppet Clone.


    The old dog had mentioned before that clones were divided into different levels.


    The weakest Paper Puppet Clone only had the strength of the Qi Refining Stage and would burn away easily.


    The Wooden Puppet Clone was also weak, only slightly stronger than the Paper Puppet Clone, but it had the advantage of being able to perfectly imitate the original, in terms of aura and Divine Sense. Unless one had extraordinary vision, it was hard to tell the difference.


    Above that, there were Stone Puppet Clones, Flesh and Blood Clones, and the strongest, the External Incarnation.


    Hei Huang glanced at the jade slip and mocked, "What''s the use of this Wooden Puppet Clone? It''s just for scaring people. Don''t cultivate this. I recommend a type of clone that, if practiced well, can be even stronger than the original!"


    "What?" Xu Hei quickly asked.


    "Puppets!" Hei Huang''s eyes gleamed as he spoke, "Puppet techniques are one of the six arts of cultivation. The Heavenly Puppet Sect, the number one sect in the Qin Kingdom, are experts in this."


    "It''s said that their puppets are stronger than their masters, feel no pain, have physical bodies comparable to Demonic Beasts, and come in large numbers. Releasing a hundred or eighty at once, who can compete with them in the same Realm?"


    Listening to Hei Huang''s boasting, Xu Hei''s mind was filled with vivid images.


    In a battle, without hesitation, releasing a hundred or eighty puppets to gang up on the opponent, wouldn''t that be exhilarating?


    Xu Hei swallowed and muttered to himself, "Then in the future, if I see people from the Heavenly Puppet Sect, I should avoid them."


    Hei Huang: ???


    Isn''t the normal thought process to join if you can''t beat them? Xu Hei, this coward, his first thought is to run away.


    He was speechless.


    "Xu Hei, ahead at the border of the Qin Kingdom, there''s a small frontier town. Let''s go there to buy some body-tempering herbs and some nourishing Demonic Beast meat," Hei Huang suggested.


    Xu Hei didn''t think much and nodded.


    Body tempering consumed a lot, requiring large amounts of meat daily. Hunting alone could no longer suffice.


    The two demons traversed mountains and rivers, continuing forward for fifty miles.


    Gradually, a misty scene appeared ahead, revealing a large river running north to south.


    Yanluo River, its waters swift and turbulent, even wild geese couldn''t cross it. Low-level cultivators couldn''t fly over it either, relying only on ferries.


    On the other side of Yanluo River was the Qin Kingdom.


    Hei Huang took out a black robe and a bamboo hat, covering himself tightly, and walked upright to the dock.


    The ferryman at the dock glanced at Hei Huang, puzzled, but said nothing.


    However, a piercing voice came from the boat.


    "Hey, where did this little dwarf come from? This height, barely a meter tall, right?"


    "Hahaha! Maybe the strong wind on the river will blow him away!"


    The crowd on the boat burst into laughter.


    These people were shirtless, their bodies covered with tattoos of fierce beasts, large knives at their waists, and ferocious faces. They were likely from a nearby gang or bandits.


    Other passersby also looked at Hei Huang, guessing what kind of body was under the black robe, probably a dwarf?


    Hei Huang just snorted coldly and waved his hand.


    Whoosh!


    A gust of wind swept through, and the bandits who had insulted Hei Huang were immediately blown off the boat, flailing in the river.


    The rest were shocked.


    "My heavens, an immortal!"


    "This dwarf¡­ is actually an immortal!"


    The crowd on the boat turned pale. This unremarkable dwarf was actually a cultivator, which was no small matter. No one dared to provoke him.


    The ferryman became courteous, quickly inviting Hei Huang onto the boat. Hei Huang stood proudly and boarded.


    Xu Hei also hid under the black robe, observing the boat''s environment.


    The boat was medium-sized, with two levels, capable of holding over a hundred people.


    The first level was full of mortals, looking at Hei Huang with awe.


    The second level had only two people, a man and a woman, both with extraordinary temperaments, never glancing below.


    The woman, however, frowned slightly, glanced at Hei Huang, then looked away.


    Xu Hei felt that the woman looked familiar, as if he had seen her somewhere before.


    The woman, dressed in purple, seemed about sixteen, with an ethereal and refined aura. There was a faint fluctuation of Spiritual Power within her, indicating she was a cultivator.


    Hei Huang sat at the stern on the first level, motionless, waiting for the boat to depart.


    Gradually, more mortals boarded the boat.


    Finally, a white-bearded elder, holding a horsetail whisk, boarded the ferry. The man and woman on the second level immediately stepped forward to greet him.


    "Junior Qin Ye greets Elder Zhou!"


    "Junior Qiu Ling greets Elder Zhou!"


    The two bowed, and the white-bearded elder quickly returned the gesture, and the three went up to the second level together.


    At this moment, Hei Huang and Xu Hei on the first level were stunned, their eyes wide open.


    "That old man is¡­" Xu Hei''s pupils contracted.


    "Shh! You didn''t see wrong, it''s that old man who raises chickens!" Hei Huang gritted his teeth.


    Xu Hei''s heart was in turmoil.


    Why was Elder Zhou from the Carefree Sect, who raised Spirit-Tail Chickens, here in the Qin Kingdom? And on the same boat, no less? What the hell?


    Xu Hei instinctively wanted to leave, but Hei Huang held him back.


    "Don''t be impulsive. If you leave now, won''t you be discovered?" Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei cursed, "Isn''t your dog''s nose supposed to be sharp? How could you not notice when he''s so close?"


    "Damn it! Who the hell remembers that old man''s sour smell all day? I forgot!" Hei Huang retorted.


    At this moment, Elder Zhou on the second level hadn''t noticed anything unusual, sitting with the two young people, eyes closed, resting.


    Hei Huang couldn''t help but feel puzzled. What was this elder from the Carefree Sect in Chu Kingdom doing in the Qin Kingdom, sitting with someone who seemed like a royal prince?


    He didn''t want to care, as long as they didn''t notice him.


    If they did, he would have no choice but to kill them all. A fierce light flashed in Hei Huang''s eyes.


    Just then, the bandits who had been blown off the boat earlier climbed back from the shore.


    They knelt by the river, kowtowing to the ferry, "Immortal, please forgive us. We didn''t mean it. We deserve to die!"


    As they spoke, they slapped themselves.

 Chapter 41: Linjiang City dines and dashes

    Chapter 41: Linjiang City dines and dashes"Get lost!" Hei Huang''s low growl sent the crowd scattering in panic.


    "Hmm?" The white-bearded elder upstairs opened his eyes and frowned slightly.


    "Elder Zhou, what''s wrong?" Qin Ye, who was beside him, asked.


    "Nothing."


    Zhou Xu shook his head. He felt that the short cultivator looked somewhat familiar, but he couldn''t recall where he had seen him before. Among the people he knew, none were that short.


    He had important matters to attend to here and didn''t want any unnecessary complications, so he didn''t dwell on it.


    ...


    Before long, the ferry set off.


    The boatman hoisted the sail and steered towards the center of Yanluo River.


    The boatman was also a cultivator, though only at the first level of the Qi Refining Stage. However, he had been steering boats for many years and was experienced, following a fixed route that ensured the boat''s safe arrival at the opposite shore.


    Even the mortals on the boat were strong and vigorous, most having practiced martial arts. Otherwise, those with weaker constitutions might have been blown away by the wind.


    The closer they got to the center, the more turbulent the river became, with stronger winds and waves causing the boat to rock.


    Xu Hei, feeling the rushing water, suddenly had an idea. Could he find the most turbulent spot in the water to temper his physical body?


    He had tried tempering his body in the earth before, so perhaps doing it in water was also feasible.


    After eating some demonic beast meat, he could give it a try.


    Just then, he noticed Hei Huang''s paw scratching something on the ground, carving out spiritual power patterns that faintly outlined a miniature formation.


    "This..."


    Xu Hei felt uneasy. What was the old dog up to now?


    "Xu Hei, how about we pull off a big heist and split the loot fifty-fifty?"


    The familiar voice made Xu Hei''s eyes widen.


    It''s one thing if no one noticed you, but you actually want to stir up trouble? Can''t you just stay quiet?


    "How confident are you?"


    "Thirty percent."


    "Then I''ll eat you first!"


    "Heh, just kidding, don''t take it seriously."


    Hei Huang chuckled and erased the formation marks under his paw.


    Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief.


    Thus, everyone safely reached the opposite shore without incident.


    Xu Hei seriously suspected that the old dog had boarded the boat with the intention of killing and robbing, but fortunately, a Foundation Establishment cultivator had boarded midway, making him hesitate. Otherwise, he would have definitely made a move.


    "This old dog''s thoughts are too dangerous. I need to be careful not to get dragged into his schemes," Xu Hei thought warily.


    After disembarking, everyone went their separate ways without any further incidents.


    The white-bearded elder hesitated for a moment after getting ashore and then said to Hei Huang, "Fellow Daoist, have we met before?"


    Hei Huang smiled and replied, "I saw you at an auction once. Didn''t expect you to remember."


    Zhou Xu was taken aback.


    Auction? What nonsense?


    Thinking back, he did attend an auction six years ago. There were too many people and it was too long ago for him to remember clearly.


    "I see. I have important matters to attend to. Farewell!"


    Zhou Xu cupped his hands and turned to leave.


    The young man named Qin gave Hei Huang a deep look but said nothing, following Zhou Xu as they left.


    The group gradually disappeared from sight.


    Xu Hei was surprised. "That''s it?"


    "What else? You want to fight him? Just say the word, and I''ll go after him!" Hei Huang rolled up his sleeves, ready to chase after them.


    "Stop! Pretend I didn''t say anything!"


    Xu Hei quickly pulled him back.


    ...


    In the afternoon, the group followed the road and arrived at the riverside city, Linjiang City.


    Linjiang City, located on the border of the Qin Kingdom, was far from the emperor''s reach, with chaotic order and a mix of good and bad people.


    Many fugitives and wanted criminals hid here, keeping a low profile. Therefore, Hei Huang''s appearance didn''t attract much attention.


    On the streets of Linjiang City, people hurried by with wary expressions, keeping a considerable distance from each other. Even the beggars had sharp eyes, clearly not to be trifled with.


    Hei Huang found a tavern and walked in.


    "I want a top-notch private room and serve all your most expensive dishes, especially the demonic beast meat. Lots of it," Hei Huang shouted.


    The innkeeper, with a sharp face and pale complexion, looked like he had practiced some evil arts and was clearly not someone to mess with.


    He sized up Hei Huang, nodded slightly, and immediately ordered someone to make arrangements.


    Before long, Hei Huang was led into a private room, and plates of delicious food were brought in.


    Xu Hei eagerly crawled out and devoured the food.


    Hei Huang grabbed a wine jar, took a big gulp, and then spat it out, cursing, "What garbage wine, even dogs wouldn''t drink this!"


    He then started eating the dishes.


    Xu Hei could tell at a glance that the wine was drugged, likely with some kind of sedative.


    The two demons had enormous appetites, eating one round after another. After several rounds, Hei Huang was still not satisfied and shouted, "Not enough, not enough, bring everything again!"


    Outside the private room, the waiter grimaced and whispered to the innkeeper, "Boss, this guy has already eaten nearly a thousand taels of silver''s worth of food, including two demonic beasts. Should we keep serving him?"


    The innkeeper, sitting in his chair, coldly replied, "Keep serving until he''s satisfied. Double the dose of the Soft Fragrance Powder."


    Two hours later.


    Xu Hei was completely stuffed, bloated like a ball, unable to eat another bite.


    Hei Huang, not only full, had also sneaked into the kitchen and packed some demonic beast meat.


    "Let''s go!"


    He took out a talisman and activated it, making both of them invisible and blending into the surroundings.


    "Just like that?" Xu Hei was incredulous.


    "Of course! This place is obviously a shady establishment. Be glad they didn''t serve you human flesh. Were you planning to pay?" Hei Huang scolded.


    "I meant, aren''t you going to kill and rob them, splitting the loot fifty-fifty?" Xu Hei asked in surprise.


    "..." Hei Huang was speechless.


    "Bang!"


    Suddenly, the door to the private room was kicked open. The innkeeper, with a grim face, said, "Even emptied the kitchen. You have quite the appetite, aren''t you afraid of bursting?"


    He entered the room, looking around, but saw no one. Furious, he smashed the table with a single palm.


    "Search the place! Daring to dine and dash at my Blood Wolf Tavern, even if you''re a cultivator, I''ll kill you myself!" the innkeeper roared.


    "Yes, sir!"


    The waiter and a group of people rushed out of the tavern. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Meanwhile, Hei Huang and Xu Hei quietly left, found another place, and checked into an inn.


    The inn was a bit more normal. Seeing that Hei Huang was a cultivator, they dismissed any ill intentions and arranged a top-notch room for them.


    Xu Hei climbed onto the bed, seizing the time to refine the demonic beast meat he had just eaten. This time, his physical strength should increase significantly.


    Xu Hei had grown accustomed to the constant trouble and enemies, as it was always the old dog''s doing and had nothing to do with him.


    "You refine slowly. I have some business to attend to. I''ll be back soon."


    Hei Huang put on a raincoat and jumped out the window.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes and looked outside.


    "He left me here and went out alone."


    Xu Hei frowned, feeling uneasy.


    "No, I have to follow him. If the old dog is up to no good again, I won''t even know if I get dragged into it."


    Immediately, Xu Hei took out a talisman and activated it.


    The talisman turned into a beam of light, hitting Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei''s body quickly became transparent, his aura disappearing. Ever since he saw Hei Huang''s invisibility talisman that day, he had asked for two, keeping them for emergencies.


    This thing was excellent for both life-saving and tracking, undetectable even by a Great Golden Immortal.


    Xu Hei''s figure flashed as he slipped out the window, quietly following Hei Huang to see what he was up to.

 Chapter 42: The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind

    Chapter 42: The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behindHei Huang weaved through a series of alleyways, with Xu Hei following closely behind, relentless in his pursuit.


    Moments later, Hei Huang arrived at the city center, in a large marketplace. This place had few mortals; it was teeming with cultivators, with various shops buying and selling treasures.


    Hei Huang stopped in front of an artifact refining shop, taking out a snake-shaped longsword, a curved blade, and a snake bone, and handed them over.


    "Eight spirit stones in total. Deal or no deal?" Hei Huang asked in a low voice.


    The shopkeeper took the items, pondered for a moment, then nodded, "Deal!"


    After pocketing the spirit stones, Hei Huang continued onward, winding through the streets until he reached a shop that bought and sold medicinal herbs.


    He took out a pile of herbs and asked, "Fifteen spirit stones in total. Deal or no deal?"


    After some haggling, he received thirteen spirit stones.


    Next, he visited a pill shop, a demonic beast material shop, and various other shops, selling off numerous treasures in exchange for spirit stones.


    Xu Hei followed closely behind, watching in astonishment.


    "So, this old dog is out here fencing stolen goods. Damn it! He¡¯s pocketed so many treasures!" Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    He could clearly see that the old dog had swiped a large number of treasures from the storage bag and was secretly selling them off!


    No wonder the storage bag from that Foundation Establishment avatar had no valuable treasures left; they had already been pilfered.


    Xu Hei resisted the urge to rush out and bite someone, quietly following behind, watching to see how many spirit stones the old dog could sell, planning to make him cough them all up later.


    ...


    Two cultivators in cloud-patterned white robes sped over from a distance, landing in the marketplace.


    Upon seeing their robes, many stall owners showed expressions of reverence and quickly stood up to greet them.


    These were disciples of the Heavenly Puppet Sect!


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect, the number one sect in the Qin Kingdom, was the overlord of the kingdom, governing every city.


    "Damn it, being assigned to this godforsaken place, I have to stay here for three years before I can return. How did I get so unlucky!" One of the cultivators with a horse-like face said with a gloomy expression.


    "No choice, we haven''t been able to reach Foundation Establishment, so we have to follow orders. Although Linjiang City is chaotic, if handled well, there are still some benefits to be had." The other, a handsome young man, said calmly.


    Both of them were outer disciples of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, assigned to guard Linjiang City due to their lack of talent.


    If it were any other city, it might be fine, but Linjiang City was the place all disciples least wanted to go: remote, chaotic, impoverished, and occasionally plagued by rogue cultivators. Just thinking about it gave them headaches.


    The two first walked around the marketplace, collecting stall fees.


    Then, they headed towards the Myriad Treasure Pavilion.


    "Hmm?"


    The horse-faced youth squinted his eyes, grabbing his companion and pointing at a short masked man ahead, "Did you notice that guy just now?"


    "Yes, he probably committed murder and robbery and came here to fence the goods." The handsome youth said calmly. Such things were too common in Linjiang City for him to bother with.


    The horse-faced youth said nothing, his figure flashed, and he disappeared.


    Myriad Treasure Pavilion.


    This was the largest chain business in the Qin Kingdom, accessible only to cultivators.


    Hei Huang walked into the hall, waved a spirit stone, and said, "Get your manager here, I want to sell some things."


    The receptionist immediately realized a distinguished guest had arrived and quickly called the manager to the hall.


    "Take a look, how much is this worth in total?" Hei Huang threw out a storage bag.


    The manager took it, scanned it with his divine sense, and immediately widened his eyes.


    He took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Fellow Daoist, why don''t we discuss this inside?"


    Hei Huang nodded and walked into the reception room.


    Xu Hei did not follow him in, waiting outside the Myriad Treasure Pavilion.


    About the time it takes to burn a stick of incense later, Hei Huang came out.


    He walked out of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, looked around, and headed into an alley.


    "What is he up to now?" Xu Hei wondered.


    Just as he was about to follow, a horse-faced youth rushed into the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, quickly asking the manager, "What did that short man in black come here for?"


    Beside the horse-faced youth was the handsome young man, both wearing the same cloud-patterned robes.


    Seeing they were from the Heavenly Puppet Sect, the manager trembled in fear and quickly cupped his fists, "He sold many jade slips and magical treasures from the Snake Catchers Sect, exchanging them for a large number of body-tempering pills and late-stage demonic beast meat."


    The manager did not hide anything, recounting everything truthfully.


    "How much were those treasures worth?" the horse-faced youth asked again.


    "About a hundred spirit stones." The manager answered honestly.


    The horse-faced youth''s eyes flashed, and he immediately chased after Hei Huang in the direction he had disappeared.


    "Brother Yu, wait!"


    Suddenly, the handsome young man stepped forward, saying seriously, "We just arrived, we should be cautious before figuring out the other party''s background. That person is openly fencing stolen goods and leaving without hiding his identity, which means he''s not afraid of being targeted!"


    Yu Qiang sneered, "I just find his actions suspicious and want to question him, not do anything to him."


    "..." The handsome youth frowned slightly.


    Question him? In Linjiang City, who could withstand questioning? S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Questioning was equivalent to a fight to the death, to kill and rob.


    He shook his head and sighed, "I''ll go with you."


    The two chased after Hei Huang into the alley.


    Xu Hei stood nearby, witnessing the entire scene, his mind racing.


    "To attract the attention of Heavenly Puppet Sect disciples, this damned dog is really unlucky!"


    Xu Hei didn''t want to get involved, but Hei Huang seemed to have exchanged for many body-tempering pills and demonic beast meat. This meant Hei Huang hadn''t completely pocketed everything and had bought some things for him.


    He didn''t care if the old dog died, but he didn''t want his pills to be ruined.


    "Let''s follow and see."


    Xu Hei suddenly sped up and followed.


    He vaguely felt that the old dog''s blatant fencing might be a trap.


    Catching small fry was one thing, but these were Heavenly Puppet Sect disciples, big sharks. Wasn''t he afraid of being swallowed?


    "What a hassle!"


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly, cursing the old dog''s entire family a thousand times.


    Hei Huang was in front, the two Heavenly Puppet Sect disciples in the middle, and Xu Hei at the back.


    Unknowingly, this group chased all the way to the east of the city, the most desolate area.


    The houses here were dilapidated, nine out of ten were empty, and almost no one was in sight. This place used to be a gang''s stronghold, later wiped out by enemies, with several streets slaughtered clean, left abandoned ever since.


    Now, it had become the residence of vagrants and stray dogs.


    "Hmm? Where is he?"


    Yu Qiang saw Hei Huang rush into a broken house, but when he walked over, he found no one, only a big black dog peeing in the corner.

 Chapter 43: The Heavenly Puppet Sect is skilled at nesting dolls

    Chapter 43: The Heavenly Puppet Sect is skilled at nesting dollsYu Qiang spread his Divine Sense, but he still couldn''t locate the opponent''s figure. However, the opponent''s presence hadn''t vanished; it was right nearby.


    Another handsome young man frowned, a sense of extreme vigilance rising in his heart.


    The opponent had clearly discovered they were being followed and deliberately lured them here. This secluded place was perfect for murder and corpse disposal.


    He cupped his fists towards the front and said, "Fellow Daoist, we are outer disciples of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, here to manage the order of Linjiang City. We mean no harm. Please show yourself."


    No response.


    Yu Qiang sneered, "Senior Brother Zhao, your words are too formal. They might not understand. Let me try."


    He stepped forward and shouted towards the house in front, "Shorty, you have three breaths to come out and accept questioning, or you''ll end up like this dog!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, he flicked his finger, and a sharp light struck the black dog that had just urinated.


    "Awwooo!"


    The black dog let out a miserable cry, its body split in two, blood flowing everywhere.


    "One breath!" Yu Qiang said coldly.


    The black dog''s body twitched, then lay motionless, lifeless.


    A flash of surprise crossed Yu Qiang''s eyes. He took two steps forward and said, "Two breaths!"


    Suddenly, the front half of the black dog''s corpse flew out, its mouth wide open, biting towards Yu Qiang.


    Yu Qiang''s lips curled into a mocking smile, "Did you think I wouldn''t know it was you?"


    He patted his Storage Bag, and a large number of lizard puppets flew out, spitting fireballs towards the black dog''s body while he swiftly retreated.


    He had suspected the dwarf''s height during the chase. The sudden disappearance and the appearance of a big black dog made it clear. There was no doubt; he immediately guessed that the black dog was the dwarf cultivator!


    It seemed like he was venting his anger on the black dog, but he was actually testing it.


    The only surprise was that the dog didn''t dodge and was directly split in half.


    Now it made sense; the dog wasn''t dead at all!


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    The fireballs spat by the lizards exploded near the old black dog, creating a large burst of blood.


    The house collapsed, smoke and dust rose, and pieces of flesh and bone, mixed with blood, flew everywhere.


    Strangely, the pieces of the corpse didn''t die but instead flew towards Yu Qiang.


    "What an evil technique!" Yu Qiang squinted his eyes.


    Xu Hei, hiding in the shadows, watched the scattered pieces of the corpse in the sky and thought to himself, "So that''s what a rogue cultivator means."


    "Plop, plop, plop..."


    Some pieces of flesh splattered onto the lizard puppets, causing all of them to stop moving and lose their luster.


    These lizards were unique secret techniques of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, mechanical puppet beasts. Almost every disciple of the sect had at least a hundred of them.


    At this moment, any puppet that was stained with Hei Huang''s blood became ineffective.


    Seeing this, the horse-faced youth Yu Qiang''s eyes were full of seriousness. He took out a giant frog puppet, which swallowed the flying pieces of flesh in one gulp.


    But in the next second, the giant frog puppet lost its luster and disintegrated into powder, with the flesh inside shooting out towards him.


    "What?"


    Yu Qiang was horrified. This giant frog puppet was one of his trump cards, invincible below Foundation Establishment, yet it was defeated in one breath?


    Without hesitation, he turned to flee, but the street ahead turned into a sea of blood mist, extremely viscous, like a bloodthirsty maw, sealing his escape route.


    "I am a disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect. Do you dare to kill me?" Yu Qiang shouted angrily.


    The handsome young man Zhao Yiduo came to Yu Qiang''s side, holding a wind sail. With a vigorous shake, a strong wind blew away a large part of the blood mist.


    "Junior Brother Yu, no need to waste words with him. Let''s join forces and kill this thief!" Zhao Yiduo shouted.


    "Alright!"


    Yu Qiang gritted his teeth, took out a large number of puppets, and threw them out. Zhao Yiduo also cast spells, engaging in a fierce battle.


    As time passed, more and more blood mist appeared. The two of them gradually got injured, their True Qi chaotic. Defeat was only a matter of time.


    Xu Hei glanced at the situation, sighed, and turned to leave.


    The outcome was decided. These two were doomed, with no chance of victory!


    "This old dog has become so powerful, silently and insidiously. Damn it!"


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth. Hei Huang''s strength gave him a sense of urgency. He couldn''t fall behind; he had to become even stronger than the old dog.


    The time limit for the Invisibility Talisman was up. Xu Hei exited invisibility and left the East City Street, planning to return and wait.


    After crossing two streets, he was about to leave the East District.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei stopped in his tracks.


    His gaze fixed on a figure in the corner ahead, motionless.


    It was a beggar, disheveled and dirty, with an indistinguishable appearance, seemingly ordinary.


    However, the beggar''s fingers were twitching.


    Like playing a zither, his hands moved rhythmically, as if plucking invisible strings in the air.


    Xu Hei crept closer, but the beggar remained motionless, completely unaware of Xu Hei''s approach.


    "This person is... no, something''s wrong!"


    Xu Hei didn''t rashly extend his Divine Sense, just quietly observed.


    The beggar''s attention was entirely focused, oblivious to the surroundings, as if his mind was elsewhere.


    A sudden flash of insight hit Xu Hei''s mind, bringing up the image of the handsome young man.


    Initially, when the horse-faced youth wanted to pursue, the handsome young man had advised against it, clearly not a reckless person.


    And finally, when the horse-faced youth was defeated and tried to retreat, using the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s name to threaten, the handsome young man instead urged him to fight to the death, which was somewhat illogical.


    This only indicated one thing: the handsome young man was confident.


    Why was he so confident?


    Xu Hei''s mind buzzed, thinking of a possibility.


    "Could that handsome young man be a fake?"


    It''s said that the puppet techniques of the Heavenly Puppet Sect can create puppets identical to humans, indistinguishable from the real thing. If so, it made sense.


    This beggar in front of him was the real body! S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What if this beggar is also a fake?"


    Xu Hei didn''t act rashly, to avoid alerting the real mastermind.


    He immediately took action, spreading his Divine Sense to search the surroundings.


    The real body and the puppet couldn''t be too far apart.


    After searching, Xu Hei confirmed there were no other suspicious individuals nearby, only this beggar.


    "This person might have life-saving means. When I strike, it must be fatal, leaving no chance of survival!"


    Xu Hei immediately moved, painfully plucking three of his scales to set up traps around.


    At the same time, he arranged all the offensive Talismans he had obtained earlier: Fire Explosion Talisman, Wind Blade Talisman, Thunder Strike Talisman...


    Still feeling unsafe, he took out two Magical Treasures, the Thunder Seal and the Beast Control Ring.


    Finally, he climbed to the wall behind the person, his throat swelling, True Qi rapidly compressing in his mouth.


    This was his strongest attack, the ultimate deluxe version of the Fireball Technique.

 Chapter 44: Kill and scatter the ashes in one go

    Chapter 44: Kill and scatter the ashes in one goThe fireball, condensed to its extreme, had turned into a deep black color, its heat distorting the air and melting the ground.


    Xu Hei didn''t care how many defensive measures this person had; this strike would turn him to ashes!


    "Die!"


    Xu Hei spat out a mouthful of black flames, which swept forward and shot towards the wall. At the same time, he activated the Gravity Technique from a distance, firmly locking the opponent in place, preventing any movement.


    "Hmm?"


    The beggar behind the wall immediately widened his eyes. As soon as he realized an attack was coming, his body was bound by an invisible force¡ªthis was the basic spell, Gravity Technique!


    With his late-stage Qi Refining cultivation, he could easily break free from this level of Gravity Technique, but it still slowed him down slightly.


    "Ha!"


    With a low shout, the beggar stepped forward. The fireball exploded behind him, striking his back. A series of light circles lit up on his back¡ªthis was the protective light of a Magical Treasure.


    However, the power of the fireball was truly beyond imagination. The protective light quickly filled with cracks.


    The jade pendant on his chest shattered, forming a water sphere that enveloped him, preventing the flames from touching him.


    Just as the beggar was about to breathe a sigh of relief, the ground beside him exploded. A large number of talismans activated simultaneously, bombarding him like a torrential storm.


    "What the hell is this?"


    The beggar''s face changed dramatically. As lightning, fire, and wind blades shot towards him, he almost instinctively placed a copper bell in front of him. But it was instantly slashed apart by three black-gold scales.


    "No!!"


    The beggar let out a miserable scream as various attacks descended, completely engulfing his figure.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..."


    The ground shook, and the entire street''s buildings collapsed as if the sky had fallen.


    All of this, though seemingly slow, happened in the blink of an eye.


    Zhao Yiduo couldn''t understand until his death why a mid-stage Spirit Communion demonic beast would launch such an outrageous attack.


    His original plan was to sacrifice a puppet clone and join forces with Yu Qiang to kill that black dog. Even if they failed, he could use the opportunity to get rid of Yu Qiang and escape this burden.


    But he never expected his true body to be caught!


    "Fireball Technique! Fireball Technique!"


    "Thunder Seal!"


    Xu Hei continued to bombard the ruins in front of him relentlessly.


    His Divine Sense could still detect a faint trace of the opponent''s aura, though it was very weak.


    "Thunder!"


    Xu Hei activated the Thunder Seal, sending bolts of lightning towards the source of the aura, lifting the ground layer by layer, as if the sky was collapsing. The terrifying vibrations could be clearly heard even outside the East District.


    Although Linjiang City often experienced bloody battles, such commotion was rare, causing nearby residents to flee in panic to avoid being caught in the crossfire.


    "Which gang is fighting?"


    "This noise, it must be at least twenty late-stage Qi Refining cultivators clashing!"


    The distant crowd looked towards the east, their hearts trembling.


    It took a full stick of incense''s time for the chaos to subside.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, exhausted and drained. The faint aura finally dissipated under his continuous bombardment.


    Even after it dissipated, he continued to attack for a long time before sticking on an Invisibility Talisman and crawling forward to the massive crater.


    The entire street''s buildings were gone, and the crater looked like it had been bombarded countless times, full of pits and darkness. The person''s body was completely gone, not even ashes remained, and the storage bag was blown to bits.


    However, a few items remained intact.


    There was a broken copper bell, a set of silver inner armor, a black jade stone, and a pile of unknown metal materials.


    And Xu Hei''s three scales.


    Xu Hei stuck on an Invisibility Talisman, collected the treasures, swallowed the scales, and quickly left.


    "These treasures didn''t break after such a long attack; they must be extraordinary," Xu Hei thought excitedly.


    He was almost certain that the beggar was the true body of that handsome young man, and the young man was just a puppet.


    This person''s life-saving treasures were indeed numerous. Fortunately, Xu Hei had prepared in advance; otherwise, if he hadn''t killed him in one strike, he would have escaped.


    "This guy is really afraid of death, using a puppet to deceive people. Haha, but I do admire this tactic!" Xu Hei chuckled to himself.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, Hei Huang''s dog paws were groping the heads of two people.


    "Damn! It''s a fake!"


    He threw Zhao Yiduo''s body aside, cursing.


    However, he did find something in Yu Qiang''s mind.


    "After all this effort, I only got the first layer of puppet techniques. The Heavenly Puppet Sect is really stingy, not even teaching the full technique!"


    Hei Huang''s mouth twitched.


    Since he had obtained a dog''s body, he couldn''t move around the human world as a dog; he needed a human identity.


    In the short term, he couldn''t perform body snatching, so he had to resort to puppet techniques to create a human-shaped puppet.


    That''s why he targeted the disciples of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Killing and soul-searching was the most convenient method.


    However, he only found the first layer of puppet techniques, which could only create some mechanical beasts, not human puppets.


    "There was some commotion over there just now, probably caused by that brat Xu Hei."


    After destroying the evidence, Hei Huang donned a black robe and mask and swiftly left.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside an inn.


    Members of the Blood Wolf Gang crowded into Xu Hei''s guest room, with shadows of people inside and outside, laying ambushes in layers.


    The leader, with a pale face and cold eyes filled with killing intent, was none other than the innkeeper, Blood Wolf.


    "Boss, that short cultivator is back! He''s on his way!"


    A black-clad subordinate ran over and reported respectfully.


    Blood Wolf immediately stood up, sneering, "Good! Daring to dine and dash, I''ve finally caught you. Today, I''ll make you vomit everything you ate and kneel before me, begging for mercy!"


    A stick of incense later.


    Blood Wolf, covered in blood, knelt on the ground, continuously kowtowing and begging for mercy.


    As for Xu Hei, he hung from the beam, not even glancing at them.


    "Senior, please spare me. I was blind and offended you. I deserve to die! I deserve to die! I''ll do anything you ask!"


    Blood Wolf kowtowed and slapped himself, his intestines turning green with regret for provoking these two fiends. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They had dined and dashed, and he thought they were weak, but they turned out to be so fierce.


    "If you want to live, give me a reason," Hei Huang said coldly.


    Blood Wolf trembled all over, taking out a piece of paper and a token, "This is the deed to the inn, and this is the token of the Blood Wolf Gang, and a censer for contacting the Heavenly Puppet Sect disciples..."


    Blood Wolf took out various items from his storage bag, introducing them one by one.


    "Not bad! I won''t kill you; you can leave," Hei Huang nodded slightly.


    "Thank you, Senior, for your mercy!"


    Blood Wolf, as if granted amnesty, scrambled towards the door.


    Xu Hei suddenly spat out a fire, setting Blood Wolf ablaze. He fell to the ground, screaming.


    "He said he wouldn''t kill you; I didn''t say that," Xu Hei said.


    "......"


    Moments later, Blood Wolf was burned to ashes.


    Xu Hei went up and picked up the miscellaneous items.


    Hei Huang hesitated for a moment and said, "Did you take care of Zhao Yiduo''s true body?"


    Xu Hei was stunned, "Who''s Zhao Yiduo?"


    "The disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect?"


    "What are you talking about?"


    Xu Hei pretended to be confused.


    Seeing that the other party wouldn''t admit it, Hei Huang had no choice but to come clean, explaining what had happened.


    He also admitted his mistake, saying he had kept some treasures for himself but had helped Xu Hei exchange them for pills to make up for it.


    "Enough with the nonsense. You killed two Heavenly Puppet Sect disciples; shouldn''t you be running? I''m leaving first," Xu Hei said.

 Chapter 45: Being a snake cant be too honest

    Chapter 45: Being a snake can''t be too honestA snake and a dog quickly left the inn and Linjiang City, arriving at a secluded spot by the river. Within a ten-mile radius, there wasn''t a trace of human presence.


    Afterward, they happily divided their spoils, strictly adhering to their fifty-fifty plan.


    Hei Huang took out a large amount of pills and demonic beast meat, all beneficial for Xu Hei''s cultivation. Their value was over a hundred spirit stones, enough to sustain Xu Hei for half a year.


    He also promised never to hold back again.


    Xu Hei didn''t believe a word of it. This old dog suddenly became so powerful; who knows how many good things he''s hiding?


    However, Xu Hei still took out the three treasures from Zhao Yiduo.


    A broken copper bell, a set of silver soft armor, and a pile of metal materials for making puppets.


    "These are the items Zhao Yiduo dropped. I burned his storage bag, and only these were left," Xu Hei said.


    Hei Huang picked up the copper bell. It had three scratches on it, almost cutting it in half, clearly caused by those scales.


    The silver soft armor was Zhao Yiduo''s personal inner armor.


    "An inferior-grade spiritual treasure! What a good find!" Hei Huang exclaimed in surprise as he picked up the armor.


    A spiritual treasure is a magical treasure used by Foundation Establishment cultivators. An inferior-grade spiritual treasure means this armor can defend against early Foundation Establishment attacks.


    However, Zhao Yiduo''s insufficient cultivation meant the armor couldn''t cover his entire body, and Xu Hei''s relentless attacks burned it to ashes.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and asked, "Can you modify it so I can wear it?"


    Hei Huang glanced at Xu Hei and laughed, "When you reach Great Perfection in the Spirit Communion Stage, you might barely be able to use it. For now, forget it."


    As he spoke, he put the armor on himself. The silver inner armor flashed and fit him perfectly.


    "Damn it..."


    Xu Hei almost couldn''t resist the urge to bite him.


    Hei Huang quickly took out a large pile of puppet mechanism beasts and said, "I''ll give you all these puppets. Is that enough?"


    Xu Hei glanced at them. The mechanism beasts included lizards, toads, and birds, all used by Yu Qiang. As for their effectiveness, he would have to find out for himself.


    "I''ll also use this black gold stone to make you an ultimate puppet and strengthen all your puppets as compensation. Is that enough?" Hei Huang pointed at the pile of metal materials.


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth and reluctantly nodded in agreement.


    Hei Huang also took out the collected treasures. After some haggling, Xu Hei decided to convert everything into spirit stones, receiving forty-six in total.


    The division of spoils was successfully completed.


    In fact, Xu Hei had kept one thing to himself: a black jade stone the size of a fingernail.


    Xu Hei felt this was probably the most valuable item on Zhao Yiduo and wanted to study it himself.


    "This old dog is so cunning, he must be hiding something. Damn it, I need to learn from him and not be too honest," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    On their way back, with Zhao Yiduo''s sail, they didn''t need a boat. They could make a bamboo raft to return.


    The trip to Linjiang City had yielded enough resources to sustain their cultivation for more than half a year, enough for Xu Hei to break through to the late Spirit Communion Stage.


    ...


    At this moment, far beyond the Qin Kingdom, in the distant center of the continent.


    A middle-aged man, looking ordinary and like a mortal, sat in front of a grass hut. His appearance was strikingly similar to Zhao Yiduo, though slightly older.


    Suddenly, his eyes flickered with a strange light.


    "My external incarnation, out training, has fallen again."


    The middle-aged man lowered his head, calculated with his fingers, and scenes flashed before his eyes like a revolving lantern.


    These scenes were what his incarnation had seen before its death.


    Losing an incarnation was nothing new, but he always summarized the lessons from each death to be more cautious next time and avoid the same mistakes.


    "Didn''t even see the killer''s face. How peculiar."


    The middle-aged man frowned. In his view, his incarnation''s actions had no flaws, yet it still died.


    Moreover, after its death, the opponent''s attacks continued until the lingering divine sense completely dissipated.


    Being a cautious person himself, he created numerous incarnations to train and summarize the lessons from each death.


    Today, he found someone even more cautious than himself, and he couldn''t help but admire this hidden killer.


    He felt a sense of camaraderie.


    Suddenly, the middle-aged man''s eyes narrowed as he saw three strange black-gold scales in the scenes.


    These scales had pierced through the seemingly indestructible defenses of the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    "What is this?"


    The middle-aged man''s pupils suddenly contracted.


    ...


    A day later.


    Hei Huang found a suitable place for long-term cultivation in the forest on the northern bank of Yanluo River.


    It was an abandoned spirit mine, depleted five hundred years ago and untouched for centuries.


    "I''ve checked. This is the place with the densest spiritual qi within a fifty-mile radius. We''ll cultivate here for now."


    Hei Huang dug a hole with his paws, creating a small cave dwelling.


    Xu Hei entered the cave dwelling and spread out his divine sense. Deep underground, he vaguely found some remnants from the past¡ªalmost disintegrated mine carts, near-fossilized human skeletons, and some mining tools.


    Although the spirit stones had been mined out, the spiritual qi here was still denser than elsewhere.


    Xu Hei took out a large vat, filled it with clear water, and sprinkled in some red medicinal powder.


    Moments later, the water in the vat turned red, with faint signs of boiling.


    "Shaoyang Powder, a top-grade pill for tempering the physical body and refining bones. It''s an extremely rare body-tempering spirit medicine, worth twenty spirit stones for just a little bit." S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and leaped into the vat.


    His skin immediately turned crimson, and his muscles ached intensely. The pain was far stronger than being hundreds of meters underground.


    For better effect, Xu Hei used ten times the amount a human would use.


    "The first body tempering is the most effective. Don''t pass out," Hei Huang said with a smile.


    Xu Hei certainly wouldn''t pass out. His willpower was a hundred times stronger than the average person''s!


    Before long, a layer of old snake skin shed from Xu Hei''s body, turning to ash in the medicinal water. He hadn''t shed his skin during his last breakthrough, so this made up for it.


    Xu Hei could clearly feel his physical strength increasing, matching his cultivation level and continuing to grow.


    Bones grew, meridians toughened, muscles expelled impurities, and every inch of flesh rapidly strengthened.


    This body tempering lasted a full week.


    A week later.


    The water in the vat had evaporated, leaving only a pile of black sludge, the impurities expelled from Xu Hei''s body.


    His body had changed, growing to about three meters long.


    Despite the increased length, Xu Hei felt he could shrink at will.


    "Shrink!"


    With a thought, his bones crackled, and his body shrank by a third, returning to its original two meters.


    "Keep going!"


    Xu Hei continued to shrink, reducing his length to one meter, his limit.


    He exhaled and returned to three meters.


    He crawled around the cave dwelling, moving swiftly, the sound of wind breaking constantly, stirring up dust.


    "Controlling my physical body at will, my strength and speed have increased more than threefold!" Xu Hei thought, stopping his body.


    His cultivation level hadn''t changed, still at the peak of the sixth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, but his strength was incomparable to before.


    The black-gold scales on his tail had grown to thirty, gradually spreading to his torso, no longer confined to his tail.


    Xu Hei speculated that when his physical body reached Great Perfection in the Spirit Communion Stage, the scales might cover his entire body.


    How would his strength change then?


    At the very least, anyone wanting to harm him would have to break through his scales first.


    Xu Hei took out a piece of demonic beast meat and swallowed it. Looking around, he spread his divine sense but didn''t find the old dog.


    His eyes flashed as he took out the black jade stone and examined it closely.


    The jade''s deep color seemed to swallow light, casting a dim aura around it. This was Zhao Yiduo''s relic, and Xu Hei instinctively felt it was a valuable treasure.


    Xu Hei extended his divine sense into it, and even his divine sense was absorbed.


    "What is this..."


    Xu Hei was startled, stepping back a few meters, staring at the jade with some hesitation.


    After a moment, he gathered his courage and continued to probe with his divine sense.


    As his divine sense delved deeper, the jade seemed like a bottomless pit, infinitely extending, which amazed Xu Hei.


    Finally, after his divine sense reached a hundred meters, he encountered a barrier.


    He couldn''t go any further; Xu Hei''s divine sense was only a hundred meters long.


    Xu Hei tried a different direction and found he could go up or down, not just forward.


    "Could it be..."


    Xu Hei gasped, a bold guess forming in his mind, "Is this a massive storage space, a hundred meters in length, width, and height?"

 Chapter 46: Spirit-Eating Ants Beneath the Mine

    Chapter 46: Spirit-Eating Ants Beneath the MineThis speculation was quickly confirmed.


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense explored up, down, left, and right, touching the boundaries in all directions¡ª100 meters long, 100 meters wide, and 100 meters high.


    This was a massive storage space! A thousand times larger than a storage bag!


    And right in the center of this black jade space, Xu Hei finally found Zhao Yiduo''s relics¡ªa mountain of Spirit Stones.


    "This..." Xu Hei gasped.


    At a glance, there were at least a thousand Spirit Stones!


    No wonder when he heard Hei Huang mention a treasure worth a hundred Spirit Stones, he wasn''t tempted at all. It turned out he had so many himself!


    What surprised Xu Hei even more was that beside this small mountain of Spirit Stones, there were five fist-sized Spirit Stones, square and neatly cut, with a density of Spiritual Qi that was on a completely different level.


    Obviously, these square Spirit Stones were of a higher grade!


    "How much demonic beast meat could I buy with this? How many pills?" Xu Hei''s heart raced.


    Initially, he felt heartbroken that the storage bag he burned had destroyed the Spirit Stones inside. But on second thought, even if Spirit Stones were destroyed, they would leave some residue; it was impossible for them to vanish without a trace.


    It turned out they were all hidden here.


    Because the space was so large, Xu Hei had to fully extend his Divine Sense to see the Spirit Stones.


    "This storage space is so vast, it could fit a palace. Could it be that this jade itself is worth more than the Spirit Stones?" Xu Hei wondered.


    Zhao Yiduo, as an outer disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, was at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage, yet he was wealthier than some Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    This person was exceptionally clever and kept a low profile. If he hadn''t encountered Xu Hei and Hei Huang, this black duo, he might have lived a long life.


    "I''m rich, I''m rich," Xu Hei was ecstatic.


    With a thought, he retrieved one of the square Spirit Stones.


    Xu Hei then took out a regular Spirit Stone for comparison. The quality of the square Spirit Stone was a hundred times better than the regular one.


    "I can''t let the old dog know about this, or it''ll definitely be snatched away!" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei was cautious, planning to store the Spirit Stones safely.


    Just then, an unexpected change occurred.


    The square Spirit Stone in front of him suddenly flew uncontrollably into Xu Hei''s mouth, heading straight for the Demon God Cauldron, and collided with its surface.


    To be precise, it hit the Flood Dragon statue on the surface of the Demon God Cauldron.


    "This..."


    Xu Hei was dumbfounded as he watched the square Spirit Stone melt at a visible speed, being absorbed by the Flood Dragon statue.


    "My Spirit Stone!" Xu Hei shouted.


    He watched helplessly as the square Spirit Stone was drained by the Flood Dragon statue, turning into waste.


    It didn''t absorb regular Spirit Stones but insisted on the high-grade ones. What was this statue up to?


    However, Xu Hei faintly felt that after absorbing the Spirit Stone, the Flood Dragon statue seemed to shine a bit more, especially its scales.


    After some thought, Xu Hei took out another square Spirit Stone.


    Sure enough, it was attracted again, absorbed by the statue, and turned into waste.


    In just a moment, he had lost two Spirit Stones.


    "This Flood Dragon statue seems to need these high-grade Spirit Stones. Should I continue?"


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment, looked at the remaining three high-grade Spirit Stones, and decided against it.


    He didn''t know how many Spirit Stones the Flood Dragon statue would need, and with only a few left, it would be a waste. He decided to wait until he had more to try again.


    Xu Hei had a premonition that once the Flood Dragon statue had enough Spirit Stones, it would undergo a strange transformation.


    "I''ll ask Hei Huang where I can get more Spirit Stones. I wonder where the old dog has been these days," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Just as Xu Hei was pondering.


    "Ow! Ow ow!"


    Suddenly, the miserable cries of a black dog came from outside.


    "Xu Hei, save me! Save me!"


    Hei Huang''s voice echoed from underground, extremely shrill, which puzzled Xu Hei. What had the old dog provoked this time to be so terrified?


    "Heh, that old dog must have caused trouble again. Serves him right!"


    Xu Hei chuckled inwardly, feeling a bit schadenfreude.


    He extended his Divine Sense to see what trouble the old dog was in, but in an instant, his eyes widened, his scalp tingled, and he almost jumped out of his skin.


    "Damn it..."


    Xu Hei''s mind went blank. Without hesitation, he activated the Earth Escape Technique and shot upwards at full speed.


    What did he see?


    Deep underground, there were countless white ants, frantically chasing after Hei Huang. They were densely packed, endless, and even billions couldn''t describe their numbers.


    These ants not only burrowed into the mine but also into the soil, devouring everything in their path at an alarming speed. They even had wings and could fly.


    Xu Hei didn''t know what these creatures were, but just seeing their numbers made his skin crawl.


    "Damn it! What kind of place did this stupid dog choose?"


    Xu Hei cursed loudly.


    Xu Hei''s speed had tripled compared to a week ago, allowing him to escape ahead. The old dog was chasing behind, screaming, "Xu Hei, don''t leave me to die! Use your Fireball Technique!"


    "Screw you! You use it!" Xu Hei cursed back.


    These white ants could fly and burrow, moving as fast as lightning. Soon, a few caught up to the old dog''s tail, biting off some fur, making the old dog howl in pain, its legs running so fast they seemed to smoke.


    Fortunately, these ants were only chasing Hei Huang and seemed uninterested in Xu Hei, possibly because he was farther away.

 Chapter 47: The mountain fire burns away, and the white snake emerges

    Chapter 47: The mountain fire burns away, and the white snake emergesBefore long, a snake and a dog escaped from the mine. Hei Huang summoned a wind sail and flew towards Yanluo River, while Xu Hei fled in another direction.


    The swarm of ant-like creatures chased out of the mine but retracted their wings as soon as they were exposed to sunlight, retreating back into the cave.


    Xu Hei watched from a distance, his heart pounding.


    The sheer number of them was beyond description; any creature passing through would be devoured to the bone.


    It took a long time for the swarm to fully retreat, disappearing from his Divine Sense range.


    Hei Huang landed, still shaken, gasping for breath.


    "How did you provoke those things?" Xu Hei asked.


    "I was just curious about what was at the bottom of the mine, so I went to explore. Who knew I¡¯d encounter those Spirit-Eating Ants?" Hei Huang complained. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Spirit-Eating Ants..."


    Xu Hei had never heard of them, but the name alone sounded troublesome.


    "Spirit-Eating Ants feed on Spirit Stones. They usually gather at the bottom of mines, in a dormant state. As soon as a Spirit Stone appears, they wake up and start biting anything with Spiritual Qi like mad," Hei Huang explained.


    Hearing this, Xu Hei suddenly understood, his heart sinking.


    Earlier, he had taken out a Spirit Stone, not just any Spirit Stone, but a high-grade one!


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and asked, "How far can these Spirit-Eating Ants sense a Spirit Stone?"


    "Ordinary Spirit Stones, about a hundred meters. But if it''s a rare high-grade Spirit Stone, they can sense it from thousands of meters away. And for top-grade Spirit Stones, the entire swarm would go berserk. Why are you asking?"


    Hei Huang looked at Xu Hei suspiciously.


    "Nothing," Xu Hei shook his head repeatedly, feeling a bit guilty.


    He wasn''t sure if that square Spirit Stone was top-grade or high-grade, but it was very likely that he had caused the swarm to go berserk.


    So, did he end up screwing over Hei Huang?


    No, it couldn''t be said that way. Hei Huang had chosen this place; he had brought this upon himself by exploring underground.


    "I was wondering why this place was so rich in Spiritual Qi but had no Demonic Beasts. Turns out there were Spirit-Eating Ants hidden below!" Hei Huang muttered, shaking his head.


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment and asked, "Hei Huang, I have a question."


    "What is it?"


    "I had a friend who once saw a square Spirit Stone. What grade is that kind of Spirit Stone?" Xu Hei asked earnestly.


    Hei Huang squinted his eyes and looked at Xu Hei for a few moments before laughing, "That''s a man-made cut, taken from a whole Spirit Vein. It''s at least high-grade."


    "Where can you get high-grade Spirit Stones?" Xu Hei asked again.


    "Killing a Core Formation Stage cultivator might get you one," Hei Huang laughed.


    Xu Hei''s face turned grim. The Flood Dragon statue only consumed high-grade Spirit Stones, and he had to kill a Core Formation Stage cultivator to feed it. Who knew when that would happen?


    So, he really had some dumb luck that Zhao Yiduo had one.


    "However, I suspect that deep beneath this abandoned mine, there might be a semi-abandoned Spirit Vein. You might be able to cut out a hundred or so high-grade Spirit Stones," Hei Huang mused, looking at Xu Hei. "Is your friend interested?"


    Xu Hei chose to avoid the question.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Southern Forest of Chu Kingdom.


    After two months of rampant wildfires, the forest finally welcomed the rainy season in September.


    The rain was torrential, with thunder rolling and dark clouds pressing down, pouring down like a long-restrained beast venting its fury.


    In just three days, the widespread wildfire was completely extinguished, leaving only scorched earth.


    Afterward, a large number of cultivators entered the mountains, searching for prey or fertile soil to plant Spirit Medicine.


    The areas burned by the fire were particularly fertile, ideal for cultivation.


    Most of the Demonic Beasts in the mountains were burned to death. Occasionally, cultivators found Demonic Beast corpses and dug out Inner Cores, or discovered rare Spirit Plant remnants, or found natural Spirit Springs, reaping great rewards.


    With no wild beasts or vegetation to obstruct them, everything was exposed, a windfall for the taking.


    Led by the Snake Catchers Sect, smaller sects like the Carefree Sect, Mountain Movers Sect, and Purple Mist Sect sent large numbers of disciples into the deep mountains to train and search for treasures.


    The Astrology Bureau also dispatched people to seize the opportunity to clear land and expand, building new cities for Chu Kingdom.


    It was a human celebration.


    Deep in the forest.


    A two-meter-long white snake lay motionless in a mud puddle, not daring to make a sound.


    Her body was covered in wounds, her bones broken, utterly exhausted.


    Within a mile on either side, two human cultivators stood on large trees, scanning the area with their Divine Sense.


    "Senior Brother, I''m sure that white snake disappeared around here. She was hit by my Bone-Crushing Hammer; she can''t have gone far!" said a burly man, carrying a giant hammer, with a fierce look on his face.


    He was Xue Hu, a disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect, at the sixth level of the Qi Refining Stage.


    "This demon has devoured five of our Mountain Movers Sect disciples. Today, we must skin her alive and let her die slowly!" said the other, a shorter cultivator with a sinister expression, holding an iron hook and draped in chains.


    He was Zhu Ze, also a disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect, at the eighth level of the Qi Refining Stage.


    Recently, several Mountain Movers Sect disciples had gone missing, all devoured by that Snake Demon. The sect had issued an order: whoever killed the Snake Demon would receive great merit.


    The two spread out, conducting a thorough search, their Divine Sense sweeping through the area.


    Gradually, they got closer to the white snake''s hiding place.


    Under the mud, the white snake gritted her teeth, filled with endless grief and anger.


    These humans had invaded their home, slaughtered their kin, set the mountains on fire, and sought to exterminate her.


    Before, she had no concept of home, enemies, or friends.


    But since she gained sentience, she understood everything.


    For revenge, she had devoured one human cultivator after another, but her power was too insignificant, far from being able to compete with humans!


    In her final moments, a black figure appeared in her memory.


    It was a snake with pale golden pupils and special scales on its tail.


    In this life, she feared she would never see it again.


    Suddenly, a loud wolf howl echoed from afar.


    Then, several fireballs shot out from the bushes, targeting the approaching human cultivators.


    "Damn it, it''s that mangy wolf again!" Xue Hu cursed, dodging quickly.


    During his pursuit of the white snake, this mangy wolf had appeared from time to time, throwing fireballs and then running away, luring him into chasing it.


    If it weren''t for this wolf''s interference, he would have captured the white snake long ago.


    He had no choice but to call his senior brother for help.


    "So this is the demonic wolf that knows the Fireball Technique? Interesting," Zhu Ze said, a sinister smile spreading across his face.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    Three fireballs landed nearby, burning down two large trees and crashing towards the two men. The wolf king, having spat out the fireballs, turned and ran, taunting them to give chase.


    "White snake, run! I''ll lure them away," the wolf king transmitted its voice from afar.


    "Alright!"


    The white snake gathered her strength and slithered out of the mud, rushing forward.


    Zhu Ze glanced at the escaping white snake and then at the wolf king, coldly saying, "Neither of you will escape!"

 Chapter 48: Earth Escape Technique: A Thousand Miles of Support

    Chapter 48: Earth Escape Technique: A Thousand Miles of SupportIn the southern forest of the Chu Kingdom, a torrential downpour began.


    Another rainy season had arrived.


    Xu Hei still remembered last year when he hid in the river to catch fish. Back then, he was alone with a snake, with no one to rely on, and a single misstep could mean death.


    Although things weren''t much different now, at least he had a dog.


    This dog, if nothing else, had a keen nose and could always sense danger in advance.


    Over the past two months, more than half of the pills had been consumed, and the demonic beast meat was almost gone. It was only then that Hei Huang realized he had severely underestimated Xu Hei''s appetite.


    Originally, the food was expected to last six months, but at this rate, it would be gone in a week.


    As a result, Xu Hei''s strength had skyrocketed, becoming many times stronger than he was two months ago.


    His cultivation level was still at the sixth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, but Xu Hei could feel that if he faced Zhao Yiduo again, he could crush him with just the Gravity Technique.


    "Gravity Technique, I have mastered it. I can release it from fifty meters away, which isn''t much different from Chen Daoling back then."


    "Fireball Technique, also mastered. This low-level spell is no longer suitable for me. Fortunately, I have cultivated the Fire Serpent Technique as a replacement."


    "Earth Escape Technique, I can travel a thousand miles a day."


    "In addition, I have also cultivated Wind Blade Technique and Thunder Strike Technique, both of which are more powerful than the Fire Serpent Technique."


    Xu Hei thought to himself. These advanced spells were originally meant to be cultivated in the later stages of Qi Refining, but Xu Hei had already mastered them in the mid-stage, and each one was quite powerful.


    The strengthening of his physical body made Xu Hei''s foundation incredibly solid, and even his True Qi had undergone a qualitative change, comparable to the later stages of Qi Refining.


    However, Xu Hei''s greatest strength was still the Earth Escape Technique, possibly due to his exceptional Earth Spiritual Root.


    "Xu Hei, the puppets I promised you are finally finished."


    Hei Huang threw a bunch of puppet beasts onto the ground.


    There were a hundred small lizards, ten medium lizards, two giant frogs, and several birds, all scavenged from Yu Qiang''s storage bag.


    In addition, there was a large snake that particularly caught Xu Hei''s attention.


    This snake had pale golden eyes, a pitch-black body with distinct scales, and black-gold scales on its tail, looking lifelike and identical to Xu Hei.


    This puppet was crafted based on Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei quickly crawled closer, examining it carefully and growing more delighted the more he looked.


    "How do I control it?" Xu Hei asked eagerly.


    Hei Huang tossed him a jade slip and said, "This is the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s unique technique, Puppet Mechanism Technique, but it only has the first layer. Make do with it."


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense entered the jade slip, instantly acquiring the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s technique, the first layer of the Puppet Mechanism Technique¡ªHuman Puppet Technique!


    The Puppet Mechanism Technique had five layers: Human Puppet, Earth Puppet, Heaven Puppet, Demon Puppet, and Divine Puppet.


    The first layer, Human Puppet, corresponded to Qi Refining Stage puppets.


    It was said that the Heavenly Puppet Sect only mastered the first three layers.


    Xu Hei stored the puppet beasts and began to practice. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Puppet Mechanism Technique is controlled by Divine Sense. The stronger the Divine Sense, the better the control, especially when controlling multiple puppets. It requires multitasking and a high level of talent!"


    "At the entry level, you can control puppets three realms lower than yourself."


    "When the number of controllable puppets exceeds ten, you can advance by one realm."


    "......"


    Xu Hei released a small lizard, a puppet three realms lower than him, at the third layer of Qi Refining Stage.


    Under his mental control, the small lizard moved left and right swiftly and freely, indicating that he could control it perfectly.


    Soon, Xu Hei released another one, controlling two simultaneously.


    He closed his eyes, his Divine Sense attached to the lizards. Whatever the lizards saw, he could see as well.


    Gradually, Xu Hei released more lizards, increasing their number quickly to five, ten, twenty.


    Xu Hei had an astonishing talent in Divine Sense.


    Two months ago, his Divine Sense range exceeded a hundred meters. Now, it had reached one hundred and fifty meters, surpassing even the Great Perfection of Qi Refining Stage.


    Xu Hei''s puppet technique progressed rapidly. In just one day, he could control thirty small lizards.


    The small lizards scattered, crawling all over the mountains and fields, each moving extremely nimbly. Xu Hei could clearly see through each lizard''s vision.


    This expansive view was something Xu Hei had never experienced before.


    At this moment.


    A white snake darted out from the grass, biting one of the small lizards and attempting to swallow it.


    Xu Hei controlled the lizard to twist lightly, escaping from the white snake''s mouth and disappearing.


    "I wonder how that little white snake is doing," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Looking at the white snake, Xu Hei suddenly remembered the one that had bid him farewell in Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Two months had passed, the rainy season had arrived, and the mountain fire should have subsided by now.


    Xu Hei suddenly felt an inexplicable urge to go back and take a look. If he didn''t, he would feel uneasy.


    "Strange, why do I feel this way?"


    Xu Hei was puzzled.


    He had only met the white snake by chance, so why did he feel the same unease as when his territory was invaded? It was very odd.


    As a demon cultivator, Xu Hei was very sensitive to such instincts. After thinking for a moment, he decided to put away all the small lizards.


    At this moment, Hei Huang suddenly appeared and said, "Those two little demons following you are in trouble."


    "Hmm?" Xu Hei stared at him intently.


    "I left a Golden Light Curse on them. It activates automatically in life-threatening situations, protecting them for an hour. It has already activated. Do what you must."


    Hei Huang said calmly, sending out a Divine Sense to mark the location of the Golden Light Curse.


    In the next second, Xu Hei vanished, fully activating his Earth Escape Technique and moving forward at unprecedented speed.


    A rumbling sound came from underground, like an earth dragon tunneling through. Wild beasts scattered in fear, as if something terrifying was rushing past underground.


    Hei Huang followed, but soon realized in shock that he couldn''t keep up.


    "My heavens, how is he so fast?"


    Hei Huang was dumbfounded. He activated the Wind Travel Technique and Wind Sail, chasing at full speed, but still couldn''t catch up with Xu Hei.


    Flying couldn''t keep up with tunneling. This was absurd!


    He could only watch as Xu Hei got farther and farther away.


    "Could he be a top-tier Earth Spiritual Root?"


    Hei Huang speculated.


    At this moment, Xu Hei had reached an unprecedented speed. His Earth Escape Technique was already perfected, and at his full speed, even Foundation Establishment cultivators might not catch up.


    His cultivation level was low, but his foundation was incredibly solid.


    It was no exaggeration to say that if Xu Hei wanted, he could step into the later stages of the Spirit Communion Stage at any moment and continuously break through several layers.


    But he didn''t do that!


    Xu Hei didn''t know why he felt uneasy, but since it was an instinctive reaction, he decided to follow it.


    "Boom!!!"


    The earth dragon tunneled through, causing the soil to lift. Xu Hei got closer and closer to his destination.


    During this process, more black-gold scales unknowingly appeared on his tail.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Five hundred miles away, in a deep pit, the little white snake was crushed at the bottom. A giant hammer kept pounding down, causing a rumbling sound.


    She was already severely injured and couldn''t move. A layer of hazy golden light surrounded her, blocking all attacks.


    But as time passed, the golden light gradually faded.


    "This snake has so many secrets. It might be the old snake demon that was widely rumored before!" Xue Hu said excitedly.


    "This mangy wolf is the same, with a layer of golden light protecting it."


    Another cultivator, Zhu Ze, threw out chains, wrapping the wolf king layer by layer, making it immobile. The wolf king''s body was also protected by a layer of golden light, preventing the chains from touching it.


    But as time passed, the golden light on them gradually weakened.


    The two cultivators noticed this and their eyes gleamed with excitement.


    "In less than an hour, this golden light will dissipate. Capturing such evil creatures will earn us great merit!" Xue Hu laughed.


    Zhu Ze squinted his eyes. He felt that the golden light seemed to be buying time, giving him a bad feeling.


    Although Zhu Ze was cruel, having killed countless demonic beasts by skinning them alive, he was naturally cautious and always kept an eye out.


    "Is there a senior from our Mountain Movers Sect nearby?" Zhu Ze asked.


    "Uncle Ye is at a camp a hundred miles away. Why?" Xue Hu asked, puzzled.


    "Uncle Ye is enough."


    Zhu Ze nodded, took out a communication jade slip, recorded a message, and sent it flying into the sky.

 Chapter 49: Shi Xiaojie instantly killed two people

    Chapter 49: Shi Xiaojie instantly killed two people"What are you doing..."


    Xue Hu was filled with uncertainty. If they called a Foundation Establishment stage uncle over, their credit would be at least halved.


    "Uncle Ye will arrive in an hour. By then, we should have captured these two beasts. Our credit shouldn''t be taken," Zhu Ze said calmly.


    He was also worried about losing credit, but to be safe, he still sent out the communication jade talisman.


    The golden light on these two beasts was highly unusual. He feared they had a backer, but with Uncle Ye''s abilities, even if that backer showed up, it would be easily handled.


    Who knows, they might even earn more credit.


    "Earth Prison Technique!"


    Zhu Ze activated his spell, and in an instant, the ground rose, the earth churned, forming a mud prison that trapped the white snake and the wolf king within.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    An hour passed.


    Xu Hei sped forward, finally reaching his destination just as the time limit was about to expire.


    Along the way, to speed up, Xu Hei had consumed several pills. Fortunately, he made it in time.


    Ahead was a low-lying area, filled with puddles after a heavy rain. Crocodiles often lurked in the muddy swamps, along with some shallow water creatures.


    Xu Hei spread his Divine Sense out to 150 meters and immediately discovered two mounds emitting a faint golden light. It was the white snake and the wolf king.


    Both demonic beasts were severely injured, barely clinging to life, which made Xu Hei breathe a sigh of relief.


    However, he did not see any human cultivators.


    "Earth Prison Technique? Hmph, the opponent is quite cautious."


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold. He didn''t rush to rescue them. Instead, he released small lizards to search the area thoroughly.


    The opponent was very cautious and must be hiding somewhere. Using Divine Sense recklessly would alert them. It was safer to use puppet beasts.


    These puppet beasts, after being reforged by Hei Huang, were indistinguishable from living creatures to most people.


    Xu Hei didn''t know the opponent''s cultivation level, but they definitely hadn''t reached Foundation Establishment. Otherwise, the Golden Light Curse wouldn''t hold.


    Below Foundation Establishment, he had nothing to fear.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A hundred meters away, on a large rock, there were two human-shaped impressions.


    These figures kept their eyes on the mounds, observing in secret.


    "Looks like I was overthinking. These two beasts have no helpers," Zhu Ze thought to himself. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He did this to be cautious, after all, there was no loss in being careful.


    Xue Hu, however, felt disdain, secretly mocking, "Senior Brother has been cultivating for thirty years, his cultivation hasn''t improved much, but his courage has shrunk. When Uncle Ye arrives, I wonder if there will be any credit left for me."


    At this moment, his eyes narrowed as he saw two lizards suddenly appear on the ground ahead, staring straight at him.


    At first, Xue Hu didn''t pay much attention, but after observing for a moment, he noticed that both lizards opened their mouths simultaneously, emitting a white light.


    Not only the lizards in front of him, but also in the bushes ahead and behind, white lights were shining, densely packed.


    "Not good!"


    Xue Hu''s pupils contracted. The next moment, the white lights shot out like beams, blasting towards his hiding spot.


    From the front, left, right, and behind, fifty beams of white light fired simultaneously, covering all directions.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom..."


    The large rock he was hiding behind shattered instantly, reduced to rubble. Xue Hu spat blood, his robes burned to ashes, his body covered in countless bloody holes, charred and emitting a burnt smell.


    In just one exchange, he was severely injured.


    Zhu Ze fared slightly better. His cultivation had reached the eighth level of the Qi Refining stage, already in the late stage. He was extremely cautious and activated the Hardening Technique the moment the white light appeared, simultaneously casting the Earth Shield, blocking eighty percent of the bombardment.


    Even so, he was in a sorry state, his clothes tattered, hair disheveled, and multiple black marks on his body.


    "Heavenly Puppet Sect''s Puppet Mechanism Technique!"


    "Damn it! How could a cultivator from the Qin Kingdom be here?"


    Zhu Ze''s heart trembled. His first thought was that a cultivator from the Heavenly Puppet Sect had arrived, a sect even stronger than the Snake Catchers Sect, the top sect in the Qin Kingdom.


    The little white snake and the wolf king in the earth prison immediately woke up.


    They sensed a familiar aura.


    "It''s him!" The white snake''s voice trembled.


    Zhu Ze took a deep breath and calmed down.


    Under normal circumstances, he wouldn''t dare provoke the other party, but with Uncle Ye on the way, he felt more confident. He cupped his fists towards the front and said, "Fellow Daoist from the Heavenly Puppet Sect, is there some misunderstanding?"


    The response was another round of beams.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom..."


    Another round of bombardment. Zhu Ze couldn''t dodge and summoned three rotating shields around him, his skin turning to stone, enduring all the attacks.


    Apart from his clothes being blasted to pieces, he was unharmed.


    Xu Hei shook his head secretly. These little lizards were still too weak, only able to injure mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators. They were powerless against late-stage cultivators skilled in defense.


    Zhu Ze''s face darkened. Since the other party was unreasonable, he wouldn''t hold back. So what if it was the Heavenly Puppet Sect? On Chu Kingdom''s territory, they had to bow down.


    "Since you won''t speak properly, I''ll come to you."


    Zhu Ze used the Earth Escape Technique, diving into the ground and charging forward. Just now, he had sensed the opponent''s position.


    Hiding underground was like being fully exposed to a Mountain Movers Sect cultivator skilled in earth techniques.


    "Piercing Technique!"


    Zhu Ze formed a spell in the air, and immediately, the underground rocks condensed into stone needles, shooting towards Xu Hei.


    "Wind Blade Technique!"


    Xu Hei spat out wind blades, spraying out a dense rain of wind blades, shattering all the stone needles and heading straight for Zhu Ze''s face.


    "This power..."


    Zhu Ze''s expression changed. He immediately condensed a thick earth armor, but it was like paper, easily split in two.


    "Slash!"


    One of his arms flew off, falling into the mud.


    In one exchange, he was killed! The opponent''s true strength was far beyond that of the puppet beasts!


    "Spare me, senior..."


    Zhu Ze instinctively shouted, but the next moment, a strong sense of danger made his hair stand on end.


    This was the danger of death!


    Zhu Ze hurriedly dove into the mud, retrieving his arm, and poked his head out of the ground, shouting, "Uncle Ye, save me!"


    In the distance, a gray-robed cultivator rode a giant sword, flying with the wind, his gaze locked on the muddy swamp ahead, shouting, "Stop right there!"


    "Too late!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were fierce, his entire cultivation erupted at this moment. A bolt of lightning shot from his mouth, striking the mud.


    Lightning Strike Technique!


    "Boom!!!"


    A thunderbolt struck the swamp, sending up a hundred-foot spray of water. Then, the electric light spread, covering the entire swamp. All the creatures in the water died instantly, including Zhu Ze, who was trying to escape.


    Lightning enveloped his entire body, inside and out, crackling and popping, electrocuting him completely.


    Zhu Ze convulsed, his head charred, collapsing in the swamp, his eyes wide open, dead in an instant, without any chance of survival.


    At the same time, the other escaping person, Xue Hu, was also surrounded and blasted to death by a group of lizards, his head blown apart.


    Xu Hei killed both simultaneously, effortlessly.


    The difference in strength was overwhelming, a complete and utter crush.


    After killing them, Xu Hei didn''t pause for a second, immediately rushing towards the two mounds.


    "Beasts, you seek death!!!"


    A thunderous roar echoed through the mountains.


    Elder Ye Haichuan of the Mountain Movers Sect had never been this furious.


    His Divine Sense had locked onto Xu Hei''s figure from a kilometer away. It was a snake! A snake that spat wind blades, lightning, and controlled puppet beasts, killing his two disciples right under his nose.

 Chapter 50: Xu Hei, Foundation Establishment Cultivator

    Chapter 50: Xu Hei, Foundation Establishment CultivatorThe scene before him had completely overturned his understanding.


    He had heard rumors before¡ªthere was a snake demon and a dog demon in these mountains, creatures with intelligence comparable to humans. They had killed disciples of the Snake Catchers Sect, stolen Spirit-Tail Chickens from the Carefree Sect, and could fly and escape, even speaking human language.


    He had always dismissed it as mere hearsay.


    But witnessing it today with his own eyes was an eye-opener; it was even more exaggerated than the rumors.


    However, soon, Ye Haichuan''s eyes flashed with boundless coldness.


    "You killed my Mountain Movers Sect disciples. Today, you won''t leave here alive!"


    Ye Haichuan clenched his hand in mid-air. Instantly, the sky darkened, yellow sand filled the air, and countless grains of sand and stones flew up, forming vast, boundless storms that swept towards Xu Hei with infinite ferocity.


    Earth Element Spell, Sandstorm Technique!


    This was the power of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Without even getting close, he could cast such a large-scale spell from hundreds of meters away.


    This was on a completely different level from the Qi Refining Stage, like heaven and earth.


    "Thud, thud, thud..."


    Xu Hei''s little lizards were caught in the sandstorm, each one being shredded into pieces mid-air, leaving not even a trace behind. In an instant, he lost more than half of them.


    Xu Hei didn''t have time to feel heartache. He split open the Earth Prison Technique, letting the little lizards drag the white snake and the wolf king away swiftly.


    He himself fled in another direction.


    "Go!"


    Ye Haichuan''s flying sword flashed out from under his feet. The sword was enormous, with a weighty, rock-like feel. Wherever it passed, gravity seemed to increase, like a mountain splitting the heavens, slashing towards Xu Hei''s back.


    Xu Hei knew he couldn''t dodge this strike. His tail swung high, meeting the giant sword head-on, smashing into it with all his might.


    "Clang!!!"


    A deafening sound echoed through the heavens and earth, causing a resonant hum.


    A shocking scene unfolded before Ye Haichuan. His flying sword was actually dented with a row of dense nicks and was knocked away.


    Xu Hei didn''t fare well either. His body shook violently, being flung dozens of meters away, spitting out a mouthful of blood.


    Although his tail was protected by black-gold scales and remained intact, the internal shock was severe, with bones showing signs of breaking.


    "So this is Foundation Establishment? The gap in cultivation is too vast." Xu Hei gritted his teeth.


    His cultivation was only at the sixth level of the Spirit Communion Stage. Xu Hei prided himself on being nearly unbeatable below Foundation Establishment. Even if he faced Chen Daoling, who had forcefully elevated himself to Foundation Establishment with pills, he would still be unafraid.


    But against a true Foundation Establishment cultivator, Xu Hei felt a sense of helplessness.


    This wasn''t a half-baked cultivator like Chen Daoling but a genuine Foundation Establishment cultivator, whose divine sense, spells, perception, and combat experience far surpassed Chen Daoling''s.


    To Ye Haichuan, this scene was like a bolt from the blue. He, a dignified Foundation Establishment cultivator, couldn''t even kill a Spirit Communion Stage snake demon with one strike.


    His gaze fixed on Xu Hei, as if wanting to see through him.


    "I''m getting more and more curious. What secrets do you hold?"


    In a flash, he chased after Xu Hei, his dented giant sword once again soaring towards Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei used the Earth Escape Technique to burrow underground. Ye Haichuan cast a spell from a distance, causing the soil below to harden and solidify into rocky terrain.


    Such rocky areas were impassable with the Earth Escape Technique, meant to trap the opponent. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But to Ye Haichuan''s shock, Xu Hei was completely unaffected, his speed unchanged.


    "How is this possible?"


    Ye Haichuan exclaimed.


    Little did he know, Xu Hei had often placed himself 800 meters underground during countless physical body tempering sessions, long accustomed to extremely solid underground environments.


    Even rock couldn''t stop Xu Hei.


    In just a moment, Xu Hei had widened the distance between them again, reaching 500 meters.


    "You can''t escape!"


    Ye Haichuan landed, pressing his palms to the ground, his gaze icy. With a thought, a sudden sense of danger surged from ahead.


    Xu Hei reflexively veered slightly to the left. Almost simultaneously, a giant spike shot up from the ground, piercing through where Xu Hei had just been.


    "Boom!!!"


    The spike shot up, reaching a height of thirty meters, piercing the sky.


    Xu Hei broke out in a cold sweat.


    Had he not veered slightly, he would have been instantly impaled by that spike.


    "You actually dodged it? Such keen senses!"


    Ye Haichuan''s heart chilled. Pressing his palms down again, he shouted in his mind, "Earth Piercing Spike!"


    The sense of danger surged from Xu Hei''s heart again. He quickly retreated dozens of meters. The next moment, another spike shot up from the ground, forming a cone that soared into the sky.


    Xu Hei had just stopped, barely catching his breath, when he had to retreat again.


    "Boom!"


    Another spike shot up.


    One wave after another.


    "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"...


    Spike after spike shot up from the ground in front of Xu Hei, gradually forcing him back.


    He had no choice but to retreat. A moment''s delay and he would be impaled.


    "Damn it! The opponent doesn''t want me to stay underground!"


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth and burst out of the ground, soaring into the air. He took out a Swift Wind Talisman, stuck it to his abdomen, and rode the wind towards the horizon.


    "Heh, just in time! Sandstorm Technique!"


    Ye Haichuan pushed his hands forward, and endless sand and dust surged out again, forming a rolling sandstorm that swept forward. Trees were uprooted and shattered in mid-air, countless rocks were split into tiny grains of sand, merging into the storm.


    He knew the opponent was skilled in the Earth Escape Technique. Forcing him out meant certain death.


    But at that moment, Ye Haichuan''s eyes narrowed, staring at the sky ahead, his eyes wide open.


    Gone!


    Xu Hei, who had just been flying, was gone.


    His pupils contracted, filled with disbelief, thinking he had seen wrong.


    "How did he disappear?"


    Ye Haichuan hurriedly flew forward, reaching the sandstorm''s location. The area was empty. Just as the sandstorm was about to engulf Xu Hei, he had suddenly vanished, disappearing into thin air.


    Because of the distance, Ye Haichuan didn''t know how the opponent had disappeared.


    He spread his divine sense, scanning a radius of 500 meters, inch by inch, but found nothing, as if Xu Hei had evaporated.


    "It must be some kind of invisibility talisman or magical treasure. I don''t believe you can hide forever!"


    He took out a handful of black dust and scattered it into the sky. Then, with a push, a strong wind arose.


    The black dust spread forward, dispersing everywhere, covering the sky and ground.


    This dust, known as Revealing Dust, was the nemesis of all concealment techniques.


    No matter where one hid or what method was used, as long as they were touched by this dust, their silhouette would immediately be revealed.


    However, after observing for a while, Ye Haichuan saw no figure appearing ahead.


    There was only one possibility¡ªXu Hei had doubled back.


    "He actually dared to come back?"


    Ye Haichuan immediately turned around, looking back. What he saw made his eyes turn red.


    Zhu Ze and Xue Hu''s storage bags were gone.


    Ye Haichuan instantly flew into a rage. That little beast hadn''t run away but had turned back to take the storage bags.


    How audacious!


    Ye Haichuan felt like he was about to explode with anger. A mere Spirit Communion Stage demon dared to provoke him.


    "I swear, I''ll dig three hundred feet if I have to, but I''ll find you!"


    ...


    At this moment, Xu Hei was hiding 800 meters underground, panting heavily, drenched in cold sweat.


    He swallowed a pill, quickly recovering his True Qi.


    Through several tests, he was certain he wasn''t a match for this person. Even if he gave it his all, his chances of winning were less than thirty percent.


    Xu Hei knew that human cultivators had weak physical bodies. If he could get close, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could be gravely injured or killed by him.


    But the opponent''s attack range was too vast. He could kill from 500 meters away, and his spells were extremely powerful. Getting close was a pipe dream.


    Moreover, besides that giant flying sword, who knew what other tricks the opponent had?


    From start to finish, Xu Hei had kept at least 500 meters away from the opponent, not daring to get closer. Otherwise, he might be dead before he even got close.


    "The old dog was right. Fighting across levels is something only prodigies can do. But crossing realms is like defying the heavens, almost impossible."


    Xu Hei sighed.


    In this battle, he suffered due to his cultivation and his spells.


    He practiced the Five Elements Spells, which were numerous and varied but not refined. Xu Hei was exceptionally talented, mastering each spell but unable to achieve extreme proficiency.


    Like this Mountain Movers Sect cultivator, who only practiced Earth spells and only accepted disciples with Earth Spiritual Roots, maximizing a particular trait.


    Xu Hei was also skilled in Earth spells, but he only knew the Earth Escape Technique and hadn''t learned any other Earth spells, not even having a jade slip. It was truly a pity.


    Regardless, Xu Hei gained a lot of experience and lessons from this battle.


    Fortunately, he had the old dog''s Invisibility Talisman, which allowed him to fight without restraint.


    Xu Hei didn''t dare stay too long. After recovering some True Qi, he planned to circle back. The delay was enough; the white snake and the wolf king should be safe.


    But at that moment, a sinister, sharp voice echoed in his ear.


    "Heh heh, little beast, so you''re hiding here!"

 Chapter 51: The serpents wrath reverses to strike above

    Chapter 51: The serpent''s wrath reverses to strike aboveAt the moment he heard that ghostly voice, Xu Hei''s scalp tingled, and a chill surged straight to his head. Instinctively, he was about to turn and flee.


    But in an instant, he stopped himself, standing motionless.


    This place was 800 meters underground.


    If the other party had discovered him, they would have attacked immediately. Why waste time with tricks?


    Xu Hei waited for a moment, but nothing happened. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What a despicable old man, he''s trying to trick me!" Xu Hei gritted his teeth.


    He had no idea what method the person used to project his voice so far.


    Xu Hei didn''t fall for it. He didn''t even probe with his Divine Sense. Instead, he stayed still, quietly recovering his strength.


    The gravity here was immense. Xu Hei had undergone long-term bone tempering and body refinement, making his physical body strong enough to stay here safely.


    ...


    At this moment, beneath the earth.


    Ye Haichuan was a hundred meters underground, his body merged with the rock, fully attuned to the underground pulses. Any disturbance, he would sense immediately.


    "Your two demonic beast companions have already been captured by me. If you don''t come out, I''ll skin them alive."


    Ye Haichuan continued to shout, his voice echoing through the underground, while he sensed for any movements.


    After a long while, there was no response.


    Ye Haichuan was certain that the other party was hiding deep underground. With the opponent''s ability to burrow through rock, they were likely more than 500 meters deep.


    This gave him a headache.


    Five hundred meters. With his abilities, he could go down and search, but he feared the opponent might have set traps underground.


    At such depths, the pressure was immense, making it hard to maneuver. One wrong move, and he could end up in a dire situation.


    "You little beast, I''ll give you the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn to come out and meet me. Otherwise, I''ll go out and kill your two companions, then unite all the sects to hunt you down endlessly!"


    Ye Haichuan shouted, his voice traveling down through the rock layers.


    He had made up his mind. If the other party still didn''t respond, he would have to give up. But he would never let the other two demonic beasts go.


    Time ticked by.


    Ye Haichuan wasn''t in a hurry. He waited patiently for the other party to reveal themselves.


    Suddenly, he seemed to hear something. His eyes widened, and without a word, he drilled rapidly into the ground.


    "Hmph, you finally showed yourself!"


    Ye Haichuan''s eyes gleamed with cold light. At unprecedented speed, he rushed towards a certain direction, closing the distance between them.


    Five hundred meters, three hundred meters, two hundred meters, one hundred meters...


    "Rock Pressure!"


    Ye Haichuan clenched his fist in the air. Instantly, the pressure of the rocks multiplied, crazily squeezing towards a central point.


    "Crack, crack, crack!"


    A burst of blood light exploded ahead. A large black snake emerged from the rocks, already crushed into a bloody mess, bones broken and tendons snapped. It was Xu Hei.


    His body moved slightly. Ye Haichuan snorted coldly, and a spike shot out from the rock, piercing Xu Hei''s neck instantly, spraying blood once more.


    A shrill hiss came from ahead. Xu Hei struggled desperately, but it was futile, spilling a large amount of blood.


    "Pierce!"


    Ye Haichuan didn''t dare be careless. He continuously used the Earth Piercing Spike, three spikes shooting out, piercing the large snake over and over, pinning it completely in the rock crevice.


    Finally, the large black snake twitched and could no longer move.


    Only then did Ye Haichuan reveal a cold smile.


    "Eight hundred meters underground, you really are ruthless, hiding so deep that even I had to be extremely cautious."


    Ye Haichuan''s lips curled into a cold smile. A protective light shield rose around him as he passed through the rock layers, approaching the large black snake.


    Before long, he reached the large black snake.


    The snake''s body was severely deformed, its aura completely gone. This made him slightly regretful. He had hoped to capture it alive, but eliminating such a huge threat and extracting some secrets from the corpse was still worth it.


    But at that moment.


    Ye Haichuan suddenly felt a sense of alarm.


    "Something''s wrong! Wasn''t this too easy?"


    As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, killing a Spirit Communion Stage snake demon should have been easy, even easier than this, a mere snap of the fingers.


    But now, he felt something was off.


    He couldn''t pinpoint the reason, it was purely his intuition from a century of cultivation!


    As soon as this thought emerged, his hair stood on end, his pupils contracted to a point, and his heart surged with a tidal wave of shock.


    What did he see?


    In his Divine Sense, a large number of black-gold scales suddenly appeared behind him without warning, piercing through the rock layers, shooting towards his back!


    Too close! The distance was too close, less than fifteen meters!


    The opponent was hiding nearby!


    "What is this?!"


    At that moment, Ye Haichuan finally saw clearly. Not far from him, there was another large black snake, identical to the one he had just killed, covered in blood, its body shattered, swinging its tail fiercely towards him, smashing through the rock, coming down on him with a powerful strike.


    It looked exactly like the one he had just killed.


    "Earth Shield!"


    "Thick Earth Armor!"


    "Earth Flow Wall!"


    In an instant, Ye Haichuan cast three defensive spells, activating the inner armor magical treasure on his body. But it was too fast, too close. Just as the gray light appeared on his body, countless scales shot into him.


    "Thud, thud, thud..."


    Blood blossomed. Ye Haichuan''s physical body was pierced through, all his defenses shattered like paper, leaving him bloodied, his internal organs turned into a sieve.


    He had tried his best to dodge, but in such deep places, surrounded by heavy rocks, it was hard to move. He barely avoided the vital points.


    At this moment, Ye Haichuan realized he had fallen into a trap.


    The one he had just killed wasn''t the real snake, but a puppet, an almost lifelike puppet identical to the black snake!


    What shocked him was that the puppet also bled, its skin also tore.


    Looking at Xu Hei''s wounds, he finally understood.


    The blood, the flesh, the snake skin, even the internal organs, were all Xu Hei''s doing, merging with the puppet.


    What a ruthless snake! What a cunning tactic!


    To achieve his goal, he even harmed himself!


    What kind of opponent had he provoked?


    "I must escape, I must get away!"


    Ye Haichuan took out a talisman, activating it underground. A stream of air shot out from behind, carrying Ye Haichuan upwards.


    "Smack!!!"


    Xu Hei''s tail struck his lower abdomen, instantly smashing half of Ye Haichuan''s body, his legs exploding into a mist of blood, and his storage bag falling off.


    The stream of air from the talisman carried half of Ye Haichuan''s body towards the surface, creating a path through the rock layers, unstoppable.


    "This is my limit!"


    Xu Hei watched his opponent flee, wanting to chase but unable to move.


    He had heard from Hei Huang that it''s extremely difficult for cultivators to fight across levels. Some geniuses could do it, but to fight across stages was almost impossible, like defying the heavens!


    Xu Hei had reached his limit, yet he still couldn''t kill his opponent, just one step short, one step!


    He had never risked his life for anyone.


    But this time, he did.


    For no other reason than the opponent''s threat of endless pursuit against him and his companions!


    From that moment, Xu Hei knew he had no way out. Some things, even at great risk, had to be done!


    Xu Hei almost succeeded. If not for that talisman, Ye Haichuan would have been dead.


    Xu Hei didn''t mind. Everyone had life-saving items. He had managed to take the opponent''s storage bag and push him to the brink of death, which was enough.


    ...


    Ye Haichuan''s heart pounded, the pain in his body bringing waves of weakness, almost making him faint. He swallowed a Blood Spirit Pill, suppressing his injuries.


    He never imagined that he would suffer such a loss at the hands of a Spirit Communion Stage snake demon! He even developed a psychological shadow.


    If not for the life-saving talisman, he would have died just now.


    If not for the Blood Spirit Pill, he would have died from his injuries!


    Both were his century-long accumulation, gifts from a senior at the Core Formation stage.


    "What were those scales, why did my Spiritual Treasure have no effect, being pierced directly?"


    Ye Haichuan''s heart trembled, unable to comprehend, even feeling a bit of fear.


    The situation just now was too terrifying. He never wanted to experience it again in his life.


    "Whatever it takes, I must inform the sect. If this demon is not eliminated, it will be a great disaster!"


    Ye Haichuan gritted his teeth.


    Moments later, he broke through the underground and reached the surface.


    But as soon as he saw the sunlight, a black dog''s shadow appeared before him.


    The dog was robust, pitch-black and shiny, with a bald tail, and its eyes gleamed with a sinister light.


    The dog turned its head, looking at him, a ghostly smile curling its lips.


    Ye Haichuan''s pupils dilated, his mouth opened wide. Before he could scream, he accidentally crashed into a tree.


    "Boom!"


    The tree collapsed, Ye Haichuan spat blood, fell to the ground, and with one last breath, his vision went black, and his body stiffened forever.

 Chapter 52: Slaying the Cultivator, Gaining Fame in the Southern Region

    Chapter 52: Slaying the Cultivator, Gaining Fame in the Southern Region"This..."


    Hei Huang was dumbfounded.


    He swore he hadn''t done anything. He just glanced at the man, and the man ran into a tree and died.


    Upon closer inspection, Hei Huang realized that this person was actually a Foundation Establishment cultivator. But how could a Foundation Establishment cultivator end up with only half a body and die from crashing into a tree?


    What happened here?


    "Could it be Xiao Xu''s doing? But how could he, at the sixth level of the Spirit Communion Stage, be so fierce?"


    Hei Huang took a few steps closer and used his Divine Sense to investigate. He discovered that this person''s spiritual foundation was like a lake, overflowing. This was not an ordinary early-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator but one who was very close to reaching mid-stage.


    This was an old cultivator who had been at the early stage of Foundation Establishment for a long time, with deep accumulations, far surpassing those who had just broken through.


    This made Hei Huang even more astonished.


    How did Xu Hei manage this?


    He had watched Xu Hei grow step by step and knew his strength clearly.


    Except for those scales and the mysterious technique he couldn''t see through, he knew everything else.


    At this moment, Xu Hei emerged from the ground. He was covered in wounds; both his snake skin and bones were severely damaged. As soon as he appeared, he aimed at the fallen Ye Haichuan and spewed a mouthful of flames.


    "Fire Snake Technique!"


    The lively flames transformed into a long snake, rushing toward Ye Haichuan and igniting a raging fire upon contact.


    Ye Haichuan''s physical body quickly melted, emitting a faint, weak wail.


    Hei Huang was about to intervene but was stunned by the wail.


    In fact, Ye Haichuan wasn''t dead. The moment he saw the black dog, he activated the Turtle Breathing Formula, putting his body into a state of false death and crashing into a tree to feign death, trying to deceive the heavens and cross the sea.


    As long as he could preserve a trace of his primordial spirit and wait for sect assistance, there was a chance of resurrection.


    But all of this was completely destroyed by the Fire Snake Technique.


    "No!!"


    Ye Haichuan let out an unwilling roar before his death. His physical body and Divine Sense turned to ashes in an instant, his body becoming charred. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hei Huang hurriedly went up to absorb Ye Haichuan''s True Qi, but he only managed to extract a little before the latter turned to dust.


    "What a waste!" Hei Huang sighed inwardly.


    However, this person had used the Turtle Breathing Formula and even deceived him, which was truly unexpected.


    At this moment, Xu Hei was already exhausted.


    Fighting a Foundation Establishment cultivator tested not only the physical body and cultivation but also mental willpower.


    He had to stay focused at all times, trying every possible method, without the slightest underestimation. A single mistake could lead to eternal damnation.


    He had only been cultivating for a year, while others had been cultivating for decades or even centuries. Why should they be weaker than him?


    Xu Hei never thought he was necessarily stronger than others. Even when dealing with two Qi Refining Stage disciples before, he gave it his all. If he didn''t strike, it was fine, but if he did, it was a kill.


    The reason he survived was due to his strong will.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have thought of self-harming to deceive his opponent.


    Hei Huang glanced at Xu Hei, his face darkening, and said, "Are all these injuries on you caused by that person?"


    His voice carried a rare hint of anger.


    "I did it myself," Xu Hei replied.


    Hei Huang was stunned.


    "No time to explain. You clean up the scene. I''m leaving."


    Xu Hei didn''t want to stay any longer. He turned and left, his injuries too severe, with many places exposing white bones. He needed to find a place to heal.


    Hei Huang looked at the two corpses in front of him, threw out two fireballs to burn them to ashes, and rearranged the scene to avoid leaving any clues.


    "Mountain Movers Sect, I, the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person, will play with you."


    A murderous glint flashed in Hei Huang''s eyes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    About half an hour later.


    Three figures shot through the sky and arrived above.


    These three were tall and imposing, their auras as vast as the ocean, each stronger than the last, and they were among the top in the Foundation Establishment stage.


    They were the Sect Master of the Mountain Movers Sect, the Great Elder, and a guest elder from the Snake Catchers Sect.


    Every Foundation Establishment elder had a soul lamp in the sect. As soon as the soul lamp extinguished, the location of their death could be immediately known.


    Now, Ye Haichuan''s soul lamp had gone out. This was the first major incident in the Mountain Movers Sect in ten years.


    Even the people from the Snake Catchers Sect were deeply interested and came to assist in the investigation.


    "The aura here is chaotic, clearly indicating a fierce battle, but the traces have been deliberately erased. It''s impossible to tell who did it."


    The Great Elder of the Mountain Movers Sect, Shi Fengzi, spoke calmly.


    The elder from the Snake Catchers Sect snorted coldly, "Hmph! Our five sects entered the mountains and signed a non-aggression pact long ago. Even if there were conflicts, they were between disciples. Now, even elders dare to be killed. This is courting death!"


    "Could it have been done by a Demonic Beast?"


    "A Demonic Beast? This area within a radius of three hundred miles has been thoroughly investigated. There are no Foundation Establishment stage Demonic Beasts. Even if there were, with Ye Shidi''s skills, he wouldn''t be unable to escape! And how could a Demonic Beast erase the traces?"


    "Could it be..."


    After a round of discussion, the elder from the Snake Catchers Sect suddenly froze, a figure flashing through his mind like lightning.


    It was the shadow of a Snake Demon.


    But he immediately shook his head. A Snake Demon? What a joke. Ye Haichuan was among the top in the early stage of Foundation Establishment. How could he be killed by a little Snake Demon, unable even to escape?


    "First, find out why Ye Shidi came here, whether someone called for help, who that person was, and what the content was. Investigate thoroughly before drawing conclusions."


    Shi Fengzi spoke calmly.


    The elder from the Snake Catchers Sect had a sudden flash of inspiration and said, "I suddenly remembered, two months ago, Senior Xuan Yangzi''s avatar was destroyed, and his storage bag was taken. The culprit has not been found, and it also happened in this forest."


    "Hmm?"


    The other two looked over simultaneously, their eyes flashing with brilliance.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei knew that there was no wall in the world that didn''t let the wind through. Wherever one went, traces would be left. Since he did it, it was impossible to hide it perfectly forever.


    What he could do was not to hide and pray that he wouldn''t be discovered by humans.


    Instead, he had to become stronger, stronger, and even stronger!


    Strong enough to openly admit it, and no one would dare to touch him!


    If he had the cultivation of the Demon Core Stage, even if he killed his way to the Mountain Movers Sect and wiped out their entire sect, who would dare to say a word?


    From the moment humans stepped into the mountains and set fire to them, Xu Hei knew that hiding was not an option. The hatred of destroying one''s family and exterminating one''s clan was irreconcilable.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have agreed to join forces with Hei Huang to trap and kill the avatar of that Core Formation stage cultivator.


    Now, having personally killed a Foundation Establishment elder.


    Xu Hei did not regret it.


    "This is cultivation, this is enlightenment." Xu Hei smiled sinisterly.


    They found a hidden cave, placed the white snake and the wolf king inside, and Hei Huang guarded the entrance while Xu Hei went into seclusion to heal.


    Xu Hei didn''t open the storage bags of the three cultivators, and Hei Huang didn''t have the nerve to ask for them this time. After all, he had been traveling the whole time and hadn''t participated at all.


    If he had to count, he had only scared the person, forcing him to use the Turtle Breathing Formula to fake death. In the end, it was Xu Hei who did the killing.


    "Xiao Xu has become so powerful. Unknowingly, I also need to step up my game," Hei Huang thought to himself.

 Chapter 53: Xu Heis cultivation breaks through again

    Chapter 53: Xu Hei''s cultivation breaks through againSouthern Forest of Chu Kingdom.


    A Foundation Establishment elder had died, a rare event that hadn''t happened in years.


    The Carefree Sect, Purple Mist Sect, and Tai Xuan Sect all stepped forward to clarify that they had nothing to do with the incident, providing alibis for their powerful members.


    The Snake Catchers Sect, being high and mighty, naturally had no need to kill an elder from a subordinate sect and then deliberately cover it up.


    This matter sparked widespread speculation.


    "It must be him, it must be him!"


    Chen Daoling''s eyes were bloodshot as he recalled the Snake Demon that had nearly cost him his life.


    Those eerie scales could pierce through any defense, a memory that still haunted him. Ye Haichuan must have been careless and fallen victim to those scales.


    "That Snake Demon is exceptionally cunning, as sly as a fox. Besides him, I can''t think of anyone else," Chen Daoling said with certainty.


    The Carefree Sect believed it was the work of that chicken thief, the big black dog that could fly and escape.


    Soon, the Mountain Movers Sect''s investigation results came out.


    Along with Ye Haichuan, two inner disciples had also died. Ye Haichuan had gone there because he received a message from the two.


    What exactly the disciples had said was unknown, but it was easy to find out that man-eating Demonic Beasts had appeared in that area.


    A week later.


    The Snake Catchers Sect issued a bounty order to capture the Black Snake Demon and the Black Dog Demon.


    Capturing one would reward a hundred Spirit Stones, and finding a clue would reward fifty Spirit Stones.


    This caused an uproar among all the sects. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Many small sects mobilized their disciples to search the mountains, as fifty Spirit Stones were a fortune many cultivators could only dream of in their lifetime.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Deep in the forest, in a hidden cave within a canyon.


    Xu Hei woke up, his damaged snake skin had already healed, and his flesh and bones had regrown, restoring him to his peak condition.


    His muscles glowed with a dark luster, displaying incredible resilience, seemingly even stronger than before he was injured.


    The scales on his tail had regrown, now covering one-fifth of his body.


    "What kind of cultivation technique is Xu Hei practicing? This healing speed, and those scales on his back¡­"


    The more Hei Huang observed, the more puzzled he became.


    He initially thought Xu Hei''s technique was on par with his Heavenly Demon Technique, but now it seemed he had underestimated it. This technique was likely an ancient legacy, specifically suited for snake cultivation.


    The suitable one is the best. Hei Huang completely abandoned the idea of teaching Xu Hei the Heavenly Demon Technique.


    His only concern was whether such a powerful technique was complete.


    If it was incomplete and could only be cultivated to a certain level with no further progress, it would be useless.


    Just like the puppet technique he had acquired, which only had the first level of the Human Puppet Technique, limited to the Qi Refining Stage. No matter how powerful, it was still useless.


    "Boom!"


    Suddenly, the Demon God Cauldron inside Xu Hei''s body trembled violently, beginning to frantically absorb the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth. The spiritual liquid compressed rapidly, showing signs of transformation.


    "Late Spirit Communion Stage."


    Hei Huang''s eyes flashed, and he immediately took out formation flags, setting up a formation, while also taking out a large number of pills, ready to feed them at any moment.


    This battle had turned out to be a blessing in disguise for Xu Hei, giving him the opportunity to break through. Everything seemed to fall into place naturally.


    Although it was delayed from the late stage of the month as Hei Huang had mentioned, Xu Hei''s foundation was incredibly solid. Even before the breakthrough, he was already at the late stage.


    Three days passed.


    Inside the Demon God Cauldron, the spiritual liquid droplets merged, forming a thumb-sized spiritual water ball.


    Within the water ball, a stream of spiritual energy flowed out, spreading like the branches of a tree, coursing through Xu Hei''s entire meridian system.


    This spiritual water ball was Xu Hei''s core. When the water ball expanded to fill the entire Demon God Cauldron, it would signify the Great Perfection of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    At that time, he could attempt to compress the water ball and establish his spiritual foundation.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, his True Qi now twice as dense as before. The transition from mid-stage to late-stage was another transformation.


    Spirit Communion Stage, level seven.


    Although he had broken through, Xu Hei still felt a sense of powerlessness when facing Foundation Establishment cultivators. Their long-range spells that could destroy everything with a wave of the hand were still out of his reach.


    Not enough! This level of strength is still not enough!


    Killing Ye Haichuan was purely a stroke of luck and coincidence. If Xu Hei had to do it again, he wouldn''t be confident in replicating such a miracle.


    "This big snake is fixed for you."


    Hei Huang tossed in a large snake puppet, the same one from before, now fully repaired.


    Xu Hei glanced at it and nodded, "Thank you."


    He stored the snake away.


    If it weren''t for Hei Huang''s Invisibility Talisman and this snake puppet, he wouldn''t have been able to kill that cultivator.


    Xu Hei took out three storage bags and placed them on the ground.


    Hei Huang glanced at them and obediently left, "I''ll go for a walk."


    "No need, there''s a share for you," Xu Hei said.


    Hei Huang''s eyes lit up, and he immediately scampered back, sitting on the ground with a cheeky grin.


    "And you two, come in as well," Xu Hei called out to the cave entrance.


    The white snake and the wolf king excitedly ran in, sitting obediently by the side.


    Both of them had long since recovered from their injuries and had made significant progress in their strength.


    The wolf king was now at the third level of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    The white snake, surprisingly, had reached the fourth level of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    This was the mid-stage, and such rapid progress without many resources astonished Xu Hei. It was much faster than his own progress back in the day.


    The little white snake looked at Xu Hei with starry eyes, hesitating for a moment before timidly asking, "What should I call you, Great King, Senior Brother, or¡­"


    "Stop! Just call me Xu Hei."


    Xu Hei quickly interrupted her, stopping her from continuing.


    Hei Huang grinned mischievously, "Little Xu, let her finish. Could it be that you two have some unspeakable relationship?"


    Xu Hei''s face remained expressionless as he said:


    "I was planning to share with everyone, but forget it."


    "Hey? Come on, what did I do to offend you?"


    "Get lost!"


    "¡­"


    After a round of bickering, Hei Huang had no choice but to back down.


    "Xu Hei¡­" The white snake''s eyes brightened as she asked, "Then, can I call myself Xu Bai?"


    "¡­"


    Xu Hei fell into deep thought.


    This was a serious question.


    "Ha! With names like these, you two definitely have something going on!" Hei Huang pointed accusingly.


    Xu Hei bit down on the black dog''s leg, causing him to howl in pain and not dare to make another sound.


    "Fine, you can be called Xu Bai," Xu Hei agreed.


    The little white snake immediately became elated, her eyes sparkling as she muttered to herself, "I''m Xu Bai, I''m Xu Bai, I have a name now, I have a name now¡­"

 Chapter 54: Testing Spiritual Root: White Snake Alchemy

    Chapter 54: Testing Spiritual Root: White Snake Alchemy"Can I have a name too?" the wolf king asked.


    "You can follow me and be called Hei Er Gou," Hei Huang interjected.


    "Isn''t ''dog'' an insult? I''m a wolf!" the wolf king protested.


    "Woof!" Without another word, Hei Huang bit the wolf king''s thigh, causing the latter to beg for mercy repeatedly.


    Xu Hei was speechless.


    In the end, the wolf king reluctantly agreed to the name Er Gou.


    Although he had a name now, Er Gou was very unwilling, always feeling that it was an insult and lowered his status.


    However, looking at his black and white fur, he did resemble a certain breed of dog.


    Next came the exciting moment of dividing the spoils. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei opened the first two storage bags at once. These belonged to two inner disciples and contained nothing special, just common items.


    The most numerous were demonic beast corpses and inner cores.


    "Don''t be polite, take whatever you like," Xu Hei said.


    Xu Hei was already in the late Spirit Communion Stage, and these low-level items were of little use to him. Before long, Er Gou and Xu Bai had picked out what they needed.


    Then came the main event. Xu Hei took out Ye Haichuan''s storage bag. The Divine Sense imprint on it had been broken three days ago.


    With a flash of light, a dozen or so treasures appeared scattered on the ground.


    Three hundred spirit stones, two bottles of pills, three talismans, and several jade slips.


    Two flying swords, a soul flag, and a pill furnace, all of Foundation Establishment level spiritual treasures.


    As for spirit medicines, beast materials, and metal materials, they filled a large bag.


    Additionally, there was a crystal ball for testing spiritual roots.


    "Is that all?"


    Xu Hei was somewhat surprised. He had thought that a Foundation Establishment cultivator should have a wealth of treasures, but the reality was quite different.


    It might not even be as valuable as Zhao Yiduo''s thousand spirit stones.


    "These old cultivators who have been stuck at a certain realm for years often spend everything they have to break through. Only the chosen ones from big families have a lot of valuable items," Hei Huang explained.


    Xu Hei wasn''t too disappointed. He picked up a flying sword and the soul flag, took half of the pills and talismans, collected all the jade slips, and handed the rest to Hei Huang.


    Hei Huang grabbed the crystal ball and smiled, "This can test spiritual roots. Who wants to try?"


    Er Gou immediately ran up, "I want to test! I want to test!"


    Xu Hei became interested.


    Er Gou placed his paw on the ball, and spiritual energy blossomed. The crystal ball emitted a faint glow of three colors.


    Hei Huang shook his head, "Gold, fire, and water, three mixed spiritual roots, poor aptitude."


    Er Gou immediately deflated.


    Curious, Xu Bai also placed her hand on the ball.


    This time, the crystal ball glowed a bright green, illuminating the entire cave dwelling.


    "This..." Hei Huang exclaimed.


    Xu Hei was also stunned.


    In his impression, a single color indicated extremely high talent.


    "A single attribute, top-grade wood spiritual root!"


    Hei Huang marveled, "Such talent is rare even among humans. No wonder this serpent has such a keen sense."


    Xu Bai, however, had no concept of this and was instead frightened by the bright light, shrinking back.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment, took out some jade slips on wood element spells, and handed them to her, instructing her to practice diligently. Xu Bai accepted them seriously.


    Hei Huang glanced at Xu Hei and smiled meaningfully, "A single wood spiritual root in a human woman would mean unparalleled beauty. If she could transform, who knows how many male cultivators she would enchant."


    "..." Xu Hei remained silent.


    Finally, it was Xu Hei''s turn.


    Xu Hei climbed up and placed his hand on the crystal ball, releasing his spiritual energy.


    The crystal ball lit up with a myriad of colors, starting with earthy yellow, then red, blue, gold, and purple...


    "Mixed spiritual roots? Six... seven mixed spiritual roots?" Hei Huang was a bit stunned.


    No, if they were mixed spiritual roots, how could Xu Hei cultivate so quickly?


    But soon, the multicolored light grew brighter and more dazzling, especially the earthy yellow light, which was almost blinding.


    Even the crystal ball showed a crack, as if it was about to explode.


    Xu Hei quickly withdrew his spiritual energy, and the crystal ball calmed down.


    "What is going on?" Xu Hei asked in surprise.


    Hei Huang pondered for a long time before saying, "You do have multiple spiritual roots, but their quality is very high. I''ve never seen such a situation."


    Normally, the more spiritual roots one had, the lower their quality.


    But Xu Hei had many spiritual roots, and their quality was high.


    Especially his earth spiritual root, which was beyond top-grade.


    This was quite extraordinary!


    No wonder Xu Hei could master any spell quickly and with great power. It turned out he had all kinds of spiritual roots, and none of them were low-grade.


    Xu Hei didn''t dwell on it. Since his earth spiritual root was the best, he decided to focus on earth element spells.


    After all the demonic beasts had left.


    Hei Huang placed his paw on the crystal ball, which emitted a black glow, like a black hole that could swallow all light. Hei Huang immediately withdrew his hand.


    "It''s time to visit the Mountain Movers Sect," Hei Huang said coldly.


    ...


    Outside the canyon, in a yellow-brown area.


    Xu Hei took out a jade slip and quickly scanned it with his Divine Sense.


    "There are a total of sixteen earth element spells."


    "I need to learn two for now, Thick Earth Armor and Earth Spike. One for attack and one for defense. If I master these two, I should be able to escape even if I can''t defeat a Foundation Establishment cultivator."


    Xu Hei thought to himself. Both spells were top-tier for the Qi Refining Stage, and many Foundation Establishment cultivators used them.


    With Xu Hei''s top-grade earth spiritual root, their power would be even greater.


    "Thick Earth Armor!"


    Xu Hei focused his mind.


    A yellow-brown layer of light immediately appeared on his body, gradually covering his skin, making it look petrified, with a halo surrounding him from head to toe.


    But the glow dissipated after just a breath.


    Xu Hei exhaled. He had succeeded on his first try, confirming his exceptional talent in earth element spells.


    Days passed in a flash.


    Xu Hei spent his days doing breathing exercises in the cave dwelling and went out at night to practice earth element spells.


    In terms of spells, he progressed rapidly. He had already achieved minor success in both earth element spells, and their power was indeed much greater than other spells.


    However, his cultivation level showed almost no progress.


    The Shaoyang Powder for body tempering was useless to him, and the Qi Condensation Pills had lost their effect. He had also run out of high-level demonic beast meat.


    While he could capture more demonic beast meat, the biggest problem was the pills.


    "I don''t lack spirit stones, but I lack effective pills. Ordinary pills have lost their effect, partly because my cultivation is too high and partly due to resistance."


    "Only the top-tier Qi Refining Stage pill, the Minor Essence Nurturing Pill, has any effect," Xu Hei thought.


    He had found half a bottle of Minor Essence Nurturing Pills in Ye Haichuan''s storage bag and had consumed them, increasing his spiritual energy by about thirty percent.


    Additionally, Ye Haichuan had a bottle of Major Essence Nurturing Pills, but only Foundation Establishment cultivators could take them. Xu Hei had tried licking one and nearly had his meridians burst, so he didn''t dare try again.


    "There are plenty of ingredients to make Minor Essence Nurturing Pills, like the Serpent Tree, but I don''t know how to refine pills," Xu Hei frowned.


    Pill refining, one of the six arts of cultivation, was extremely taxing to learn.


    Xu Hei had already learned puppet techniques and had no energy to learn pill refining. Besides, his wood spiritual root wasn''t high, so he might not have the talent for it.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei had a flash of inspiration.


    Wood spiritual root?


    "Wood spiritual root? Isn''t Xu Bai a top-grade wood spiritual root?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened.


    Thinking carefully, Xu Bai was practically a natural pill refining genius, born for it! How had he not thought of this before?


    Coincidentally, Xu Hei had a high-level pill furnace that he could give her.


    Xu Hei immediately took action, carrying the pill furnace into Xu Bai''s cave dwelling.


    As soon as he entered, he saw her already fiddling with herbs, with a mortar in front of her, forming a ball of herbs.


    During the division of spoils, she had taken the most spirit medicines and plants.


    "Xu Hei!"


    Xu Bai''s eyes lit up when she saw Xu Hei, and she quickly crawled over.


    "Are you... refining pills?" Xu Hei asked, looking at the ball of herbs in the mortar, somewhat stunned.


    What kind of pill refining was this? A new concept?


    "Yes, I''m a top-grade wood spiritual root, perfect for pill refining. I even got Er Gou to help me test the pills! Er Gou was so happy after eating them!" Xu Bai said with a smile.


    Xu Hei listened and then noticed that Hei Er Gou was also in the cave dwelling.


    However, Er Gou''s face was dark, his eyes lifeless, and he stood there like a wooden statue, but his mouth was constantly grinning foolishly.


    "Er Gou, aren''t my pills amazing?" Xu Bai asked Er Gou with a smile.


    Er Gou just kept grinning foolishly, drool dripping from the corner of his mouth.

 Chapter 55: Dog Tomb Raiding Traditional Skills

    Chapter 55: Dog Tomb Raiding Traditional SkillsLooking at the nearly dazed Er Gou, Xu Hei''s throat moved convulsively.


    Xu Hei really wanted to ask a question.


    Who let her refine pills?


    "By the way, Xu Hei, did you come to see me for something? Whatever you need, I''ll definitely get it done!"


    Xu Bai looked at Xu Hei, her eyes sparkling, waiting for his response.


    Xu Hei was taken aback.


    He remembered he came to ask Xu Bai for help with pill refining, but seeing Er Gou''s state, could he dare to eat the pills she made?


    "Right, what was I here for? I seem to have forgotten. Wait, let me think outside."


    Xu Hei laughed awkwardly and turned to leave.


    "Hey, is that pill furnace on your back for me? Did you come to ask me to refine pills?"


    Xu Bai''s eyes lit up, staring at the pill furnace on Xu Hei''s back.


    Xu Hei''s body stiffened, his face turning alternately blue and white.


    "Whatever! With my physical body, as tough as iron and steel, what pills can''t I eat? I can''t compare myself to Er Gou."


    Xu Hei thought to himself, deciding to go all out.


    He took out the pill furnace, placing it carefully in front of Xu Bai, then brought out the Serpent Tree and a large amount of high-grade medicinal herbs, piling them up beside it.


    At the same time, he took out all the jade slips containing his pill refining insights, discussions on spirit medicines, and pill recipes, laying them out in a row.


    "These are the experiences I''ve gathered on pill refining, including the recipe for the Minor Essence Nurturing Pill."


    "You can give it a try, but don''t force yourself if it doesn''t work."


    Xu Hei said tactfully.


    "Mm, I won''t let you down." Xu Bai said excitedly, putting away the jade slips.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and quickly left the cave dwelling.


    Anyway, the task was handed over. When the time comes, whether the pills can be eaten or not, let Hei Huang try one first, then himself.


    "She''s just refining pills for the first time, it''s inevitable to make mistakes. She''ll get better with practice."


    Xu Hei thought optimistically.


    He indeed needed a companion who could refine pills. Otherwise, going to human cities to buy them every time was too risky. If Xu Bai could consistently produce pills, being a tool snake would be perfect.


    Inside the cave dwelling.


    Xu Bai glanced at Er Gou and said, "Er Gou, Xu Hei has given me a task, and I must complete it. The job of testing the pills will be yours."


    Er Gou''s silly smile froze instantly, a primal fear appearing in his eyes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Southern Chu Kingdom, Mountain Movers Sect.


    As a one-star sect in the south, Mountain Movers Sect was under the Snake Catchers Sect, with a history of five hundred years. The Mountain-moving Patriarch of that year was considered a legendary figure.


    "Hmph, dare to bully little Xu? Today marks the end of your Mountain Movers Sect."


    Hei Huang sneered sinisterly, his figure disappearing into the back mountain.


    Who knows how much time passed.


    In the back mountain of the Mountain Movers Sect, a steward was passing by, performing routine patrol and maintenance.


    Suddenly, the steward stopped, his eyes widening, staring at a certain spot with an incredulous expression.


    Moments later, a piercing scream echoed throughout the Mountain Movers Sect.


    "Something terrible has happened! The ancestor''s tomb has been dug up!!!"


    The news spread, causing an uproar in the entire sect.


    The sect master, the grand elder, the guest elders from the Snake Catchers Sect... all the high-ranking members gathered in the back mountain, only to see a large pit dug out of the ancestor''s tomb, the third-tier formation above it rendered useless, completely ignored.


    "No!!" Grand Elder Shi Fengzi screamed, almost fainting.


    Others hurriedly said, "Quick, go inside and check the ancestor''s body."


    Shi Fengzi snapped back to reality, rushing into the tomb. The coffin inside was empty, not only were the burial items gone, but the remains were also missing.


    The formations and restrictions were all in an inactive state.


    In other words, the grave robber had ignored the formations!


    "Who!? Who did this!!!"


    Shi Fengzi roared in anger.


    The Mountain-moving Patriarch was his most revered master. His master''s reputation was more important to him than his own life, and now the body was stolen, crossing his bottom line.


    "The Mountain-moving Patriarch was a Core Formation stage powerhouse back in the day. To dare steal his body, the culprit must also be a Core Formation cultivator!"


    "Impossible, if it were a Core Formation cultivator, why do such a despicable act?"


    "If not a Core Formation stage, how could they ignore the third-tier formation?"


    The high-ranking members discussed heatedly.


    Sect Master Shi Yazi knelt in front of the tomb, continuously kowtowing, tears streaming down.


    "Disciple is unfilial, disciple is unfilial!"


    After a while, he immediately issued orders, sparing no expense, mobilizing the entire sect''s power to capture the grave robber, and offering a sky-high reward.


    The guest elder from the Snake Catchers Sect was deep in thought.


    "Why did nothing happen to others, but your Mountain Movers Sect had an incident? What''s different about you?"


    He quickly thought of the difference: you had a Foundation Establishment elder die, while others didn''t.


    "Sigh!"


    This guest elder rubbed his forehead, feeling speechless.


    For a time, the theft of the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s body caused a huge stir, shocking the Southern Region. Other sects hurriedly strengthened their defenses to prevent similar incidents.


    The theft of an ancestor''s body was a great humiliation, worse than being slapped in the face.


    And the instigator, Hei Huang, was too exhausted to rob another sect. Just dealing with the Mountain-moving Patriarch had worn him out.


    But the gains were substantial.


    "What a pity, if only I could get the third-tier techniques from the Heavenly Puppet Sect and refine you into a corpse puppet, that would be interesting." Hei Huang thought to himself.


    He regretted not going to the Heavenly Puppet Sect to demand a copy back then. With his fame at the time, who would dare refuse?


    Not to mention the Heavenly Puppet Sect, even its headquarters, the Divine Puppet Sect, would have to comply.


    "Little Xu is lucky, with a single wood spiritual root, he won''t have to worry about pills in the future. Perfect, this time I''ll teach him some pill refining techniques and see how talented he is."


    Hei Huang thought excitedly, burrowing into the ground.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In a forest overgrown with chaotic trees.


    A group of black-skinned, long-haired giant elephants was munching on the plants here. The leader, standing five meters tall, was like a giant, easily devouring a large tree.


    Xu Hei hid in the ground, observing this group of mammoth elephants for some time.


    The leader, the Mammoth King, had reached the Great Perfection of the Spirit Communion stage, a quasi-great demon.


    Although not at the Foundation Establishment stage, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator wouldn''t dare provoke such a beast lightly. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    These beasts stood at the top of the food chain, moving in herds, immensely powerful. Injuring one would attract the whole group, and even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would gain nothing.


    Moreover, these beasts had thick skin and tough flesh, ordinary spells couldn''t harm them, making them hard to kill.


    "Any one of them could feed me for days."


    Xu Hei flicked his tongue, extremely tempted.


    Without pills and having run out of demonic beast meat, he had to hunt.


    His Earth Spike and thick earth armor were practiced to perfection, and his puppet techniques were not neglected, able to control fifty small lizards or twenty large ones simultaneously.


    Xu Hei only wanted to eat the Great Perfection leader or the second-in-command at the eighth level of the Spirit Communion stage.


    "Better not alert them, let''s try luring them away first."


    Xu Hei thought, sending out a small lizard.

 Chapter 56: Xu Hei Encounters the Snake Catcher Again

    Chapter 56: Xu Hei Encounters the Snake Catcher AgainThe mammoth woolly elephants, a type of migratory demonic beast, travel in groups, devouring everything in their path. When they strip a forest bare, they move on to the next area.


    This herd had eleven mammoth woolly elephants, with the weakest calf already at the third level of the Spirit Communion Stage, boasting formidable bloodlines.


    Xu Hei had dispatched thirty small lizards, lurking around, waiting for the perfect moment.


    At this moment, a calf approached one of the lizards, swinging its trunk and sniffing curiously.


    Xu Hei hesitated slightly but refrained from acting. The calf was too weak; he feared that a single strike might kill it and completely enrage the herd. S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His targets were only the two largest ones. Killing one of them would suffice. Xu Hei was well aware of his own capabilities.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    Suddenly, the sound of something cutting through the air came from afar.


    Xu Hei was taken aback and directed the lizard¡¯s gaze towards the source.


    In the distance, a large group of figures emerged, at least ten people, each using a Swift Wind Talisman, flying and escaping, landing on nearby mounds and treetops.


    Within just a few breaths, the group had taken their positions, surrounding the elephant herd.


    They were uniformly dressed, adorned with carvings of green mountains and white clouds, all disciples of the Carefree Sect, with cultivation levels ranging from mid to late Qi Refining Stage.


    Leading them was a snake catcher in a python robe.


    This person was very young, around sixteen or seventeen years old, tall and slender, with a slightly youthful appearance, but his cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, the highest in the group.


    His name was Hua Yuntian, one of Xuan Yangzi¡¯s true disciples, the least experienced but exceptionally talented, possessing a rare single superior-grade water spiritual root, achieving Foundation Establishment at fifteen.


    Such talent was quite rare in the entire Chu Kingdom.


    Upon seeing humans, the elephant herd''s eyes turned blood-red, letting out angry roars. The mother elephants hurriedly shielded the calves behind them.


    "Haha, so many woolly elephants! Uncle Hua¡¯s foresight is truly remarkable!"


    "Their tusks are extremely precious, carved into jade treasures, and given to the young ladies of the Purple Mist Sect, they would surely love them."


    Everyone was excited, their eyes filled with greed, staring at the tusks.


    Even in the cultivator world, tusks were rare luxury items, used to craft jade magical treasures, highly favored by cultivators.


    Hua Yuntian''s lips curled into a smug smile and he commanded, "Form the formation, don''t let a single one escape!"


    "Yes!"


    Immediately, the Carefree Sect disciples took out formation flags, placing them in their respective positions.


    A faint light shield gradually formed, encompassing the entire elephant herd.


    The herd, sensing the danger, had their strongest leader charge backward, causing the ground to tremble as its sharp tusks fiercely struck a point on the light shield.


    "Buzz!!"


    The light shield shook violently, showing cracks. Three other bull elephants also charged, their tusks colliding and massive feet stomping, making the shield creak and almost shatter.


    "Die!"


    Hua Yuntian snorted coldly, pulling out a long spear and hurling it into the air. The spear instantly pierced the leader''s back, embedding a meter deep, causing it to let out a piercing howl.


    The others also took out spears, throwing them. Against such large creatures, swords were ineffective; only long and sharp weapons could inflict significant damage.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    Spears pierced the elephants'' bodies, their sharp cries echoing in all directions. Each elephant was riddled with spears, some with several, bleeding profusely.


    "These humans are aiming for extinction!"


    Xu Hei frowned, feeling it was too much to even target the calves.


    Xu Hei hesitated whether to intervene but realized it would bring no benefit to him. If he acted, he would surely become the target of everyone.


    At this moment, the injured herd grew even more frenzied, their fur turning blood-red. The leader stomped the ground, suddenly unleashing ten times its strength, charging forward.


    "Boom!!!"


    The light shield trembled, covered in dense cracks, and the ground split into a ten-meter-wide fissure.


    Hua Yuntian''s face changed, quickly saying, "Leader of the herd, I know you can understand human speech. If you obediently hand over your tusks, I can spare your lives."


    "Even if not for yourself, think of the calves!"


    But the herd ignored him, continuing to exert force. The light shield finally shattered with a loud bang, creating a large gap.


    "Roar!!" The leader let out a high-pitched roar.


    Two pregnant cows and three calves dashed through the gap, covered in wounds, fleeing into the distance.


    But the leader and the remaining bulls did not escape. Instead, they turned to face the human cultivators, eyes filled with furious madness, charging at them.


    They had attacked the light shield not to escape but to give their herd a glimmer of hope.


    "Damn it!"


    Hua Yuntian''s face turned extremely grim. He was still too young, misjudging the herd''s strength, leading to an insufficient formation strength.


    He leaped, chasing after the fleeing elephants, but the leader roared, its sonic wave sweeping like a gale, forcing Hua Yuntian to halt.


    Hua Yuntian threw a flying sword, aiming at the fleeing cows, but the leader''s trunk shot out a sword-shaped airflow, knocking the flying sword down.


    "You three, go after the escapees. The rest, kill these beasts with me!" Hua Yuntian shouted angrily.


    "Yes!"


    Three Carefree Sect cultivators immediately took off, using Swift Wind Talismans, chasing the fleeing herd.


    They split into two groups, three pursuing the females and young, the rest dealing with the main force.


    Xu Hei watched, his eyes flickering, deciding to kill the three cultivators first.


    These three Carefree Sect cultivators were at the ninth and seventh levels of the Qi Refining Stage.


    Xu Hei burrowed underground, moving like an earth dragon.


    He did not underestimate his opponents due to their lower cultivation. Against any foe, he would go all out, aiming for a kill in one strike, leaving no chance for escape.


    Moreover, the one at the ninth level was two levels higher than him.


    Hua Yuntian stayed behind, leading the others in a fierce battle against the bull elephants. With his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, he handled it with ease.


    However, these demonic beasts were incredibly tough, killing them would take time.


    On the other side.


    Xu Hei fully activated his Earth Escape Technique, soon arriving directly beneath the two cows, with the three calves protected in front.


    "You little beasts think you can escape? You can''t!"


    The ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator approached first, from ten meters away, casting a lightning strike at the cow''s tail.


    Xu Hei did not act out of sympathy but seized the moment his opponent attacked, his eyes turning ruthless, activating his spell.


    "Earth Spike!"


    A sharp cone of earth suddenly rose from beneath the cultivator, thrusting towards his rear at lightning speed.


    "Not good!"


    The man''s face changed drastically, but having just cast the Lightning Strike Technique, he had no time for other defenses, hurriedly taking out a shield to block below.


    "Thud!!"


    The shield was pierced through, the Earth Spike impaling him from bottom to top, entering through his rear and exiting through his head, killing him instantly.


    The ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator was killed in an instant.

 Chapter 57: Despicable and Shameless Devious Trickster

    Chapter 57: Despicable and Shameless Devious TricksterThe mother elephant couldn''t avoid being struck by a bolt of lightning. Fortunately, these types of demonic beasts had thick blood and tough skin, so she didn''t die but was severely injured.


    She noticed the situation behind her and was secretly shocked, not knowing who was helping them from the shadows.


    "What?"


    "More enemies!"


    The two cultivators at the seventh level of Qi Refining behind her turned pale and halted their steps.


    The moment the cultivator in front died, their minds raced. Without a word, they turned and fled in different directions, each pulling out life-saving items to shield themselves.


    They used everything¡ªtalismans, pills, magical treasures¡ªand ran for their lives, sparing no effort.


    Xu Hei sneered inwardly. The moment he made his move, these two were doomed. If he didn''t act, fine, but once he did, none would be left alive.


    The two had just fled a few meters when they were horrified to find themselves surrounded by a dense swarm of small lizards.


    "Kill!" Xu Hei shouted.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom..."


    The small lizards simultaneously spat out white beams of Spiritual Qi, shooting from all directions and hitting the two men.


    As late-stage Qi Refining cultivators, they couldn''t be taken down by such small lizards. Their magical treasures glowed, blocking all attacks, though they looked a bit disheveled.


    The two cursed inwardly. They were clearly ambushed, but as long as they could reach Hua Yuntian, they would be saved.


    But at that moment, they suddenly noticed several small lizards flying out from the barrage, each carrying a burning talisman.


    "Is that..."


    "Top-grade Fire Explosion Talismans?" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not good, retreat!"


    The two screamed shrilly.


    Retreat? There was nowhere to retreat! The lizards carrying talismans were not just one or two but a whole swarm, coming from all directions.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    The Fire Explosion Talismans detonated, shattering their protective barriers. The white beams from behind surged forward, leaving bloody holes in their bodies.


    Screams echoed continuously.


    In just a few breaths, the two were blasted into meat paste.


    Xu Hei quickly collected the storage bags of the three and had the small lizards burn their bodies with Fireball Talismans.


    Low-grade talismans were of no use to Xu Hei, but they were good for destroying bodies.


    "These small lizards have too simple attack methods; they must carry talismans. But top-grade talismans are limited and too wasteful."


    "Next time, I need stronger puppet beasts, like that giant frog or that big snake..."


    Xu Hei pondered the battle as he returned.


    Taking out that ninth-level Qi Refining cultivator was straightforward, a single Earth Spike did the job.


    The other two took some effort.


    If they had been a bit smarter, had more trump cards, and used a life-saving talisman like Ye Haichuan, Xu Hei could only watch helplessly.


    "My preparations were still insufficient; this time was just luck," Xu Hei shook his head inwardly.


    ...


    Time slowly passed.


    On the other side, Hua Yuntian was already getting impatient.


    "Those three idiots, why aren''t they back yet?" Hua Yuntian''s face was gloomy.


    "With Xue Yang''s trio''s cultivation, they should have finished in half a stick of incense. It''s almost a full stick now; did they run off with the loot?" a female cultivator said.


    At this moment, the group of male elephants was already on the verge of death, their bodies pierced with spears and spikes, and a large number of flying swords. Their wounds were deep, with blood flowing everywhere, forming small streams.


    Two had already died, no longer breathing.


    However, the remaining ones continued to resist, still emitting sonic attacks.


    "Roar!!!"


    The deafening roar stirred up a hundred meters of dust, shaking in all directions. Many people had their ears ringing, blood flowing from their ears.


    "I''ll go take a look."


    The female cultivator who had just spoken leaped towards the direction the three had chased.


    Hua Yuntian didn''t stop her. After such a long time, it was indeed necessary to check.


    "Whoosh!!"


    Suddenly, not far from where the female cultivator flew, an Earth Spike shot up from below, aiming at her lower body.


    "Not good!"


    Hua Yuntian''s face changed drastically. He threw out a flying sword, slashing at the Earth Spike with lightning speed. But Xu Hei had already calculated the timing; how could it be so easily blocked?


    The Earth Spike was cut into two, but the front half still soared, piercing through the female cultivator''s body from back to front. She fell from fifteen meters high, crashing to the ground, dead.


    The speed was so fast that she couldn''t even react, not having time to activate her defensive magical treasure, dying instantly.


    Everyone froze. Hua Yuntian stared for a few seconds, his eyes bulging with extreme anger.


    "Earth Spike? Mountain Movers Sect? Impossible! Who is it? Get out here!"


    Hua Yuntian roared in fury, his Divine Sense sweeping out, covering a radius of three hundred meters, but finding nothing.


    The severely injured male elephants also looked puzzled.


    After using that move, Xu Hei immediately activated an Invisibility Talisman, hiding underground, motionless.


    "This person''s Divine Sense doesn''t seem as strong as Ye Haichuan''s?"


    Xu Hei was puzzled.


    From previous observations, although Hua Yuntian was also in the Foundation Establishment Stage, he was on a completely different level compared to Ye Haichuan.


    The latter''s spells, magical treasures, flying swords, and Divine Sense were all far superior to Hua Yuntian.


    Even his cunning and scheming were several levels above Hua Yuntian. In comparison, the person before him seemed like a reckless fool, failing to control the situation from the start and letting a few elephants escape.


    "It seems that even Foundation Establishment cultivators vary in strength. I can''t be careless, whether this person is truly weak or just pretending!"


    Xu Hei remained vigilant, always giving his all against any opponent.


    Moreover, this person had reached Foundation Establishment at a young age, surely a genius with many life-saving items.


    "Get out! Get out!"


    After a bout of hysterical roaring.


    Hua Yuntian panted heavily, his eyes bloodshot. He stopped attacking the giant elephants and stared ahead, his face gloomy. "What is your purpose? Just speak up. Why hide and be laughed at!"


    The remaining people looked at each other, all highly alert, standing back to back, watching their feet to prevent another spike from appearing.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and decided to trick him.


    He controlled a small lizard to fire a beam at a certain spot.


    "Boom!"


    A giant rock shattered.


    Hua Yuntian instantly reacted, slashing with his sword and scattering a large amount of Revealing Dust in that area.


    The sword light roared, covering a hundred meters, and the Revealing Dust quickly spread, but no invisible creature was found.


    "Despicable, shameless scoundrel, dare to fight me head-on!"


    Realizing he had been tricked, Hua Yuntian was furious, roaring to the sky.


    The others were silent, not daring to say a word.


    Seeing this, Xu Hei had the small lizard fire another shot, and Hua Yuntian rushed over again, slashing wildly at the void.


    "Here''s my chance!"


    Xu Hei''s mind moved, Earth Spike.


    "Thud!!"


    A sharp stone pillar shot up from beneath a seventh-level Qi Refining disciple, piercing through him despite his defenses, including his armor and magical treasure bell, which were penetrated as if made of paper.


    The corpse fell with a thud, dying a miserable death.


    A terrifying shadow spread in everyone''s hearts.


    Unconsciously, everyone moved closer to Hua Yuntian, not daring to be alone.


    Hua Yuntian''s face was ashen, like he had eaten something foul. He grabbed the lizard that had fired the shot and crushed it.


    "Puppet Mechanism Technique? Earth Spike? Who the fuck are you?!"


    Hua Yuntian was about to lose his mind. He had never been so humiliated, being toyed with like a monkey, watching his men die in front of him.


    He could already imagine the hidden person''s sinister smile.


    His eyes scanned around, his Divine Sense shooting out like arrows, covering every inch, growing more and more gloomy.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    Suddenly, a thunderous rumble came from afar, growing louder and louder, shaking the heavens and earth.


    It wasn''t the ground shaking, but the void.


    A vast and terrifying demonic aura swept across the sky, turning it black.


    Sensing this demonic aura, the severely injured male elephants immediately raised their trunks, making excited sounds, cheering and calling for help.

 Chapter 58: Who made her learn Pill Refining?

    Chapter 58: Who made her learn Pill Refining?"Foundation Establishment Great Demon?"


    Hua Yuntian''s face changed instantly.


    Xu Hei was also deeply shaken. He had seen many cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage, but this was the first time he had encountered a demonic beast at this level. And judging by the situation, this was clearly no ordinary Foundation Establishment demonic beast.


    In the distant sky, a rumbling sound echoed, as if wheels were grinding over the earth, causing the heavens and earth to shake. A mammoth elephant, carrying a fierce demonic wind, stepped through the air, its presence like the collapse of heaven and earth.


    "Run!"


    Hua Yuntian looked as if he had seen a ghost. He grabbed two cultivators beside him and flung them towards the mammoth elephant, then retreated at lightning speed, fleeing into the distance as fast as he could.


    The other cultivators were horrified and scattered in all directions, fleeing for their lives, no longer caring about sticking together.


    The two cultivators thrown by Hua Yuntian were pulverized into dust by the terrifying aura before they even got close to the mammoth elephant. Blood and flesh scattered, but the mammoth elephant continued its stride, covering a thousand feet with each step, chasing after Hua Yuntian.


    "This is at least late Foundation Establishment, maybe even Great Perfection!"


    Xu Hei judged roughly in his heart after observing through his small lizard.


    He never expected that this group of seemingly ordinary mammoth elephants would attract the help of such a terrifying mammoth elephant. It was too frightening.


    What kind of creatures were hidden in this forest? Xu Hei had no idea.


    "Let''s slow you down."


    Xu Hei certainly wouldn''t let Hua Yuntian escape so easily. With a thought, he activated the Earth Spike, aiming it at Hua Yuntian''s path.


    Hua Yuntian sensed something, his face twitching as he quickly veered to the side.


    In the instant he dodged, a sharp stone pillar shot up, almost grazing his face.


    Although it didn''t harm him, it slowed him down.


    "Earth Spike!"


    Xu Hei cast the spell again, mimicking Ye Haichuan''s method, aiming at Hua Yuntian''s path to block his escape.


    "Thud! Thud! Thud!"


    Stone pillars shot up one after another, always appearing in Hua Yuntian''s path whenever he tried to move.


    In just a moment, the distance between him and the mammoth elephant closed rapidly.


    "You despicable scoundrel!"


    Hua Yuntian was nearly driven mad with rage. Under normal circumstances, this spell couldn''t possibly hit him. He could even track the caster''s location and launch a thunderous counterattack. But now, he didn''t dare.


    He had never felt so aggrieved. His hatred for the person in the shadows was boundless.


    "Shameless scoundrel! One day, I will tear you to pieces!!"


    Seeing the mammoth elephant getting closer, Hua Yuntian could no longer endure. He crushed a golden jade pendant, and a golden shield of light rose around him.


    Ignoring all the Earth Spikes, he charged forward, out of Xu Hei''s spell range.


    The mammoth elephant chased after him, and in a moment, both disappeared into the distance.


    "I''ve stalled him long enough. The rest is up to you."


    Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Without hesitation, he released a large lizard to chase after the remaining cultivators.


    There were ten people in total. Three were killed initially, two more died later, and two were thrown by Hua Yuntian. That left three.


    Xu Hei kept an eye on Hua Yuntian while also watching these three.


    Xu Hei himself chased one, while a group of large lizards tracked the other two.


    For humans, Xu Hei would strike while the iron was hot, not letting any opportunity slip by.


    As for Hua Yuntian''s fate, Xu Hei didn''t care. He had done enough; the rest was up to the mammoth elephant.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei emerged from the ground, spitting a bolt of lightning that instantly turned the person flying high in the sky, trying to avoid the Earth Spikes, into charred remains.


    Elsewhere, the two who had split up were caught by the group of large lizards. One was killed in a chaotic attack, while the other escaped.


    Xu Hei arrived shortly after and, after a ten-breath chase, successfully dealt with the escapee.


    "These mechanical beasts are still not good enough."


    Xu Hei shook his head.


    He needed to hurry and control his large snake and giant frog better, as they could rival puppets at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage.


    He didn''t dare covet the mammoth elephant''s corpse, but killing a group of human cultivators and collecting a pile of storage bags was enough.


    Xu Hei returned the way he came, passing the battlefield and having his small lizard retrieve the storage bags of the cultivators.


    Most of the male elephants were dead, mostly from severe injuries, with only two barely clinging to life.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and decided to help them to the end. He took out two healing pills from a storage bag and had the small lizard deliver them.


    The two elephants, showing intelligence, used their long trunks to roll up the pills and swallow them, trumpeting at the small lizard in gratitude.


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly, deciding not to show himself. If they wanted to thank someone, they could thank the small lizard.


    "Seeing you so pitiful, I''ll help you out. Just don''t go extinct, or there''ll be nothing to eat in the future," Xu Hei thought.


    In the distance, a rumbling sound approached. The mammoth elephant was returning.


    Xu Hei didn''t linger, observing from afar before quickly turning to leave.


    From a distance, Xu Hei heard a loud trumpet.


    "Friend in the shadows, my mammoth tribe owes you a favor. We will repay you generously when you reveal yourself."


    This was the voice of the mammoth elephant. Such a high-level great demon could already communicate verbally.


    Xu Hei sighed. He had come to hunt but ended up saving lives. It was almost laughable.


    However, gaining the favor of the mammoth elephant wasn''t a loss. He hoped there would be some demonic beast meat in the storage bags to enjoy.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei had a thought.


    The mammoth elephant returned so quickly. Did Hua Yuntian die?


    In such a short time, Hua Yuntian couldn''t have gotten far. If he went to check, he might be able to finish him off and grab his storage bag.


    But Xu Hei quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea. Hua Yuntian had a significant background. If he was a disciple of a Core Formation Stage cultivator, looting his corpse might lead to an encounter with his master.


    He couldn''t guarantee that the Invisibility Talisman would work against a Core Formation Stage cultivator.


    "Know when to stop and don''t be too greedy," Xu Hei thought.


    Next, Xu Hei didn''t rush back to his cave dwelling.


    He moved far away, finding a secluded cave to check the storage bags and organize the items.


    These people were easily killed by him, so they didn''t have any extraordinary treasures, just common items.


    Xu Hei categorized the items:


    Low to mid-grade treasures, useless to him but useful for Xu Bai.


    High-grade treasures, which he could keep as more is always better.


    Unknown treasures, needing Hei Huang''s identification or his own research.


    To his relief, there was plenty of demonic beast meat, with five at the late Spirit Communion Stage, totaling about eight thousand pounds, roughly equivalent to a small mammoth elephant.


    It was enough to last him a while.


    He also found some Minor Essence Nurturing Pills, enough to fill a small bottle.


    There were also plenty of talismans, just enough to replenish his battle losses.


    Xu Hei immediately ate a late Spirit Communion Stage leopard and took two Minor Essence Nurturing Pills, starting to refine them on the spot.


    Demonic beast meat combined with pills was the ultimate enjoyment.


    Xu Hei could feel his hungry body rapidly absorbing the energy, his spiritual qi growing quickly, especially after the battle.


    In the Demon God Cauldron, the spiritual qi water ball kept expanding, growing to about the size of a fist, with the spiritual qi stream becoming even thicker. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This seclusion lasted for three days.


    After three days, the Minor Essence Nurturing Pills were gone, but there was still plenty of demonic beast meat left.


    The spiritual qi water ball had grown to its limit. Xu Hei had reached the Great Perfection of the seventh layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, but he was still a bit short of the eighth layer.


    Xu Hei sighed. Nine storage bags yielded only half a bottle of Minor Essence Nurturing Pills.


    These pills were extremely precious to human cultivators, who would usually consume them immediately, rarely storing them in their storage bags, leading to limited gains.


    If Xu Hei were in the human world, he could buy them with spirit stones or exchange them for contribution points in a sect.


    But as a wild demonic beast, his opportunities to obtain pills were too few.


    The black jade stone contained nearly two thousand spirit stones, a considerable fortune, but he couldn''t trade with humans. The last time Hei Huang traded, he killed a disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, causing a huge trouble.


    "I wonder how Xu Bai''s pill refining is going."


    Xu Hei was full of anticipation and decided to go back and check.


    ...


    In a distant forest.


    A corpse, crushed into a pulp, lay quietly. Upon closer inspection, it was Hua Yuntian, with his storage bag lying untouched beside him.


    No one knew how long had passed.


    Suddenly, the long-dead Hua Yuntian opened his eyes and coughed violently.


    His flattened body gradually swelled, and the scattered flesh began to heal.


    "You''re awake," said a calm voice. In the sky, a faint shadow of a middle-aged scholar appeared.


    "Master, did that despicable person show up?" Hua Yuntian asked urgently as soon as he woke, but he immediately coughed violently, spitting blood, his breath weak.


    "Since your feigned death three days ago, he has not appeared," the middle-aged scholar said.


    Hua Yuntian''s severely injured body trembled violently upon hearing this, and he fainted again in a fit of rage.


    The middle-aged scholar frowned deeply, shaking his head in silence.


    ...


    Crossing several mountains, Xu Hei returned to his cave dwelling.


    He first checked the surroundings, finding no signs of human or demonic beast activity, and the markers he left were untouched. Only then did he approach the cave.


    "Three days should be enough to refine one or two batches of Minor Essence Nurturing Pills," Xu Hei thought.


    From a distance, he suddenly heard a thunderous explosion from the cave.


    The sound was intense, shaking the entire mountain, with faint sounds of collapse.


    "An enemy attack?"


    Xu Hei''s heart jolted. He rushed forward, spreading his divine sense to stay alert.


    As he got closer, he saw black smoke billowing from the cave. A large black dog, covered in dust, ran out, coughing and looking miserable.


    Seeing it was Hei Huang, Xu Hei sighed in relief.


    But seeing the ruined cave, mostly collapsed, Xu Hei''s heart sank again. He quickly appeared and asked, "What happened?"


    Hei Huang, seeing Xu Hei return, gritted his teeth and said with a dark face, "Who let her learn pill refining?"

 Chapter 59: Crazy Trial Dan Segment

    Chapter 59: Crazy Trial Dan SegmentWho got her into alchemy?


    Xu Hei''s heart sank when he heard this.


    From the collapsed cave dwelling, a pitch-black white snake slithered out, carrying a cracked pill furnace on its back.


    Behind her, she dragged Er Gou, whose eyelids were flipped, tongue lolling out, and completely unconscious.


    "I... I didn''t tell her to refine pills," Xu Hei quickly shook his head.


    "Isn''t that pill furnace yours? Stop lying!" Hei Huang fumed.


    Xu Hei glanced guiltily at the pill furnace. It was originally a Spiritual Treasure at the Foundation Establishment level, but now it was covered in fine cracks. A few more attempts and it might just explode.


    Xu Hei''s mouth fell open.


    "How many times has the furnace exploded?"


    "This is the fifth time today. If you count the past few days, I''ve lost track," Hei Huang cursed.


    In his entire life, he had never encountered such a talent. Every time she refined pills, the furnace would explode. Even with hands-on guidance, it was useless. Whenever he personally refined pills, if the white snake was involved in even a small step, it would go "boom" and explode. She was like an automatic furnace-exploding machine.


    "Then why didn''t you stop her? Why blame me?" Xu Hei retorted.


    Hei Huang was momentarily speechless.


    After he returned, he saw that Xu Bai had an exceptional wood Spiritual Root, loved pill refining, and was determined, so he wanted to guide her. But the more he guided, the more she failed. It was unstoppable.


    He was naturally stubborn, never giving up until he achieved his goal. Even if it was a piece of deadwood, he believed he could carve it into something beautiful. But this time, he had hit a major snag.


    "I... I succeeded this time. I refined a pill," Xu Bai said, feeling wronged as she saw the two arguing.


    "Hmm?"


    Hei Huang''s eyes lit up. The furnace exploded, but she still managed to make a pill? That was unexpected.


    Xu Hei also looked over curiously.


    Xu Bai lifted the pill furnace, turned it upside down, and shook it. A pitch-black pill rolled out and fell to the ground.


    The pill was uneven, surrounded by a layer of black mist, and emitted a faint, pungent smell.


    Hei Huang''s eyes widened. "What kind of pill is this?"


    "A Minor Essence Nurturing Pill. Xu Hei taught me to refine it. This is my first successful product," Xu Bai said.


    Xu Hei''s mouth twitched as he stared at the black, shriveled pill. He couldn''t see how it had any relation to a Minor Essence Nurturing Pill.


    Hei Huang stared at it for a while, then suddenly picked up the pill, looked at Xu Hei, and smiled slightly. "Since you taught her to refine it, you should eat it. Don''t waste her effort." S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei shook his head vigorously and stepped back repeatedly.


    "No, no, I''m always humble as a snake. You should have it."


    "Hey, no need to be so polite. We''re all brothers here."


    "You should have it. I can''t handle it."


    "You eat it!"


    "You eat it!"


    Hei Huang pushed the pill towards Xu Hei, who pushed it back. The two demons kept pushing it back and forth.


    Xu Bai watched for a while, then blinked and said, "You don''t have to be so polite. I can refine another one. Everyone can have a share."


    "No need!"


    This time, both demons spoke in unison, their voices particularly loud.


    In the end, they had no choice.


    Xu Hei and Hei Huang simultaneously turned their gaze to Er Gou, who lay on the ground, his fate uncertain. They exchanged a glance and nodded.


    They took the pill and walked towards Er Gou.


    Er Gou seemed to sense danger. Though unconscious, he suddenly sprang up and let out a series of sharp barks, "Woof! Woof! Woof!" The sound was extremely shrill.


    Like a dog with its tail caught, he frantically retreated, barking as he backed into a corner.


    Xu Hei swallowed hard. Had this pill caused such a physiological reflex? Was it really that terrifying?


    Xu Hei regretted it. If he had known, he wouldn''t have killed all those cultivators. He should have kept one alive to test the pill. It wouldn''t have come to this.


    "I''ll go catch a demonic beast," Xu Hei said, turning to leave.


    Hei Huang stared at the pill in his hand, brought it to his nose for a sniff, and a layer of black mist spread over his face. His fur showed signs of falling off, so he quickly sealed the pill in a jade box.


    Xu Bai was anxious. She really wanted to help, but she was always clumsy and failed repeatedly. This was her first success.


    She pinned all her hopes on that pill.


    ...


    Not long after, Xu Hei returned.


    He had caught a big fish and a monkey, both at the seventh level of the Spirit Communion Stage, bound with a demon-binding rope.


    Actually, he wanted to catch a snake to test, but snake demons were hard to find, especially those with similar cultivation levels. After searching for a while, he only found the fish and the monkey.


    "Let''s try the fish first."


    Hei Huang took out the pill and carefully scraped off a bit of powder, feeding it to the big fish.


    After the fish consumed the pill, a layer of black mist enveloped its body. Its True Qi surged rapidly, breaking through to the eighth level of the Spirit Communion Stage within the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.


    "It works! It has the effect of a Minor Essence Nurturing Pill!" Hei Huang exclaimed in delight.


    "It really is a Minor Essence Nurturing Pill!"


    Xu Hei also noticed the effect. This was indeed the effect of a Minor Essence Nurturing Pill.


    And this was just a bit of powder. If the whole pill was consumed, wouldn''t it allow continuous breakthroughs?


    No wonder she had an exceptional wood Spiritual Root. She was a genius in pill refining!


    But before Xu Hei could finish his thought, he saw the fish''s abdomen start to bulge on both sides.


    Two lumps of flesh extended out, transforming into two bare feet that touched the ground.


    "Uh..."


    Hei Huang was stunned, and Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    What was happening?


    A fish growing legs?!


    "Screech!!!"


    Suddenly, the fish let out a sharp roar, broke free from the ropes, and started running on its two feet, kicking up dust as it fled into the distance.


    In the blink of an eye, it disappeared from sight.


    The scene was so shocking that the two demons stood there for a long time, unable to react.


    "Did the fish... evolve?" Xu Hei asked, bewildered.


    Hei Huang''s mouth twitched. "Evolve my ass! It mutated into a monster!"


    As the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person, he had seen many evil cultivators create all sorts of bizarre creatures. He had also seen demonic cultivators refine demonic pills, turning themselves into abominations.


    But watching a fish grow human-like legs and run away right before his eyes was too absurd.


    He glanced at the bewildered Xu Bai and thought, could she be a budding demon?


    "Let''s try the monkey. Monkeys are similar to humans, so we might be able to predict the effect on humans," Xu Hei suggested.


    Hei Huang didn''t bother with powder this time. He directly shoved the whole pill into the monkey''s mouth.


    "Oo oo oo!"


    The monkey, being intelligent, knew the pill was poisonous and refused to swallow it. But Hei Huang wasn''t to be trifled with. With a slap of his paw, the pill went down with a gulp.


    The monkey''s body was immediately enveloped in a layer of black mist. Its face turned a mix of blue and red as the pill''s energy surged chaotically, its cultivation rising to the eighth level of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    But that wasn''t the end. Because it had consumed the whole pill, an hour later, the monkey broke through again, reaching the ninth level of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    Then, its entire skeleton began to crackle and pop. Its posture became upright, its legs elongated, its tail retracted, its fur fell off, and its face underwent rapid changes.


    "Is it evolving again?"


    Xu Hei watched in amazement.


    Hei Huang also stared unblinkingly at the "evolving" monkey.

 Chapter 60: Double Black Marches to the Purple Mist Sect

    Chapter 60: Double Black Marches to the Purple Mist SectThe monkey''s tail grew shorter and shorter, its fur falling off, skin becoming smoother, and its body taller, gradually transforming into an ape-man.


    "What the hell..."


    "Is it turning into a human?"


    Both demons were dumbfounded.


    During this process, the monkey sometimes screamed in agony, sometimes wept, sometimes laughed maniacally, sometimes raged, and sometimes showed fear. Various emotions appeared on its face one by one.


    "This is going berserk," Hei Huang said in a deep voice.


    Rapid advancement in cultivation, bloodline mutation, and no auxiliary techniques¡ªit''s no wonder it went berserk!


    "Ah!!"


    With a heart-wrenching scream, the monkey suddenly stood still, like a wooden statue.


    At this moment, its evolution had stopped. It stood six feet tall, with a straight posture, almost all its fur gone, and its tail disappeared. Its skin was slightly rough, and its race was between a monkey and a human.


    It was a monkey before.


    Now, it should be an ape-man.


    Xu Hei was stunned.


    What kind of heaven-defying pill is this? It can make fish grow legs and monkeys evolve into humans.


    However, the ape-man''s eyes were dull, its mouth slightly open, standing motionless like a puppet.


    "Why isn''t it moving?"


    Xu Hei used the Gravity Technique to grab a branch and waved it in front of the ape-man''s eyes, but there was no reaction.


    "He went berserk and died," Hei Huang said.


    "Berserk..."


    Xu Hei frowned. He had heard of this term, which meant that during cultivation, an error occurred, causing an Inner Demon to invade the body. In mild cases, one could become an idiot; in severe cases, they would die on the spot.


    Xu Bai was startled. She lowered her head like she had done something wrong and said, "I... I didn''t mean to. I didn''t know it would kill someone."


    Hei Huang sneered, "What''s the big deal about a dead person? This monkey was meant to be caught and eaten. Back in the day, I could easily poison an entire sect."


    He didn''t care about the monkey''s death; he was just pondering why the pill had such an effect.


    He had witnessed the entire pill refining process and recognized all the materials, but no matter how he thought about it, he couldn''t figure out why this strange pill caused such a mutation.


    This was no ordinary pill; it was practically a demonic pill refined by a demonic cultivator!


    Xu Hei was also pondering this question.


    A pill that could make fish grow legs and walk on land, make monkeys evolve into ape-men, and judging by the looks of it, if the monkey hadn''t died midway, it could have continued evolving. It was simply absurd.


    Xu Hei suddenly had a flash of inspiration and asked, "Hei Huang, what is her cultivation technique?"


    "Cultivation technique?" Xu Bai thought for a moment and said, "I think it''s called... Heavenly Demon Technique."


    "Heavenly Demon Technique!"


    Hei Huang was shocked, a flash of realization crossing his mind.


    In the inheritance he had given, there indeed was the Heavenly Demon Technique!


    But the Heavenly Demon Technique was only suitable for someone with a Fiendish Demon Body like his to cultivate. There had never been a case of someone with a pure Wood Spiritual Root cultivating it.


    "Try circulating your cultivation technique," Hei Huang quickly said.


    Xu Bai immediately complied. A wisp of True Qi emerged from her Demon Core and flowed through her meridians.


    It was powerful Wood-element True Qi, but within it, there was also a trace of black Qi, continuously merging together.


    Hei Huang exclaimed, "It really is the Heavenly Demon Technique, but I''ve never seen such True Qi before!"


    The truth was revealed.


    This should be his Heavenly Demon Technique, combined with the Wood Spiritual Root, producing a strange mutation that even he, the creator, hadn''t anticipated.


    "Can I still refine pills in the future?" Xu Bai asked.


    "You did well, but don''t refine anymore," Hei Huang said.


    Xu Bai: "..."


    In the end, it was Xu Hei who persuaded her, encouraging her to keep trying if she liked it. In the future, she could catch more human cultivators to test the pills, and she would eventually succeed.


    After some encouragement, Xu Bai finally regained her confidence, promising to work hard and not let everyone down.


    "I will work hard. I swear, I will refine pills that will be useful to Great King Xu Hei!" Xu Bai said with determination.


    "Hehe, good luck."


    Xu Hei forced a smile of encouragement.


    He handed over the previously collected medicinal materials to Xu Bai and took out three brand new pill furnaces from his storage bag, all spoils of war.


    Xu Bai accepted them excitedly and immediately began a new round of research.


    "Xu Hei, you were the one who asked her to refine pills. In the future, you better not refuse to eat her pills!" Hei Huang took the opportunity to speak, a wicked smile on his face.


    Xu Hei glanced at the ape-man and instinctively shrank his neck, quickly changing the subject, "I just remembered something I need to do. I''ll be off."


    "Hey, wait!"


    Hei Huang quickly put away the ape-man''s corpse and ran over, grinning slyly, "Xu Hei, are you in urgent need of pills? I have a way to get enough Minor Essence Nurturing Pills to ensure you cultivate to Great Perfection."


    Xu Hei was stunned, instinctively feeling that it couldn''t be anything good, but he still asked, "What way?"


    "Let''s do something big, rob the pill refining room!"


    Hei Huang took out a map and said excitedly, "This is the layout of the Purple Mist Sect. Don''t ask me how I got it. The pill refining room is right here... Hey, don''t go, I haven''t finished talking."


    Xu Hei cursed, "If you want to go, go yourself. I''m not stopping you."


    Xu Hei just wanted to cultivate in peace. He really didn''t want to stir up trouble. He had just fought a big battle with humans and hadn''t even digested it yet, and now he had to fight again. When would it end?


    Hei Huang''s eyes rolled, and he caught up, saying, "We''re going to steal, not rob openly. What are you afraid of?"


    "The Purple Mist Sect is full of female cultivators, all of them simple-minded and easy to deal with."


    "The Purple Mist Sect is also a major pill refining sect. Don''t mention Minor Essence Nurturing Pills; we might even get Foundation Establishment Pills."


    "When have I ever tricked you?"


    "Xu Hei, humans are so wicked. We can''t sit idly by; we need to teach them a lesson..."


    Hei Huang kept following, analyzing the pros and cons from all angles, trying to persuade him.


    His voice was like a ghost haunting, lingering in Xu Hei''s ears, making him extremely annoyed.


    Xu Hei looked back at him, gritting his teeth, "Just tell me, how confident are you?"


    Hei Huang was stunned and said, "With you, ninety percent."


    "Then let''s go! You can explain the plan on the way."


    Xu Hei used the Earth Escape Technique and sped towards the direction of the Purple Mist Sect.


    He had figured out Hei Huang''s tactics. If he didn''t agree, Hei Huang would pester him until he did. It was better to agree from the start, saving time.


    Hei Huang followed behind, a satisfied smile on his face.


    "Little Xu, the usual fifty-fifty split."


    "Got it, got it, you talk too much."


    ¡­¡­


    Along the way, at Xu Hei''s strong request, Hei Huang refined a batch of puppets and many Invisibility Talismans.


    Hei Huang couldn''t refuse these requests and could only agree with a pained heart.


    Two days later.


    Xu Hei and the two demons arrived at the territory of the Purple Mist Sect.


    The Purple Mist Sect, one of the four major sects under the Snake Catchers Sect, only accepted female disciples and was on par with the other three sects in terms of strength.


    But this sect had one major characteristic: it was overly pampered. sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From disciples to elders, there was an air of mortal ignorance and arrogance.


    The reason was simple: the female cultivators of the Purple Mist Sect were all stunningly beautiful, and with the Purple Mist Technique, a dual cultivation technique, anyone who dual cultivated with them could improve their cultivation. This led to them having a large number of admirers.


    Various rare magical treasures and spirit beasts would be offered to them as long as they asked.


    Even disciples of the Snake Catchers Sect often tried to curry favor with them.


    Because the Purple Mist Technique required both parties to be willing for the best effect, if the female cultivator harbored resentment, it could cause the male cultivator to go berserk.


    This was the domineering aspect of the Purple Mist Technique.


    Additionally, the sect master of the Purple Mist Sect was a Dao companion of a significant figure in the Snake Catchers Sect, who was a notorious wife-protector. Under his authority, no one dared to provoke the sect.


    "Hehe, this is why we encountered so few female disciples of the Purple Mist Sect on our way here. As long as they ask, treasures are delivered to their doorsteps. Why would they need to risk their lives in the mountains?" Hei Huang sneered.


    "The creator of the Purple Mist Technique was truly a genius, benefiting the entire sect," Xu Hei sighed.


    "Forgot to tell you, the creator was a man."


    "What?" Xu Hei was stunned.

 Chapter 61: Two people spread dog food and pass away

    Chapter 61: Two people spread dog food and pass away"He was originally a man, but somehow turned into a female cultivator. I won''t go into the details; it might ruin your state of mind."


    Hei Huang chuckled mischievously.


    Xu Hei swallowed hard and instinctively decided not to ask further.


    "Hei Huang, if the plan fails and we get discovered, how do we escape?"


    Xu Hei asked, wanting to prepare for the worst-case scenario. It wasn''t a lack of confidence, just a precaution to ensure everything was covered.


    "Don''t worry, once I bring out that thing, the women of the Purple Mist Sect won''t dare to make a move!" Hei Huang said confidently.


    Xu Hei didn''t press further. Revealing all secrets wasn''t good either; some basic trust was necessary.


    ...


    Ahead, they entered the territory of the Purple Mist Sect, Purple Mist Mountain.


    This mountain was home to many spirit beasts. Xu Hei scanned with his divine sense and found numerous spirit cats, spirit dogs, and spirit rabbits, all fluffy creatures.


    However, there were only these three types of creatures; nothing else was left.


    Not even plants, which had been almost entirely eaten, leaving Purple Mist Mountain barren.


    "Are you sure your method will work?" Xu Hei remained skeptical.


    "Just watch, it''ll definitely work!"


    Hei Huang took out a pile of white powder and covered himself with it, turning snow-white and shiny. Then he swallowed a pill, and his body shrank.


    In just a few breaths, he transformed from a big black dog into a small white dog.


    Even his demeanor changed; he no longer looked sinister but rather like an ordinary puppy, with watery eyes and a pitiful expression.


    Xu Hei was stunned.


    "Damn... this is blinding." Xu Hei exclaimed, unable to bear the sight.


    Hei Huang ran ahead and suddenly let out a cry of pain.


    A wound appeared on his hind leg, bleeding profusely, deep enough to see the bone.


    "Ow! Woof woof woof!"


    Hei Huang howled in pain, attracting the attention of many spirit beasts.


    Two spirit cats, sensing danger, attacked him. Hei Huang didn''t fight back, allowing himself to be scratched all over.


    Before long, two female disciples of the Purple Mist Sect arrived, alarmed by the noise. Seeing the scene, they exclaimed, "Stop!"


    They hurriedly chased away the cats and rescued Hei Huang.


    "Poor little dog, it''s so badly injured."


    "Let''s take it back and treat it."


    After a brief discussion, one of them carried Hei Huang away without further thought.


    Xu Hei watched from underground, dumbfounded.


    Damn, this works too?


    These two were mid-stage Qi Refining cultivators, yet they were so easily fooled?


    Xu Hei couldn''t understand but had to admire Hei Huang''s acting skills and shamelessness. Truly, he was too brazen and despicable!


    The remaining female disciple scolded the fighting spirit cats and then fed them.


    All the spirit beasts in the mountain rushed over, frantically grabbing the food, which was quickly devoured.


    Xu Hei realized that these two female cultivators were responsible for the spirit beasts'' welfare and were friendly towards animals.


    Xu Hei didn''t dislike such people.


    Who would hate someone who posed no threat to them?


    Thinking for a moment, Xu Hei released a small mechanical snake, cutting a wound on its body to expose the bone, making it look pitiful.


    This mechanical snake was crafted by Hei Huang during their journey. It had the appearance of a snake and was at the first level of the Spirit Communion Stage, but it was very fast, used for scouting.


    Xu Hei did this purely out of curiosity. If he were injured, would this woman save him?


    A spirit cat saw the snake and immediately pounced, scratching and biting it. Xu Hei controlled the snake to hiss and thrash around.


    "What''s that?"


    The female cultivator feeding the animals looked over.


    Seeing it was a snake, her face turned pale, and she screamed.


    "Ahhh!! A snake demon has intruded!"


    Her scream was particularly sharp, her expression terrified as if she had been frightened.


    Xu Hei was stunned.


    "Die! Die!"


    Without a second thought, she drew a sword and thrust it at the snake.


    Xu Hei''s face darkened.


    Damn double standards! Hei Huang gets saved, but the snake gets killed? Aren''t they both spirit beasts?


    If snakes are considered a threat to humans, this little snake was only at the first level of the Spirit Communion Stage, while she was mid-stage Qi Refining. It posed no threat at all.


    Xu Hei understood then; it was because the snake wasn''t fluffy and didn''t fit human aesthetics.


    "Clang!"


    The sword struck the ground, missing its target as the snake had already burrowed underground, and Xu Hei stored it in his storage bag.


    This snake was painstakingly crafted over the past few days; he didn''t want to lose it so easily.


    "What''s wrong, Sister Fang?"


    At this moment, a male cultivator flew over from a distance, quickly arriving beside the female cultivator.


    Judging by his robes, he was a disciple of the Carefree Sect.


    Fang Qingxue immediately threw herself into the male cultivator''s arms, pointing to where the snake had hidden, crying, "Brother Li, there''s a snake there, I''m so scared!"


    The young man named Li''s eyes flashed as he discovered Xu Hei hiding underground. He patted her head, comforting her, "Don''t worry, I''ll skin that snake and feed it to the spirit cats."


    "Yay, Brother Li is the best!" Fang Qingxue exclaimed excitedly.


    The young man named Li sneered, sending a Fire Explosion Talisman towards Xu Hei''s hiding spot.


    The talisman exploded upon contact, creating a deep pit thirty meters wide.


    Then, he leaped forward, wielding a soft sword, stabbing towards Xu Hei''s hiding spot, clearly mistaking Xu Hei for the mechanical snake.


    "Forget it, the bigger picture is more important."


    Xu Hei sighed. This man was at the eighth level of the Qi Refining Stage; he could kill him in one move, but Xu Hei preferred to act cautiously. Until Hei Huang sent word, he didn''t want to cause trouble.


    He burrowed deeper underground, the man''s sword repeatedly stabbing, leaving the ground riddled with holes but missing each time.


    "Huh?" S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fang Qingxue frowned. It was just a first-level Spirit Communion Stage snake; why couldn''t he hit it?


    "Try dodging this time!"


    Enraged, the young man named Li drew a golden longbow, nocking an arrow and aiming at Xu Hei, pulling the bowstring taut.


    "That''s... a top-tier magical artifact!"


    Xu Hei immediately recognized it as a top-tier magical artifact capable of threatening even a Great Perfection Spirit Communion Stage cultivator.


    Such a bow was among the best even for Qi Refining Stage cultivators. He hadn''t expected these two to possess such a treasure.


    Xu Hei hadn''t intended to kill, but this bow posed a real threat to him; he couldn''t just sit and wait.


    "Die!"


    The young man named Li released the arrow, which shot towards Xu Hei, piercing the earth and aiming for him underground.


    "Thick Earth Armor!"


    Xu Hei activated the thick earth armor with a thought.


    A layer of yellow light quickly condensed on his body, forming a solid armor. The arrow only broke a small piece of the earth layer, barely scratching his skin.


    "This..."


    Both were stunned, realizing they were in big trouble.


    "Thud! Thud!"


    Two nails shot out from underground.


    And then, nothing more.


    Just then, Hei Huang''s voice came through a transmission talisman: "It''s done, you can come in."


    Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief, just in time.

 Chapter 62: Poor and desolate, Hua Yuntian

    Chapter 62: Poor and desolate, Hua YuntianXu Hei released the small lizard, which quickly disposed of the corpse. Activating the Earth Escape Technique, he sped forward at full speed.


    Before long, a faint light barrier appeared ahead. This was the Restriction Formation of the Purple Mist Sect, forming a spherical shield that encompassed both the sky and the ground, preventing any intruders from entering.


    At this moment, a very small circular gap appeared on the light barrier. Xu Hei''s figure flickered, and he slipped through the gap.


    As soon as he entered, Hei Huang was already inside, tossing over a palm-sized jade disk.


    "I''ve already cracked all the Restriction Formations of the Purple Mist Sect. When you encounter a restriction, just press this onto it, and a gap will immediately appear in the light barrier, lasting for the time it takes a stick of incense to burn."


    Xu Hei examined the jade disk, which was engraved with a Five Elements Formation diagram, emitting waves of mysterious energy.


    Xu Hei tried using the Gravity Technique to control the jade disk, pressing it against the light barrier. In the blink of an eye, a small gap appeared in the barrier.


    "Can it break any restriction?" Xu Hei asked in astonishment.


    "Of course! You can even enter the Sect Master''s cave dwelling. With the Invisibility Talisman, no one below the Core Formation Stage will be able to detect you, as long as you don''t recklessly release your Divine Sense," Hei Huang said proudly.


    "There are three places in the Purple Mist Sect where pills are stored: the Outer Sect Pill Room, the Inner Sect Pill Room, and the Purple Mist Pavilion where disciples exchange treasures."


    "First, we''ll go to the Inner Sect Pill Room, cause a bit of commotion, then use the Minor Teleportation Formation to go to the Purple Mist Pavilion. I''ve already set up the formation; once we take what we need, we''ll teleport directly there."


    Hei Huang reiterated the plan, and Xu Hei nodded in agreement.


    Xu Hei could tell that Hei Huang''s real target wasn''t the pills in the pill rooms but the treasures in the Purple Mist Pavilion, where countless valuable items were stored.


    Xu Hei didn''t mind; since they were going to steal, they might as well steal more.


    ...


    The Outer Sect Pill Room contained mostly low to mid-grade pills.


    The Inner Sect Pill Room, however, housed high-grade pills, mainly used by late-stage Qi Refining disciples, and was the primary production site for Minor Essence Nurturing Pills.


    There, two pill refining elders and many pill refining disciples resided, making it heavily guarded and difficult for ordinary people to approach.


    Hei Huang pressed the formation disk, breaking through the light barrier to the inner sect. Both of them stuck on Invisibility Talismans and used the Earth Escape Technique to infiltrate, heading towards the pill room.


    Along the way, Xu Hei saw not only female cultivators of the Purple Mist Sect but also many male disciples from other sects.


    These male disciples often flattered and fawned over the female cultivators, offering various courtesies. From some of the disciples'' residences, peculiar sounds could be heard, making Xu Hei secretly click his tongue.


    "Xu Hei, simps never have a good ending. Just wait and see; once these male cultivators are drained of their value, they''ll be discarded immediately," Hei Huang chuckled.


    "Simp?" Xu Hei stared at him in confusion.


    "Why are you looking at me? I''m not a simp. Woof!" Hei Huang said.


    Although Xu Hei didn''t understand, seeing the infatuated looks on these male cultivators'' faces, he gained a deep understanding of the power of the Purple Mist Technique.


    ...


    In the pill refining area, inside a pill refining disciple''s residence.


    Hua Yuntian lay on the bed, his face pale. Severely injured, he had lost a lot of weight, and his cultivation had dropped by a level.


    At this moment, a beautiful woman sat on top of him. The Spiritual Qi around them resonated, responding to each other, and Hua Yuntian''s cultivation slowly recovered, returning to the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    He opened his eyes, but there was no joy in his gaze, only deep-seated anger.


    If it weren''t for the Nine Apertures Soul Returning Pill his master had given him, he would have been trampled to death by the Wild Giant Elephant!


    Even so, that stomp had shattered his bones, severed his meridians, and broken his Dantian, causing his cultivation to plummet to the late Qi Refining Stage.


    He had spent all his savings on a large number of pills, including a Foundation Establishment Pill, and had dual cultivated with the Silver Bell Fairy in front of him, only then managing to return to the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    For this, he had exhausted all his accumulated resources and was deeply in debt, almost having to pawn his Flying Sword.


    "Thank you, Silver Bell Fairy," Hua Yuntian said.


    "No need for such words, Young Master Hua. We are about to become Dao companions; it''s only right to help each other," Silver Bell replied with a smile.


    Hua Yuntian sighed. If it weren''t for Silver Bell giving him a large sum of Spirit Stones and helping him obtain the Foundation Establishment Pill, he wouldn''t have recovered his cultivation so quickly.


    It was said that the Foundation Establishment Pill had been obtained from a simp.


    Every time he thought of that despicable person in the shadows, he felt a surge of anger, almost spitting blood, unable to cultivate in peace.


    "I, Hua Yuntian, swear that one day I will capture you with my own hands and tear you to pieces to avenge my hatred!" Hua Yuntian vowed inwardly.


    "Silver Bell Fairy, are you there?"


    At this moment, a young man''s voice came from outside, soft as if afraid of disturbing her. "I heard you were unwell, so I brought you some medicinal supplements."


    The young man had dark skin and an honest, simple appearance.


    A trace of impatience flashed in Silver Bell''s beautiful eyes. She coldly said, "Leave the items at the door and you can go."


    "Alright!" The young man outside put down the supplements, hesitated for a moment, and asked, "Is there someone else inside?"


    "Young Master Hua is here, guiding me in spell techniques," Silver Bell said, her voice breathless, accompanied by the sound of the bed creaking.


    The dark-skinned young man was stunned, then bit his lip, feeling bitter inside.


    "So it''s Young Master Hua."


    He lowered his head and turned to leave, dejected.


    But after a few steps, he stopped, clenching his fists, feeling a sharp pain in his palms, as if unwilling to accept it.


    Some nearby female disciples saw this and couldn''t help but cover their mouths, laughing and whispering.


    "Look, Xiao Chou is here again."


    "Xiao Chou is a genius of the Mountain Movers Sect. Why does he keep humiliating himself?"


    "Knowing he''s being played by Silver Bell, he still goes to her. I heard he even gave her a Foundation Establishment Pill."


    "Some men are born to be turtles."


    "Serves him right!"


    ...


    Before long, the duo of Xu Hei and Hei Huang arrived at the pill refining area.


    Despite being underground, Xu Hei could still smell a faint medicinal fragrance, indicating that the land had absorbed the properties of the pills over the years.


    This place was divided into the pill refining area, assessment area, lecture area, and disciple residence area.


    In the center stood a building, the pill refining area. From within, Xu Hei sensed two powerful auras, likely two Foundation Establishment elders.


    Additionally, there were eight slightly weaker auras, belonging to eight pill refining disciples.


    "One elder is at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, the other at the mid Foundation Establishment Stage. You distract one, and I''ll handle the other. Once we have the pills, we''ll meet at the teleportation formation," Hei Huang said.


    Despite their prior discussion, Xu Hei confirmed, "How should I distract them?"


    "Any way you like. Kill someone, destroy a building, as long as it catches the attention of a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Just don''t make too much noise."


    After a brief exchange, they split up.


    Moments later, Xu Hei arrived at the disciple residence area.


    Pill refining was a major industry of the Purple Mist Sect, so there were many disciples here, each carrying a large number of pills. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei wanted to kill them all and take their storage bags but restrained himself to avoid causing too much commotion and alerting the Sect Master.


    Xu Hei released a small snake for reconnaissance, checking each room and selecting targets.


    Suddenly, his eyes narrowed, sensing a familiar aura.


    The scent came from a rather luxurious building, one of the finest in the residential area.


    Xu Hei''s snake tongue was very sensitive to auras, and he instantly recognized it as Hua Yuntian!


    "Hua Yuntian is still alive!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed as he thought, "This person has a significant background, likely a disciple of a Core Formation cultivator, and must have some life-saving items. But he must be severely injured and here for healing."


    Xu Hei quickly analyzed the situation and guessed why Hua Yuntian was here.


    The Purple Mist Sect, being a major pill refining sect, had pills comparable to those of the Snake Catchers Sect and even had dual cultivation techniques to help quickly heal and restore cultivation.


    He wondered how much Hua Yuntian had recovered. He was a Foundation Establishment cultivator and had a life-and-death feud with Xu Hei.


    If possible, Xu Hei would not let him go, planning to strike while he was weak.


    Xu Hei moved closer, observing in secret. Outside the building stood a dejected young man from the Mountain Movers Sect, looking as if he had suffered a blow.


    Strange sounds came from inside the building.


    With each sound, the young man''s expression twitched.


    "This..." Xu Hei''s expression turned peculiar.

 Chapter 63: A simp has no good ending

    Chapter 63: A simp has no good ending"Xiao Chou, pity yourself a bit and come sit with me?" A female cultivator teased deliberately.


    Xiao Chou ignored her.


    "Ungrateful! Deserves to be a turtle for life," the female cultivator cursed.


    "Such a lowly nature!"


    "Hahaha, my stomach hurts from laughing. How can there be such a person?"


    "Xiao Chou, Hua Yuntian is out of strength, go in and give him a push!"


    Piercing laughter came from all around, and some even came specifically to watch the spectacle. There are always onlookers wherever you go.


    Xiao Chou''s face gradually twisted. Finally, he unclenched his fists, seemingly making up his mind to leave forever and never return.


    Xu Hei witnessed all this and suddenly had an idea.


    "Cause a bit of a commotion? Isn''t this the perfect timing?"


    Xu Hei used the Earth Escape Technique to silently burrow beneath the pavilion.


    Whether intentional or not, the pavilion had no Restrictions set up, allowing sound to travel freely. This made it easy for Xu Hei to enter.


    He didn''t spread out his Divine Sense but used his snake-like sense to detect the positions of the two people''s auras.


    "One is at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage, the other has just reached Foundation Establishment. The former should be the female cultivator, and the latter is Hua Yuntian, who hasn''t fully recovered yet!"


    As Xu Hei approached, he tore off a black-gold scale and placed it directly below the two, controlling it with the Gravity Technique.


    "The floor of this pavilion is too sturdy. Even if the Earth Spike could pierce through, it would alert them, and there''s a high chance it could be dodged. Plus, it would make too much noise."


    "I''ll use this trick!"


    This trick, using the Gravity Technique to control the scale as a hidden weapon, was something Xu Hei had tested before.


    The advantage was its speed and concealment, making it very suitable for assassination.


    The disadvantage was its short range. The further the distance, the weaker the power of his Gravity Technique. Only within ten meters could the lethality be maximized.


    At this moment, Xu Hei was exactly ten meters underground.


    "Kill!"


    With a thought, the scale shot upward, directly targeting the two above.


    In truth, his main target was the female cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage. He had no confidence in dealing with Hua Yuntian, a Foundation Establishment cultivator.


    This person had too many life-saving cards. If Xu Hei went all out, he might have a chance, but sneaking in like this, it was almost impossible to kill him.


    "Thud!"


    The sturdy ground was instantly pierced, leaving a small crack. The black shadow shot through the bedboard in an instant.


    "There''s..."


    Hua Yuntian''s face changed slightly. He reacted extremely quickly, retreating to the side the moment the black-gold scale was activated.


    In the next second, a black shadow flew past his body, and his protective spirit jade automatically activated, blocking the attack.


    The other person wasn''t so lucky. Silver Bell dodged the vital point at the first moment but had an arm cut off by the scale, letting out a sharp scream.


    But the next second, the scream abruptly stopped as the scale pierced through her forehead and retracted back underground.


    All this happened in the blink of an eye, less than half a breath, and it was all over.


    Hua Yuntian stared blankly at the scene before him, his eyes wide open, a storm raging in his heart.


    Fear, shock, anger... various emotions filled his chest, making it hard to breathe.


    "Bell!"


    The first to exclaim wasn''t him but Xiao Chou, who was about to leave the pavilion.


    The moment he heard Silver Bell''s scream, he broke through the door and rushed in, his face filled with panic.


    That scream, filled with anguish and fear, was something only heard at the brink of life and death. He couldn''t be mistaken.


    The moment he rushed in, he saw Silver Bell''s forehead bleeding, dead on the bed.


    In an instant, Xiao Chou felt as if the sky had collapsed, his mind blank.


    But immediately, his eyes bulged with extreme anger, staring fiercely at Hua Yuntian.


    "You! It was you!" S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The furious roar also snapped Hua Yuntian back to reality.


    Seeing the raging Xiao Chou, Hua Yuntian instinctively shivered. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he felt a hint of panic facing this Qi Refining disciple.


    "Don''t misunderstand, she was ambushed..."


    Before Hua Yuntian could finish his sentence.


    Xiao Chou roared, drew his Flying Sword, and charged.


    "It was you, you killed her, why??!"


    "Xiao Chou, calm down..."


    "Die!"


    Inside the pavilion, a fierce battle erupted, causing the building to collapse instantly, dust flying, bricks scattering.


    One has to admit, when an honest person gets angry, the power is truly astonishing.


    At the same time, Xu Hei, having retrieved the scale, quickly left, escaping far away.


    "Did I overdo it?"


    Listening to the commotion behind him, Xu Hei muttered to himself.


    Before long, a powerful aura flashed by in the distance, one of the Foundation Establishment elders who had been in the pill refining room.


    Soon after, Hei Huang''s voice came through the communication talisman.


    "It''s done, come quickly and move the stuff."


    Xu Hei was delighted and quickly rushed to the pill refining room.


    At this moment, inside the largest pill refining room.


    A large number of disciples lay unconscious on the ground, their Storage Bags taken. The Foundation Establishment elder, for some reason, was locked inside the pill furnace, angrily pounding from within, causing it to shake continuously.


    "You bastard, let me out, face me if you dare!"


    The Foundation Establishment elder roared, his voice echoing inside the furnace.


    Hei Huang ignored him, his paws moving like lightning, stuffing bottles of pills from the table into his Storage Bag, leaving afterimages.


    Xu Hei emerged from the ground, activated the Gravity Technique, and collected all the pills in the room into his Storage Bag.


    A box emitted a medicinal fragrance. Xu Hei used a scale to open the lock and took all the herbs inside.


    These herbs looked top-grade, possibly even materials for refining Foundation Establishment Pills.


    "We''ve struck it rich, hahaha!"


    Even someone like Xu Hei couldn''t help but laugh out loud.


    "You little beast, I will kill you! Let me out if you dare!"


    Xu Hei glanced at the shaking pill furnace and shot a Fire Snake Technique at it, adding more fire. Instantly, the angry voice grew even louder.


    "Old dog, how did you get her in there?" Xu Hei asked curiously.


    "Hey, don''t blame me, she crawled in herself," Hei Huang quickly defended.


    "Crack, crack!"


    As they spoke, the pill furnace suddenly showed cracks, about to explode. The Foundation Establishment elder was about to break out.


    "Damn, let''s go!"


    Xu Hei hurriedly collected the boxes on the ground, not even opening them, stuffing them into his Storage Bag, and escaped underground.


    "What''s the rush?"


    Hei Huang glanced at the cracking pill furnace, took out an even larger furnace, waved his hand, and put the cracking furnace inside, sealed it, and then leisurely left.


    "Ahhh! You bastards, I won''t spare you!!!"


    The furious roar echoed endlessly.

 Chapter 64: The great formation activates, and the two blacks are trapped

    Chapter 64: The great formation activates, and the two blacks are trappedThe two demons hurriedly traversed underground, heading towards the Minor Teleportation Formation.


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, a deafening bell rang out, echoing across the entire Purple Mist Sect in an instant.


    At this moment, all disciples and elders, whether they were cultivating, refining pills, or in seclusion, heard the loud chime.


    This was the emergency bell of the sect, only rung in critical situations, requiring everyone to immediately stop what they were doing, cease their seclusion, and gather at the location where the bell rang.


    "What¡¯s going on?"


    Xu Hei was taken aback; the bell¡¯s source was precisely the area where the pill refining room was located.


    "Why so fast?"


    Hei Huang had anticipated the bell, knowing that the theft of the pill refining room would be a major event, alarming all the high-ranking members.


    He just didn¡¯t expect the news to spread so quickly.


    "Did you make too much noise, causing the bell to ring prematurely?" Hei Huang looked at Xu Hei, his face full of suspicion.


    "No, I just killed someone." Xu Hei replied.


    "That¡¯s strange."


    Hei Huang couldn¡¯t figure it out but then said, "No matter, this was part of the plan. While everyone rushes to the pill refining room, we¡¯ll head to the Purple Mist Pavilion and empty it of treasures."


    Shortly after, they arrived at the location of the Minor Teleportation Formation.


    As the name suggests, the Minor Teleportation Formation allows for short-distance teleportation.


    The Purple Mist Pavilion, being the repository of the sect¡¯s most valuable treasures, was protected by formations and restrictions, and guarded by an elder. Without an identity token, it was impossible to enter.


    Unless one used the teleportation formation to silently teleport inside, avoiding any alarms.


    This formation had taken Hei Huang an hour to set up in advance, and now it was time to put it to use.


    Just as the two blacks entered the formation and were about to activate it, Xu Hei suddenly had a bad feeling and said, "Hei Huang, let¡¯s quit while we¡¯re ahead. I have a bad premonition."


    "What?"


    Hei Huang looked at Xu Hei in shock.


    "Since things aren¡¯t going as planned, more changes are likely to follow. I don¡¯t want to take any more risks. Let¡¯s quit while we¡¯re ahead and leave!" Xu Hei stared at him, his tone firm.


    Hei Huang¡¯s eyes widened in disbelief, "This formation cost me a lot of spirit stones and materials to set up, directly connecting to the inside of the Purple Mist Pavilion, allowing for back-and-forth teleportation. How can we just leave?"


    "Xu Hei, we agreed to follow the plan. Don¡¯t back out now!" S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hei Huang was unwilling to compromise; his goal wasn¡¯t just the pills. Those were just extras. The real target was a valuable treasure inside the Purple Mist Pavilion.


    Otherwise, he wouldn¡¯t have spent so much to set up such a precious Minor Teleportation Formation.


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth, "Hei Huang, trust my judgment! If you trust me, leave now. If not, I can send in the mechanical beast with you, but I won¡¯t take any more risks."


    Hearing that Xu Hei wanted to back out and use the mechanical beast, Hei Huang almost lost his temper.


    But seeing Xu Hei¡¯s determined eyes and recalling his behavior over the past few days, Hei Huang¡¯s emotions gradually calmed down.


    "Xu Hei, why do you think there will be changes? Do you have any evidence, or is it just a gut feeling?" Hei Huang stared at Xu Hei, speaking each word clearly.


    Xu Hei was speechless, just quietly looking at him.


    Hei Huang stared back, silent for a while, then sighed helplessly.


    He knew that everything had risks. Without risks, what was the point of robbery? Without risks, why cultivate immortality? Even if they left now, there was no absolute guarantee they could escape.


    Hei Huang loved taking risks, enjoying the perilous path of cultivation.


    Even with a thirty percent chance, he would take a gamble.


    It was this trait that allowed Hei Huang to rise from a mere mortal to one of the top beings on this planet.


    It was also this trait that led to his physical body being destroyed, reducing the once-feared Heavenly Demon Scattered Person to his current state.


    "Sigh! I¡¯ll trust you this once. But since the formation is set up, it shouldn¡¯t go to waste. You use the mechanical beast, and I¡¯ll use mine."


    Hei Huang cursed, taking out a big black dog identical to him, a puppet mechanical beast.


    Xu Hei also took out a large snake.


    After two days of practice, although he hadn¡¯t fully mastered it, he could control it well enough.


    The dog and snake rushed onto the formation. With a thought from Hei Huang, the Minor Teleportation Formation glowed faintly, absorbing a large amount of spiritual qi, and the snake and dog disappeared simultaneously.


    Xu Hei closed his eyes, sensing through the snake¡¯s vision.


    The snake arrived inside a magnificent pavilion, its eyes seeing a dazzling array of treasures, with many compartments on the walls, each holding a treasure.


    Pills, magical treasures, talismans, materials, everything was there.


    "This is the inside of the Purple Mist Pavilion!"


    Xu Hei thought to himself, his gaze sweeping over, locking onto a row of pills.


    "Minor Essence Nurturing Pill, 50 contribution points each, medium quality."


    "Minor Essence Nurturing Pill, 70 contribution points each, high quality."


    "¡­"


    The entire row was Minor Essence Nurturing Pills, exactly what Xu Hei needed before.


    He also saw Foundation Establishment Pills, requiring a staggering twelve thousand contribution points.


    "As long as you have contribution points, you can exchange for anything. Human cultivators have such inherent advantages, unlike us demonic beasts¡­"


    Xu Hei suddenly felt a bit envious.


    Hei Huang¡¯s gaze, however, wasn¡¯t on the pills but locked onto a compartment at the top, where a purple mirror with an ancient and mysterious aura lay, marked at fifty thousand contribution points.


    "My old possession, it¡¯s really here!"


    Hei Huang¡¯s eyes gleamed, and he leaped towards the mirror.


    Xu Hei didn¡¯t waste time either, flashing to the most expensive earth-element spell jade slip.


    This spell, named "Mountain Severing Abyss," was the highest-valued earth-element spell, requiring thirty thousand contribution points.


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei took out the analysis disk given by Hei Huang, pressed it against the light circle, and the light circle disappeared. Xu Hei took out the jade slip and quickly read its contents.


    At the same time, Hei Huang reached the vicinity of the purple mirror, about to grab it.


    Suddenly, he changed direction, bypassing the mirror, and grabbed the most expensive item, a gourd worth two hundred thousand contribution points, a Core Formation Stage magical treasure.


    The protective light circle on the compartment was sliced open, and Hei Huang¡¯s claw reached in, grabbing the gourd.


    At that moment, an invisible formation instantly activated, encompassing the Purple Mist Pavilion in an oval shape, like an overturned egg.


    The Minor Teleportation Formation below exploded, turning into nothingness.


    "It¡¯s a trap!" Hei Huang exclaimed.


    On the other side, Hei Huang and Xu Hei¡¯s true bodies simultaneously opened their eyes, rushing towards the edge of the Purple Mist Sect at full speed.


    Xu Hei¡¯s heart pounded, and he immediately cut off the connection with the snake. He abandoned the puppet, knowing he had gained enough and could always make another one.


    Unfortunately, he had only read half of the Mountain Severing Abyss worth thirty thousand points.


    ...


    At this moment, inside the Purple Mist Pavilion.


    An old figure appeared, accompanied by a cold snort.


    "I¡¯ve been waiting for you! Tell me, what did you come to the Purple Mist Pavilion for?"


    The old woman looked down at Hei Huang, who was completely immobilized by the Gravity Technique, unable even to blink.


    "Hmm?"


    The old woman sensed something was wrong and clenched her fist, causing Hei Huang¡¯s body to explode into a pile of metal scraps.


    The nearby snake was also a puppet.


    Both were mechanical beasts!


    The old woman¡¯s face darkened immediately.


    She had discovered the Minor Teleportation Formation early on, knowing it targeted the Purple Mist Pavilion. She had set a trap, laying down a sealing formation, ready to ensure that anyone who entered would never leave.


    Who would have thought that the intruders were puppets!


    She had been tricked!


    The old woman couldn¡¯t understand. Had her trap been discovered? How could the other party have such an ability to detect a Core Formation Stage cultivator? She believed she had calculated everything perfectly.


    "Today, no one will leave!"


    She took out a large bell, striking it heavily, and a loud voice spread throughout the Purple Mist Sect.


    "From now on, seal all exits of the Purple Mist Sect. No one is allowed in or out, not even a mosquito!"


    The old woman¡¯s voice, along with the bell, echoed in the ears of every disciple and elder.


    The Mountain Protection Array of the Purple Mist Sect instantly activated, with the outer light circle becoming three times thicker than before, a super array enhanced by a Core Formation Stage cultivator.


    Moreover, the structure of the formation was completely updated, rendering previous analyses ineffective.

 Chapter 65: Induction talisman, a hundred people seek the demons

    Chapter 65: Induction talisman, a hundred people seek the demons"Damn it, we miscalculated! There''s really an ambush! Xu Hei, how did you find out?"


    Hei Huang cursed while running frantically.


    "I guessed."


    Xu Hei''s face was also full of shock and anger. "Didn''t you say that Core Formation Stage cultivators wouldn''t make a move?"


    "How would I know? The Purple Mist Sect has gone mad. Stealing a pill brought out their ancestor. We''re really out of luck!"


    Hei Huang was equally furious.


    The Purple Mist Sect, as a one-star sect, naturally had Core Formation Stage cultivators in residence. However, these were all old monsters who had lived for hundreds of years and rarely emerged from seclusion, only appearing when the sect faced life-and-death crises.


    These Core Formation ancestors were already nearing the end of their lifespans, and every time they came out, it consumed their life force.


    Who would have thought that stealing a pill would draw out such an ancestor?


    Moreover, that old woman was very cunning. After they broke into the Purple Mist Pavilion, she didn''t immediately activate the sealing formation but waited in the shadows to see what they were after.


    Fortunately, Hei Huang reacted quickly and didn''t directly grab the Demon Mirror, otherwise, their true objective would have been exposed.


    He grabbed the Core Formation Magical Treasure Gourd instead, the most valuable item, which shouldn''t arouse suspicion.


    ...


    Before long, they reached the outermost edge of the Purple Mist Sect, the place where they had initially entered.


    Hei Huang took out a deconstruction array disk and attached it to the formation, finding no response.


    "As expected! The formation has been changed; it needs to be re-analyzed," Hei Huang said.


    "How long will it take?" Xu Hei asked.


    "This is a third-tier formation, at least one hour," Hei Huang replied.


    One hour!


    At this moment, Xu Hei could already feel a vast and boundless Divine Sense sweeping through the Purple Mist Sect. In just a few breaths, it would reach their location.


    "Don''t worry, my Invisibility Talisman has been enhanced. As long as you don''t move, that old hag won''t find us!" Hei Huang sneered.


    Xu Hei immediately held his breath and remained motionless.


    Moments later, that immense Divine Sense swept past their location inch by inch, without any reaction.


    Xu Hei finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    Now, they just needed to wait for an hour to safely retreat.


    This time, the haul from the Purple Mist Sect was substantial. He hadn''t examined the pills closely, but there were at least five gourds of Minor Essence Nurturing Pills, enough for him to cultivate to Great Perfection.


    Additionally, he had obtained a spell jade slip worth three hundred thousand contribution points. Unfortunately, the content was too extensive, and he had only read the first half.


    In any case, this adventure was worth it.


    They just didn''t know which part of the plan had gone wrong, causing the Purple Mist Sect''s ancestor to come out of seclusion.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to stay too long and tentatively asked, "Hei Huang, can I forcibly break this formation?"


    Xu Hei extended his tail, with all the scales standing upright.


    Hei Huang glanced at it and shook his head, "No, your scales are impressive, but they can only deal with Foundation Establishment Stage. This third-tier formation is a bit too much."


    "Besides, if we forcefully break it, I could do it too, but that old hag would definitely notice."


    Hearing this, Xu Hei could only wait quietly.


    However, Xu Hei felt that after the Divine Sense sweep found nothing, the other party wouldn''t just let it go. They would definitely use more sophisticated methods to search for them.


    Xu Hei didn''t dare to underestimate any opponent. Since that old woman dared to set a trap, she must be cunning.


    She would surely guess that they were hiding somewhere, analyzing the formation.


    "No, I must think of a way to deal with the possible upcoming situation. I can''t just do nothing!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    ...


    At this moment, in the Purple Mist Sect, on the sect''s plaza.


    All the members of the Purple Mist Sect were gathered here, including elders, stewards, true disciples, inner disciples, outer disciples, and even the servants.


    Even the outer sect disciples with Dao companions were no exception, all standing in the sect plaza.


    These were the people who were within the Purple Mist Sect when the formation was activated, totaling five hundred. They looked at each other, not understanding what had happened.


    Above the plaza, a purple-robed old woman floated in the air. This was the fifth-generation sect master of the Purple Mist Sect, He Luohua.


    The once Fairy He was now Immortal He.


    Seeing this ancestor-level figure appear, everyone lowered their heads, not daring to make a sound.


    "Everyone, because our Purple Mist Sect has been infiltrated by thieves, the entire sect is now sealed to capture the demons. Until the demons are found, no one is allowed to enter or leave, including the sect master. I hope you all understand."


    He Luohua spoke calmly, her voice spreading throughout the plaza.


    Upon hearing this, everyone''s expressions changed. In the past hundred years, the Purple Mist Sect had never experienced such a major event as sealing the sect.


    The incident happened too suddenly. When the sect was sealed, even the sect master was caught outside.


    No one could come in or go out.


    No one dared to complain, and they all cupped their fists and said, "We obey the ancestor''s orders!"


    Among the crowd, a young man covered in blood, with one arm severed and his True Qi depleted, suddenly realized something.


    "Damn! No wonder Silver Bell was ambushed; it turns out demons have infiltrated!"


    Hua Yuntian gritted his teeth in anger. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Because of those demons, he was misunderstood by Xiao Chou and forced into a life-and-death battle, almost dying on the spot!


    The ridiculous part was that Xiao Chou, who was clearly at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage, went berserk and almost defeated him, a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, nearly killing him with a single sword strike.


    Fortunately, he had a jade talisman left by his master; otherwise, he would have been dead.


    Xiao Chou also escaped in the end, leaving a threat of revenge.


    This gave Hua Yuntian a headache.


    He Luohua waved her hand, and a hundred Talismans fell into the hands of the female disciples of the Purple Mist Sect.


    "These Talismans are Life Detection Talismans. As long as there are living beings with cultivation within ten meters, the Talismans will light up. The more beings, the more lights."


    "Although the range is small, the effect is excellent. Even if the other party has a Core Formation Stage concealment treasure, they won''t be able to hide!"


    He Luohua said slowly, "Go, find the location of those demons, and crush the Talismans immediately. I will reward thirty thousand contribution points."


    Hearing the thirty thousand contribution points, all the female disciples'' breaths became rapid.


    Thirty thousand was a huge sum. It could exchange for twenty Foundation Establishment Pills and even the top-tier spiritual artifacts for the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    "Yes!"


    The female disciples, after receiving the detection Talismans, immediately dispersed and began searching.


    As for the others, to prevent the Talismans from misjudging, they had to stay put and not leave.


    After arranging everything, He Luohua sat cross-legged in the plaza, ready to act at any moment.


    Because the Talismans were limited, only a hundred people participated.


    Six Foundation Establishment Stage elders and ninety-four female disciples. Except for the elders who acted alone, most of the female disciples moved in groups of three to five.


    It was said that this gave them a sense of security.


    Many of them had never experienced a life-and-death crisis, and now, investigating the hidden demons, they were all cautious and slow in their actions.


    However, among them were also those who were bold and meticulous, willing to take risks for the contribution points.

 Chapter 66: Chosen of the Purple Mist Sect

    Chapter 66: Chosen of the Purple Mist SectHuang Yu, Qi Refining Stage Level Seven, Inner Disciple.


    Unlike the other charming female disciples, Huang Yu''s appearance was quite plain. Her skin was sun-kissed wheat color, her features were good but she never dressed up, and she wore no accessories.


    Huang Yu grew up in a farming family, herding cattle and working the fields. If it weren''t for her rare Earth Spiritual Root, which caught the eye of a Purple Mist Sect elder, she wouldn''t have become a cultivator.


    The elder had predicted that with Huang Yu''s talent, she would reach Foundation Establishment within three years, becoming the greatest Chosen of the Purple Mist Sect in the past century.


    However, five years after joining the sect, Huang Yu was still only at the seventh level of Qi Refining Stage.


    The reason was simple: she was unwilling to cultivate the Purple Mist Technique and looked down on the male cultivators who tried to curry favor with her. She never tried to please anyone.


    Gradually, she was ostracized by her peers and forgotten by the elder, becoming just an ordinary disciple.


    "Huang Yu, why are you covered in wounds again?"


    "Huang Yu, you work so hard to hunt demonic beasts and obtain Inner Cores, wouldn''t it be easier to dual cultivate with me?"


    "Such great talent, completely wasted!"


    "......"


    Every time she returned from hunting demonic beasts, battered and bruised, she would be mocked by some of the other female disciples.


    They banded together, constantly discussing how to gain benefits from the male disciples and how to attract the Chosen from other sects.


    Huang Yu, however, was always alone, silently shouldering her weapon and heading to the mountains.


    From being exceptionally talented and highly regarded to being misunderstood and unappreciated, to becoming ordinary, it only took Huang Yu five years.


    Now, no one paid attention to her rare Earth Spiritual Root anymore. The once greatest Chosen was now just a joke.


    But today, Huang Yu''s eyes were unusually bright.


    "Three hundred thousand contribution points. As long as I get these points, I can reach Foundation Establishment within a year."


    "Then, after accumulating for another two years, I can exchange for the Mountain Severing Abyss technique and leave the Purple Mist Sect! This is my chance, perhaps the only one in my life. I must find that demon."


    Huang Yu held a Life Detection Talisman, moving through the outskirts at the fastest speed, even more diligently than the Foundation Establishment elders.


    She knew that the target must be hiding somewhere underground at the edge, trying to break the outer formation.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the same time.


    Xu Hei''s little lizards had already spread out, connecting to his Divine Sense and sending back images one by one.


    He saw many female cultivators holding white talismans, moving around.


    "Life Detection Talismans!" Xu Hei was startled.


    He had heard Hei Huang mention before that besides Revealing Dust, Life Detection Talismans could also detect Invisibility Talismans.


    "Xu Hei, keep an eye out and don''t let anyone get within ten meters of us."


    At this moment, Hei Huang was focused on a point on the light barrier, carefully studying it, his voice serious.


    "I understand."


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, his eyes fierce.


    Killing someone in this situation was extremely risky, but if anyone dared to approach, he had no choice.


    Time slowly passed.


    The Purple Mist Sect was vast, but with a hundred people moving at high speed, one area after another was being cleared, leaving fewer unexplored areas.


    Xu Hei wasn''t idle either. He had set up numerous puppets within the Purple Mist Sect.


    Whenever someone approached this area, he would use the puppets elsewhere to create a distraction and lure them away.


    Many female disciples, startled, hastily crushed their talismans, attracting He Luohua''s attention. When he found out he had been tricked, he was furious.


    "Puppets! Again with the puppets!"


    "This demon is truly cunning, but it confirms one thing: he''s definitely hiding underground!"


    "Keep searching! Don''t miss any corner, even the places we''ve already searched, search them again!"


    He Luohua threw out dozens more Life Detection Talismans, pulling in more people to join the search team.


    More and more people joined the search.


    Whenever someone got close, Xu Hei would use the puppets elsewhere to lure them away. He even used the puppets to kill some people, managing to avoid danger, but his puppets were dwindling.


    Out of nearly a hundred, only ten large ones were left.


    "Almost there, just half an incense stick''s time left. Hang in there, little Xu," Hei Huang said excitedly.


    "I know," Xu Hei replied.


    Finally, as a Foundation Establishment cultivator approached, Xu Hei used all his remaining puppets to successfully drag the cultivator away and lure them elsewhere.


    Now, Xu Hei had no puppets left.


    Only a small snake for reconnaissance, with no combat ability.


    "Damn it! Too few puppets. I should have prepared more."


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly, but in reality, he had already used up all the puppet materials he had collected, unless he hunted down more disciples from the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Time ticked by.


    Xu Hei could clearly feel Hei Huang''s eyes shining, his hands moving faster, clearly about to break through.


    "Almost there, Xu Hei. When I give the signal, charge over here without hesitation."


    Hei Huang reminded.


    "I understand."


    Xu Hei nodded.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s snake sensed a human presence approaching.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed coldly. At this critical moment, someone was coming.


    His snake adjusted its position and looked over, and he was stunned.


    Approaching was a female disciple, different from the others. She had short hair, plain clothes, no decorations, and wheat-colored skin. From a distance, she looked like a man.


    Xu Hei had noticed her early on. She had been lingering in the distance, often glancing this way but never approaching.


    Until now.


    She held a Life Detection Talisman, her body covered in layers of brown armor. Xu Hei recognized this spell as thick earth armor.


    Around her, five rotating shields appeared. This was the Earth Shield.


    Fifty meters, thirty meters, twenty meters...


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold. No matter who she was, he couldn''t let her get within ten meters. He was ready to use Earth Spike and Black Gold Scales.


    Qi Refining Stage Level Seven, no matter how many defensive measures, could be killed in one strike, no doubt about it!


    Previously, he had only used puppets. This time, he might expose himself.


    But he had no choice. Sooner was better than later. He needed to buy this last bit of time.


    Fifteen meters, thirteen meters...


    Xu Hei took a deep breath. Just as he was about to act, the plain-looking girl suddenly stopped.


    At this moment, her face turned pale, sweat beads the size of beans appeared on her forehead, dripping down.


    Her legs were weak, her head dizzy. This was a sign of extreme danger!


    Huang Yu, unlike others, had wandered in life-and-death crises countless times, honing a very keen intuition.


    She had long sensed something was wrong here. Whenever someone approached, they would leave due to various accidents. She was seventy percent sure the demon was hiding nearby. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But now, at this final moment, she didn''t dare move forward.


    "Three hundred thousand contribution points, three hundred thousand!"


    "But if I die, what use are those points to me?"


    Huang Yu''s face was pale, her breathing rapid, her plain white robe soaked in sweat.


    Calmness and humility were the first elements of survival!


    Arrogance and pride were the causes of death!


    She wasn''t like the other female disciples, sheltered flowers. She had experienced life-and-death battles and knew the value of life.


    Huang Yu took a deep breath and stepped back.


    At that moment, the Foundation Establishment female cultivator, who had just been lured away by ten puppets, flew over on her sword. She glanced at Huang Yu and said, "Huang Yu? Have you searched over there?"


    The newcomer wasn''t alone. Behind her was a weathered old woman, the Grand Elder of the Purple Mist Sect, a late-stage Foundation Establishment powerhouse.


    She was also the strongest in the search team.

 Chapter 67: Break the Great Formation and Escape Death

    Chapter 67: Break the Great Formation and Escape DeathHuang Yu glanced at the two people, her fear slightly dissipating, but she still didn''t change her mind.


    She raised the unresponsive sensing talisman in her hand and said, "We''ve already searched ahead, there''s nothing."


    The Foundation Establishment female cultivator nodded and muttered, "Tch! Where did that demon go? It''s really strange!"


    "I guess the demon''s location keeps changing. Otherwise, why would we have searched every corner and still found nothing?" the old woman said.


    The two turned and left without suspicion.


    The Purple Mist Sect was too large. If the demon kept moving to avoid detection, there really wasn''t much they could do.


    However, it was strange that the demon hadn''t released any Divine Sense yet managed to perfectly avoid everyone.


    Huang Yu let out a sigh of relief, took a deep look at the void and the ground ahead, bowed slightly, and retreated slowly, step by step.


    Xu Hei had been watching her, his mind never leaving her.


    Just now, his heart had been in his throat.


    As long as Huang Yu dared to take half a step forward, he would have acted immediately. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    And after those two Foundation Establishment elders appeared, if she had shown the slightest abnormality, he would have acted without hesitation.


    Xu Hei might have been exposed, but this woman in front of him would definitely not survive.


    In the end, this plain-looking female cultivator chose the only path that would allow her to live.


    In a certain sense, she even helped them a bit.


    "This woman is no ordinary person. Judging by her earth-based spells, her Spiritual Root must be quite good. Why is her cultivation only at the seventh level of the Qi Refining Stage?"


    Xu Hei couldn''t understand. Someone this clever should have a much stronger cultivation.


    He thought of Zhao Wenzhuo, who also had low cultivation but was very cunning. However, he didn''t know Zhao Wenzhuo''s Spiritual Root.


    After Huang Yu left, no one else approached, and Xu Hei finally relaxed his tense mind.


    Hei Huang also smoothly completed the final step.


    "Alright, mission accomplished," Hei Huang said.


    "Whoosh!"


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei activated the Earth Escape Technique at full power and rushed towards Hei Huang''s location, where a large gap had been opened in the light barrier.


    He and Hei Huang, one after the other, almost simultaneously dashed out.


    The gap closed the moment they left.


    "Phew! That was close, but we got out safely."


    Hei Huang let out a long breath.


    He realized that Xu Hei was actually quite reliable.


    If it weren''t for Xu Hei holding him back, he might have gone to the Purple Mist Pavilion and been caught. Even if he didn''t die, he''d be skinned alive by that old hag.


    "Little Xu, I have to praise you this time. Hey, why are you running? We''re already safe!"


    Seeing Xu Hei running for his life at full speed, even using a Swift Talisman, Hei Huang had no choice but to follow.


    But seeing Xu Hei getting faster and faster, even taking various pills to increase his speed, Hei Huang''s face darkened, and he felt a bit uneasy. He didn''t dare to slack off and sped up as well.


    At the same moment they were escaping.


    In the sect square of the Purple Mist Sect.


    The old ancestor, He Luohua, who had been sitting silently, suddenly opened her eyes, which burst with a blazing light.


    "Hmph, they really escaped! I don''t believe you can escape from my grasp!"


    He Luohua''s figure flickered, and she sped towards a certain location at a terrifying speed, instantly breaking through the range of the Purple Mist Sect''s grand formation.


    She had seemed to be sitting motionless in the square.


    In reality, she, like Xu Hei, had been considering the possibility of the opponent escaping.


    The opponent was cunning, and any carelessness would be foolish.


    She hadn''t personally joined the search team because she had secretly added a layer of Divine Sense membrane to the outer formation.


    As long as anything passed through that membrane, it would be branded with an undetectable Divine Sense mark.


    At that time, even if they really escaped, they would be marked and hunted down to the ends of the earth.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Boom!!"


    From the distant sky came a series of roaring shockwaves, scattering the clouds. A terrifying figure, carrying an indescribable pressure, was rapidly approaching.


    Hei Huang''s face changed dramatically, his soul almost flying out of his body. He hurriedly shouted, "Xu Hei, wait for me, wait a moment!"


    Xu Hei''s speed didn''t decrease at all; instead, he went even faster. This was the fastest he had ever gone in his life, but compared to that old woman in the Core Formation Stage, it was still too slow!


    The old woman in the sky sneered, "Heh, so it''s just two beasts. Don''t worry, neither of you will escape."


    He Luohua waved her hand, and a golden bowl flew out, inverting to cover the sky.


    In an instant, a golden light circle rapidly descended from the bowl, blocking Xu Hei''s path. Within a thousand feet, everything was covered.


    "Great Golden Bowl, capture!"


    He Luohua shouted, and an immense suction force erupted from the golden bowl, pulling at Xu Hei and Hei Huang, trying to drag them out of the earth and into the bowl.


    Xu Hei cursed, "Old dog, bring out your trump card now, or we''re done for!"


    The old dog had previously said that if he brought out that thing, the people of the Purple Mist Sect wouldn''t dare to act. Now he was still dawdling.


    "Xu Hei, I don''t have any trump card. I''m about to be sucked away," Hei Huang wailed.


    "Damn it! If I ever go out with you again, I''ll be worse than a pig or dog!" Xu Hei cursed.


    The old woman looked disdainful. She had thought it was some formidable demon, but it was just this?


    Soon, the two demons were pulled out of the earth, uncontrollably rising into the air.


    At this moment, Hei Huang sighed helplessly, "Fine, I wanted to wait until that old hag got closer, but since she''s using a magical treasure to capture us, I have no choice but to go all out."


    Hei Huang patted his Storage Bag.


    Instantly, a terrifying and vast pressure descended from the heavens, causing even the space to ripple slightly.


    "Crack! Boom!!"


    The golden light from the Great Golden Bowl instantly retreated, the suction force disappearing without a trace. Even He Luohua''s face turned pale, and she took several steps back.


    "Bang!!"


    The Great Golden Bowl flew back into her hand.


    Her eyes narrowed, staring intently at the object Hei Huang had taken out.


    Xu Hei was also shocked, looking at the item in Hei Huang''s hand with an incredulous expression.


    It was a human figure.


    This person wore a dirt-yellow Daoist robe, his body emaciated like kindling. After countless years, his appearance was no longer clear, his beard almost gone, leaving only dry skin with cracked wrinkles.


    Xu Hei stared at the back of this person''s robe, which bore the image of a large mountain, the mark of the Mountain Movers Sect.


    Though his body was emaciated, his posture was exceptionally upright, standing there like a towering mountain, insurmountable and majestic.


    His aura was terrifying, like mountains and rivers, endless and boundless.


    He Luohua''s pupils contracted, and she exclaimed in disbelief.


    "Mountain-moving Patriarch?!"

 Chapter 68: Return Horse Spear Dan Battle

    Chapter 68: Return Horse Spear Dan BattleThe Mountain-moving Patriarch, founder of the Mountain Movers Sect, had reached the Great Perfection of the Core Formation Stage and was just one step away from forming his Elemental Infant.


    However, it was said that during his breakthrough, he was possessed by an extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon, causing his attempt to fail and leading to his death and the dissipation of his Dao!


    In the history of the Chu Kingdom, he was a legendary figure.


    He Luohua was not mistaken; this indeed was the corpse of the Mountain-moving Patriarch, which had been stolen by this old dog after his recent disappearance.


    "Old geezer, leave some room for maneuver. I advise you not to push me too hard, or we''ll both die together. My life is worthless, but yours is precious. Think it over!" Hei Huang sneered.


    At the same time, he secretly transmitted a message to Xu Hei: "Xu Hei, you go first. I''ll hold her off."


    Xu Hei took a deep look at He Luohua, saw that she remained motionless, nodded, and burrowed into the ground to leave.


    He suddenly paused and asked, "What about the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s corpse?"


    "Don''t worry, I''ve refined it into a puppet. Although I can''t fully control it yet, it can still cast a small spell to scare people."


    Hei Huang smiled and waved impatiently, "Go on! Stop dawdling like a woman! I just erased the Divine Sense imprint on you. I had to chase you for quite a while because you ran too fast!"


    Hearing this, Xu Hei was shocked.


    No wonder Hei Huang told him to wait; it was to erase the Divine Sense imprint on him.


    "This old dog could have said so earlier."


    Xu Hei muttered to himself and quickly fled.


    Hei Huang remained standing in place, and the old woman did not pursue him. She just stared intently at the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s corpse, standing motionless in mid-air.


    Just now, the moment the corpse appeared, it had directly shattered her Great Golden Bowl, indicating that it could exert a certain level of power.


    This was a Great Perfection Core Formation Stage monster, half a step into the Elemental Infant Stage. Even the aura emanating from the corpse made her somewhat fearful.


    "Is this dog trying to scare me? Or does he really have some skills?"


    He Luohua''s eyes narrowed, a cold glint flashing.


    ¡­¡­


    At this moment, Xu Hei had already escaped beyond the perception range of a Core Formation Stage cultivator. He suddenly felt a bit hesitant.


    "Is it immoral for me to just run away like this?"


    "But if I stay, I won''t be of any help and would only be a burden."


    Xu Hei thought of the Wild Giant Elephant. If he could summon it, he wondered if it could help.


    On second thought, he dismissed the idea. By the time the elephant arrived, it would be too late.


    Moreover, the Purple Mist Sect was also full of experts. If he could summon help, so could the others; it made no difference.


    "Damn it! If only I were stronger."


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    In the end, it was still a matter of strength. Xu Hei had thought he was progressing fast enough, but compared to true experts, he was still far behind.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and did not immediately go far. Instead, he found a hidden cave to hide in.


    He couldn''t just run away without doing anything!


    "Hei Huang may be despicable, but he can''t die. I have to do something, but what can I do?"


    Xu Hei took a deep breath to calm himself down and think of a strategy.


    The most lethal weapon he had was the scales on his tail.


    But according to Hei Huang, these scales were effective against Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators but seemed inadequate against Core Formation Stage cultivators.


    Then there was the mysterious Demon God Cauldron, but it was only an auxiliary tool that allowed him to quickly refine anything he consumed.


    Xu Hei knew the Demon God Cauldron had more functions, but he hadn''t discovered them yet.


    "What other means do I have, what else¡­"


    Xu Hei kept thinking.


    ¡­¡­


    On the other side.


    Hei Huang saw that Xu Hei had gone far, and the old woman still hadn''t made a move.


    He secretly breathed a sigh of relief and sneered, "Old geezer, I won''t play with you anymore. We''ll meet again."


    He leaped backward, intending to leave.


    The Mountain-moving Patriarch''s corpse also leaped backward simultaneously, mirroring Hei Huang''s movements.


    At the moment they retreated.


    He Luohua''s eyes suddenly narrowed, and with a flick of her finger, a silver needle shot out, piercing through the void and almost instantly reaching Hei Huang''s rear.


    "Ha!"


    Hei Huang shouted, and the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s figure instantly appeared behind him, spitting out a mouthful of viscous purple mist that corroded the silver needle instantly.


    The purple mist rapidly expanded, forming a giant purple skull that corroded everything in its path, charging toward He Luohua.


    "How could the Mountain-moving Patriarch know such a spell? You must be a demonic cultivator!"


    He Luohua coldly said, staring at the overwhelming purple mist.


    Hei Huang sneered, "Who cares if it''s righteous or demonic? As long as it kills, it''s a good spell!"


    "Hmph, truly a demon!"


    With a wave of her sleeve, He Luohua unleashed a dazzling golden light, forming layers of waves that swept toward the purple skull.


    Just as the two were about to collide.


    The purple skull suddenly vanished, along with all the purple mist, as if it had all been an illusion.


    At the same time, Hei Huang''s figure also disappeared.


    He Luohua''s face twisted in anger, "Dare to trick me!"


    Her figure instantly shot out, filled with boundless fury, chasing after Hei Huang.


    At this moment, Hei Huang was carrying the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s corpse, sprinting through the mountains, his legs almost smoking.


    "Damn it! The Golden Core inside this corpse is only the size of a fingernail, not enough for more than three spells. How am I supposed to play like this?"


    Hei Huang cursed inwardly, feeling miserable.


    The purple mist just now was purely for show, with some initial power but mostly just a facade.


    To match the spells of a Core Formation Stage cultivator, he had to rely on consuming the Golden Core''s energy.


    But after so many years, the Golden Core inside the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s corpse had long since shriveled up, with very little energy left.


    Feeling the overwhelming fury behind him, Hei Huang gritted his teeth and ran.


    "It''s a pity. If I could refine it into a corpse puppet that could perform breathing exercises on its own, it would be great. My cultivation is still not enough."


    Hei Huang ran while thinking about which spell to use to escape. With limited Golden Core energy, every move had to be carefully considered. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Rashomon? No, too strong. The Golden Core would be exhausted before I could even cast it."


    "Hundred Ghosts Night Parade? No, can''t be used with Earth Spiritual Roots, only my true self can."


    "¡­"


    As Hei Huang was rapidly thinking, he sensed danger from behind.


    It was three flying swords, stabbing straight at his back.


    "Requiem!"


    Hei Huang gritted his teeth, and the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s abdomen swelled. The shriveled Golden Core inside shrank by a third.


    Then, a sharp wailing sound emitted from its mouth, forming a terrifying Requiem soundwave that shot backward.


    "Woo woo woo!!!"


    He Luohua''s face turned pale, blood trickling from the corner of her mouth, but the three flying swords did not slow down. They circled and instantly pierced Hei Huang''s body, slicing him into pieces.


    Immediately, Hei Huang''s body reformed, but his aura was much weaker, his steps unsteady, and his escape speed greatly reduced.


    "Damn it! This old geezer is attacking me even at the cost of injury. One more hit and the Golden Core will be gone." Hei Huang''s face was grim.


    Even more precarious was that he was also seriously injured.


    A few more attacks like that, and he would be finished. Even if his primordial spirit escaped, it would take a thousand years of slumber to recover.


    He Luohua''s eyes were filled with killing intent. This old dog posed too much of a threat and had to be eliminated!


    "Die!"


    She pointed forward, and the three flying swords rose again, stabbing toward Hei Huang''s back.


    At this moment.


    He Luohua''s face suddenly changed, and the three flying swords quickly turned back. From the ground below, countless tiny scales shot out, thirty in total.


    The timing was extremely tricky, right after she was hit by the Requiem.


    "Clang clang clang¡­"


    The flying swords blocked in mid-air, sparks flying, deflecting all the black gold scales.


    But to He Luohua''s shock, her flying swords were covered in countless tiny nicks.


    "What kind of hidden weapon is this?"


    He Luohua stared in disbelief at the scales scattered on the ground.

 Chapter 69: This is Xu Heis instinct

    Chapter 69: This is Xu Hei''s instinctHei Huang was also startled. He could see that these scales were all fired by Xu Hei.


    "I told you to run, why did you come back?" Hei Huang roared angrily.


    At this moment, Xu Hei was hiding underground. His tail was already half bald and bleeding profusely. He had no time to explain and instead asked, "Hei Huang, can I control that puppet?"


    Hei Huang was taken aback. "You mean... the Mountain-moving Patriarch?"


    "Exactly!" Xu Hei replied.


    Hei Huang thought for a moment and quickly said, "You''ve practiced puppet techniques, so you can control it. But with your Divine Sense strength, you might collapse before you can even control it for a moment."


    A Golden Core stage puppet was not an ordinary puppet. Without a powerful Divine Sense to support it, it couldn''t even move, let alone cast spells.


    Xu Hei''s eyes were resolute. "I want to try."


    "This..." Hei Huang was stunned.


    He had considered letting Xu Hei control the Mountain-moving Patriarch. They both had Earth Spiritual Roots. If Xu Hei could really control it, it might work wonders.


    However, Xu Hei was only at the seventh level of the Spirit Communion Stage. His Divine Sense was limited and couldn''t possibly control a Golden Core stage puppet.


    But in this critical moment, Hei Huang couldn''t think too much. He nodded heavily. "Alright, I can assist you, but you must cooperate well. If the control isn''t coordinated, we''ll both be doomed!"


    Hei Huang thought of a compromise: both of them controlling it together.


    Xu Hei quickly approached the Mountain-moving Patriarch and imprinted his Divine Sense.


    At this moment, he could feel a faint connection with the physical body.


    But this faint connection felt as heavy as a mountain. Even lifting his hand was difficult, as if a mountain was pressing down on him, making it hard to breathe.


    "Xu Hei, have you made up your mind? If it doesn''t work, retreat. This puppet can still cast two spells, enough to cover your retreat. Make a decision quickly!" Hei Huang urged.


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth and took out a green pill, swallowing it.


    This pill, called the Divine Explosion Pill, could greatly enhance Divine Sense strength for a short time, but it had significant side effects, similar to the pill Chen Daoling took when chasing him.


    "Boom!!"


    As the pill entered his mouth, Xu Hei''s head buzzed, and the heavy feeling lessened considerably.


    Xu Hei tried to lift his hand, and the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s arm finally rose.


    "It actually... works!" Hei Huang was stunned.


    One Divine Explosion Pill did the trick.


    Xu Hei''s secrets were even more than he had imagined!


    He Luohua did not immediately attack. She first picked up the scales that had fallen to the ground one by one. She felt that these scales were extremely valuable and might be refined into a Golden Core stage Magical Treasure.


    "Thank you for the materials. Now, you can die."


    He Luohua raised her hand, and three Flying Swords shot out simultaneously. Although they had many nicks, their power hadn''t diminished much.


    Facing the incoming Flying Swords, Xu Hei''s eyes were colder than ever. This was the strongest opponent he had ever faced. He couldn''t back down!


    "Earth Shield!"


    Xu Hei shouted, and the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s palms struck the ground. The earth rose to form three sturdy shields, automatically shimmering and blocking the Flying Swords.


    "Thud!"


    The Flying Swords embedded themselves in the Earth Shield, piercing through but getting stuck, unable to advance further.


    All three Flying Swords were blocked.


    "What?!"


    At this moment, not only was He Luohua shocked, but Hei Huang was also stunned.


    This Earth Shield was at most a second-tier spell, useful in the Foundation Establishment Stage. But in the hands of the Mountain-moving Patriarch, it displayed such terrifying power, even blocking Golden Core stage Flying Swords.


    Because it was a low-level spell, the Golden Core barely consumed any energy, only about one-tenth.


    Hei Huang''s breathing became rapid.


    However, after casting this spell, Xu Hei felt dizzy and his vision darkened, almost fainting.


    "No, I can''t pass out. I must hold on!"


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth and took out three more Divine Explosion Pills, swallowing them in one go.


    "Xu Hei, you..." Hei Huang was thunderstruck.


    Was this still the Xu Hei he remembered, who was timid and cowardly? sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Xu Hei who would arm himself to the teeth just to go out, was now this madman?


    This was completely different from the Xu Hei he remembered.


    After taking three Divine Explosion Pills, Xu Hei''s mind cleared up a lot. His eyes were bloodshot, staring at the old woman in front of him with extreme madness.


    "Hei Huang, I don''t know why, but this is my instinct, my instinct!"


    Xu Hei focused his mind. The Mountain-moving Patriarch pressed his palms on the ground and shouted, "Earth Spike!!"


    He Luohua''s face changed dramatically, feeling a sense of crisis.


    "Not good!"


    She flashed backward, only to see a sharp stone pillar shooting up from the ground, almost grazing her face as it soared into the sky.


    Even with her reaction speed, her face was scratched, her nose broken, and blood spurted out.


    "Is this the Earth Spike?"


    He Luohua stared at the stone pillar in front of her.


    No! This couldn''t be called a stone pillar anymore; it was practically a mountain, reaching a height of a hundred feet! Could the Earth Spike be this terrifying?


    "Boom!!"


    Before she could think further, another stone pillar shot out, straight into the clouds.


    He Luohua kept retreating, and the Earth Spikes kept emerging. In just a few breaths, over a dozen stone pillars had shot out. Her arm was hit once, blood flowing, and she had more scratches on her body. One of her Magical Treasures was even destroyed.


    He Luohua decisively crushed a golden shield Talisman, blocking an attack, then took out a wind sail. Riding the wind, she flew up to five hundred meters in the air.


    At such a height, the Earth Spikes couldn''t exert their power.


    He Luohua panted heavily. She had underestimated her opponent, ending up in such a sorry state.


    But now, it was time to end this.


    "Rain of Pear Blossoms!"


    He Luohua took out a handful of flying needles and scattered them in the air, like a torrential downpour, shooting towards Xu Hei and Hei Huang.


    Xu Hei immediately raised a shield to block the flying needles.


    "Let''s see how long you can hold out. The Mountain-moving Patriarch''s Golden Core must be nearly exhausted by now."


    He Luohua sneered coldly. She could see the opponent''s weakness clearly.


    These two demonic beasts had been able to entangle with her for so long only because they relied on the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s corpse.


    Any spell would consume Spiritual Qi, and the source of this Spiritual Qi, to match her, could only be the corpse''s Golden Core.


    A Golden Core that had been dead for countless years and was already shriveled¡ªhow could it compare to her?


    He Luohua was right.


    Although Earth Element Spells consumed less, the Golden Core had shrunk by another third in just a short while and couldn''t hold out much longer.


    "Xu Hei, what do we do?"


    At this moment, Hei Huang actually asked Xu Hei.


    Unknowingly, he no longer saw Xu Hei as a junior but as an equal.


    "Take a gamble!"


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth, recalling the super spell he had just learned.


    Mountain Severing Abyss!


    This spell was the most powerful Earth Element Spell in the Purple Mist Sect, with considerable power even in the Golden Core stage. But with Xu Hei''s cultivation, he couldn''t possibly cast it.


    But with the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s physical body, it might succeed.


    "I only have the first half of Mountain Severing Abyss. The rest, I can only think and create myself."


    Before Xu Hei arrived, he had anticipated this moment and had already simulated it in his mind.


    Xu Hei''s talent and understanding in spells were rare in the world. Any spell, he could grasp instantly and master quickly.


    Earth Spike and thick earth armor were successfully cast on the first try.


    Now, he had no choice. In this life-and-death moment, Xu Hei perfectly displayed his exceptional talent, even surpassing his limits, reaching the pinnacle.


    Create, create!


    In this brief instant, a complete spell gradually formed in Xu Hei''s mind, filling in the missing half!


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, his gaze resolute and mad.


    He took out a handful of Divine Explosion Pills and swallowed them. The Demon God Cauldron in his body operated, frantically refining the pills, bringing his waning spirit back to its peak.


    "Old hag, if you don''t leave today, it will be your death day!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were blood-red as he shouted.


    "Mountain Severing Abyss!"


    The Mountain-moving Patriarch''s palms pressed on the ground. The Golden Core within him shrank rapidly, visible to the naked eye, until only a tiny bit was left in an instant.

 Chapter 70: Mountain Severing Abyss, the world is astonished

    Chapter 70: Mountain Severing Abyss, the world is astonished"Boom!!!"


    In an instant, the mountains crumbled and the earth shook violently.


    At this moment, the forest seemed to collapse like the sky was falling. An unprecedented earthquake erupted, trees toppled, the ground disintegrated, rocks flew wildly, and countless beasts fled in panic. The tremors spread for miles.


    "What is this..."


    He Luohua''s face changed drastically, as if she had seen a ghost, staring at the sudden changes in the earth and mountains below.


    Looking at the scene that resembled the end of the world, a terrifying thought arose in her mind.


    "Could this be... the Mountain Severing Abyss?"


    As the fifth-generation sect master, she naturally had heard of the most powerful Earth Element Spell stored in the Purple Mist Pavilion, the Mountain Severing Abyss.


    It was said that this spell was exchanged at a great cost by the first-generation sect master from the Mountain-moving Patriarch hundreds of years ago, and it was only a simplified version.


    It had been stored in the Purple Mist Pavilion for countless years, and almost no one had successfully cultivated it. Even among the successive sect masters, few had comprehended it.


    And the price of the Mountain Severing Abyss had dropped from the initial one million contribution points to just three hundred thousand, yet still, no one had mastered it.


    He Luohua thought of that giant snake puppet.


    As soon as it entered the Purple Mist Pavilion, it eagerly read that jade slip. Could it be that it mastered it in that instant?


    "Retreat first!"


    Whether it was a bluff or real, He Luohua made a decisive decision and quickly retreated.


    "Boom!!"


    A giant mountain suddenly rose from the ground. This mountain, towering five hundred feet high, blocked out the sky and the sun, standing like a giant pillar behind He Luohua, cutting off her retreat.


    But it wasn''t over yet. Another mountain shot up into the sky, blocking another direction for He Luohua.


    "Boom boom boom..."


    One mountain after another began to move crazily, as if they were alive, quickly shifting among the mountains, forming a continuous chain that sealed off all directions for He Luohua.


    Moving mountains, moving mountains, moving a mountain with a single thought, this was beyond human capability!


    Among the Core Formation Stage cultivators, only the Mountain-moving Patriarch could easily achieve this!


    Xu Hei''s eyes were already bleeding, and Hei Huang was also giving it his all.


    Countless mountains connected into a single mass, pressing down on He Luohua, resembling the end of the world.


    "You''ve forced me to this extent! So be it!"


    He Luohua''s eyes flashed like lightning. She took out a talisman and placed it on her forehead.


    "Teleport!"


    The space around her subtly twisted, and in the next second, He Luohua vanished from her original spot. When she reappeared, she had already escaped the encirclement of the mountains and was outside the mountain range.


    "Small Teleportation Talisman!" Hei Huang exclaimed.


    The Small Teleportation Talisman, similar to the Minor Teleportation Formation, was an instant-cast, highly valuable item that required rare Void Stones to craft. It could perform a teleportation ability that only Elemental Infant cultivators could use.


    This was definitely one of He Luohua''s trump cards.


    He Luohua''s face showed a pained expression. This was a relic given by her Dao companion years ago, and now she had to use it.


    But before she could even take a breath, she was horrified.


    In front of her, the mountains had unknowingly formed a curve.


    All the mountains connected together, resembling a giant snake coiling in the forest, with the head of the snake being the foremost peak, facing her directly.


    "Is this really the Mountain Severing Abyss?"


    He Luohua suddenly felt that the move in front of her was somewhat different from the records.


    "Old bastard, today is your death day, die!"


    Xu Hei, using his last breath, let out a low shout. Endless pain spread from his divine sense throughout his body, and he fell unconscious. The Mountain-moving Patriarch''s Golden Core also exhausted its last bit of energy.


    In the next second, the giant snake formed by the mountain range let out a hiss and, with overwhelming pressure, charged towards He Luohua.


    At this moment, He Luohua felt an imminent sense of death.


    Unstoppable, unstoppable!


    "How is this possible!"


    He Luohua screamed, taking out all her magical treasures and throwing them forward while retreating rapidly.


    The mountain snake charged forward, its massive body and tail stretching for miles, like a sky-swallowing serpent, carrying immense pressure, crashing into the radiance formed by countless magical treasures.


    "Boom boom boom..."


    With a series of explosive sounds, many Core Formation Stage magical treasures were shattered upon impact. The head of the mountain snake disintegrated into nothingness, but the rest of its body continued to surge forward.


    The head was gone, the neck was gone, the body was gone. The thousand-foot-long mountain snake shattered halfway, turning into countless flying rocks, raining down like a storm.


    The remaining part still charged forward, hitting He Luohua as she tried to escape.


    "Ugh!!!"


    With a violent explosion, He Luohua spat out blood. A copper mirror inside her body shattered into pieces, but she was thrown forward as if hit by a heavy object, her speed increasing a thousandfold, disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    "Boom boom boom..."


    The mountain snake finally lost its power and fell to the ground, forming a snake-shaped mountain range.


    The Mountain-moving Patriarch also exhausted his Golden Core and sat weakly on the ground.


    Hei Huang let out a long breath, his body feeling weak. Even with his spirit, he almost fainted.


    "This move must be Xu Hei''s creation, it''s ridiculous! Let''s go, let''s go!"


    Hei Huang was about to carry Xu Hei away when he saw Xu Hei''s eyes still open.


    His consciousness had long been unconscious, but his eyes were still wide open, still transmitting divine thoughts, like talking in his sleep. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "She''s not dead yet, go, go finish her off..."


    Xu Hei''s consciousness was gone, but his instincts were still speaking.


    "Finish off my ass! Be careful or someone will finish you off."


    Hei Huang cursed, carrying Xu Hei on his back.


    Xu Hei''s body automatically manifested a layer of earth-brown armor, the thick earth armor, and the jade pendant inside him emitted a faint protective light.


    "This..." Hei Huang was speechless.


    Even unconscious, he could still automatically defend himself. How many backup plans did he have?


    "Don''t worry, I''m not going to eat you, no need to be afraid."


    Hei Huang sighed helplessly, putting the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s corpse into a storage bag, and collecting the three fallen flying swords on the ground. These were Core Formation Stage magical treasures, which might be exchanged for high-grade spirit stones.


    Earlier, these three flying swords had been stuck by the Earth Shield, making them quite a valuable haul.


    In the distance, at the edge of the forest, black dots appeared. It seemed that people from miles away had heard the commotion and were coming to investigate.


    "Just wait, I''ll get back at you sooner or later!"


    Hei Huang didn''t hesitate any longer. His eyes turned cold, he activated the Invisibility Talisman, and his figure disappeared.


    ...


    Outside the Purple Mist Sect.


    An old woman, covered in blood, her clothes tattered and hair disheveled, flew in from the horizon.


    She staggered while flying, her figure unsteady, and fell from the sky.


    "Patriarch!"


    Sect Master Shen Qingzhu exclaimed, rushing forward immediately. The elders behind her also hurriedly moved up to catch He Luohua.


    He Luohua broke free, speaking urgently, "That demon is near death. Everyone, listen to my command, search the mountains immediately, dig three feet deep if you have to, but capture that old demon!"


    He Luohua waved her hand, drawing portraits of Xu Hei and Hei Huang, then spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed, surrounded by a chorus of urgent cries.

 Chapter 71: Storms come to the Southern Region of the Chu Kingdom

    Chapter 71: Storms come to the Southern Region of the Chu KingdomThe sect leader, Shen Qingzhu, immediately issued an order: "All elders and disciples, heed my command. Search the mountain and find that old demon, dead or alive!"


    Everyone accepted the order and entered the deep mountains.


    However, although they entered the mountain, their minds were filled with different thoughts, and there was a hint of fear in their eyes.


    "That demon almost killed an ancestor in the Core Formation Stage. If we go, isn''t it just courting death?"


    "No way, this demon is too terrifying. We can''t provoke it!"


    "The sect leader''s order cannot be disobeyed, so let''s just put on a show."


    The Purple Mist Sect was different from other sects. Most of its disciples had never experienced life-and-death battles. After practicing the Purple Mist Technique, they had a more relaxed cultivation method. Why risk their lives outside?


    Especially in such an environment, if you risk your life, you are seen as not fitting in, pretending to be aloof, and you will be ostracized.


    This led to very few people truly willing to search for that old demon.


    From elders to disciples, they all behaved the same.


    They grouped in threes and fives, wandering leisurely in the mountains, more like they were on a sightseeing tour.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, three days passed.


    The news from the Purple Mist Sect swept through the entire Southern Region of the Chu Kingdom like a storm. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A mysterious demon broke into the Purple Mist Sect to steal pills and was chased for thousands of miles by the fifth-generation ancestor. The ancestor was defeated and retreated with serious injuries.


    Those who heard the news were all shocked.


    In the Southern Region, the death of a Foundation Establishment cultivator was already big news. Now, a demonic cultivator in the Core Formation Stage had appeared, which was an earth-shattering event.


    A demonic cultivator in the Core Formation Stage had the power to destroy a sect!


    But the most outrageous part was yet to come.


    According to the fifth-generation ancestor, the demon had stolen the corpse of the Mountain-moving Patriarch and refined it into a puppet, which gave it such power.


    The Southern Region was in an uproar.


    ...


    The Mountain Movers Sect, a great sect that had stood for five hundred years, was unprecedentedly furious.


    "Stealing our ancestor''s corpse, we must tear that demon to pieces!"


    "Increase the bounty, make it ten times the previous amount!"


    "Retrieve the ancestor''s corpse!"


    The Mountain Movers Sect made searching for the demon their top priority. Elders and disciples were all dispatched, patrolling the southern forests, capturing all dogs and snakes they encountered.


    The Carefree Sect, also a three-hundred-year-old great sect.


    Last time, they lost ten disciples while hunting a herd of mammoths. According to Hua Yuntian, it was caused by the demon who could use the Earth Spike.


    "Kill! Avenge our ten fallen disciples!"


    "Kill, hunt down the demon!"


    The Carefree Sect also mobilized on a large scale, making the task their top priority.


    The remaining Tai Xuan Sect also issued the highest-level mission to track down the demon.


    The Snake Catchers Sect, as the leading sect in the Southern Region.


    Xuan Yangzi finally understood who had killed his avatar.


    "A dog and a snake, huh, interesting."


    The Snake Catchers Sect issued a bounty.


    Providing clues would reward 200 spirit stones and 100,000 contribution points.


    Killing the demon would reward 500 spirit stones and 300,000 contribution points.


    This was an unprecedentedly high bounty, not only tempting all cultivators in the Southern Region but also attracting many outsiders.


    This was a grand hunt, reaching an unprecedented peak in the fervor for hunting demonic beasts.


    ...


    At the border of the Qin Kingdom, on the Yanluo River.


    A giant official ship was sailing in the fierce wind. Inside the ship sat a middle-aged man in luxurious clothes, sipping wine and muttering to himself, "Mountain-moving Patriarch? Puppet?"


    "Hehe, I wonder which chosen one could have mastered our sect''s puppet techniques to such an extent. I''m quite curious. If possible, I''d like to take them as a disciple."


    ...


    In the southern forests of the Chu Kingdom, in an area burned by a mountain fire.


    The scorched vegetation had been cleared, the mountains had been restored, and the terrain was flat. Several scattered giant peaks stood around like guards, protecting the center.


    Many mortal carpenters and masons were building houses, digging wells, and paving bluestone streets.


    This was a branch base established by the snake catchers.


    After two months of construction, the place had taken shape, with pavilions and houses everywhere. The inner and outer gates, medicine garden, spirit fields, and plaza were clearly divided. It was estimated that in another six months, it would be officially completed.


    If cultivators did the work, the efficiency would be faster, but few cultivators were willing to do such chores as it consumed a lot of spiritual qi. Most of the time, mortals were hired to do the preliminary work, and the cultivators would only do some formation reinforcement at the end.


    Only some Qi Refining Stage disciples were here to supervise.


    Zhao Wenzhuo was the chief supervisor here, as he was most familiar with the area.


    At this moment, Zhao Wenzhuo was sitting in his cave dwelling, holding a compass in his hand. This was the Destiny Compass, used for divination, left to him by his master.


    On the other side were some miscellaneous items: a piece of snake bone and some old magical artifacts.


    These items were bought by him in Linjiang City of the Qin Kingdom, which were stolen goods sold by Hei Huang.


    Upon learning that Xuan Yangzi''s avatar''s storage bag was stolen, he deduced that the thief would go to the Qin Kingdom to sell the stolen goods, and he followed the trail, finding clues in Linjiang City.


    Moreover, he discovered that an outer disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect in Linjiang City had gone missing.


    Combining this with the recent appearance of a large number of puppets in the Purple Mist Sect, his suspicions were confirmed.


    "These clues should be enough to claim the bounty."


    Zhao Wenzhuo took a deep breath, his eyes burning with excitement.


    Two months ago, Zhao Wenzhuo had already found clues to locate the thief, but the bounty was too low, so he hadn''t acted.


    Now was the best time to act.


    "However, I always feel that a storm is brewing here, as if something big is about to happen. The divination result is also a great omen."


    Zhao Wenzhuo stared at the compass in his hand, pondering, and shook his head. "No matter what, once I get the bounty, I''ll leave this place. No matter how dangerous it gets, it won''t concern me."


    ...


    Xu Hei didn''t know how long he had been unconscious.


    In a daze, he had many dreams.


    He dreamed of entering a pigsty, stealing a fat pig, and encountering Chen Fan, who claimed to be an immortal.


    He also dreamed of being disturbed by Chen Fan''s remnant thoughts, worshipping at the Mountain God Temple, and finally suppressing those thoughts.


    One by one, the past events he had experienced resurfaced in his mind.


    Until finally, he fought a fierce battle with He Luohua and was severely injured and fell unconscious.


    "Young one, do you feel that your strength is insufficient?"


    Suddenly, a vague and ethereal voice echoed in Xu Hei''s mind.


    Xu Hei was startled and looked up at the sky, seeing a giant cauldron floating above. The cauldron was engraved with a flood dragon coiled around its body.


    This was the Demon God Cauldron!


    The voice seemed to come from the flood dragon engraved on the cauldron.


    "Who are you, senior?" Xu Hei instinctively asked.


    "Who I am is not important. If you want to become stronger, you must reach Foundation Establishment. Once you do, I will answer all your questions."


    "However, it seems your cultivation technique is missing something."


    The ethereal voice continued, and the Demon God Cauldron slowly rotated, the flood dragon seemingly staring at him.


    "Missing something?"


    Xu Hei''s heart stirred, and he hurriedly asked, "Can you teach me the complete technique, senior?"


    "The complete technique is in your heart. You must comprehend it yourself; others cannot teach it to you."


    As the voice faded, the Demon God Cauldron turned into a beam of light and entered Xu Hei''s forehead.


    "Descendant of my clan, you must comprehend, comprehend well!"


    "Your path will be ten times, a hundred times more difficult than others! But once you succeed, you will be ten times, a hundred times stronger than others!"


    "Remember, the key to comprehension lies in the word ''reverse.''"


    "..."

 Chapter 72: Breakthrough to the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Communion Stage

    Chapter 72: Breakthrough to the Eighth Layer of the Spirit Communion StageXu Hei woke up, unsure of how many days had passed.


    Recalling the words from his dream, Xu Hei fell into deep thought.


    "Reverse? What does it mean to reverse?"


    "Speaking in riddles, why do these seniors always like to be so cryptic?"


    Unable to make sense of it, Xu Hei shook his head and decided not to dwell on it.


    He looked inward at his body. The Demon God Cauldron was still as it was, but the spiritual qi within had expanded from a water ball to a pool. Unknowingly, he had broken through to the eighth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    His head still felt dizzy, a side effect of taking too many Divine Explosion Pills.


    However, his divine sense had grown significantly stronger, now extending to an astonishing range of two hundred meters.


    To put it into perspective, even a Foundation Establishment cultivator like Hua Yuntian had a divine sense range of only three hundred meters.


    This place looked familiar; it was his own cave dwelling. In the neighboring cave, Xu Bai was busy refining pills.


    "Phew!"


    Xu Hei let out a long breath.


    He was back.


    Xu Hei moved slightly, feeling a bit stiff but otherwise fine.


    To his surprise, the scales on his tail had fully regrown.


    Moreover, their number had almost doubled, covering half of his tail.


    "This breakthrough actually caused so many scales to grow?"


    Xu Hei was astonished.


    In the past, his scales would only grow wildly when his physical body made rapid progress and underwent extreme tempering.


    He couldn''t figure it out, but it was definitely a good thing.


    After multiple tests, Xu Hei had a rough understanding of the power of these special Black Gold Scales.


    Against anything below the Core Formation Stage, they were invincible!


    However, they couldn''t inflict fatal damage on Core Formation Stage cultivators.


    Even third-tier flying swords could only leave numerous small nicks rather than cutting through them, indicating that the sharpness of these scales had its limits.


    Being able to deal with Foundation Establishment cultivators was already satisfactory for Xu Hei. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Of course, he wouldn''t be so arrogant as to actually fight a Foundation Establishment cultivator head-on. In a real fight, his scales might not even touch the opponent before he was killed.


    Human cultivators were notoriously fragile but had extremely strong attacks and numerous magical treasures and life-saving items.


    Demonic beasts focused more on physical body enhancement. Even without protective magical treasures, they could withstand most attacks.


    Xu Hei had both a strong physical body and spells, along with magical treasures for protection, giving him multiple advantages. However, surpassing his level was still very difficult.


    "I wonder where the old dog ran off to. Otherwise, I could ask him about the flaws in my cultivation technique," Xu Hei muttered.


    Recalling his previous near-death experiences, Xu Hei cursed Hei Huang in his heart.


    "Nine out of ten chances, my foot! Almost got killed by a Core Formation Stage cultivator."


    Xu Hei took out everything he had obtained from the Purple Mist Sect and laid it out in front of him.


    There were over ten gourds of pills, all of high quality, including second-tier pills suitable for Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    There were five large boxes filled with medicinal herbs.


    There were also many seeds, pill furnaces, and jade slips containing pill refining insights.


    As a major sect specializing in pill refining, the Purple Mist Sect did not disappoint in the pill department.


    "With these pills, I won''t lack any until I reach Foundation Establishment, and there will even be enough left over for Xu Bai."


    Minor Essence Nurturing Pills, Divine Explosion Pills, Rejuvenation Pills, Shaoyang Powder... there were even two precious Foundation Establishment Pills.


    This was the reward for surviving a near-death experience.


    Xu Hei suddenly realized that without Hei Huang, where would he be now?


    Without Hei Huang urging him to take risks, without going to Linjiang City, without learning puppet techniques, without going to the Purple Mist Sect.


    Without all those risks, what would he be?


    Perhaps he would still be a mid-stage Spirit Communion snake demon, hiding in some corner, barely surviving, unnoticed and unpursued.


    In another decade or so, his lifespan would end, and he would turn into a pile of yellow earth.


    Xu Hei let out a long sigh.


    "A snake''s life is short, just ten years. If I don''t fight against the heavens, the earth, and people, how can I talk about immortality?"


    After thinking for a long time, Xu Hei decided not to worry about the risks anymore. Since it was all in the past, it was all worth it.


    In a way, Hei Huang had indeed helped him a lot.


    ...


    Xu Hei went to Xu Bai''s neighboring cave dwelling.


    Perhaps due to frequent collapses, this cave was exceptionally spacious, like a giant plaza, and reinforced with some kind of formation to stabilize the structure.


    The pill furnaces Xu Bai had been using were all broken, and she had a new one from who knows where.


    "Xu Hei, you''re awake?" Xu Bai said joyfully.


    Xu Hei glanced around the cave dwelling. It was filled with soil, planted with spirit medicine and spiritual herbs, and even had a Serpent Tree growing.


    In the corner, there was a pigsty with several fat pigs, likely used for testing pills.


    "How long was I unconscious?"


    "Not long, just half a month."


    "..."


    Xu Hei was speechless. He had been unconscious for half a month.


    Wasn''t winter approaching? He needed to find a place to hibernate.


    However, now that he was at the eighth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, it was uncertain whether he still needed to hibernate like in previous years.


    "This pill refining cave of yours is quite impressive."


    Xu Hei smiled, taking out a large pile of pill furnaces, medicinal herbs, and jade slips on pill refining, and handed them over.


    He had already examined these items; they were of little use to him but were invaluable treasures for Xu Bai, who was dedicated to pill refining.


    Xu Bai''s eyes immediately lit up, and she rushed over, delighted by the sight of so many treasures.


    "Are all these for me?"


    "Yes, they''re useless to me. Study them well," Xu Hei said.


    Xu Bai was so excited she could hardly speak, her body trembling.


    She quickly took out a few gourds of pills and said excitedly, "Xu Hei, I''ll give you these pills as a reward."


    "No, no! I can''t accept that!"


    Xu Hei''s forehead darkened.


    "Don''t underestimate a snake. The pills I refine now are really useful; even dogs praise them!"


    Xu Bai said proudly, her head held high.


    Dogs praise them... Xu Hei thought to himself, could that dog be Er Gou?


    However, since Xu Bai had a talent for pill refining, the pills shouldn''t be as deadly as before.


    Xu Hei opened the first gourd and sniffed it. It had the scent of a Strength Pill.


    A common body-tempering pill that Xu Hei had taken before.


    "Better test it on a pig first."


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and then crawled over to the pigsty in the corner, where Xu Bai kept several fat pigs.


    "Are these pigs for testing pills?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Pigs?" Xu Bai was puzzled for a moment and then said, "Look closely. These are all rats, not pigs."


    "Rats?"


    Xu Hei was shocked and looked closely.


    In the pigsty, there were indeed a bunch of fat, white creatures. On closer inspection, they were actually giant rats.


    Because they were so large and covered in greasy fat, Xu Hei hadn''t looked carefully.


    Xu Hei was so shocked he took several steps back, trembling, "Th-these..."

 Chapter 73: Doing good and accumulating virtue, Bodhisattva Xu

    Chapter 73: Doing good and accumulating virtue, Bodhisattva Xu"Why has this white mouse grown so big?" Xu Hei hurriedly asked.


    "It''s quite simple..."


    Xu Bai activated the Gravity Technique, grabbed a Strength Pill from her gourd, and took a small white mouse out of her Spirit Beast Bag.


    Then, she tossed the Strength Pill into the mouse''s mouth.


    She put the mouse down, and its body began to swell, its bones crackling, flesh growing wildly, and its tail curling up.


    In the time it takes to burn a stick of incense, the mouse had transformed into a fat, plump pig.


    Because it was so fat, Xu Hei couldn''t tell if it was a mouse or a pig.


    "..." Xu Hei was so scared he almost fell over.


    Damn it, is this the effect of the Strength Pill?


    "In battles with demonic beasts, size is everything. As long as your body is big and strong, you can defeat your enemies! Even a mouse can beat a cat if it eats this Strength Pill," Xu Bai said proudly.


    "Squeak!!"


    The enormous mouse let out a sharp cry and rammed into the rock wall. With a loud crash, the wall caved in.


    Xu Hei swallowed hard.


    This strength had indeed increased significantly.


    In a way, it really was a Strength Pill, no doubt about it.


    But no one expected it to turn out like this. Xu Hei thought for a moment and decided against trying one himself.


    Next time, he''d catch a cultivator and have them try it.


    Xu Hei glanced at the remaining gourds of pills, which included Minor Essence Nurturing Pills, Awakening Pills, Bone Strengthening Pills, Blood Replenishing Pills, and others, all quite common.


    The pills were still the same, and he recognized each one.


    But as for their specific effects, only the heavens knew.


    Xu Hei took out a brand-new storage bag and marked it with a skull symbol.


    Then, he carefully placed these pills into the storage bag to avoid mixing them with other pills.


    "What''s this mark?" Xu Bai asked, puzzled.


    "It''s a bottom-of-the-chest mark, indicating that precious items are stored inside and shouldn''t be shown to others lightly," Xu Hei explained seriously.


    "Oh! I see." Xu Bai nodded heavily.


    Xu Hei immediately left the cave dwelling.


    He didn''t know what Hei Huang would think when he saw these pills, but he didn''t want to care.


    At that moment, Xu Hei had a sudden inspiration and came up with an idea.


    ¡ªSince Xu Bai couldn''t refine proper pills, what if she tried making poison instead?


    But this thought quickly vanished, and Xu Hei shook his head.


    "No way, if she turns proper pills into this, making poison might end up killing herself."


    Xu Hei shook his head vigorously, abandoning the terrifying thought.


    He had heard of the risks of being a poison master; one wrong move, and you could poison yourself and the whole village, leaving nothing alive for miles around.


    As a mildly venomous snake, Xu Hei had never used poison to attack his opponents.


    He couldn''t rely on her for pills in the future; he''d have to rely on himself.


    Fortunately, this trip had yielded enough, so Xu Hei didn''t have to worry about pills for now.


    The only problem was that all his puppets were gone.


    The materials for making puppets had long been exhausted, and only the Heavenly Puppet Sect had them.


    Xu Hei had no choice but to settle for some hard rocks as substitutes.


    Rock puppets were among the lower-level puppet techniques, easily distinguishable from the real thing.


    Unlike his previous creations, which could pass for real.


    "Let''s make some rock puppets for now," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A few days later.


    Xu Hei hovered in front of a granite mine, where he had already dug a large pit.


    In front of him was a pile of stone puppets, all purple, in various shapes: human, snake, dog, lizard, and more.


    These were made from the granite he had dug up, with a strength barely reaching the late Qi Refining Stage.


    Moreover, they couldn''t cast spells and could only throw stones at most.


    "Granite puppets, how poor must a disciple be to make these?"


    Xu Hei was speechless. If the disciples of the Heavenly Puppet Sect saw this, they''d laugh their heads off.


    They had seen poor people before, but never this poor!


    Rocks were everywhere; this was no different from trash.


    It was only because Xu Hei had Earth Spiritual Roots to support him that these puppets were even slightly useful. For anyone else, these puppets would be utterly useless.


    Xu Hei sighed and stored the granite puppets in his storage bag.


    He didn''t idle around afterward.


    Although he had made the puppets, he still needed to test their power.


    Xu Hei found a flat, open area and had the puppets try to concentrate their attacks on a target.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    The puppets received the command and simultaneously launched a barrage of stones at the target, riddling it with holes.


    This was the granite puppets'' attack method, using Earth Element Spells, specifically the Flying Stone Technique.


    To put it bluntly, they just threw stones.


    However, with so many stones thrown at once, the scene was quite spectacular. It might even be enough to crush a cultivator to death, given the power of the granite.


    "I wonder where that old dog has gone; I hope he brings back some materials."


    Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Then, Xu Hei had a sudden idea.


    Could he increase the number of puppets?


    If individual strength wasn''t enough, he could use numbers. If thirty weren''t enough, then fifty, a hundred, two hundred, three hundred...


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense was now much stronger, so he might be able to control a massive army of granite puppets.


    "Let''s do it and see how many I can control," Xu Hei thought excitedly.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Hundreds of miles away.


    In the mountains, a bloodied figure was running frantically into the depths of the forest.


    If Xu Hei were here, he would recognize this person as Xiao Chou, the disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect, often cursed as a bastard.


    Ten miles behind Xiao Chou, two Snake Catchers were chasing him, both at the Foundation Establishment Stage. One of them was Hua Yuntian.


    "Xiao Chou, you little bastard, how dare you attack me? Today is your death day; not even the gods can save you!"


    Hua Yuntian''s vicious voice echoed as he touched his severed arm, the anger in his eyes growing fiercer.


    One of the Snake Catchers beside him said, "To be able to hold us off at the peak of the Qi Refining Stage, this kid is no simpleton!"


    Both of them sped up, searching through the dense forest.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the following days, Xu Hei entered a long period of secluded cultivation.


    With plenty of pills, his daily routine consisted of taking pills, cultivating, taking more pills, and tempering his body.


    He also practiced his puppet techniques.


    Xu Hei found that he could control up to a hundred granite puppets, but to be safe, he prepared a total of five hundred puppets.


    He had already hollowed out the entire granite mine.


    It was only because Xu Hei had enough pills that he dared to dig so recklessly.


    With so many puppets, his storage bag couldn''t hold them all, so Xu Hei stored them in a pitch-black jade stone, which had a huge space, more than enough to fit them all.


    Additionally, Xu Hei spent some time each day patrolling the area to check for any signs of human activity.


    With Hei Huang gone, Xu Hei had to stay vigilant.


    They had caused such a commotion that humans were bound to send many cultivators into the mountains, so Xu Hei had to be on guard.


    If any humans came near, he would immediately relocate.


    Time flew by.


    One day, Xu Hei released a small snake puppet for his routine scouting.


    He had set up many sensing talismans around the area, which were extremely sensitive to spiritual power. If a cultivator passed by, the talisman would disintegrate on its own.


    That day, he noticed that one of the sensing talismans had disappeared.


    "Is there a cultivator here?"


    Xu Hei was startled and sent out the small snake to investigate.


    The sensing talisman''s range was five hundred meters, or one mile.


    The small snake searched through various areas and finally found bloodstains on the ground in an inconspicuous spot.


    "Hmm? This person is injured?"


    Xu Hei frowned and followed the blood trail, eventually finding a severely injured young man by a mountain spring.


    Xu Hei had seen this person before.


    It was Xiao Chou, the dark-skinned, honest-looking disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect.


    Xu Hei didn''t know him personally, but he had heard plenty about him from the gossipy women of the Purple Mist Sect.


    It was said that this guy had formed a Dao companionship with Silver Bell but hadn''t even held her hand. He had even given away his hard-earned Foundation Establishment Pills.


    Calling him a weirdo was an understatement.


    "Seeing you in such pain, I''ll send you to reunite with that girl."


    Xu Hei was about to finish him off but then stopped.


    "Wait a minute! Aren''t I in need of a pill tester? Isn''t this a perfect opportunity?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes lit up.


    He didn''t dare try Xu Bai''s pills himself and needed someone to test them. This was perfect!


    However, this guy had managed to hold his own against Hua Yuntian, so he wasn''t easy to control.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to risk capturing a dangerous individual.


    "Poof!"


    Just as Xu Hei was hesitating, Xiao Chou spat out a mouthful of blood and collapsed by the spring, unconscious.


    "Dead?"


    Xu Hei controlled the small snake to approach and found that he wasn''t dead.


    The guy was barely alive, severely injured, and poisoned by snake venom, which prevented his wounds from clotting. He would bleed to death within half an hour.


    If Xu Hei still worried about being hurt by this half-dead person, he might as well give up.


    The small snake coiled around Xiao Chou and dragged him into a ground hole. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xiao Chou lay there, completely unconscious. Xu Hei thought for a moment and decided to save him first.


    He''d leave the rest to Hei Huang when he returned, as he was better at controlling people.


    "You''re losing too much blood; let''s start with a Blood Replenishing Pill."


    Xu Hei tapped the storage bag marked with a skull and took out a Blood Replenishing Pill.


    Then, a human-shaped granite puppet carried the pill into the cave and placed it in Xiao Chou''s mouth.


    The pill melted instantly.


    Xu Hei watched with his Divine Sense to observe Xiao Chou''s reaction.


    The Blood Replenishing Pill not only restored blood but also healed wounds and expelled poison.


    In no time, Xiao Chou''s wounds began to heal, stopped bleeding, and his breathing stabilized.


    It looked like he was going to make it.


    "Heh, this is my first time saving someone; I guess I''m doing a good deed."


    Xu Hei chuckled to himself.


    He took out a magical rope, intending to tie Xiao Chou up.


    Suddenly, Xiao Chou''s abdomen heaved, and waves of powerful blood energy surged from his body, inflating his blood vessels.


    "Hmm?" Xu Hei was stunned.


    When the blood energy reached its peak...


    "Poof!!!"


    Xiao Chou spewed a long stream of blood, shooting ten meters high and splattering on the cave ceiling.


    Xu Hei was stunned for a full two seconds.


    "My goodness!" Xu Hei''s jaw almost dropped.


    The effect of the Blood Replenishing Pill was too strong; one pill had such an impact?


    But the absurdity didn''t end there.


    Once it started, it couldn''t stop!


    Xiao Chou kept spewing blood, like a human fountain, hitting the ceiling with high-pressure blood jets.


    The intense blood energy caused the cave to rumble, showing signs of collapse.


    "No, if this continues, it''ll never end. I need to stop the bleeding."


    Xu Hei thought quickly and had a granite puppet rush over to cover Xiao Chou''s mouth.

 Chapter 74: Great compassion and great mercy save the world

    Chapter 74: Great compassion and great mercy save the world"Pfft!!"


    Blood spurted from his nose, Xu Hei tried to block it, but it ended up spraying from his rear.


    Finally, Xu Hei blocked all his orifices, and Xiao Chou swelled up like a balloon, continuously expanding.


    "Damn! When will this end?!"


    Xu Hei was furious. The puppet punched Xiao Chou in the face, and with a "bang," blood splattered as Xiao Chou flew backward, crashing into the stone wall and embedding himself in it.


    Moments later, he peeled off the wall, leaving a human-shaped indentation, and fell to the ground, motionless like a dead dog.


    Xu Hei waited for a while and noticed that Xiao Chou finally stopped bleeding, letting out a sigh of relief.


    "Fists are still the most effective. This Blood Replenishing Pill''s recovery effect is too strong; it needs to be countered with some attacks," Xu Hei nodded to himself.


    He checked and found that Xiao Chou''s complexion was rosy, significantly improved.


    It showed that the Blood Replenishing Pill was indeed effective.


    However, Xiao Chou''s face was twisted, looking like a mask of pain.


    "Hey? Where are you uncomfortable? You need to tell me!" Xu Hei hurriedly said.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment, manipulated the puppet, and grabbed Xiao Chou''s leg, lifting him upside down.


    Xu Hei shook him and made the puppet speak in a human voice, "Hey! Wake up! Wake up! Speak!"


    He swung Xiao Chou around a few times in mid-air but found that he still didn''t wake up, his expression only becoming more contorted.


    "Strange, what does that expression mean?"


    Xu Hei looked puzzled.


    His gaze swept over to Xiao Chou''s storage bag at his waist.


    Xu Hei immediately smiled.


    "Not talking, huh? Let''s see what''s in your storage bag."


    Xu Hei put him on the ground and grabbed his storage bag.


    Xiao Chou unconsciously reached out, trying to grab it back, his face struggling as if he wanted to resist.


    Xu Hei snorted, took out the demon-binding rope, and tied him up tightly several times.


    "What treasures are you hiding, afraid others might see?"


    Xu Hei chuckled, tied Xiao Chou up a few more times, and tossed him aside. Then, he spent a stick of incense''s time removing the Divine Sense imprint on the storage bag.


    He shook the storage bag, and its contents spilled out onto the ground.


    Seeing these items, Xu Hei was stunned.


    "This... how is he so poor?"


    To Xu Hei''s surprise, there wasn''t a single Spirit Stone in the storage bag. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No pills, talismans, or magical treasures, just some white steamed buns, a handful of pickles, a gourd of water, and some clothes and miscellaneous items.


    Is this really a cultivator''s storage bag?


    If he didn''t know better, Xu Hei would have thought he had captured a mortal.


    Any random Qi Refining Stage cultivator would be wealthier than this.


    Xu Hei was disappointed, thinking he had found some treasure.


    Xu Hei scanned the pile of miscellaneous items and found a bamboo slip with some writing on it.


    Curious, Xu Hei started to read its contents.


    The content was quite peculiar, like a diary.


    "Yesterday, I spent thirty Spirit Stones to buy Silver Bell Fairy''s clothes. She said she wouldn''t sell them to anyone else for a hundred Spirit Stones, only to me, which means she has feelings for me..."


    "Just got beaten up by Young Master Hua. I wanted to resist, but I didn''t because you said you liked honest people..."


    Reading aloud in front of Xiao Chou, Xu Hei noticed Xiao Chou''s expression becoming increasingly pained and twisted.


    Xu Hei skimmed through a few more lines and couldn''t bear to read any further.


    There were even more bizarre entries like "Silver Bell gave him a strand of hair, and he gave her a Foundation Establishment Pill in return, thinking he made a profit," which left Xu Hei speechless.


    "This guy must have gone mad."


    Xu Hei muttered to himself, unable to understand Xiao Chou''s thought process. If he wanted to mate, he should just knock her out; why go through all this trouble?


    No wonder he''s so poor; it''s a miracle if he had any money.


    Xu Hei glanced at Xiao Chou, who was still unconscious, which wasn''t good.


    His expressions were rich, indicating his body still had sensation, but he just couldn''t wake up.


    "Seeing you so pitiful, I''ll be a good person to the end and wake you up."


    Xu Hei patted the skeleton''s storage bag and took out a light yellow pill.


    Awakening Pills, essential for refreshing the mind during cultivation.


    Without hesitation, he stuffed the pill into Xiao Chou''s mouth.


    "Ugh!"


    Unexpectedly, Xiao Chou coughed violently, spitting the pill out.


    "Hey? You dare not eat it!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened, about to force-feed him again, but saw a wisp of smoke emanating from the Awakening Pill, its medicinal properties starting to disperse, instantly filling the entire cave dwelling.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s puppet was operating, while his main body was outside the cave dwelling.


    Even so, Xu Hei''s main body smelled an indescribable stench seeping out from the cave dwelling.


    The odor permeated the stone walls, the soil layers, and could be smelled from hundreds of meters away!


    "What, what is this smell?"


    Xu Hei''s face changed dramatically. He retreated several meters, the stench growing stronger, continuously seeping out from the cave dwelling, so foul it almost made him vomit.


    "Ugh!!!"


    The unconscious Xiao Chou suddenly sprang up, clutching his throat and vomiting violently, expelling all the food in his stomach, even bile.


    The stench was unimaginably strong.


    Even the puppet felt its eyes burning, and the stone surface seemed to be corroding.


    "Ah!!" Xu Hei screamed and fled in panic.


    He burrowed a hundred meters underground and used a golden shield Talisman to seal the space, barely escaping the smell.


    "Is this really an Awakening Pill?" Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    Xiao Chou was also dizzy from the stench, unable to sleep any longer.


    He actually woke up slowly.


    Xiao Chou lay on the ground, weak and trembling, speaking to the stone puppet, "Senior... please..."


    Xu Hei was stunned, quickly controlling the puppet to approach, saying in a muffled voice, "Speak, I''m listening."


    Xiao Chou''s expression was extremely pained, seemingly holding his breath, but the smell kept invading, making his face turn blue and purple.


    "Senior, can you... give me... a quick death?"


    A trembling voice came out.


    Xiao Chou had never wanted to die so strongly in his life.


    Previously, when being chased by those two, he had fought desperately to escape, not wanting to die.


    But now, in the hands of this stone puppet, it felt like he had fallen into hell, enduring the greatest torment of his life.


    Both physically and mentally, he was tortured beyond endurance.


    He was tired, he didn''t want to live anymore, just wanted a quick release.


    Xu Hei shook his head at these words.


    "How can that be? I saved you with great effort, how can you just die like that!"


    Xu Hei couldn''t understand why anyone would want to die.


    "Senior! I really..."


    Xiao Chou''s tears flowed down.


    "Hey, you''re a grown man, why are you crying?"


    Xu Hei was even more puzzled.


    At this moment, several kilometers away.


    Hua Yuntian and another companion were following the trail, searching through the forest. Along the way, they found many traces of blood.


    "Heh, that kid was poisoned by a thousand snakes and ran this far. He''s probably dead by now," Hua Yuntian sneered.


    "I heard he spent all his wealth on Foundation Establishment Pills and has no life-saving items. He''s most likely dead," the other person nodded in agreement.


    Hua Yuntian smirked, following the blood trail.


    "Even if he''s dead, I want to see his corpse."


    As he walked forward, he suddenly stopped.


    Hua Yuntian''s nose twitched, his face contorting slightly. He suddenly rushed to a nearby tree and started vomiting.


    "Ugh!!"


    The other person was puzzled, but within five seconds, he too was retching on the ground.


    "What, what is this smell?"


    "I can''t take it, I''ve never smelled anything this foul in my life!"


    "I can''t even open my eyes."

 Chapter 75: Xu Heis Self-Created Stone Man Formation

    Chapter 75: Xu Hei''s Self-Created Stone Man FormationAwakening Pills were originally meant to act on the primordial spirit, clearing the mind.


    But now, they still act on the primordial spirit, making one equally clear-headed.


    Just in a different way.


    Hua Yuntian kept retching; he couldn''t stand it and had to retreat, and the other person was the same.


    They had tried to seal their mouths and noses with True Qi, but it was useless, as if even their souls could smell the stench.


    Finally, Xu Hei appeared, took out a sealing talisman, and slapped it on the Awakening Pill.


    "Seal!"


    With a low shout, the sealing talisman wrapped around the Awakening Pill and put it away.


    Only then did the stench slowly dissipate.


    "Phew!"


    Xu Hei let out a long breath.


    He had never smelled anything so foul in his life. Normally, one would adapt to a stench after staying in it for a while, but this smell only got worse, not better.


    It affected not just the physical body but also the spirit.


    "This pill is too outrageous; it must never be tried lightly again."


    Xu Hei was still in shock.


    At this moment, Xiao Chou''s face was pale, his eyes vacant, staring blankly at the ceiling as if he had lost his soul.


    He was awake, but almost dead.


    "Kill me, kill me..."


    He kept mumbling.


    Xu Hei sighed helplessly, slapped him hard, causing blood to spurt from his nose, and knocked him out.


    Xu Hei took out some human bones, placed them on the ground, and then added some demonic beast fur, creating a scene as if someone had been eaten by a demonic beast.


    In fact, this cave dwelling had indeed been a tiger demon''s lair, but Xu Hei had long since killed it.


    Carrying the unconscious Xiao Chou, Xu Hei left the place.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    About an hour after Xu Hei left.


    Hua Yuntian and the middle-aged cultivator followed the blood trail to the cave dwelling.


    There was a lot of dried blood, caused by Blood Replenishing Pills, demonic beast fur, and bones on the ground, along with some lingering stench.


    The middle-aged cultivator observed for a moment and said, "That kid seems to have been eaten by a demonic beast."


    "Serves him right," Hua Yuntian said coldly.


    The two glanced at the cave dwelling''s environment, felt a chill, and quickly left without lingering.


    On a nearby tree, a small scouting snake quietly watched their backs disappear.


    "Hua Yuntian, and another Foundation Establishment accomplice."


    "Since someone has found this place, I need to find a time to move."


    Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He knew these two were here to hunt Xiao Chou, but Xu Hei wouldn''t let his guard down because of this. It only showed that humans could search this place at any time.


    Xu Hei needed to find a new place to settle, to prepare for the coming winter.


    Xu Hei knew that deep in these mountains, there were many powerful creatures, like the Wild Giant Elephant, a place where human cultivators dared not tread, making it a safe haven.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Three days later.


    Xiao Chou had recovered from his dazed state.


    He picked up the water bottle on the ground and took a big gulp; it was his first action in two days.


    Then, he sat cross-legged to restore his depleted Spiritual Qi.


    Having gone through life and death, he had come to understand that life was too short to live for a woman. If it weren''t for that woman, he might have reached Foundation Establishment long ago.


    He even felt a vague sense of gratitude to the person who had killed Silver Bell. It had freed him from the love curse, breaking his chains. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Senior."


    He looked at the stone man at the cave dwelling''s entrance, pondered for a moment, and cupped his fists, "Is there anything this junior can do to help?"


    The stone man ignored him.


    At that moment, Xu Hei was outside the cave dwelling, conducting a hundred-man drill.


    In short, he was simultaneously controlling a hundred granite golems to perform the Flying Stone Technique.


    "Fire!" Xu Hei commanded with his mind.


    Hundreds of stones flew out, raining down on a small hill, smashing it into rubble, creating a spectacular scene.


    Xu Hei thought of the cannons and catapults used by mortals, launching such giant stones. With enough quantity and size, they could easily destroy a city.


    "Such a dense attack could even kill a cultivator," Xu Hei thought.


    Moreover, he could attach Fire Explosion Talismans to the stones to increase their power. With the advantage of numbers, he could definitely kill someone.


    As a demonic cultivator, coming up with such an attack method made him quite the weirdo.


    However, Xu Hei hadn''t tested the exact power yet.


    "I just happen to have a live target in the cave dwelling; why not let him try?"


    Xu Hei thought of Xiao Chou and had an idea.


    At the cave dwelling''s entrance, the stone man turned its head to Xiao Chou and spoke, "Repeat what you just said."


    Xiao Chou was stunned, then cupped his fists again, "Is there anything this junior can do to help?"


    "There is!"


    The stone man nodded, revealing an ugly smile.


    Xiao Chou couldn''t help but shiver, feeling he shouldn''t have asked that question.


    A stick of incense later.


    Xiao Chou was tied up with ropes, standing in an open area.


    In front and behind him stood ten stone men, holding giant stones, glaring at him menacingly.


    "Xiao Chou, this is a test. Defend yourself against the attack of ten stone men with all your might and see if you can survive!" Xu Hei''s voice rang out.


    Xiao Chou''s mouth twitched violently. Damn it, at least untie me first.


    Suppressing the urge to curse, he trembled and asked, "What if I survive?"


    "Then we''ll increase the number of stone men to twenty," Xu Hei replied.


    "..." Xiao Chou''s face turned black.


    ¡­¡­


    Moments later, Xiao Chou was carried back to the cave dwelling, heavily injured.


    He had withstood the attack of thirty-three giant stones.


    But Xu Hei felt that Xiao Chou hadn''t given his all. He could rival Hua Yuntian, so why could he only withstand so few stones? He seemed too weak.


    Afterward, Xu Hei put away the stone men and left the place to conduct his daily inspection.


    After a round of inspection, Xu Hei''s face turned grim.


    Today, five sensing talismans were missing.


    If only one was missing, it might be someone passing by.


    Two or three would mean someone was lingering nearby.


    Five could only mean one thing: someone was specifically investigating this place.


    "It seems this place is no longer safe," Xu Hei thought.


    Moreover, Xu Hei found many blurred footprints, left by humans.


    But after careful inspection, Xu Hei found that the footprints were always from one person, indicating only one person was active nearby.


    Of course, it could also be a disguise, with one person in the open and many in the dark, deliberately confusing him.


    "Who could it be?"


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, then shook his head.


    "Forget it, whoever it is, let''s retreat first."


    Xu Hei quickly returned to the cave dwelling and urgently said to Xu Bai, "Pack up, we''re moving."


    "Okay!" Xu Bai nodded, reacting quickly, and put all the spiritual herbs and spirit medicine in the cave dwelling into the storage bag.


    Xu Hei had practiced this with her before; she was always ready to move.


    A cunning rabbit has three burrows.


    Xu Hei''s cave dwellings were not just one or two; he had pre-selected multiple locations for hiding and seclusion.


    However, frequently changing places meant the spirit medicine couldn''t grow, and intruding into unfamiliar territory could lead to conflicts with demonic beasts over territory. Unless necessary, Xu Hei didn''t want to move.


    Now that humans had intruded, he had no choice.


    One thing was certain: he was being watched, although he didn''t know by whom.

 Chapter 76: Set a trap and invite you into the urn

    Chapter 76: Set a trap and invite you into the urnPurple Mist Sect.


    In a secluded cave dwelling in the back mountain.


    An old woman with a withered figure opened her eyes. Between her brows, a deathly aura loomed¡ªa sign that her end was near.


    "It seems my time is running out," He Luohua sighed deeply.


    As a Nascent Soul ancestor, she rarely left seclusion, knowing that each time she did, it consumed her lifespan. How could she not understand?


    That battle had left her gravely injured, depleting what little life force she had left. Now, she had at most half a year to live and was too weak to take action again. She could only arrange her final affairs.


    But thinking about the current state of the Purple Mist Sect filled her with melancholy.


    Both disciples and elders were of dubious character, unfit for great responsibilities.


    Her only hope was to capture that demon and hand it over to the Snake Catchers Sect, ensuring their continued protection of the Purple Mist Sect.


    "I obtained a scale from that demon snake. Perhaps I can use it as a medium to cast a soul-chasing spell and find it," He Luohua''s eyes flickered with determination.


    However, in her near-death state, she was powerless to search herself and could only entrust the task to others.


    He Luohua stood up, intending to leave the cave dwelling to make her final arrangements.


    At that moment, a shadow suddenly flashed before her eyes, a sinister smile appearing at the corner of its mouth.


    "Old hag, so this is where you''ve been hiding!"


    The moment the voice rang out, He Luohua''s pupils contracted, and she retreated rapidly. A withered hand shot out from the darkness, grabbing at her like lightning.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Southern forest of the Chu Kingdom.


    Two snakes, along with a severely injured person, were swiftly moving through the mountains.


    Xu Hei searched the surroundings but found no trace of the pursuer, leaving him no choice but to move on.


    He suddenly thought that if Hei Huang were here, with his keen sense of smell, he might be able to sniff out the person.


    He couldn''t help but sigh inwardly, wondering where that old dog had disappeared to. It had been a month since he last saw him.


    "Senior, actually... you don''t need to be so wary of me. I''m wanted by the Snake Catchers Sect. Going back means certain death; I can''t possibly escape."


    On the shoulder of the stone man, Xiao Chou, who was tightly bound with ropes and covered with a burlap sack, spoke with a bitter smile.


    "Oh? You can still talk?"


    Xu Hei was surprised. This person was bruised and battered, with broken bones, barely clinging to life, yet he still had the strength to speak.


    "Senior, that healing pill you gave me was quite potent. I only refined a bit of its residual power, and my injuries have already healed by half," Xiao Chou said with a wry smile.


    Xu Hei was taken aback and glanced at Xu Bai, who was walking beside him.


    "I told you, my pills are amazing. Everyone praises them," Xu Bai said proudly.


    Xu Hei remained noncommittal.


    Xiao Chou seemed honest and straightforward, not the type to lie, but Xu Hei still didn''t let him down, planning to observe him for a few more days. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t know if the person behind us will continue to follow. I need to be cautious."


    Xu Hei didn''t head directly to their destination. Instead, he led Xu Bai and Xiao Chou through the mountains, taking winding paths and lingering in dangerous areas to leave misleading traces before moving on.


    This series of maneuvers left the others puzzled.


    Xu Hei didn''t explain and continued to circle the mountains, deliberately heading towards areas thick with demonic aura.


    He was no longer the reckless youth who only knew how to run in a straight line.


    Now, he left false information to lead pursuers astray, guiding them to dangerous places.


    Having lived in the mountains for so long, Xu Hei couldn''t claim to know all the dangers, but he had a good sense of them.


    Moreover, he didn''t make it too obvious, avoiding suspicion. Sometimes, he even deliberately acted secretive, making the false seem real.


    With a mix of truth and lies, Xu Hei couldn''t guarantee fooling everyone, but it was enough to deal with some reckless pursuers.


    He didn''t know who was behind them or if anyone was even following. This was purely a precaution.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After Xu Hei and his group left, late that night.


    A group of over twenty people appeared in the sky above the place where they had previously been in seclusion.


    They were all wearing the robes of Snake Catchers. Leading them were five young men and women, all at the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    The foremost person was even at the late Foundation Establishment Stage.


    These five were Xuan Yangzi''s five true disciples.


    Hua Yuntian, the youngest disciple, was among them, along with Wang Ping, who had previously chased Xiao Chou with him. Wang Ping was the third disciple.


    "This is the place Zhao Wenzhuo mentioned. Hmph! There''s something here," said Wu Mochou, the eldest disciple, with a cold gaze, waving his hand.


    In an instant, the two cave dwellings in front of them were exposed, revealing their interiors.


    Although Xu Hei had deliberately destroyed the traces before leaving, it was still evident that someone had been in seclusion here, with faint spiritual power fluctuations.


    "Is this really the demon''s hiding place?" Hua Yuntian was incredulous. He had been here just a few days ago and had missed it.


    "Indeed, Zhao Wenzhuo is skilled in divination. There''s some truth to it," Wu Mochou said solemnly.


    "But we are still a step too late. The demon left earlier," a young woman beside him sighed.


    "Why not have Zhao Wenzhuo divine again?" Wang Ping suggested.


    Wu Mochou said nothing, descending to carefully sense the spiritual power fluctuations. His eyes narrowed, a cold light flashing.


    "The demon should have left less than half a day ago. We five will each lead a team and search separately. If anyone finds anything, notify everyone immediately."


    "Yes!"


    The group dispersed, searching the nearby areas.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In half a day''s time, if it were an ordinary demonic beast, their tracking experience might have allowed them to catch up.


    However, they were dealing with Xu Hei.


    Hua Yuntian''s team headed east. After a while, using the Snake Catchers Sect''s secret techniques, they indeed sensed a trace of snake aura.


    "Could it be that I''ve stumbled upon it?" Hua Yuntian was taken aback.


    To be honest, he still harbored some fear of the demon, but he didn''t want to waste this great opportunity to earn merit.


    The team continued tracking for about thirty miles, arriving at a swamp.


    "The aura has disappeared. Could it be hiding under the swamp?" Hua Yuntian pondered, landing on the swamp.


    At that moment!


    Countless giant crocodiles suddenly leaped out of the swamp, their gaping jaws snapping at him.


    "Terrifying Crocodile King!" Hua Yuntian and his team turned pale.


    These crocodiles had excellent camouflage, blending seamlessly with the mud. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could fall into their ambush if not careful.


    Caught off guard, Hua Yuntian was bitten on the leg. Fortunately, he had a defensive magical treasure, but others weren''t so lucky.


    In an instant, two of his companions were dragged into the swamp and torn to pieces.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Southeast, a female disciple led a five-person team into a forest filled with strange flowers.


    They hadn''t gone far when one of them, for some reason, swatted a bee.


    "Stop!"


    The leading woman shouted, but it was too late.


    Countless killer bees swarmed from all directions, attacking the group.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Various bizarre incidents befell each team.


    The clever ones sensed danger early and avoided it, while the foolish ones were immediately struck, suffering injuries and losses.


    "Damn it, we''ve been tricked!"


    Eldest Brother Wu Mochou finally realized he had been led in the wrong direction.


    Ahead was the territory of the Sun Eagle, a great demon at the Foundation Establishment stage. Though he wasn''t afraid of it, who knew if killing one would attract a whole flock?


    The demon''s aura ended abruptly here, clearly leading him on purpose.


    The most infuriating part was that the aura had been deliberately masked, making him believe it was real when it wasn''t!


    "Everyone, retreat immediately!"


    Wu Mochou decisively took out four communication jade slips, recorded a message, and sent them into the sky.


    He could sense the danger ahead, but who knew if others would fall for it?


    Xuan Yangzi''s five true disciples were all Chosen, but talent didn''t equate to wisdom. Some were barely in their teens, how could they discern these traps?


    However, it was already too late.


    Not long after, a rumbling sound came from afar, the earth shaking, demonic aura soaring into the sky, as if a terrifying demon was approaching rapidly.


    Second disciple Liu Fei was seen burning her blood essence, fleeing frantically while shouting, "Senior Brother, save me, save me!!"


    Behind her, a massive Wild Giant Elephant, filled with rage, was stomping through the air, chasing the Snake Catchers.


    "Damn humans, you all deserve to die!"


    The Wild Giant Elephant had long remembered these humans in Snake Catchers'' robes, killing them on sight.


    It roared a terrifying sonic boom, waves of energy sweeping the sky. With one roar, two people bled from their orifices and fell dead.


    "Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment?" Wu Mochou''s face turned black.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Along the way, Xu Hei had set up no fewer than ten false routes as lures, in all directions.


    These misleading routes were insignificant to true great cultivators, but they could work wonders on some people.


    "Let''s leave it at that. Buying some time is better than nothing," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Xiao Chou was dumbfounded, having witnessed Xu Hei''s cunning maneuvers, unsure how to react.


    How devious must one be to do such things?


    The most absurd part was that Xu Hei wasn''t even sure if anyone was following them; it was purely a precaution.


    "The Snake Catchers are really out of luck to run into such a jinx," Xiao Chou thought.


    Actually, Xu Hei had held back.


    The dangerous places he led them to could be survived with enough life-saving means and Foundation Establishment cultivation.


    If he were truly ruthless, he could have led them to that abandoned mine and unleashed the Spirit-Eating Ants.


    No one would have survived.


    Of course, Xu Hei didn''t want to expose that abandoned mine to outsiders. He believed it might hold secrets.

 Chapter 77: Hunted a big black dog

    Chapter 77: Hunted a big black dogIn a clearing within the forest.


    About a dozen figures sat there, panting heavily, their faces smeared with dirt and their hair disheveled, looking extremely bedraggled.


    Originally, there were over twenty of them, but now more than half were gone, leaving only ten.


    Even the five Foundation Establishment Stage true disciples were more or less injured.


    The most severely injured was Hua Yuntian. Originally, the Terror Crocodile King hadn''t managed to harm him, but on his way back after receiving the news, he encountered the Wild Giant Elephant.


    Enemies meeting face to face, their eyes blazed with hatred. The giant elephant immediately recognized him as the person it had trampled to death last time.


    If it weren''t for Wu Mochou''s timely rescue, he would have definitely been a goner.


    "That demon is truly cunning, killing fifteen of our people. We can''t let this go!"


    "Exactly! This enmity is irreconcilable!"


    "I must extract his bones and refine his marrow!"


    Wu Mochou and the others were filled with grief and indignation.


    Everyone''s anger towards Xu Hei was beyond words. As snake catchers, being toyed with by a snake spirit was an utter humiliation.


    "So... should we continue the chase?" Wang Ping asked.


    Everyone looked at each other, falling into a long, deathly silence.


    "Chase! Of course, we must chase, but not blindly. Next time, we should bring Zhao Wenzhuo along and have him use his divination skills. I refuse to believe we can go wrong!" Liu Fei gritted her teeth.


    Despite her words, everyone knew that divination wasn''t something that could be performed at will.


    After a fruitless discussion, the group finally retreated in disarray.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei''s destination this time was located in the mid-western region of Yanluo River.


    This place was called the Wu Mountain Range, with steep and treacherous terrain, a desolate area rarely visited by humans, teeming with great demons. It was said that deep within the mountains, there were rare ancient beasts comparable to Core Formation Stage cultivators, extremely dangerous.


    On some of the perilous cliffs, there were also thousand-year-old cliff coffins, containing ancient corpses that had absorbed the essence of the sun and moon, cultivating into spirits.


    Of course, these were all tales told by Hei Huang, their truth unknown.


    Xu Hei didn''t dare venture too deep, stopping at the outermost part of Wu Mountain, in front of a valley.


    This place was one he had scouted earlier, originally the territory of a demon python, which Xu Hei had driven away with constant puppet harassment.


    "Finally here." Xu Hei let out a long breath.


    Upon entering the valley, Xu Hei was surprised to find it occupied by a group of monkeys.


    A sentry monkey at the valley entrance saw the stone man approaching and immediately sounded a sharp alarm.


    "Squeak! Squeak!"


    The monkey troop, hearing the alarm, gathered around, perching on the trees on both sides, baring their teeth and making threatening gestures at Xu Hei and his group.


    Xu Hei ignored them and walked straight into the valley. The monkeys quickly retreated, not daring to obstruct him.


    Xu Hei arrived at the demon python''s former cave dwelling and threw Xiao Chou inside.


    Then, he used an Earth Element Spell to create a new cave dwelling next door for Xu Bai.


    He took out formation flags and planted them at the entrances of both caves, raising a protective light shield for basic defense.


    Seeing their lair occupied by a snake, the monkeys were furious but didn''t dare to fight, only glaring from a distance and screaming. Some monkeys threw stones at Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei sneered inwardly at the sight.


    He patted his storage bag and took out a sealed Awakening Pill, opening a small gap.


    Instantly, an extremely pungent odor spread out, quickly permeating the area within a few hundred meters!


    This was a stench that penetrated the soul!


    "Squeak! Squeak! Squeak!!"


    The monkeys screamed, vomiting on the spot and fleeing in all directions, disappearing without a trace in an instant.


    The valley, which was teeming with monkeys just moments ago, was cleared within two breaths.


    "This is killing a thousand enemies at the cost of eight hundred of our own!"


    Xu Hei suppressed his nausea, resealed the pill, and put it back into his storage bag.


    If he weren''t new here and unwilling to cause a massacre to avoid attracting great demons, he wouldn''t have used such a biochemical weapon.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    That night, at Xu Hei''s previous seclusion spot.


    A big black dog emerged from the ground, looked around, and muttered to itself, "Little Xu actually ran off without telling me. That''s so inconsiderate."


    It sniffed around, intending to track the scent.


    However, it unexpectedly found that the scent had split into multiple trails.


    "Damn it! This beast is up to no good, learning all these sneaky tricks."


    Hei Huang was speechless. The scent trails were like a maze, winding around, and he had no idea who taught him this.


    "Forget it, there''s nothing in this world that can stump me, the Heavenly Demon Scattered Person. I''ll just try every path."


    Hei Huang sneered and burrowed into the ground.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The next day, the monkey troop returned, bringing along an old white-haired ape, seemingly their ancestor, to seek revenge.


    The ape was hunched, with dry skin and white hair and beard, its age unknown. Its intelligence was on par with humans, and its cultivation had reached the Great Perfection of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    However, it only glanced at Xu Hei and the stone man standing guard beside him from a distance before leading the monkeys away, never to appear again.


    In the following days, everything was peaceful.


    Xu Hei practiced his breathing exercises daily, fully focusing on improving his cultivation.


    He aimed to achieve Foundation Establishment by the spring of next year.


    This was purely a feeling, a mysterious guidance, that he must establish his foundation by then.


    In the blink of an eye, half a month had passed.


    Xu Hei''s cultivation had reached the Great Perfection of the eighth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage. His foundation was extremely solid, and as long as he had enough resources, he faced almost no bottlenecks.


    Next, he would aim for the ninth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage.


    Like the Qi Refining Stage, the Spirit Communion Stage had nine layers. This was the final layer, and Xu Hei needed to be fully prepared to succeed in one go.


    Over the past half month, through constant testing, Xu Hei confirmed that Xiao Chou had no intention of escaping.


    Even if he was let out, he would return within half a day, often bringing back some prey.


    This saved Xu Hei the trouble of hunting.


    However, Xu Hei wasn''t completely at ease. He placed a Beast Control Ring around Xiao Chou''s neck.


    With this ring, even if Xiao Chou tried to escape, Xu Hei would sense it and bring him back.


    "Breaking through to the ninth layer of the Spirit Communion Stage will require at least three to five days of seclusion. If he tries to escape during this time, I won''t be able to stop him."


    Xu Hei fell into deep thought. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After careful consideration, Xu Hei decided to beat Xiao Chou half to death, making him unconscious for about a week.


    Just as Xu Hei was planning this, Xiao Chou returned from hunting, shouting excitedly from a distance, "Haha, senior, today I caught a big black dog."


    Hearing this, Xu Hei''s heart skipped a beat.


    From afar, he saw Xiao Chou carrying a big black dog, running towards him with excitement, waving his arms.


    "Haha! This old dog has some years on it, its fur almost bald. This is a great tonic! Tonight, we''ll feast on black dog meat!"


    Xiao Chou said excitedly, taking out a pot as he spoke.


    Xu Hei glanced at the black dog and felt a twitch in his heart.


    The big black dog was looking at Xu Hei with a half-smile, then glanced at Xiao Chou, a smirk forming at the corner of its mouth.

 Chapter 78: A simp cant change its nature

    Chapter 78: A simp can''t change its nature"Hey? Senior, why aren''t you saying anything?"


    Xiao Chou looked puzzled. Usually, whenever he brought back prey, Xu Hei would devour it without hesitation. What was different today?


    Xu Hei said nothing, only looking at him with a sympathetic expression.


    Xiao Chou''s heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding creeping in.


    "Little Xu, you''ve really made it! Is this your pet?"


    Hei Huang grinned mischievously, glancing at Xiao Chou.


    At these words, Xiao Chou''s body stiffened, his expression freezing.


    He turned his head with difficulty to look at Hei Huang and said, "You... you can talk?"


    "Not only can I talk, but I can also bite! Woof!"


    Hei Huang bit down on Xiao Chou''s leg.


    Immediately, a scream like a pig being slaughtered echoed through the air. Xiao Chou clutched his leg, rolling on the ground in agony.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A moment later.


    Xiao Chou was tied up with a rope and hung from a tree.


    Underneath the tree was the large pot he had just taken out. Hei Huang was adding firewood under the pot.


    "Xu Hei, this guy actually wanted to eat dog meat. What do you think we should do? Roast him, stew him, or deep fry him?"


    Hei Huang took out various seasonings from his storage bag, along with garlic, cilantro, radishes, and other ingredients.


    Hanging from the tree, Xiao Chou''s face turned as black as coal. He urgently called out, "Senior, you can''t just watch me die! Please save me!" S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei felt a bit awkward. Of all the creatures to catch, this fool had to catch the old dog and even planned to eat black dog meat. Wasn''t this courting death?


    Xu Hei chuckled awkwardly, "Wouldn''t it be a bit wasteful to eat him just like that?"


    "Hey! You''re right!"


    Hei Huang''s eyes lit up, nodding. "These skinny arms and legs don''t have much meat. We need to fatten him up first."


    Hearing this, Xiao Chou finally breathed a sigh of relief. But before he could fully relax, Xu Hei pondered, "How about we try frying one of his arms first?"


    Hei Huang''s eyes lit up again, clapping his hands. "Great idea, let''s have a taste first."


    As he spoke, he was about to make a move, causing Xiao Chou to scream and beg for mercy.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After some fuss, Xiao Chou was finally let down, but he was already scared out of his wits, trembling all over.


    Xu Hei was already difficult enough to deal with, but who knew this old dog was even worse.


    He was so frightened that he didn''t dare to say a word, for fear of inviting disaster.


    "Hei Huang, what have you been up to these days?" Xu Hei asked curiously.


    Xu Bai also poked her head out from the cave dwelling, watching curiously.


    Hei Huang sighed, spreading his hands. "What else? Digging graves. Those sects are all heavily guarded, only the Purple Mist Sect let me barely succeed. It wore me out."


    "Oh right, I took care of that old hag while I was at it. Here are your scales."


    As he spoke, Hei Huang took out a pile of black gold scales and placed them on the ground, a total of fifty-two pieces.


    These were the scales Xu Hei had shot out that day, which He Luohua had picked up.


    "This..." Xu Hei was stunned.


    He looked carefully at Hei Huang, finding that he didn''t seem to be joking.


    "Is this for real?"


    He Luohua was a Core Formation Stage cultivator. Although that strike had severely injured her, combined with her old age and weakened strength, she was far from her peak.


    But Hei Huang had casually mentioned taking her out?


    "Haha, what are you so surprised about? That old hag was on her last breath. That battle exhausted her lifespan. Even if I hadn''t acted, she would have died within six months."


    "But the Purple Mist Sect really should fall. The ancestor died for half a day, and no one noticed. It''s ridiculous!"


    Hei Huang sneered.


    Xu Hei nodded in agreement.


    He had seen the atmosphere of the Purple Mist Sect. If it weren''t for their backers and the Nascent Soul ancestor, they would have been swallowed up long ago.


    "My god! The ancestor of the Purple Mist Sect has fallen?" Xiao Chou was shocked.


    Such astonishing news, and he was a witness to it.


    Hei Huang glanced at him, mocking, "Oh right, you''re that famous simp, aren''t you? The Purple Mist Sect is buzzing with your glorious deeds. I almost forgot."


    Exposed for his dark history, Xiao Chou''s face turned red. He argued, "I was pursuing her seriously. How can you call that simping? Besides, she''s already dead. That was the old me!"


    "Now, I''ve turned over a new leaf. I''ll never simp again in this life!"


    Xiao Chou puffed out his chest, his tone firm, a sense of pride welling up.


    Hearing this, Hei Huang''s eyes narrowed, a strange smile spreading.


    "Oh? Really?"


    "Of course. As a man, you have to have backbone. How can you bow and scrape to a woman?" Xiao Chou said proudly.


    Hei Huang cackled, then with a wave of his hand, took out a corpse from his storage bag.


    It was a female corpse, but it looked almost alive, with tender skin exuding a faint spiritual aura, and an exceptionally beautiful face, as if she were merely asleep.


    It was the deceased Silver Bell.


    "Silver Bell!!"


    Xiao Chou''s eyes immediately widened. He shouted and rushed over with red eyes.


    Hei Huang waved his hand, putting the corpse back into the storage bag.


    "Look at you, still saying you don''t simp. You even want to simp for a corpse. Truly, a dog can''t change its habit of eating shit!" Hei Huang scolded.


    Xiao Chou froze, his face alternating between green and white.


    He stared at Hei Huang, hesitating for a long time before pleading, "Can you... give me that corpse? No, I just want a piece of clothing."


    "Get lost!"


    "Please! Senior Dog!"


    "Scram!"


    "......"


    Seeing Xiao Chou almost kneeling, Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    What happened to never simping again?


    What happened to backbone? This was the quintessential simp!


    It was simply maddening!


    Xu Hei couldn''t help but shiver, secretly warning himself to take this as a lesson.


    "With such good spiritual roots, if you had focused on cultivation, you would have reached Foundation Establishment years ago. What a waste of talent." Hei Huang cursed.


    Xiao Chou, like a lost soul, realized his problem and lowered his head. "Then, what should I do?"


    Seeing his humble attitude and not insisting on the corpse, Hei Huang nodded slightly and said leisurely:


    "Actually, it''s not entirely your fault. The Purple Mist Technique is a bit sinister, capable of unknowingly planting a love parasite. And you happen to be susceptible to it, making it easy for you to fall into the trap."


    "When you can use your willpower to break free from the love parasite''s influence, you might surpass ordinary Foundation Establishment and achieve Perfect Foundation Establishment."


    "Perfect Foundation Establishment?"


    Xu Hei looked thoughtful. He had some impression of this term.


    "Since you''re all on the verge of Foundation Establishment, I''ll explain what Perfect Foundation Establishment is." Hei Huang looked around at Xiao Chou, Xu Hei, and then at Xu Bai in the distance.


    Everyone quickly gathered around, listening quietly.


    "Foundation Establishment is about compressing the spiritual power within your body into a solid state, forming a spiritual base. Spiritual Qi flows continuously, endlessly, this is Foundation Establishment."


    "However, Foundation Establishment cultivators vary in strength, mainly due to True Qi!"


    Hei Huang waved his hand, and an image appeared in the air.


    In the image, there was a wisp of white True Qi.


    "See this wisp of True Qi? White! Most Foundation Establishment cultivators have this kind of white True Qi, plain and ordinary, this is ordinary Foundation Establishment."


    "However, a small number of Foundation Establishment cultivators have light blue True Qi. These cultivators are usually peerless Chosen, with strong spiritual roots, powerful cultivation techniques, and willpower, all three are indispensable!"


    "Foundation Establishment with blue True Qi is Perfect Foundation Establishment!"


    Hei Huang waved his hand, and the image changed, the True Qi turning light blue.


    Xiao Chou had seen this information in ancient texts but didn''t know much about it.


    Xiao Chou''s eyes gleamed, and he quickly asked, "If one achieves Perfect Foundation Establishment, how strong would they be?"


    "In the same realm, one can fight ten, no exaggeration." Hei Huang smiled.


    Xiao Chou''s breathing became rapid.


    Xu Hei, however, didn''t feel much and asked, "Is there anything beyond Perfect?"


    Hei Huang looked at him in surprise and nodded.


    "Of course! The deeper the color of True Qi, the more perfect it is. After blue comes deep blue, then purple, but such cultivators are rare across the continent."


    "It''s mainly due to the limitations of cultivation techniques. There are very few techniques suitable for Perfect Foundation Establishment, like the Heavenly Demon Technique, which is one."


    "I wonder what kind of extraordinary genius created this technique!"


    Hei Huang sighed with his claws behind his back.


    Xu Hei thought of those heaven-defying pills and nodded in agreement, "The creator of the Heavenly Demon Technique must be a peerless genius."


    He said this sincerely. Those pills were not something an ordinary person could refine.


    "Naturally, but let''s stay humble, it''s just so-so."


    Hei Huang grinned, his mouth crooked.


    Hearing this, Xiao Chou frowned and muttered, "Heavenly Demon Technique? Just the name sounds like an evil cult. The creator must be a scoundrel."


    "In my opinion, he''s probably a rat everyone wants to..."


    Before he could finish, he noticed the sudden silence around him.


    Xu Hei was looking at him, Xu Bai was looking at him, and Hei Huang''s smile had vanished, staring at him intently. The atmosphere was extremely eerie.


    Xiao Chou was utterly confused.

 Chapter 79: The old black dog said goodbye and left

    Chapter 79: The old black dog said goodbye and left"Why are you all looking at me? Did I say something wrong? What did I say wrong?"


    Xiao Chou was utterly confused and looked to Xu Hei for help.


    "If you can talk, then talk more..." Xu Hei muttered to himself.


    "Crunch!"


    Suddenly, Hei Huang bit down hard on Xiao Chou''s thigh, producing a sound of bones breaking.


    Instantly, a piercing scream echoed through the valley once again.


    ...


    Outside the valley, on a distant peak.


    A white-haired old ape gazed far into the valley.


    Beside him stood a massive golden-winged eagle, its feathers sharp as swords, and its talons like steel blades that could easily crush refined iron.


    This was a great demon at the Foundation Establishment stage.


    "You say there are two demonic snakes in that valley, carrying a large number of pills, spending their days in a misty haze?" The golden-winged eagle asked in confusion.


    "That''s right, these two demonic beasts must be hiding a big secret," the white-haired old ape said in a deep voice.


    The golden-winged eagle nodded, "I understand."


    With a flap of its wings, it stirred up a violent wind and disappeared.


    The white-haired old ape''s face was stern, a cold glint flashing in his eyes as he followed behind.


    ...


    In the valley.


    Hei Huang took out a large number of formation flags and placed them around the cave dwelling, setting up a formation to conceal their presence. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator passing by might not detect it.


    He then took out a spirit jade and handed it to Xu Hei, saying, "This item can automatically detect powerful cultivators within a hundred-mile radius. If danger approaches, the jade will turn red. The deeper the color, the stronger the opponent, but it only works on humans."


    Xu Hei carefully put the spirit jade into his storage bag. With this treasure, he wouldn''t need to patrol every day to check for approaching humans.


    Next, Hei Huang began to explain some experiences from the Foundation Establishment stage, talking non-stop. Although Xu Hei found it annoying, he remembered every word.


    Hei Huang looked at Xu Hei, silent for a moment, then said, "By the way, Xu Hei, I''m here to say goodbye."


    "What?" Xu Hei was stunned.


    Hei Huang pondered for a while and said, "I found a place of extreme yin, very suitable for my cultivation. I plan to go into seclusion for a while."


    Xu Hei suddenly understood.


    No wonder he gave him the spirit jade for detecting enemies, set up formations, and explained Foundation Establishment. So that''s why.


    However, Xu Hei was already used to it. Even if Hei Huang wasn''t around, he could handle most crises on his own.


    Xu Hei calmly asked, "How long will you be in seclusion?"


    "I''ll come out once I''ve absorbed all the yin energy there. It could be as short as half a year or as long as three to five years. This amount of time is nothing. Cultivators have long lifespans; a single seclusion can easily last ten years, passing in the blink of an eye," Hei Huang said nonchalantly.


    For someone who had slept for two hundred years, this amount of time was indeed nothing.


    Xu Hei, however, had never experienced such a long time. Since his awakening, it had been less than two years.


    He said nothing, just nodded.


    "By the way, I have something for you to save your life."


    Hei Huang dug around his waist and pulled out a pale golden storage bag, tossing it over.


    "Don''t open this storage bag yet. Only open it when you''re in a life-and-death situation. The item inside can give you a fifty-fifty chance against any opponent, but remember, it can only be used once, so don''t waste it," Hei Huang reminded.


    Xu Hei took the storage bag and swallowed it.


    "Go ahead, are you afraid I''ll die?" Xu Hei said.


    "You..."


    Hei Huang was speechless.


    "Forget it, I''m leaving. I hope next time we meet, you''ll be a Foundation Establishment great demon."


    Hei Huang said no more, stepping into the air and flying into the mountains, carried by a gust of black wind.


    He flew towards the depths of the Wu Mountain Range, a place full of dangers but also many ancient tombs with heavy yin energy.


    Xu Hei watched Hei Huang until he disappeared from sight.


    Who knows what the next meeting will be like.


    "That troublemaker finally left."


    Xiao Chou breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing his throbbing thigh, wincing in pain.


    Compared to Hei Huang, this snake seemed much more agreeable, at least it didn''t bite people randomly.


    Only now did he realize how gentle Xu Hei was.


    After Hei Huang disappeared, Xu Hei took out the pale golden storage bag he had just received.


    "I wonder what''s inside. I''m really curious."


    Xu Hei was itching to open it.


    A fifty-fifty chance against any opponent? Even Qi Condensation cultivators?


    He instinctively wanted to open it and take a look, but feared that something powerful might come out.


    He decided against it.


    "Oh, I forgot something."


    Xu Hei suddenly remembered something important.


    That old dog still hadn''t given him the puppet he promised.


    ...


    In the sky ten thousand meters high, white clouds filled the sky, and among them, a golden-winged eagle circled, overlooking the land below.


    With the eagle''s vision, it could easily see through the clouds and observe the valley below.


    The white snake was gone, probably hiding in the cave. Outside, only the black snake and the human were left, both at the late Spirit Communion stage.


    "What nonsense about pills, the old ape just wants to use me to eliminate his enemies. His little scheme is quite clear."


    The golden-winged eagle had been observing for a long time and hadn''t seen them taking any pills, feeling quite disdainful.


    But it didn''t care.


    In the animal kingdom, symbiotic relationships were common, and demonic beasts were no exception.


    Coincidentally, eagles were natural enemies of snakes, making it easy to deal with them. As for the human cultivator, the old ape would handle that.


    Eating two snake demons would make the trip worthwhile.


    "Let''s move!"


    The golden-winged eagle flashed and dove down.


    Its speed was like lightning. An eagle demon''s diving speed could reach a thousand meters in a breath, almost in the blink of an eye, it had dived from the clouds to the ground.


    At this moment, Xu Hei and Xiao Chou were both meditating.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei felt a tingling sensation on his scalp. Almost reflexively, he burrowed into the ground, fully activating the Earth Escape Technique.


    "Smash!!!"


    A pair of massive eagle talons struck the ground where Xu Hei had been, tearing open a huge gash in the rock, with powerful force penetrating the ground, aiming straight for Xu Hei''s back.


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei turned his lower body to face the force and activated the golden shield talisman.


    "Clang!!!"


    The golden shield talisman was instantly torn apart, but the force struck Xu Hei''s lower body, which was covered in Black Gold Scales. The metallic sound rang out, sparks flew, and the attack left him unscathed, though it sent him flying, deeply embedding him in the soil.


    Having missed its target, the eagle demon swiftly flew back into the sky, disappearing into the clouds.


    "That was close, it''s a Foundation Establishment great demon! Why is it targeting me?" Xu Hei''s face was grim.


    Eagles were natural enemies of snakes, having a restraining effect.


    If not for his impenetrable scales, that strike could have taken off half his tail.


    Being targeted by an eagle was not a good thing.


    However, demonic beasts were different from humans. The eagle was after him for his flesh, which was simpler than human motives.


    Xiao Chou was also scared and hid underground.


    "That scared me to death. How did I get so unlucky to encounter a Foundation Establishment great demon?" Xiao Chou''s face was pale.


    Xu Hei said nothing, pondering how to lure that feathered beast down.


    S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 80: The Battle Between the Snake and the Eagle

    Chapter 80: The Battle Between the Snake and the EagleXu Hei would have run without hesitation in the past, but now, since the opponent hadn''t injured him with a single strike, it meant there was room for maneuver.


    Xu Hei had no good way to deal with creatures that could fly. He could fly too, but his altitude was too low, making him an easy target.


    This was the meaning of a natural enemy.


    "Xiao Chou, can you handle this big bird?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Senior, this is a Foundation Establishment great demon, how could I possibly be its match?" Xiao Chou shook his head decisively.


    "Hua Yuntian is also at the Foundation Establishment stage, why were you able to beat him like that?" Xu Hei asked again.


    "......"


    Xiao Chou was momentarily speechless.


    He certainly wouldn''t admit that he had exploded with such power for the sake of Silver Bell, so he just smiled awkwardly and changed the subject. "Senior, if we join forces, we might have a chance."


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and nodded, "Joining forces is fine. How about we hang you on a tree as bait?"


    "......" Xiao Chou immediately fell silent.


    ......


    Above the clouds, the golden-winged eagle looked down, frowning.


    That strike just now, he was confident it would shatter the target completely, but it seemed to have failed. This was unprecedented in his experience!


    "Could it be as the old ape said, that this snake consumed an immortal pill, making it impervious to blades and swords?" The golden eagle was on high alert. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a Foundation Establishment great demon, facing lesser demons below the Foundation Establishment stage, he could easily deal with them even if they burrowed into the ground. But now, he didn''t do that.


    Among beasts, only one in a hundred survives, and among those that transform into demons, only one in ten thousand. Let alone reaching the Foundation Establishment stage, he knew how to be cautious.


    "Hiding and not coming out, huh."


    The golden-winged eagle''s gaze turned cold, and he flew into the clouds, disappearing.


    After a stick of incense.


    Xiao Chou poked his head out from the ground, looked at the sky, and said, "Senior, that great demon seems to be gone."


    Xu Hei''s scouting snake on the mountaintop also saw the opponent disappear, but he remained unmoved.


    Snakes can stay still for three days and nights to catch a frog; this short time was nothing.


    At worst, they could just wait it out.


    When it came to patience, Xu Hei had never backed down.


    Instead of crawling out, Xu Hei burrowed deeper underground.


    As for Xu Bai, she was safe inside the cave dwelling protected by Hei Huang''s formation. Of course, he could also hide there to avoid danger, but that would expose the formation''s existence, which was unnecessary.


    Xu Hei dug out a small space underground, lay inside, and took a pill to consolidate his cultivation.


    However, to be safe, he secretly released puppets to hide around as guards.


    An hour passed.


    Xiao Chou looked around, seeing no movement, he emerged from the ground.


    "Senior, that great demon really left, there''s no movement."


    Xiao Chou shouted, seeing Xu Hei still not coming out, he sighed and sat down to meditate.


    Time slowly passed.


    Clouds gathered in the distance, and before long, the clouds overhead grew thicker and darker.


    If one were close enough, they could hear the sound of thunder and lightning coming from the clouds.


    Xiao Chou glanced at the sky, suddenly feeling uneasy, and retreated to the side.


    Xu Hei was also startled, quickly changing his location, but the clouds above followed him wherever he went.


    "What kind of demonic technique is this?"


    Xu Hei''s heart tightened, and almost instinctively, he activated his thick earth armor and took out various talismans.


    At that moment!


    A thunderous explosion echoed across the land, and a lightning bolt as thick as a barrel struck down from the dark clouds, piercing the sky and hitting the ground.


    "Boom!!!"


    The entire valley shook from the strike, and the lightning bolt hit directly above Xu Hei.


    "Crack!!"


    The ground was instantly split open, with cracks spreading madly a hundred meters deep, like a thunder dragon crashing down on Xu Hei.


    "What?"


    Xu Hei''s face changed, but fortunately, he was prepared. At the moment the lightning appeared, he activated three layers of Earth Shield above his head, thickened his earth armor, and continuously used several golden shield talismans while fully activating his Earth Escape Technique to retreat.


    "Boom!!!"


    The lightning struck, piercing through all the Earth Shields in an instant, creating a hole in the thick earth armor, and shattering the golden shield talismans.


    In the end, Xu Hei used Ye Haichuan''s flying sword to block the lightning, which finally dissipated.


    Despite blocking it, Xu Hei was left charred and smoking, with a huge crack in the ground above him, connecting to the sky.


    This strike directly injured Xu Hei.


    "Whoosh!"


    A golden figure swooped down from the clouds, as fast as lightning, heading straight for the crack.


    Eagle demons were known for their speed among demonic beasts, and the golden-winged thunder eagle was one of the best!


    From a thousand meters high, it arrived in the blink of an eye!


    Xu Hei remained calm. As the golden-winged thunder eagle appeared, he activated the Gravity Technique, sending countless black dots into the surrounding soil.


    At the same time, he slapped his storage bag, releasing a large number of granite puppets that lined up in front of him.


    "Boom boom boom..."


    The eagle''s claws shattered dozens of stone puppets in a row, reaching for the retreating Xu Hei.


    Suddenly, countless tiny black dots shot out from the soil behind, raining down on the eagle!


    These were scales!


    The moment the eagle appeared, Xu Hei had torn off a large number of scales and used the Gravity Technique to hide them in the soil.


    When the opponent got close, he pulled them out, forming an encirclement to strike the enemy.


    It was like a big net, waiting for the opponent to fall into it!


    "What the hell?"


    The eagle squinted its eyes, sensing something was wrong.


    In the sky, with his speed, he could easily dodge these scales, but in the narrow underground crack, his space to maneuver was very limited.


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."


    The eagle moved like a phantom, dodging most of the attacks, and used his steel-like feathers to block the rest.


    But then, a shocking scene occurred.


    His feathers were pierced by the scales, bringing out blood, and even his bones were cut with cracks.


    "Fall!"


    Xu Hei flicked his tail, sending the flying sword towards the eagle, enhanced by the Gravity Technique, it shot like a rainbow!


    The eagle tried to dodge but was still a beat too slow, one of his wings was slashed by the flying sword.


    "Splat!"


    Blood spurted out, and the eagle''s wing was cut, with a large patch of feathers falling to the ground.


    Once again, Xu Hei''s scales proved their worth.


    If it were a human cultivator, they might have heard of the scales'' power and taken precautions, but the eagle had never seen them before and suffered a great loss.


    Xu Hei took a pill and quickly retreated to a safe distance.


    "Damn it, this snake is too cunning!"


    The eagle gritted his teeth.


    As an eagle demon, he had captured no less than ten late-stage snake demons, always succeeding, never encountering such a strong opponent!


    This snake was not only powerful but also cunning, luring the enemy in and even using human methods!


    Who fights like this?


    All demonic beasts fight to the death, using demonic techniques at most. Xu Hei used talismans, spells, puppets, and flying swords, more shameless than humans, it was cheating!


    "Shameless!"


    The eagle cursed, turning to flee, losing the will to fight.


    "Think you can leave after coming?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and suddenly, countless rocks flew from the crack above, rolling into the crevice, crashing down on the eagle.


    This was a puppet formation Xu Hei had set up outside.


    These granites weren''t very lethal, at most they could kill some mortals and low-level cultivators.


    Falling on the eagle, it was like scratching an itch.


    But there were too many of them.


    Snowflakes can''t kill humans, but they can bury them, and these granites were like magnified snowflakes.


    "Damn it!"


    The eagle roared in anger, spreading his wings to break the rocks.


    Xu Hei couldn''t defeat his natural enemy if the opponent stayed in the sky, occasionally launching sneak attacks, he had no way to counter.


    But the opponent insisted on coming underground, entering his own disadvantageous territory, it was courting death.


    The problem was the opponent was too confident.


    Rocks kept falling, the eagle shattered one after another, but they were endless.


    "Snake demon, don''t push me! Do you really think I''m afraid of you?" The eagle roared.


    Xu Hei remained silent, activating the Earth Spike, countless sharp spikes emerged from the soil, stabbing towards the eagle, while staying vigilant, ready to retreat at any moment.


    Xu Hei didn''t believe he had won just because he had the upper hand, this bird might have more tricks up its sleeve.


    Even corpses could revive, let alone an opponent that wasn''t dead yet.

 Chapter 81: Slaying the great demon, hidden arrows are hard to defend against

    Chapter 81: Slaying the great demon, hidden arrows are hard to defend against"Courting death!"


    The Golden Eagle was furious. It spread its wings wide, and all its golden feathers shot out like countless sharp swords, instantly shredding everything within a hundred meters into pieces.


    In an instant, golden light roared, and Sword Qi crisscrossed.


    This was a large-scale killing move, comparable to a sword formation used by human cultivators!


    Xu Hei had been on guard against his opponent. All his scales merged to form a shield in front of him, and he burrowed underground, retreating to a safe distance.


    The Golden Eagle''s eyes turned red. This was its final killing move, capable of materializing all the feathers on its wings into small flying swords, destroying everything.


    However, once this move was used, it temporarily lost its ability to fly.


    But Xu Hei''s attacks had already focused on its wings, rendering it unable to fly. Using this move was just going with the flow.


    "Come again!"


    Xu Hei stared at the opponent''s bare wings and commanded his puppets to intensify their efforts, continuing to throw stones.


    At the same time, he reserved a large portion of his mind for spells like Earth Spike, occasionally using his scales for sneak attacks, driving the Golden Eagle into a rage.


    It regretted coming underground; had it known, it would never have come.


    "Just you wait!"


    The Golden Eagle used its feathered flying swords to clear the way, climbing up the rocks with its claws, rushing out of the valley like a flightless chicken.


    Having lost its ability to fly, it could only walk, its speed reduced to below that of a Foundation Establishment cultivator, comparable to an ordinary Spirit Communion Stage demonic beast.


    "You can''t escape!"


    Xu Hei wouldn''t let such an enemy leave. If the Golden Eagle regrew its feathers, it would attack again, knowing the power of his scales and his methods, and would be prepared.


    By then, another battle would be extremely disadvantageous for Xu Hei!


    This time, he had to kill the opponent! No loose ends!


    ...


    Xiao Chou stood at a distance, watching the scene of the featherless giant bird emerging from the ground, with Xu Hei in hot pursuit. He couldn''t help but be stunned.


    A Spirit Communion Stage demonic beast chasing a Foundation Establishment cultivator¡ªthis would have been unheard of before, but it seemed reasonable with Xu Hei.


    Xiao Chou had no time to watch, as he too had encountered opponents.


    Two long-armed giant apes, at the peak of the Spirit Communion Stage, were attacking him from front and back, each holding a bronze gong magical artifact, occasionally striking it, causing dizziness.


    In the distance, a group of monkeys kept throwing stones, feces, and other miscellaneous items, some of which emitted a foul odor, annoying him to no end.


    "You beasts!"


    Xiao Chou cursed, taking a punch to the face, leaving him bruised and with broken bones.


    Compared to Xu Hei''s side, this was a completely different scene.


    One was chasing, the other was being beaten.


    He suddenly missed the smell of Awakening Pills; if he had one, it might drive them away.


    "Brothers, stop hitting, spare me!"


    Xiao Chou ran with his head covered, taking a heavy blow to his back, knocking him to the ground, seriously injured with broken bones.


    In desperation, he took out steamed buns, bananas, and other food from his storage bag, throwing them into the distance.


    The monkeys rushed to the food, temporarily stopping their attack, giving Xiao Chou a moment of relief.


    But before he could be happy, the two giant apes fixed their eyes on his storage bag.


    "What do you want?"


    Xiao Chou screamed, and the two long-armed apes stretched their arms several meters like rubber bands, grabbing for his storage bag.


    "Don''t even think about it!"


    Xiao Chou gritted his teeth, but one of the apes struck the gong hard, making his head spin. In that moment of dizziness, his storage bag was snatched away.


    In a blink, the monkeys had the bag, rummaging through it.


    "No!!! My storage bag! Give it back!"


    Xiao Chou got up and ran over.


    The contents of the storage bag were scattered all over the ground, causing the monkey group to scramble for them. Among the items, a woman''s long dress stood out.


    ...


    At this moment, Xu Hei had intercepted the Golden Eagle at the edge of the valley.


    He set up a giant puppet formation around it, blocking all escape routes.


    "Smash it!"


    Xu Hei gave a low shout, and all the granite puppets used the Flying Stone Technique, hurling stones at the Golden Eagle.


    The Golden Eagle was protected by feathered flying swords, so Xu Hei didn''t dare get close, but he could keep depleting its strength until it died of exhaustion.


    This was the safest method!


    "Boom boom boom..."


    The boulders kept falling, shaking the earth and mountains, with faint cries of eagles echoing.


    An eagle without wings was like a tiger without teeth, just waiting to die.


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense was locked onto the front, sensing the Golden Eagle''s weakening aura.


    Before long, it collapsed to the ground, on the verge of death.


    Xu Hei didn''t relax, continuing to control the falling rocks, piling them into a small hill, while using Earth Spikes to attack from above and below.


    He glanced at Xiao Chou''s situation and saw him being attacked by monkeys, raising his suspicion. Why were both attacked at the same time?


    Suddenly, Xu Hei felt a chill down his spine.


    His pupils shrank, and he reflexively retreated. In the next second, a bone arrow shot past, nearly grazing his head.


    Missing its target, the bone arrow turned and shot at Xu Hei again.


    Xu Hei''s face darkened, his gaze locking onto a white figure on a distant mountain.


    "It''s that white-haired old ape!"


    Xu Hei''s tail lashed out, colliding with the bone arrow, shattering it, but he was also heavily hit, flying far away, with old injuries flaring up, blood seeping from his mouth.


    Xu Hei, injured by a Spirit Communion Stage peak demonic beast!


    The bone arrow was a magical treasure, made from the bones of a great demon, emitting the demon''s former pressure, with terrifying power.


    Because of this, Xu Hei was injured.


    The old ape''s timing was peculiar, attacking just as the Golden Eagle died, seemingly knowing Xu Hei would relax.


    Such a sneak attack would have killed anyone else, but Xu Hei managed to block it.


    "Even among demonic beasts, there are cunning ones. That white-haired old ape left without a word, only to cause trouble in secret."


    "The Golden-winged Thunder Eagle must have been its accomplice."


    Xu Hei was furious.


    He wasn''t afraid of open attacks, but sneaky ones were the worst.


    If the white-haired old ape had negotiated or fought directly, Xu Hei wouldn''t be so angry. Now, he felt the sting of betrayal.


    After the failed attack, the old ape vanished again.


    It kept a distance of over five hundred meters, avoiding Divine Sense detection, with no trace of its aura, clearly skilled in stealth.


    But Xu Hei was determined to kill it. This monkey had to die!


    Xu Hei took a Rejuvenation Pill, quickly recovering. After the battle with the Golden Eagle, he was exhausted and injured, unable to fight further. He quickly collected all the puppets and the massive Golden Eagle corpse. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Golden Eagle''s demonic beast meat was a rare treasure, aiding in reaching the peak of the Spirit Communion Stage, preparing for Foundation Establishment.


    Its feathers and claws were excellent materials for crafting magical artifacts, and its inner core contained a trace of thunder power, making its entire body valuable.


    ...


    A thousand miles away, deep in the vast Wu Mountain.


    Hei Huang was flying through the air when he suddenly widened his eyes, slapping his forehead as if remembering something.


    "Oh no, I forgot to give Xu Hei the puppet I promised."


    Hei Huang quickly landed, frowning in hesitation.


    He had been planning to make a perfect body for Xu Hei but got too busy and forgot.


    "Little Xu should be fine without a puppet, right? Maybe I should just forget it?"


    He hesitated for a moment, thinking hard, but finally shook his head.


    "No, I can''t break my promise. I''ll make one and send it to him; it won''t take long."


    Hei Huang dug out a cave dwelling, took out various materials, and began crafting.

 Chapter 82: Who is joking around with you?

    Chapter 82: Who is joking around with you?One kilometer away, atop a mountain peak.


    The white-haired old ape hid within a thicket, holding a peculiar longbow. He nocked a bone arrow, drew the bowstring to its limit, and aimed at a distant figure¡ªXiao Chou.


    Having failed to kill the snake, he decided to eliminate this human instead.


    ...


    At this moment, Xiao Chou was covered in blood, half-kneeling on the ground, riddled with wounds. The monkey horde jeered at him, rummaging through his storage bag and scattering various items across the ground.


    Among the scattered items, a white long dress caught his eye. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Give it back..."


    Xiao Chou''s mournful expression suddenly froze. His eyes widened, and he stood there, stunned like a statue.


    All emotions vanished from his face, making him look like a soulless puppet.


    He stood up straight, gazing coldly at the monkey horde. "Did you think I was joking with you?"


    Xiao Chou''s tone completely changed, and even his demeanor transformed, as if he were a different person.


    "Chirp chirp!"


    A long-armed ape let out a provocative cry, picked up the dress, and wore it.


    Xiao Chou''s eyes filled with a chilling coldness, and a violent aura surged through his body.


    "You''re courting death!"


    With a loud shout, his body transformed into a rocky form, covered in crimson rock. His size grew to four meters, turning into a mountainous giant.


    The rocks on his body flared like burning flames.


    "Whoosh!"


    In the next moment, he disappeared, moving at unprecedented speed, like a crimson meteor, crashing forward with terrifying momentum.


    Too fast, too fast! The monkey had no time to dodge and was struck head-on.


    "Boom!!!"


    A thunderous roar echoed. The long-armed ape that had been mocking him moments ago was instantly torn apart, its blood splattering the sky. The surrounding monkeys were also caught in the shockwave, sent flying and turning into a rain of blood.


    "Chirp chirp!!"


    Another long-armed ape''s eyes turned blood-red. The one who had just died was its mate.


    It swallowed a fruit, its veins bulging and body swelling, exuding a violent aura, its power approaching that of a great demon.


    "You all must die!!"


    With a loud shout, Xiao Chou''s originally small arm grew tenfold, covered in molten rock, transforming into a colossal hand that swept forward.


    "Bang bang bang..."


    Countless monkeys were sent flying, blood splattering everywhere, limbs scattered. Even the enraged ape was instantly blown apart, half its body obliterated, unstoppable!


    "This is..."


    Xu Hei, watching from afar, was stunned.


    How did Xiao Chou, who was being beaten just a moment ago, suddenly transform and go berserk?


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed as he saw the familiar dress. It was the one Silver Bell had given to Xiao Chou, recorded on a bamboo slip, costing fifty spirit stones.


    So that''s it, the simp has gone berserk!


    "Whoosh!"


    At this moment, the bone arrow reappeared, traversing the void, stealthily heading straight for Xiao Chou.


    Xu Hei had been wary of the old ape. The moment the bone arrow appeared, he transmitted a warning through his Divine Sense: "Watch out for hidden weapons!"


    Xiao Chou reacted swiftly. Instead of dodging, he charged forward, grabbing the bone arrow with his hand.


    "Crack!!"


    Xiao Chou''s rocky arm shattered instantly, his flesh disappearing, leaving only white bones that gripped the arrow tightly.


    "Go!"


    With a low shout, he hurled the bone arrow back with all his might.


    "Swish!!"


    The bone arrow shot back at an incredible speed, piercing through the space, heading straight back into the distant thicket.


    With a soft thud, no sound came from the thicket, but Xu Hei could sense that the old ape was injured.


    Without even a scream, without a hint of panic, showing how terrifying the old ape was.


    "Chase!"


    Xu Hei decisively sent two stone golems to investigate. His condition was poor, only thirty percent of his strength remained, but he could still deploy puppets.


    Unfortunately, the old ape''s figure had long disappeared.


    Xiao Chou''s arm had turned to bone, while the other arm grew larger and thicker, slaughtering the monkey horde.


    Before long, most of the monkeys were dead, and the rest had fled.


    Xiao Chou''s vision darkened, and he collapsed, unconscious.


    His body shrank back, the crimson rocks disappearing completely, returning to normal form.


    Xu Hei checked and found that Xiao Chou''s Spiritual Power was completely depleted, drained from the wound on his right arm.


    "This bone arrow can drain Spiritual Qi. I wonder what kind of bone it''s made from."


    Xu Hei was secretly astonished.


    He had blocked it with his tail, preventing it from piercing through. Even the shockwave alone had injured him, showing how terrifying the bone was.


    This deepened Xu Hei''s resolve to kill the old ape and obtain the bone arrow!


    Xu Hei burrowed underground, arriving at the spot where the old ape had been hit.


    It was a thicket, with traces of footprints and some white fur and blood.


    Xu Hei collected all the fur and blood.


    He wasn''t sure if it was left by the old ape. If it were him, he wouldn''t leave such obvious clues.


    Of course, it was also possible the old ape left in a hurry, unable to clean up.


    "This old ape is so cunning, it might be using other demonic beasts'' blood and fur to deceive me."


    Xu Hei was extremely cautious, trusting nothing.


    After some thought, he decided to dig up all the soil and vegetation in the area. No matter how cautious the old ape was, it would leave traces in the soil and plants.


    He couldn''t track it now, but there would come a time when he could.


    Next, Xu Hei returned the way he came, bringing Xiao Chou back to the cave dwelling.


    With the formation in place, he felt much more at ease.


    Glancing at Xiao Chou''s bare right arm, Xu Hei hesitated.


    He had a pill for regrowing limbs, obtained from the Purple Mist Sect, but it was extremely precious, only one, worth as much as Foundation Establishment Pills.


    It could regrow not just one arm, but even both, though it would be a waste on Xiao Chou.


    After a long contemplation, he decided to throw Xiao Chou into Xu Bai''s cave dwelling next door.


    "Xu Bai, can you heal this person?" Xu Hei asked.


    Xu Bai glanced at Xiao Chou''s skeletal right arm and nodded repeatedly. "I can heal him. I''m best at treating injuries!"


    "Alright, I''ll leave him to you!"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll make sure his right arm is as good as new!"


    "¡­"


    Xu Bai was enthusiastic about it, and she needed some materials anyway.


    Xu Hei returned to his cave dwelling, took out a large number of pills and a handful of spirit stones, and placed them around.


    He needed to heal and simultaneously break through to the ninth level of the Spirit Communion Stage!

 Chapter 83: Despicable and cunning demon monkey

    Chapter 83: Despicable and cunning demon monkeyXu Hei swallowed ten Minor Essence Nurturing Pills in one go. The potent medicinal power spread out, forming storms that churned within his body.


    Ordinary humans wouldn''t dare to consume so many pills at once, but Xu Hei relied on the Demon God Cauldron, allowing him to act without restraint.


    "Refine!"


    Xu Hei shouted in a low voice. The Demon God Cauldron absorbed all the pills, suppressing the violent medicinal power and transforming it into a gentle stream that flowed throughout his meridians and bones.


    Next, he took out the corpse of the Golden Eagle, cut off its wings, and swallowed them.


    "Boom!!"


    The energy of a Foundation Establishment great demon was extraordinary. Xu Hei felt continuous roaring within his body as the surging energy rampaged everywhere.


    Xu Hei didn''t dare to be careless. Using this power, he concentrated, compressing the spiritual liquid, aiming for a higher transformation.


    Xu Hei had an excellent foundation, encountering few obstacles. The spiritual liquid began to compress slowly, and his flesh and bones started to transform.


    This process lasted for a full five days.


    Five days later.


    Xu Hei''s muscles and bones emitted crackling sounds. The spiritual liquid in the Demon God Cauldron transformed into a small water ball again, only this time it was darker in color and had a viscous feel, transitioning towards a solid state.


    This was the final layer of the Spirit Communion Stage, the ninth layer!


    When the spiritual liquid completely solidified and formed a spiritual foundation, that would be the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Foundation Establishment was divided into ordinary Foundation Establishment and perfect Foundation Establishment.


    According to Hei Huang, perfect Foundation Establishment required a cultivation technique, spiritual root, and mental will, all indispensable. It could turn true qi into a light blue color, making one''s combat power several times that of ordinary Foundation Establishment.


    Fighting ten opponents at once might be an exaggeration, but it highlighted the strength of perfect Foundation Establishment.


    Xu Hei didn''t know if he could achieve perfection, but he could only do his best.


    "My injuries have healed too. This seclusion has been quite fruitful," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    The scales on his tail had regrown, about ten percent more than before, and his divine sense had also made some progress.


    Xu Hei took out the broken bone arrow and examined it carefully.


    Even though the arrow was broken, it still retained spiritual power fluctuations. The bone fragments were extremely tough, like diamonds. Xu Hei tried several times, but only his scales could cut through them.


    "This arrow is extraordinary. I wonder what kind of bone it is!"


    "But why does it seem so familiar, like I''ve seen it somewhere before?"


    Xu Hei fell into deep thought.


    He thought for a long time but couldn''t recall where the familiarity came from.


    He then took out the feathers and claws of the Golden Eagle. These were Foundation Establishment beast materials, capable of refining second-tier magical treasures. Xu Hei planned to integrate them into his puppet to enhance its combat power.


    At this moment, there was a commotion in the valley, as if some creature was moving around.


    Xu Hei''s heart stirred, and he immediately released a scouting snake to investigate the valley.


    A large mongoose-like demonic beast, with a big nose, was walking around the valley, sniffing carefully.


    This demon was three meters tall, as big as an elephant, with scales similar to a pangolin''s and very sharp claws that could crush rocks.


    "Another Foundation Establishment great demon, and it''s a mongoose specialized in restraining snakes!" Xu Hei''s face darkened.


    Undoubtedly, this was another creature brought by that old ape!


    However, the old ape didn''t appear, and the formation set up in the cave dwelling prevented the mongoose from detecting anything.


    After searching fruitlessly, the mongoose turned and left without lingering.


    It muttered, "Which bastard lied to me about there being snakes to eat here? So annoying! There''s not even a trace of snake scent, big liar!"


    Xu Hei had always been cautious about scents, always cleaning up thoroughly to avoid leaving any hidden dangers.


    Xu Hei sent the small snake to follow the mongoose for a long time. Only when the mongoose had completely left and didn''t look back did Xu Hei breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Damn it! That old ape must be dealt with. If this continues, who knows what other demonic beasts will be brought here!"


    Xu Hei''s killing intent was stronger than ever.


    The old ape hadn''t appeared, clearly unfamiliar with the mongoose.


    Xu Hei didn''t like the feeling of being schemed against from behind. He needed to think of a way to lure out the old ape; otherwise, this would never end.


    He went to the neighboring cave dwelling. Xiao Chou was still unconscious, muttering in his sleep, seemingly cursing Hei Huang.


    His arm had grown new flesh but wasn''t fully healed yet.


    This was a long process, taking at least half a month.


    "Heh, this dog meat is really delicious, very nourishing," Xiao Chou mumbled, drooling, lost in some dream.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and didn''t wake him. He planned to go out and actively search for that old demon monkey. If he couldn''t find it, he''d target the monkey group and kill until it appeared.


    Although this was risky, since it was a fight to the death, there was no need to hold back. Let''s see who was tougher.


    "Hahaha, I''m back, didn''t expect that, did you?"


    Suddenly, a loud laugh came from underground.


    A dog head emerged from the ground, looked around, and turned to Xu Hei.


    "Hei Huang?" Xu Hei was stunned.


    Hei Huang climbed out of the ground, looked around, and laughed, "I always keep my promises. Here''s the puppet for you. I guarantee you''ll be satisfied. I''m off now."


    Hei Huang tossed a storage bag with his paw.


    After speaking, he burrowed back into the ground, intending to leave.


    "Wait!" Xu Hei shouted.


    The dog head popped up again, puzzled, "What, something else?"


    Xu Hei took out a bunch of white hair, some blood, and soil and plants, asking, "Is there any monkey scent on these?"


    "Monkey?" Hei Huang raised an eyebrow.


    He immediately noticed signs of a fight in the valley, with Xiao Chou severely injured and unconscious, guessing most of the situation.


    However, he was somewhat surprised by Xu Hei''s active request for help, which made him smirk.


    "This hair is from an Ice Soul Giant Bear, with strength likely in the late Foundation Establishment stage. The blood is also from that bear demon. I smelled this bear on my way here, about a hundred miles away."


    Hei Huang laughed, "That bear demon is extremely sensitive to outsiders. If you get close to its territory, it will hunt you to the ends of the earth."


    Hearing this, Xu Hei knew the dog was up to no good, trying to trick him.


    If he followed the scent, he might end up dead with no burial place!


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth, his eyes bloodshot.


    "However, there''s a faint demonic aura in the soil and plants. The other party must have used a concealment technique, but it can''t fool me."


    Hei Huang moved closer, sniffing carefully, and fell silent.


    After a dozen breaths, he pondered, "It''s the scent of a Blizzard Giant Ape, no mistake! Its cultivation is at the Foundation Establishment level, but it seems to be injured, greatly reducing its strength."


    Xu Hei''s eyes lit up. He asked in a deep voice, "Is this monkey nearby?"


    "No, I can tell you for sure, within a two-hundred-mile radius, there''s no trace of this ape''s scent," Hei Huang shook his head.


    "..." Xu Hei was completely stunned.


    Not nearby?


    Where did that white-haired old ape hide? Did it migrate? Or was its concealment technique better than Hei Huang''s nose?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A thousand miles away, in the southeastern plains of Wu Mountain.


    The Wild Giant Elephant tribe lived here year-round. This place had natural hot springs, and they would return during the winter to rest and breed by the hot springs.


    The elephant tribe had many sub-species and numerous groups, but there was only one leader here, the Wild Giant Elephant, a great demon close to Qi Condensation.


    Today, the white-haired old ape visited this place.


    The elephant tribe was herbivorous and generally didn''t attack outsiders unless they were natural enemies.


    In fact, elephants had almost no natural enemies, with the greatest threat being humans!


    "Is that the old ape?"


    "Yes, the one who saved a baby elephant years ago and was rewarded with a tusk by the leader."


    Two Foundation Establishment giant elephants watched the old ape enter the territory, discussing among themselves.


    Behind the old ape followed a group of monkeys, all injured and looking miserable.


    The Wild Giant Elephant noticed the old ape and immediately ran over, asking in a deep voice, "Friend, what brings you here? Are you in trouble?" S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He could tell at a glance that the old ape seemed to be in big trouble, with only about ten monkeys left in its group, looking pitiful.


    "Two snakes and a human have invaded my territory, exterminating my tribe. I beg for your help!"


    The white-haired old ape pleaded, explaining the situation.


    The Wild Giant Elephant frowned. He didn''t want to meddle in other tribes'' affairs, but the elephant tribe was known for repaying kindness, a rule passed down from their ancestors.


    In ancient times, ivory was precious and often coveted by humans, leading to unprecedented massacres.


    Without the help of outsiders, the elephant tribe would have been extinct long ago. Therefore, they valued gratitude highly, even offering tusks as a token of thanks.


    "Da Hui, you go," the Wild Giant Elephant ordered.


    "Yes, Great King!"


    Da Hui, a Foundation Establishment stage beast, nodded.


    The old ape quickly stopped him, saying, "That snake knows human spells and can kill Foundation Establishment great demons. You can''t underestimate him; you must send a strong one!"


    "You think I''m not strong enough?" Da Hui was displeased.


    The old ape bowed his head, saying nothing, just waiting quietly. He had underestimated his opponent once and couldn''t make the same mistake again.


    The Wild Giant Elephant frowned and asked, "How far is that place?"


    "It took me five days to get here. For you, it would take at most half a day," the white-haired old ape replied honestly.


    The Wild Giant Elephant pondered for a moment and nodded, "Alright, I''ll go personally. I need to see if that human is one of those damned Python Robe people."

 Chapter 84: Flood washed away the Dragon King Temple

    Chapter 84: Flood washed away the Dragon King Temple"Anything else you want to ask? Let''s settle it all at once," Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, then took out the fragments of the bone arrow and asked, "What kind of demonic beast''s bone is this?"


    This arrow was extraordinary. When it hit, it caused spiritual qi to leak out, far more mysterious than the magical artifacts confiscated from humans.


    "Hmm?"


    Hei Huang picked up a piece of the bone fragment, observed it for a while, and said, "This is made from ivory. Its owner should have the bloodline of the ancient beast, the Spirit-Devouring Elephant, and their cultivation should have reached the mid-Foundation Establishment Stage."


    Xu Hei suddenly understood.


    No wonder it looked so familiar before; it turned out to be ivory.


    "Ivory is an excellent material for refining treasures. It requires almost no technique. Just by polishing it, it possesses the power of a magical treasure. In ancient times, the Spirit-Devouring Elephant used its tusks to absorb the essence of spiritual veins. Its ivory was known as the strongest spirit-breaking artifact, often hunted for its tusks, nearly driving it to extinction."


    Hei Huang added, while skillfully putting all the bone fragments into his storage bag.


    Seeing this, Xu Hei couldn''t help but twitch the corner of his mouth. This old dog really couldn''t change his nature, trying to pocket even these scraps.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s eyes flashed as he suddenly remembered something.


    "By the way, Hei Huang, where are those three flying swords from that old geezer? Where did you take them?" Xu Hei shouted.


    Hei Huang''s face instantly stiffened, and he stammered, "Wha... what flying swords? You must be mistaken."


    "Bullshit! There were clearly three flying swords, stuck by my Earth Shield. Are you trying to keep them all for yourself?"


    Xu Hei was instantly furious. He had almost forgotten about it.


    The storage bag was fine since Hei Huang had finished off the guy alone, but trying to keep those three flying swords was just too much!


    Hei Huang looked a bit embarrassed and laughed, "Oh come on, as a snake, you shouldn''t be so petty. The more you think about, the more trouble you get."


    "Give them back to me!"


    Xu Hei was furious and lunged at Hei Huang, wrestling with him.


    "Xu Hei, I made a puppet for you. You can''t be ungrateful!"


    "That''s a separate matter. Besides, those are Core Formation treasures!" Xu Hei roared.


    "..."


    After a bout of scuffling, Hei Huang reluctantly took out three top-grade spirit stones and handed them over. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I sold those three flying swords. They only fetched six top-grade spirit stones in total. We split fifty-fifty. I didn''t cheat you out of a single copper coin," Hei Huang said helplessly.


    "Just... three?"


    Xu Hei was speechless. He had three top-grade spirit stones in his black jade stone alone.


    Core Formation flying swords were worth so little?


    He seriously suspected the old dog of hiding some, but he had no evidence.


    "Damn it," Xu Hei was furious.


    Hei Huang felt a bit guilty and didn''t want to stay any longer. He hurriedly tried to leave.


    He was also feeling depressed. He thought he could get away with it, but Xu Hei found out, so he had to accept his bad luck.


    "The taste of dog meat is really nice..."


    At this moment, Xiao Chou, who was asleep, let out a silly laugh, drooling from the corner of his mouth.


    He was talking in his sleep, smacking his lips, who knows what he was dreaming about.


    Hei Huang, already in a bad mood, heard this and his dog eyes widened. He walked over and said, "What are you eating?"


    Xiao Chou, still in deep sleep, grabbed Hei Huang''s dog paw and brought it to his mouth, taking a couple of bites.


    Without a word, Hei Huang bit back.


    "Ahhh!!!"


    A piercing scream echoed through the cave dwelling.


    ...


    After a while, Xiao Chou slowly woke up, his whole body in pain.


    He looked around, frowned, and muttered, "That was terrifying! I dreamed I was bitten by a dog, and it was a dog being cooked in a pot."


    He touched the bitten area, the pain was excruciating, almost like it was real.


    "Senior, did something bite me just now?" Xiao Chou asked Xu Hei.


    "Of course not. You must be confused from sleep," Xu Hei shook his head.


    Xiao Chou still felt something was wrong. The pain was too real! It didn''t feel like a dream.


    He rolled up his pant leg and his face changed dramatically. His leg was indeed swollen, with a black bite mark, and the bone seemed to be fractured.


    "Oh my god, I''m cursed!" Xiao Chou exclaimed.


    ...


    In the distance, at the horizon.


    A Wild Giant Elephant was stepping through the sky, bringing with it a rolling demonic wind. On its back stood a white-haired old ape and seven or eight other monkeys.


    Before long, they saw the valley at the end of their sight.


    "Is it there?" the Wild Giant Elephant frowned.


    "Yes, inside there are two snakes and a human. They took my territory and slaughtered my tribe," the white-haired old ape said.


    "Alright."


    The Wild Giant Elephant nodded and said no more, heading towards the valley.


    The white-haired old ape''s face was grim. With this Great Perfection Foundation Establishment demonic beast, any means would be futile. Even if they hid underground or in a cave dwelling, the Wild Giant Elephant could flatten everything.


    The monkeys beside them were also excitedly chattering, as if they could already see the scene of their revenge.


    ...


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s scouting snake outside the valley immediately saw the dark clouds pressing down from the distance, the demonic wind sweeping, and the earth shaking.


    He saw a massive Wild Giant Elephant stepping through the sky, its momentum terrifying, heading straight for them.


    "Wild Giant Elephant?"


    Xu Hei was stunned. What was this elephant doing in the valley?


    Then, Xu Hei noticed a group of monkeys standing on the elephant''s back, led by the white-haired old ape. Xu Hei''s mind raced, instantly realizing something.


    "Could it be that the old ape called the Wild Giant Elephant for revenge?"


    Xu Hei carefully analyzed the old ape''s actions, and it was highly likely.


    Considering the old ape had ivory weapons, it indicated a past connection with the elephant tribe.


    Xu Hei couldn''t help but be secretly alarmed. This old ape had quite the connections, able to call upon such a powerful demonic beast!


    At this moment, the Wild Giant Elephant glanced over and noticed the scouting mechanical snake, frowning.


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly, "As expected of a Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, it even noticed my scouting puppet."


    This little snake had almost no cultivation, designed for concealment. It had fooled many Foundation Establishment cultivators but couldn''t hide from this giant elephant.


    The Wild Giant Elephant took a deep look at the scouting snake but didn''t bother with it, quickly arriving in the valley.


    The monkeys on its back jumped down one by one, standing at the edge of the valley, eagerly waiting for a show.


    "Children, we''re about to get our revenge. That snake is a great supplement, and the many magical treasures and pills on him will belong to our tribe. Our tribe will surely grow strong again."


    The old ape''s voice was filled with long-lost excitement.


    "Squeak squeak squeak!!"


    The monkeys cheered excitedly, waving their arms and legs.


    The giant elephant stood in the air, in the center of the valley, and shouted, "The owner of this place, please come out to see me."


    His voice was loud, echoing in the valley, but his tone was polite.


    Even his astonishing momentum had been restrained a lot, and the surging demonic wind had disappeared.


    This attitude made the old ape pause, completely different from what he had imagined.


    "Did it recognize me?" Xu Hei wondered.


    The giant elephant waited for a moment, then looked at the scouting snake and said, "I hope my friend can show yourself."


    This made the old ape''s face change slightly, a bad premonition rising in his heart.


    "What does this mean? Does the giant elephant leader have a past with that snake demon?"


    The white-haired old ape was suspicious.


    The monkeys beside him also had changes in their expressions.


    The giant elephant leader descended from the sky, landing on the ground, completely restraining its momentum, like an ordinary elephant.


    "Friend, won''t you come out to see me?"


    He stared at the scouting snake puppet, his gaze persistent, wanting to confirm his suspicion.


    Xu Hei sighed helplessly.


    By nature, he didn''t want to have any contact with the elephant tribe, but since they had come to him, he had no choice.


    He released a small lizard, which came out of the cave dwelling.


    The moment the giant elephant saw the small lizard, its pupils contracted, its heart shook, and scenes from the past flashed in its mind.


    If it weren''t for the help of that person in the dark, not a single one of the elephants would have survived.


    Even the two pregnant mother elephants and three baby elephants would have been killed by humans.


    That person in the dark had saved a tribe!


    Seeing the scouting snake had made the giant elephant suspect, but the appearance of the small lizard confirmed his thoughts.


    "Savior, I bow to you!"


    The giant elephant shouted, bowing deeply, performing the ritual of a demonic beast.


    The entire valley fell silent, the previously noisy monkey group instantly dumbfounded.

 Chapter 85: Two Devious Tricksters Face Off

    Chapter 85: Two Devious Tricksters Face OffThe Wild Giant Elephant tribe had only six groups under its command, totaling less than a hundred elephants. Due to frequent human hunts, they were on the brink of extinction.


    Each elephant''s life was extremely precious.


    Because of this, when the old ape saved a baby elephant, it was greatly rewarded and even given an ancestor''s ivory.


    But now, this demon in front of them had saved an entire tribe. What a tremendous favor! Far surpassing that of the old ape!


    "Benefactor, I will remember your kindness for life!"


    The Wild Giant Elephant''s voice trembled with excitement.


    "You don''t need to thank me. The Snake Catchers are my enemies too. I just did it in passing."


    Xu Hei controlled the little lizard and spoke.


    The Wild Giant Elephant stood up, nodded heavily, and pondered, "So, they are called Snake Catchers."


    "The Snake Catchers are extremely powerful, with Core Formation Stage cultivators among them. If you encounter them again, don''t act impulsively," Xu Hei reminded.


    No matter what, the enemy of my enemy is my friend.


    Since this Wild Giant Elephant had a grudge against the Snake Catchers, it was also considered Xu Hei''s ally. He couldn''t let it die easily.


    "Thank you for the reminder, Benefactor! However, my Wild Elephant tribe is extremely powerful individually. Even in the Core Formation Stage, I am not afraid! Besides, I can condense my core at any time!"


    The Wild Giant Elephant said in a deep voice, with a hint of pride.


    The elephant tribe was almost the strongest individual existence in the animal kingdom, with no natural enemies. The elephant demons were the same, unmatched in the same realm.


    Only some larger sea beasts in the deep sea could compare.


    "Condense your core at any time?" Xu Hei was puzzled.


    "That''s right!" The Wild Giant Elephant sighed and said, "But condensing a demon core requires a long retreat and will attract the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations, which will severely injure me. My tribe has always been coveted by humans. If I am seriously injured, the tribe will face extinction!"


    "I see..." Xu Hei suddenly understood.


    As a great demon, he had too many ties and constraints: family, territory, and a tribe on the brink of extinction. The Wild Giant Elephant had too many things to consider.


    A slight oversight could lead to extinction, not even daring to attempt condensing a demon core.


    Unlike Xu Hei, who was alone and had no ties.


    However, the Wild Elephant so easily revealed such an important matter without any guard, which surprised Xu Hei.


    Didn''t he know the importance of being cautious? Even though Xu Hei wasn''t human.


    "I am Man Jin, the leader of the Wild Elephant tribe. May I know the name of my benefactor?" the Wild Giant Elephant asked.


    "Xu Hei."


    Xu Hei did not hide it. This was the first time he revealed his name to an outsider.


    "I have important matters to attend to, so I won''t stay."


    Xu Hei''s little lizard flashed and chased in a certain direction.


    At the same time, Xu Hei fully activated the Earth Escape Technique, heading straight for the direction the old ape had fled.


    Just as they were talking, the white-haired old ape saw the situation was not right and fled. Xu Hei had been secretly watching.


    He originally wanted to use puppets to surround it secretly, but the old ape escaped faster than he expected. Before the puppets could encircle it, it had already fled.


    "Xu Hei, I will remember you."


    Man Jin nodded and flew in the direction the old ape had left.


    He didn''t intend to intervene, just wanted to see the final result.


    At this moment, the white-haired old ape had two talismans stuck on its body, a cloak on its back, and its body had turned completely transparent, speeding through the forest.


    He couldn''t care about his monkey descendants now. He had to escape to a volcanic area, where he had a slim chance of survival.


    Xu Hei didn''t know where the other party was going, but he had one thing to do: intercept!


    "Competing in speed, huh? Let''s see who''s faster!"


    Xu Hei swallowed a pill that made his True Qi surge, and at the same time, he stuck three Swift Wind Talismans on himself. His speed was like an arrow leaving the string, shooting straight towards the target ahead.


    At the same time, he used the Gravity Technique on himself, increasing his speed by another fifty percent.


    He used all the means to increase his speed, like a shooting star crashing forward.


    Xu Hei could feel the distance between him and the old ape closing.


    One thousand meters, eight hundred meters, five hundred meters...


    Two hundred meters, one hundred meters!


    When the distance reached a hundred meters, Xu Hei let out a low shout, "Earth Spike!"


    This was Xu Hei''s usual interception method.


    The soil in front of the white-haired old ape suddenly exploded, and a sharp stone pillar shot up into the sky, blocking the old ape''s path.


    If the old ape dodged, the delay would instantly close the distance to within thirty meters!


    However, unexpectedly, the old ape did not dodge!


    He took out an iron pot and blocked it below.


    "Boom!!!"


    The stone pillar collided with the iron pot, making a deafening sound. The old ape sat on the iron pot and was directly propelled into the sky.


    Using this momentum, he raised a wind sail, instantly shifting his position and gliding forward at extreme speed.


    The distance between them not only didn''t close but instead widened.


    "This..."


    Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    Such a maneuver?


    He had learned to use the Earth Spike to stop opponents from Ye Haichuan, and it had always worked. But now, he had fallen into a big trap, being used by the other party.


    That magical iron pot could actually withstand the impact of the Earth Spike, which was quite astonishing.


    However, the old ape suffered from the shock force and was severely injured internally, with blood spraying out in the air, paying a heavy price.


    After a dive to accelerate, his speed also slowed down.


    "Drinking poison to quench thirst, let''s see how many times you can block!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were cold, planning to use the Earth Spike to stop him again.


    But suddenly, he realized, was the blood the other party spat real or fake?


    After pondering for a moment, he didn''t use this move but continued to chase, slowly closing the distance.


    After a while, the distance was once again reduced to within a hundred meters.


    But when the distance reached fifty meters, the old ape''s skin turned red, entering a berserk state, increasing his speed and keeping pace with Xu Hei, unable to close the distance further.


    Ape demons could berserk their bloodline, temporarily boosting their cultivation.


    "Really troublesome!"


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth, his mind moved, and he activated a spell.


    "Earth Spike!"


    A stone pillar suddenly appeared below the old ape.


    The old ape immediately took out the iron pot and blocked it below, but suddenly, the stone pillar stopped moving.


    The Earth Spike did not appear. Instead, a powerful pulling force acted on the iron pot, causing it to tremble violently as if it was about to fly away.


    This spell was not the Earth Spike but... Gravity Technique!


    The old ape was caught off guard, and the iron pot was instantly pulled away by Xu Hei and thrown far away.


    "This..." The old ape''s expression changed.


    He had been tricked!


    The other party''s target was not him but the iron pot!


    In terms of survival experience and cunning, Xu Hei might not match him, as the latter had lived for over a hundred years.


    But in terms of learning ability, Xu Hei far surpassed anyone.


    He would not make the same mistake twice!


    "Now, let''s see how you block!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned red as he once again used the Earth Spike. A stone pillar shot up from below the old ape.


    The old ape finally changed his expression. He was forced to stop, let out a sharp howl, and turned around to punch Xu Hei.


    This was the desperate struggle of a cornered beast. The wind from his fist blew away all the trees within a hundred meters, creating a deafening explosion, even compressing the air.


    This strike reached his limit!


    The old ape was very decisive. Since he couldn''t move forward, he turned around to launch a sneak attack. Under such a sudden attack, most people wouldn''t be able to react.


    Unfortunately, he encountered Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei didn''t even bother to fight him. He immediately stopped, using the Earth Shield, golden shield Talisman, thick earth armor, and various defensive magical treasures, while retreating.


    "Boom!!!"


    With one punch, the ground shook violently, all defensive measures shattered, turning to dust, the force like a roaring thunder.


    This strike stunned even Man Jin in the sky.


    This seemingly ordinary old ape, at the peak of the Spirit Communion Stage, actually unleashed a strike with the power of the Core Formation Stage, and its power wasn''t weak among Core Formation cultivators.


    A wolf in sheep''s clothing! S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even more absurd, Xu Hei blocked it.

 Chapter 86: How to capture an elephant

    Chapter 86: How to capture an elephantIn fact, if Xu Hei were to encounter any threat, Man Jin would not hesitate to lend a hand. After all, this snake had done him a great favor, and he even planned to gift an ivory tusk in return.


    But now, seeing the situation, it was clear that Xu Hei didn''t need any help.


    As the old ape threw his punch, his other hand tightly gripped a bone arrow, which was his true killing move.


    Who would have thought that Xu Hei wouldn''t confront him head-on but would retreat instead?


    This cautious approach left the old ape with no chance to launch a sneak attack, making him extremely frustrated.


    "Snake Demon, I don''t want that territory anymore, so stop pushing me," the old ape said in a deep voice.


    Xu Hei merely sneered.


    "You lured the Golden Eagle to kill me, enticed the mongoose to kill me, and even tried to have the Wild Giant Elephant kill me. And now you say I''m the one being aggressive? Don''t you find that laughable?"


    Xu Hei had no intention of letting the old ape off and didn''t want to waste words.


    His eyes turned cold, and his flying sword shot out, accompanied by a dozen scales.


    At the same time, a rock golem appeared, casting the Flying Stone Technique. Countless granite stones were hurled at the old ape, not aiming for the center but spreading out to block any possible escape routes.


    Each flying stone had a Fire Explosion Talisman attached, which was no joke and could be deadly.


    When Xu Hei made a move, it was a thunderous strike.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    A series of violent explosions ensued. The old ape wielded a stick, continuously swinging it to deflect all the approaching magical artifacts and stones, but he was still severely affected, spitting blood and having countless wounds cut by the scales.


    "Earth Prison Technique!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei made the earth rise and wrap around the old ape.


    The old ape was tenacious, pulling out a flying sword to cut through the Earth Prison Technique.


    "Earth Sink!"


    Xu Hei used another Earth Element Spell, turning the ground beneath the old ape into a swamp, swallowing him up while countless earth spikes pierced toward him.


    Wind Blade Technique, Fire Snake Technique, Lightning Strike Technique... Xu Hei unleashed various spells as if they cost nothing. He even took pills and used all kinds of stored talismans, igniting and releasing them.


    The granite golem kept throwing rocks with Fire Explosion Talismans at the old ape, smashing and detonating them. A small lizard also appeared, spitting spiritual light at the old ape.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    It was as if an army was besieging a single person, with continuous explosions and deafening roars, making it impossible to see anything clearly. The ground shook as if the sky was falling and the earth was collapsing.


    In the sky, Man Jin was dumbfounded.


    He had never seen a demonic beast fight like this.


    A gang fight? No! A duel? That didn''t seem right either!


    Who fights like this?


    This was beyond ridiculous! Even human battles weren''t this absurd!


    This was Xu Hei''s full-force attack, holding nothing back and using all his killing moves. He was even prepared to take a Divine Explosion Pill to fight to the death.


    But the old ape didn''t seem worthy of that.


    "I hate this!"


    Finally, after a heart-wrenching scream, the old ape fell silent, his aura dissipating.


    Xu Hei continued his assault until his True Qi was nearly exhausted. Only then did he take a Rejuvenation Pill and send the golem to investigate.


    By now, the area ahead was a wasteland, leaving a massive crater a hundred feet wide, filled with pits and darkness, as if it had been bombarded by countless artillery shells, leaving nothing behind.


    The old ape''s flesh was gone, leaving only a headless skeleton, indicating that its bones were extraordinary and incredibly tough.


    Xu Hei searched around but found no trace of the ivory bone arrow, suggesting the old ape had hidden it.


    "This old ape had a storage artifact!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed as he carefully examined the remains.


    Not long after, he dug out a small black jade stone, the size of a fingernail, from one of the old ape''s ribs.


    "This is..."


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted.


    He had found an identical black jade stone on Zhao Yiduo, but this one was much smaller, only the size of a fingernail.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, erased the imprint on it, and probed it with his Divine Sense.


    Sure enough, Xu Hei discovered a space inside, about twenty meters long, wide, and high, totaling eight thousand cubic meters.


    It contained many miscellaneous items, including an ivory tusk, though only a small part remained.


    Next to the tusk were two bone arrows and a longbow.


    "This is the tusk of the Spirit-Devouring Elephant," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    The old ape had quite a collection of oddities, many of which Xu Hei had never seen before. He planned to study them slowly when he returned.


    At this moment, Man Jin descended from the sky.


    After witnessing the battle, his feelings were complex. It wasn''t just that Xu Hei had killed the old ape, but the way they fought had completely overturned his understanding.


    The combat power of these two demonic beasts far exceeded their apparent cultivation levels.


    Especially Xu Hei, whose methods were bizarre and highly astute, knowing when to fight, when to retreat, when to feint, and when to strike for real.


    This deeply shocked Man Jin.


    Although his cultivation was strong, he was far inferior in these techniques. Otherwise, Hua Yuntian wouldn''t have been saved.


    "Benefactor, according to the rules set by our ancestors, you have saved so many of my elephant tribe members. I should give you an ivory tusk as a thank-you gift. Please accept it!"


    Man Jin raised his trunk and sprayed, dropping two glowing objects to the ground, revealing two large tusks.


    It was clear that Man Jin''s trunk contained a storage artifact.


    Xu Hei looked at the two tusks.


    One was entirely blue, with a layer of frost spreading over it, making the ground crackle as if it could freeze the air.


    The other was fiery red, with the surrounding space slightly distorted, as if an invisible fire was burning.


    "This is... the twin tusks of the Ice-Fire Giant Elephant."


    Xu Hei recalled what Hei Huang had told him about a type of elephant.


    The Ice-Fire Giant Elephant, once active in the polar regions, naturally possessed both ice and fire spiritual roots. It was very rare and had long been extinct on this continent, only occasionally seen in some remote areas.


    The owner of these tusks must have been on the verge of Qi Condensation, similar to Man Jin.


    These were even more precious than the old ape''s Spirit-Devouring Elephant tusks! sea??h th§× n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This gift is too valuable," Xu Hei said.


    "This is the rule set by our ancestors. Please accept it!"


    Man Jin said solemnly, "Our elephant tribe survives by making many friends. When I fall in the future, my tusks will also be left to those who have done good for our tribe."


    In truth, if he hadn''t just witnessed that battle, he would have only given one tusk at most.


    But after that battle, his perspective was shaken. Xu Hei was worth it.


    Xu Hei no longer hesitated and put the tusks into his storage bag. Then, he took out some pills as a return gift.


    "These pills have their effects written on the bottles. They should be useful to your elephant tribe."


    Xu Hei had obtained so many pills from the Purple Mist Sect that he couldn''t use them all. Sharing some was no big deal.


    Xu Hei believed that saving the elephant herd was a simple act, and he needed to give something in return.


    "This..."


    Man Jin was stunned.


    Pills were nothing to humans and could be easily obtained, but they were incredibly precious to demonic beasts, making it impossible for him to refuse¡ªthey were highly beneficial to his tribe.


    Man Jin had given away many tusks, but this was the first time he had received a return gift, causing his emotions to surge and shaking him once again.


    "Benefactor, how can I accept this?"


    Man Jin said, his voice trembling with excitement.


    Xu Hei smiled wryly. Despite his strength, Man Jin was straightforward and honest, holding no grudges and repaying kindness without any scheming.


    For his benefactor, he had no reservations. Such precious tusks were given without hesitation.


    The old ape had asked him to kill someone, and he had even come out personally, traveling a long distance.


    "If you consider me a friend, there''s no need to be polite," Xu Hei said.


    Man Jin took a deep breath, put away the pills, and said firmly, "Benefactor, say no more. From now on, even if you ask me to climb a mountain of swords or plunge into a sea of fire, I won''t hesitate! You are my friend, and that is final!"

 Chapter 87: Refining Flying Sword and Attempting Foundation Establishment

    Chapter 87: Refining Flying Sword and Attempting Foundation EstablishmentMan Jin''s self-moved speech left Xu Hei speechless.


    He hadn''t really done much, just exchanged some pills, and it wasn''t even an equivalent trade.


    But even this insignificant act of kindness greatly moved Man Jin.


    It was evident what the Elephant Tribe had been through.


    "You don''t need to call me benefactor, just call me Xu Hei."


    "Alright, benefactor, if you ever have the chance, you must visit our Elephant Tribe. We will welcome you with open arms."


    "......"


    ......


    After seeing Man Jin off, Xu Hei returned to his cave dwelling.


    Xu Hei had always been cautious in his actions. Even when Man Jin said he wanted to repay him that day, Xu Hei did not show his face.


    Most cultivators were inherently cunning, but there were also some straightforward, honest, kind, and simple people. Man Jin was one of them.


    In the end, it was all for survival.


    Like that old ape, who had lived for over a hundred years and once had Foundation Establishment cultivation. He had fallen due to severe injuries. His experiences were far richer than Xu Hei''s, as could be glimpsed from his storage artifacts.


    Xu Hei began to inventory the old ape''s treasures.


    A longbow, bone arrows, Spirit-Devouring Elephant tusks, an iron pot, an artifact refining furnace, a stick, herbs...


    He discarded all the low-level items, leaving only four treasures.


    The Spirit-Devouring Elephant tusks, the iron pot, a sheepskin scroll, and a key.


    The sheepskin scroll depicted a map with very detailed textures, clear even when magnified a thousand times.


    "This is... a map of the Wu Mountain Range!" Xu Hei focused his mind.


    The map was very large, covering most of the outer regions of Wu Mountain, with all the demonic beasts clearly marked.


    Xu Hei''s location was a valley marked with a red dot and two snakes.


    A hundred miles north, a bear was drawn with a large red dot, indicating the Ice Soul Giant Bear that Hei Huang had mentioned, in the late Foundation Establishment stage.


    The mongoose was two hundred miles away, with a red dot slightly smaller than the Ice Soul Giant Bear.


    The elephant herd was in the corner of the map, located in a hot spring plain a thousand miles away, with rivers and villages nearby, marked with the largest red dot.


    In the depths of the Wu Mountain Range, there were some black dots depicting various strange demonic beasts, like three-headed wolves and four-winged birds... Xu Hei didn''t need to look to know these were great demons in the Demon Core Stage.


    Animals undergoing demonic transformation would experience a series of mutations, and nothing was surprising.


    Of course, he had never seen a fish with legs.


    Additionally, there were some areas marked with crosses, whose meanings Xu Hei did not understand.


    However, one of the crossed areas was a place Xu Hei had been to, the abandoned mine.


    "Does the cross indicate extreme danger?" Xu Hei pondered.


    This map, given the old ape''s abilities, couldn''t have been so comprehensive. It must have been inherited from someone else and updated by himself.


    Though not a magical treasure, this item was extremely valuable. Xu Hei took out a jade slip, made a copy, and carefully stored it.


    As for the iron pot, Xu Hei used his divine sense to find that it was a mid-grade spiritual treasure, a magical artifact for mid-Foundation Establishment stage use.


    No wonder the Earth Spike couldn''t pierce it.


    Xu Hei quickly refined it and stored it in his storage bag.


    Finally, there was a key and half a tusk.


    The key''s material was unknown, covered with countless complex patterns, similar to the deconstruction array disk Hei Huang had given him.


    Xu Hei tried scraping it with a scale but found it undamaged, which surprised him. It was the first time he encountered something his scales couldn''t harm.


    "This material surpasses the flying swords of the Core Formation stage. I wonder what it unlocks."


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and carefully stored the key.


    He then rolled up the tusk and began cutting it with his scales.


    The tusk had its own spiritual charm, requiring no advanced artifact refining techniques, just shaping to be effective.


    After a day, Xu Hei completed a flying sword.


    The sword was a meter long, snow-white like jade, with a serpentine blade and no hilt, purely Xu Hei''s personal preference.


    Generally, only those who reached the Foundation Establishment stage could control a flying sword and perform sword flight.


    However, Xu Hei was born with a strong divine sense and could now freely control a flying sword without the need for Gravity Technique.


    He also collected the tusk shavings for future use in the artifact refining furnace, to avoid waste.


    He had tried to shape the other two tusks, but the process was extremely difficult. Even with all his strength, his scales could only make a small cut.


    At this rate, it would take him half a year to complete, and Xu Hei didn''t have that much time to waste. He decided to wait until he reached the Foundation Establishment stage to consider it.


    ......


    In the neighboring cave dwelling.


    "Ahhh!!!"


    Xiao Chou let out a hysterical scream, staring at his healed arm, his voice shrill and high-pitched.


    At this moment, his right arm was covered in fluffy red hair, long and thick, resembling that of a long-armed ape.


    "Ah! Help, help!"


    Xiao Chou ran to Xu Bai, crying out, "Senior Bai, help me, help me! What''s wrong with my arm?"


    He shook his arm, which looked just like that of a red-haired monkey.


    Xu Bai looked at him and smiled, "Don''t panic, this is my latest research on flesh and blood transplantation. I transplanted the flesh and blood of a long-armed ape demonic beast onto you to help you recover quickly! Not only that, but your arm can also stretch freely like the long-armed ape''s, with immense strength!"


    Xiao Chou''s face turned pale.


    His arm had turned into a monkey''s arm?


    Oh my god, how could he face anyone? How could he ever get married?


    "Can this... be reverted?" Xiao Chou asked tentatively.


    "Why revert? Aren''t humans just evolved monkeys? Besides, isn''t it good to become stronger?" Xu Bai didn''t quite understand and asked in return.


    Xiao Chou was stunned.


    He swung his monstrous arm, hearing the sound of wind breaking, and it seemed his strength had indeed increased significantly.


    He punched the wall, causing the formation to shake violently.


    "It really is stronger!"


    But then, Xiao Chou shook his head vigorously, "No, this is too ugly. Can you remove the hair and shorten it?"


    Actually, if it could enhance his strength, he could accept being a bit ugly. As a cultivator, he could make such a compromise.


    Xu Bai frowned and said, "You want a different look?"


    "Yes, something closer to a normal human." Xiao Chou nodded quickly.


    "It''s not impossible."


    Xu Bai pondered for a moment, took out a bottle of snake venom, and handed it over, "This can suppress the long-armed ape''s bloodline."


    Xiao Chou took it and eagerly drank it all in one gulp.


    "Hey! It really works..."


    Xiao Chou saw the red hair on his arm fall off, and the size returned to normal.


    But then, he felt a rush of heat to his head, his vision went black, and he lost consciousness.


    "This is for external use," Xu Bai said.


    ......


    Time flew by, and winter arrived.


    Snow fell in the deep mountains and forests, covering the ground with frost. Most animals chose to hibernate or migrate to warmer places, with only a few able to live in the cold winter.


    Xu Hei looked at the silver-white world outside, exhaled a breath of hot air, and returned to the cave.


    Now, his cultivation had reached the peak of the ninth layer of the Spirit Communion stage, the Great Perfection of the Spirit Communion stage.


    He could already maintain his body temperature like a warm-blooded animal, though it continuously consumed True Qi.


    This made snake demons unsuitable for going out, and most would choose to hibernate and cultivate in seclusion.


    "It''s time to establish my foundation."


    Xu Hei took out the Foundation Establishment Pills, placed them beside him, recalled the experiences Hei Huang had shared, took a deep breath, and calmed his mind.


    An hour later, Xu Hei confirmed he was in his best state.


    He no longer hesitated, first taking out the prepared Golden Eagle meat and swallowing it in one gulp, his body immediately swelling into a small mountain.


    With the entire Golden Eagle in his body, Xu Hei operated the Demon God Cauldron, rapidly refining it. The immense blood and energy transformed into thin threads, rushing through Xu Hei''s meridians.


    Xu Hei''s aura grew at a terrifying speed, and Black Gold Scales appeared, spreading from his tail to his midsection and continuing upward.


    The faint barrier was gradually being broken. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Xu Hei''s blood and energy reached their peak a week later, he no longer hesitated, opened his mouth, and swallowed the Foundation Establishment Pills.


    "Boom!!"


    A loud noise erupted within, and the spiritual liquid in the Demon God Cauldron underwent earth-shattering changes.


    ......


    In the southern part of the Chu Kingdom, near the border with the Qin Kingdom, at Yanluo River.


    A massive official ship sailed through Yanluo River. This was the upper reaches, where the fierce wind was strong, and even Foundation Establishment stage cultivators dared not fly recklessly.


    Inside the main hall of the official ship sat a middle-aged cultivator. His appearance was ordinary, his aura weak, like a mortal. But no one present dared to underestimate him. He was the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, the Thousand Puppet King, Qin Xuanji.


    He alone was equivalent to an entire army.


    On both sides of the hall, a group of cultivators sat cross-legged. They came from various sects in the southern part of the Chu Kingdom.


    Mountain Movers Sect, Carefree Sect, Purple Mist Sect, Tai Xuan Sect... even the Snake Catchers Sect was present.


    Elder Zhou and the Qin noble Xu Hei had seen before were also among them.


    If the Astrology Bureau of the Chu Kingdom saw this scene, it would surely cause outrage.


    The sects of the Chu Kingdom meeting with the high-ranking officials of the Qin Kingdom was a grave taboo.

 Chapter 88: War broke out on New Years Eve

    Chapter 88: War broke out on New Year''s EveThey used the pretense of searching for the snake demon to enter the mountains without restraint, giving them the opportunity to infiltrate the Qin Kingdom. Otherwise, they would have definitely been discovered by the Astrology Bureau.


    "Why isn''t Xuan Yangzi here?" Qin Xuanji asked calmly.


    "Master has made his stance clear. He won''t get involved in the conflict between the two kingdoms, as long as the Snake Catchers Sect is not interfered with," Wu Mochou replied with a respectful bow.


    Qin Xuanji nodded, "Good! As long as he doesn''t interfere, once our Heavenly Puppet Sect enters the territory, the Snake Catchers Sect will remain as it is."


    "What about the attitudes of the other sects?" Qin Xuanji looked at the others present.


    At this moment, everyone cupped their fists and said in unison, "We will follow the orders of the Heavenly Puppet Sect."


    "Very well!"


    Qin Xuanji nodded in satisfaction and then added, "As for the snake demon and the dog demon, there''s no need to pretend to search the mountains anymore. The fact that he can control the corpse of the Mountain-moving Patriarch clearly indicates he has stolen our sect''s Puppet Mechanism Technique. Just half a year ago, two of our outer disciples went missing in Linjiang City. They must have obtained it from them."


    "Once I conquer the Southern Region of the Chu Kingdom, I will personally investigate. If he has stolen our puppet techniques, he will either become a disciple of our sect or die!"


    With that, Qin Xuanji filled a cup with wine and raised it, "May this cooperation be successful. I toast to you all!"


    "To the senior!"


    Everyone raised their cups and drank in one gulp.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time flew by.


    In the blink of an eye, it was deep winter. Today was the New Year in the human world, and mortal cities were decorated with lanterns and streamers to welcome the spring.


    But for demonic beasts, there were no such festivals.


    In a cave dwelling deep in the mountains.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes and exhaled.


    The True Qi within his body had completely calmed down, the flesh and blood of the demonic beast had been fully digested, and the effects of the Foundation Establishment Pills had been exhausted.


    However, his aura still remained at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Communion Stage, with only a slight increase.


    "Foundation Establishment... failed?"


    Xu Hei frowned, deep in thought.


    At this moment, the spiritual liquid in his Demon God Cauldron was still in a liquid state, only slightly more viscous than before. In the center, there was a small solid piece, but it had not yet formed a complete spiritual foundation.


    If a complete spiritual foundation was a step, Xu Hei had only managed to create a single brick.


    This left Xu Hei puzzled. He had followed Hei Huang''s instructions, made thorough preparations, consumed an entire great demon, and supplemented with a large number of Minor Essence Nurturing Pills.


    Yet he had only managed to create a single brick!


    Xu Hei didn''t know what realm he was currently in. Above the ninth level of the Spirit Communion Stage... the tenth level?


    The black gold scales on his body covered two-thirds of his body, still far from the full coverage he had envisioned, clearly not meeting his expectations.


    "What went wrong?"


    Xu Hei pondered for a long time and suddenly had a flash of insight, recalling a previous dream.


    In that dream, the old dragon had said that his cultivation technique was missing something.


    Perhaps it was this missing part of the cultivation technique that had caused his Foundation Establishment to fail!


    "Your path will be ten times, a hundred times more difficult than others! But once you succeed, you will be ten times, a hundred times stronger than others!"


    "Descendant of my clan, you must comprehend, truly comprehend!"


    "The complete cultivation technique is within your heart!"


    Recalling the words from the dream, Xu Hei sighed and locked his Divine Sense onto the flood dragon in the Demon God Cauldron.


    "Old man, stop speaking in riddles. Just tell me what you mean!"


    Xu Hei was quite frustrated and directly transmitted his thoughts to the flood dragon, but the latter remained motionless.


    Xu Hei shook his head and decided to go to the neighboring cave dwelling to warm up by the fire. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A fireplace had been carved into the wall of the cave, filled with burning firewood, providing warmth to the room.


    Xu Bai was coiled in front of the fireplace, brewing a pot of unknown medicinal soup.


    Xiao Chou had just returned from outside, covered in snow, seemingly having just finished hunting.


    His arm had returned to normal, but it was covered in snake patterns, which were gradually spreading across his body.


    Initially, he had been hysterical, wanting to cut off the arm. But after discovering its incredible strength, he had been grinning foolishly, treating it as a treasure.


    Xu Bai had wanted to cut it off for him, but he refused.


    "This is the legendary Qilin Arm, with Qilin patterns on it. It has the strength of ten thousand elephants in a single punch. This is my great fortune!" Xiao Chou said seriously.


    "Then you should be careful. These snake patterns might spread across your entire body in the future," Xu Bai reminded him.


    "Haha, what do I care? I''m a cultivator. Why would I care about my outer appearance? At worst, I''ll just buy a Beauty Pill in the future," Xiao Chou laughed.


    Compared to strength, this was insignificant.


    After all his experiences, Xiao Chou deeply understood that strength was the true path!


    Xiao Chou patted the snow off his body and, seeing Xu Hei approaching, quickly came over with a smile, "By the way, Senior Hei, do demonic beasts have any festivals?"


    "No," Xu Hei shook his head.


    "We humans have a festival called New Year''s Eve. Every year on this day, we go home to reunite with our families," Xiao Chou said with a smile.


    Speaking of which, Xiao Chou hadn''t been home for five years. Ever since joining the Mountain Movers Sect, he thought of his parents every year on this night.


    "What is home?" Xu Hei asked, puzzled.


    "You don''t even know what home is? It''s the place where you were born and raised," Xiao Chou rolled his eyes.


    A thought flashed through Xu Hei''s mind, and he immediately thought of a place.


    Xu Bai also looked up, thinking of the same place.


    ¡ªMyriad Serpent Valley!


    That was where they were born, where their ancestors had lived for generations.


    "Your home is Myriad Serpent Valley, right? I heard it''s being turned into a slaughterhouse by the snake catchers. From your perspective, that''s quite pitiful."


    Xiao Chou shook his head, not dwelling on the topic, and took out a bag of flour and meat.


    "Haha, it''s New Year''s Eve today. I''ll make dumplings for you, with dog meat filling! That star of calamity isn''t here, and I''ve been wanting to eat dog meat for a long time," Xiao Chou laughed, drooling.


    Xu Hei''s mouth twitched.


    He forgot to tell Xiao Chou that Hei Huang had left a Divine Sense mark on him and could hear everything he said.


    Before long, a pot of dumplings was ready.


    Xiao Chou ate with great relish, while Xu Hei tried one but found it tasteless. His mind was preoccupied with the concept of home.


    To him, home had always been just a territory, and territories could be exchanged.


    But listening to Xiao Chou, it seemed to mean something different.


    Just as Xu Hei was deep in thought.


    Xu Hei suddenly sensed something and took out a piece of jade. This was given to him by Hei Huang to detect human cultivators.


    At this moment, a small red dot appeared on the jade.


    "A human cultivator approaching?" Xu Hei looked puzzled.


    However, the red dot was very small, indicating only a Qi Refining Stage cultivator. What was such a low-level cultivator doing in these deep mountains? Seeking death?


    But then, Xu Hei was shocked to see that the red dots on the jade were increasing, becoming denser and denser.


    One, two, three, five, ten, twenty, fifty...


    There were too many to count!

 Chapter 89: Ancient Qi Refining Twelve Layers

    Chapter 89: Ancient Qi Refining Twelve LayersThe jade stone could detect human presence within a hundred-mile radius.


    At first, Xu Hei suspected that a sect had mobilized its entire force, with everyone from the old to the young coming to capture him.


    But soon, he realized that this group wasn''t targeting him; they merely passed by a hundred miles away.


    "Three hundred Qi Refining cultivators, several Foundation Establishment cultivators... No, those were just the ones that passed by. There are more behind them..."


    Xu Hei looked at the countless red dots on the jade stone, feeling a chill run down his spine.


    He had never seen so many human cultivators moving together.


    "What''s going on?" Xiao Chou asked curiously, having just finished his dumplings.


    Xu Hei pondered, "Maybe a major sect is relocating. It''s none of our business."


    "Oh." Xiao Chou nodded, not thinking much of it.


    Time flew by.


    The red dots a hundred miles away continued to move. Xu Hei had lost count of how many people had passed by¡ªthousands, tens of thousands?


    No single sect could have so many people. This was comparable to the army of a cultivation kingdom.


    Xu Hei initially thought of sending a scouting puppet to investigate but dismissed the idea. It was best not to approach such a massive human army.


    "Human territorial disputes have nothing to do with me," Xu Hei muttered to himself.


    At first, the red dots were densely packed, but as time passed, their numbers gradually decreased.


    A few days later, the jade stone became completely quiet.


    Xu Hei waited another week. Only after the snow stopped did he send out a puppet to investigate, following behind using the Earth Escape Technique.


    In the forest a hundred miles away, a small path had been cleared. There were human footprints and wheel tracks on the ground, leading from south to north.


    "It seems they came from the Yanluo River."


    Xu Hei thought to himself, already having an answer in mind.


    Just as demonic beasts had territorial disputes, so did humans.


    But this time, the scale of the territorial dispute was enormous, involving thousands of cultivators¡ªunprecedented.


    For Xu Hei, this was good news. At least the major sects in the south wouldn''t have the time to target him.


    To deal with him, they would need to send a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and such a cultivator could determine the outcome of a small war. How could they spare one to catch a demonic beast?


    "Great! I''ll seize this opportunity to establish my foundation!"


    "Even if I fail, I will continue to improve my strength until I reach my limit."


    Xu Hei made up his mind.


    In a war of this scale, almost all sects would be involved, leaving no time to bother with him.


    He wondered what would happen to the Snake Catchers Sect. If they were wiped out, he would celebrate.


    Xu Hei returned to his cave dwelling and resumed his seclusion.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Tonight was destined to be a night recorded in history.


    In the 223rd year of the Chu Kingdom, on New Year''s Eve, the Qin Kingdom''s army invaded the southern territories of the Chu Kingdom, deploying an army of five thousand cultivators and eight hundred thousand mortals.


    They attacked in three directions: from the southwest outskirts of Wu Mountain, the southern Zhang River region, and the southeastern coast.


    Simultaneously, four sects under the Snake Catchers Sect in the south launched an internal pincer attack, coordinating from inside and outside. In just one month, they had breached eight main cities and advanced a thousand miles.


    By the end of April, outside Chuyang City, the Astrology Bureau and the main forces of the Heavenly Puppet Sect would engage in a decisive battle.


    Compared to the battles of mortals, the cultivators on both sides were the key to determining the outcome.


    This battle would decide life and death!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    During this period, the forests in the southern Chu Kingdom became completely tranquil. Not a single person could be seen, and the disciples of various sects seemed to have vanished.


    Occasionally, support troops from the Qin Kingdom would pass through, but they always took the cleared paths and never ventured into the deep mountains.


    In spring, everything revived. Animals woke from hibernation.


    The earth began to sprout, withered trees grew tender green branches, and frozen rivers flowed again, full of vitality.


    This year, no cultivators entered the mountains to hunt, resulting in more wild beasts than usual.


    Xu Hei emerged from his cave dwelling, took a stroll nearby, and easily hunted three Spirit Communion Stage demonic beasts, feasting on them.


    Xu Hei dove into a river, opened his mouth, and sucked in a large number of fish, quickly digesting them.


    War was a catastrophe for humans!


    But for wild creatures, it was a blessing. As long as the human population decreased, their living space would expand.


    Not just animals, but some rare plants also began to grow wildly without human harvesting.


    Even Xu Bai rarely ventured out, joining him in hunting.


    However, to Xu Hei''s surprise, Xu Bai didn''t like eating large animals but was interested in snakes, insects, centipedes, and scorpions.


    She even occasionally ate some poisonous herbs and fungi.


    At first, Xu Hei thought it was a personal quirk, but when Xu Bai swallowed a colorful poisonous mushroom, Xu Hei''s face changed dramatically.


    The Seven Illusion Mushroom was a second-tier spirit medicine capable of poisoning a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and she had swallowed it in one gulp.


    "Are you alright?" Xu Hei asked in surprise.


    Xu Bai burped and said, "This is a great supplement. Why would anything happen to me?"


    A great supplement...


    Xu Hei had tried such things before. Though they couldn''t kill him, they would make him dizzy.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and took out a foul-smelling Awakening Pill, waving it in front of Xu Bai.


    A pungent stench spread, and Xu Hei endured the smell, holding it out for a moment before putting it away. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The nearby birds and beasts had long fled, but Xu Bai remained unaffected.


    "What''s wrong? Is there something wrong with the Awakening Pill?" Xu Bai asked, puzzled.


    "..." Xu Hei was speechless.


    He had long suspected how Xu Bai could refine such things. It turned out she was immune.


    "No problem. The Awakening Pill is... excellent," Xu Hei said sincerely.


    "Of course, my Awakening Pill has undergone hundreds of experiments. No matter how deeply a demonic beast sleeps, one taste will wake them up immediately," Xu Bai said proudly.


    "Yes, you''re right," Xu Hei nodded in agreement.


    "By the way, Xu Hei, I''ve developed many new pills. Do you want to try them?"


    "Next time, for sure."


    "Great, it''s a deal."


    "¡­"


    Another week passed.


    One day, Xu Hei''s cultivation broke through again, with black gold scales covering over seventy percent of his tail, gradually spreading to his neck.


    The Demon God Cauldron still wasn''t full and could continue to absorb spiritual energy.


    "Strange, I''m clearly at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Communion Stage. Why can I still break through? I haven''t even established my foundation!"


    Xu Hei was puzzled. This was completely different from the cultivation system in his mind.


    It seemed to be an entirely new system.


    In fact, in ancient times, during the peak of cultivators, the ninth level of the Qi Refining Stage wasn''t the limit. There were the tenth, eleventh, and even the highest twelfth levels.


    Moreover, ancient cultivators, once they established their foundation, almost all achieved perfect Foundation Establishment.


    However, with the passage of time, the depletion of spiritual power on the planet, and the severance of cultivation technique inheritances, no one could cultivate beyond the ninth level of the Qi Refining Stage.


    Of course, Xu Hei was unaware of this.


    His current cultivation had reached the eleventh level of the Spirit Communion Stage.

 Chapter 90: Xu Hei Encounters an Invader

    Chapter 90: Xu Hei Encounters an InvaderIn the monotonous days of endless cultivation, Xu Hei made a difficult decision. He needed to hunt down a Foundation Establishment great demon to use as his food supply.


    After two consecutive breakthroughs, he had completely exhausted his stock of demonic beast meat. He had thought that eating a Golden Eagle would be enough, but even after adding an old ape, it still wasn''t sufficient.


    Due to Xu Hei''s unique circumstances, his consumption was several times that of an ordinary person. Even with a well-prepared supply of pills, Xu Hei began to worry.


    Xu Hei disliked sitting idly and depleting his resources, so hunting became inevitable.


    There were quite a few Foundation Establishment great demons marked on the sheepskin map. Within a hundred-mile radius alone, there were five. Except for the Ice Soul Giant Bear, which was tough to deal with, the other four were all at the early stage of Foundation Establishment.


    After careful consideration, he set his sights on one of them.


    Xu Hei''s strength was no longer what it used to be. Although he had failed to establish his foundation, his consecutive breakthroughs had made him significantly stronger than before.


    To ensure the success of this hunt, he brought along Xiao Chou as cannon fodder.


    Xu Bai, unwilling to be left out, also tagged along, making it a full-scale operation.


    "Our target this time is an early-stage Purple Crystal Thunder Lion. Although it''s only at the early stage, it''s much stronger than that Golden Eagle, almost reaching the mid-stage! After thorough research, I''ve determined that killing it offers the highest cost-benefit ratio and the greatest rewards!"


    "Everyone, follow my commands during this operation."


    "Understood!"


    The two snakes and one person quickly sprang into action.


    In the past, Xu Hei would never have brought Xiao Chou along. Despite having spent nearly half a year together, he didn''t have absolute trust in humans.


    However, Hei Huang had left a mark on Xiao Chou. As long as Xiao Chou harbored any ill intentions, Hei Huang could kill him instantly from thousands of miles away.


    Because of this, Xu Hei felt assured in bringing him along.


    The Purple Crystal Thunder Lion''s lair was located in a hilly area to the north. The terrain was rugged, the climate humid, and there were many reptiles living there.


    Along the way, Xu Hei scanned the area with his Divine Sense and found many demonic beasts foraging nearby.


    As they delved deeper into Wu Mountain, the abundance of Spiritual Qi increased, and so did the number of demonic beasts. Ordinary animals that managed to survive here would undergo some degree of evolution.


    Under Xu Hei''s influence, everyone used the Earth Escape Technique to travel.


    Before long, they arrived at a massive cave. The cave was purple in color, with many purple crystal minerals growing inside, which contained lightning-attributed Spiritual Qi, born from the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion''s cultivation.


    The cave was empty, with only some fur and scent remaining.


    "Not here..."


    Xu Hei sent out a scouting snake to search the area, but there was no sign of the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion within a ten-mile radius.


    However, there were faint footprints and a lingering scent on the ground, which they could follow to find it.


    Xu Hei immediately activated the Earth Escape Technique and pursued in the direction of the scent.


    After chasing for about a hundred miles, Xu Hei sensed the sound of rumbling and vibrations in the distance, indicating a battle.


    "Are two great demons fighting?" Xu Hei''s heart tightened.


    He quickly advanced and arrived at the entrance of an underground cave. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a massive underground cavern, with tunnels extending in all directions. Inside, a group of pangolin-like demonic beasts lived. There were over a dozen small beasts and a gigantic mother beast, which had also reached the Foundation Establishment stage.


    At this moment, the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion was engaged in a fierce battle with the mother beast.


    "Roar!!"


    A thunderous roar shook the cave, causing it to collapse. The sound waves swept out, and the small beasts curled up into a ball, using their armored shells to protect themselves from the sonic attack.


    The mother beast''s sharp claws continuously scratched the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion''s back, leaving bloody marks.


    The Pangolin King was adept at defense and protection but not at offense. It was only suitable for preying on small insects, primarily termites and hornets, and was especially effective against Spirit-Eating Ants!


    However, their armored hides were valuable materials for artifact refining, comparable to ivory. Their flesh and blood could also be used in medicine, serving as a main ingredient for Foundation Establishment Pills, which had led to their near extinction due to overhunting by humans.


    "Why is the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion fighting the Pangolin King?"


    Xu Hei''s face showed a strange expression. Generally, two Foundation Establishment great demons rarely clashed. Great demons had a certain level of intelligence and would only engage in life-and-death battles if they were natural enemies.


    Why would these normally non-interfering demonic beasts engage in a deadly fight?


    Xu Hei couldn''t understand and decided to observe in secret.


    The two great demons fought fiercely, causing the cave to collapse. They fought from underground to above ground and back again. The Purple Crystal Thunder Lion attacked frantically, unleashing lightning strikes that blasted black holes into the Pangolin King''s back, but the latter withstood the attacks with its tough defensive shell.


    "I told you, I didn''t kill your child!"


    "I saw it with my own eyes! Don''t try to deny it! The corpse is in your cave!"


    "My Pangolin Clan only eats insects. Why would we attack your child?"


    "Enough talk! You killed my child, so I will kill all your offspring to avenge him!"


    After a heated argument, the two demons resumed their ferocious battle.


    The Purple Crystal Thunder Lion was clearly in a state of rage, recklessly unleashing various demonic spells. Its purple crystals emitted a dazzling light, rapidly consuming its energy.


    The Pangolin King, determined to protect its offspring, fought desperately, using its body to withstand the onslaught.


    Xu Hei finally understood.


    The Pangolin King had killed the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion''s child, so the latter was seeking revenge?


    The corpse of the little Purple Crystal Lion lay motionless in the cave, clearly dead for some time.


    Xu Hei didn''t know the truth and didn''t care to investigate further. Since they wanted to fight, he would let them fight to the death, and then he would reap the benefits.


    "Good luck, being able to hunt two Foundation Establishment great demons at once should be enough to sustain me until I establish my foundation." Xu Hei was in a good mood.


    Xu Bai and Xiao Chou waited quietly by his side, awaiting Xu Hei''s command.


    ...


    Meanwhile, a hundred miles away.


    Two figures, a man and a woman, sat on a treetop. Their bodies were transparent, half merged with the tree, resembling tree spirits with somewhat blurred appearances.


    "According to the timing, it should be soon," the woman said.


    "Hehe, no rush, no rush. Let''s wait a bit longer. Once one of the two demons is completely dead, we''ll make our move," the man replied.


    "Who would have thought that in the deep mountains of the Chu Kingdom, we could find a Pangolin King, which has long been extinct in the Qin Kingdom? Its scales are priceless treasures," the woman said with a slight smile, then asked, "What about the small ones?"


    "Of course, we''ll kill them for medicine. They can still be of some use," the man said coldly.


    The woman''s eyebrows furrowed slightly, as if she wanted to say something but hesitated.


    "Shuang''er, as a cultivator, you can''t afford to be soft-hearted. If we let them go, it would only benefit others. If we don''t seize everything, how can we talk about cultivation?" The male cultivator seemed to see through her thoughts and spoke disdainfully.


    ...


    Time slowly passed.


    The battle between the two great demons gradually approached its end.


    Their strengths were clearly calculated by the cultivators to be nearly equal, ensuring they would both be severely injured while keeping the scales intact.


    This was why they chose the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion instead of another target.


    Xu Hei had been observing for a long time and felt something was off. The two demonic beasts seemed to be fighting to the death.


    How could there be such a good opportunity in the world, allowing him to reap the benefits without lifting a finger?


    Considering the dead cub''s body and the conversation between the two demonic beasts, everything seemed unusual.


    "Something''s not right. There''s something fishy about this!"


    Xu Hei was naturally suspicious. He instinctively took out the jade stone given to him by Hei Huang and checked it. There were no human red dots within a hundred miles.


    He stared at the jade stone for a long time, but there was still no movement.


    No humans involved, so what was the reason? Was it really just a coincidence?


    Things were going too smoothly, making Xu Hei suspicious.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed, and his pupils contracted.


    "This jade stone can only detect human cultivators, but the cultivators of the Qin Kingdom, especially those from the Heavenly Puppet Sect, are skilled in puppet techniques."


    "So, can it detect puppets?"

 Chapter 91: Cutting the puppet while secretly advancing through Chen Cang

    Chapter 91: Cutting the puppet while secretly advancing through Chen CangXu Hei always imagined every possible scenario before taking action. He immediately thought of the puppets from the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    "Judging from the wounds on that little Purple Crystal Lion, it indeed looks like the work of the Pangolin King''s claws."


    "But if it was done by a puppet, then everything makes sense."


    The puppet mechanical beasts could be crafted into any form, including a pangolin.


    It was highly likely that a disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect used a pangolin puppet to kill the little lion and framed the Pangolin King.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, gradually understanding the cause and effect.


    Of course, this was just a suspicion and needed to be verified.


    The only thing that reassured him was that the person in the shadows couldn''t be too powerful. If they were at the mid to late Foundation Establishment Stage, they would have acted directly without resorting to such underhanded tactics.


    Xu Hei guessed that the person was likely at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, with a small chance of being at the mid-stage.


    "If it''s mid-stage, should I fight or run?"


    "Never mind, let''s wait and see. After all, I have the Invisibility Talisman."


    Xu Hei distributed some Invisibility Talismans to Xu Bai and Xiao Chou. The talismans were more than enough.


    ...


    Soon, the two great demons were at their last gasp.


    The purple crystals on the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion had lost their luster. The earthen light shield on the Pangolin King''s body was also rapidly dissipating.


    "Damn it! Just wait until my husband returns, I will definitely avenge this!"


    The Purple Crystal Thunder Lion roared angrily and turned to leave. Continuing the fight would lead to no result; she couldn''t afford to lose her life here.


    At that moment, a vine suddenly extended from a nearby tree, swiftly wrapping around the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion.


    The vine moved incredibly fast, almost in the blink of an eye, coiling around her and expanding like a giant rope.


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted; there was indeed someone in the shadows.


    The Purple Crystal Thunder Lion''s face darkened. In her prime, she could have dodged it, but now she was too weak to evade.


    "Swish, swish, swish..."


    One vine after another, as fast as lightning, bound the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion tightly, sealing her completely. The Pangolin King in the cave was also attacked by tree roots, which split into countless branches, locking her in place.


    "Humans?"


    The two great demons quickly realized that humans were hiding in the shadows.


    Xu Hei didn''t act rashly; he simply patted his storage bag and released his puppets.


    The next moment, two figures flew out from the tree, a man and a woman. The man had sword-like eyebrows and starry eyes, looking heroic and handsome. The woman had skin like snow and was equally stunning.


    These two were rare beauties and handsome men in the human world.


    After they appeared, they said nothing and decisively grabbed the two bound great demons, their actions swift and clean.


    "Damn humans!"


    The Purple Crystal Thunder Lion roared in fury, her fur standing on end, emitting purple lightning towards the man. But her remaining strength was less than thirty percent, easily neutralized by the man''s casual palm strike.


    On the other side, the Pangolin King only had time to throw her children into a bottomless pit before being captured by the female cultivator.


    "Spare my children, and I will go with you," the Pangolin King pleaded in human language.


    The woman hesitated, but the man scolded, "Shuang''er, don''t dawdle. This is your test!"


    Qin Shuang''er''s eyes flashed with determination, and she whispered, "I''m sorry, but I must take the cubs too."


    Hearing this, the Pangolin King''s eyes turned red, tears streaming down her face as she closed her eyes in pain.


    The Purple Crystal Thunder Lion also realized what was happening, gritting her teeth, "My children... was it you?"


    The male cultivator didn''t bother to explain, flicking his fingers, and a wooden flying sword shot out from his body, aiming straight for the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion''s forehead.


    One strike to kill!


    Despair and sorrow filled the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion''s eyes.


    Just as the wooden sword was about to pierce her forehead.


    A white light flashed in the void, and a bone flying sword suddenly emerged from the ground, shooting towards the cold-faced man at lightning speed.


    The timing was perfect, just as the cold-faced man was about to kill the great demon.


    "Clang!!"


    A crisp sound rang out.


    The wooden flying sword, somehow, returned like a teleportation, blocking the attack.


    "Blocked?"


    Xu Hei''s heart trembled. He had timed his sneak attack perfectly, but it was still too slow.


    Looking at the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion, she wasn''t dead. The opponent seemed to have been on guard, using only twenty percent of his strength to kill the demon.


    Such caution was not something ordinary people possessed.


    However, the bone flying sword was made from the tusks of the Spirit-Devouring Elephant. The wooden flying sword only blocked it for a moment before the spiritual energy dissipated, and the ivory flying sword continued its charge.


    "Hmm?"


    The cold-faced man remained expressionless, but his heart was shocked. The power of this flying sword was beyond his expectations.


    "Could it be a spirit-breaking flying sword?"


    "But the opponent''s spiritual power fluctuation is only at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage. How can he control a flying sword? And such a powerful one?"


    Sun Jian''s mind was filled with questions.


    Flying swords could only be controlled at the Foundation Establishment Stage; this was common knowledge.


    Of course, there were some methods to control them at the Qi Refining Stage, but their power would be limited.


    Instinctively, he took out a tortoise shell shield and placed it in front of him. With a crisp sound, the flying sword pierced through the shield, shooting out from the other side.


    "This..."


    Sun Jian''s heart finally wavered.


    This was definitely not the power of the Qi Refining Stage! Even at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, few could pierce his tortoise shell spiritual treasure in one strike.


    Had the opponent concealed his cultivation? No, spiritual power fluctuations could be hidden, but once in action, the resulting spiritual energy waves couldn''t be faked.


    Sun Jian''s thoughts raced, but his actions didn''t slow. Using the brief moment of obstruction, he merged into a large tree. The tree was instantly cut down by the flying sword, blood splattering everywhere.


    Xu Hei''s attack didn''t relent. The flying sword turned again, slashing at the neighboring tree, drawing more blood.


    Despite being hit twice, Sun Jian didn''t flee. Instead, he charged towards Xu Hei''s location.


    "Wild Forest Frenzy!" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Sun Jian clapped his hands, and with a low shout, the forest came alive. Tree roots grew wildly, like sharp spikes, shooting towards Xu Hei underground.


    "Not dodging, trying to trade injuries?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed with ferocity.


    Trade injuries? A human trading injuries with a demon, how laughable.


    "Slash!"


    The flying sword cut through, severing one of Sun Jian''s arms, while Xu Hei''s upper body was pierced with small holes, blood flowing.


    ...


    Ten miles away.


    A black-clothed person sat cross-legged inside a century-old tree with a five-meter diameter, motionless.


    After an unknown amount of time, he opened his eyes, a look of surprise flashing through them.


    "A demonic beast?"


    "Unexpectedly, the rumors about Chu Kingdom are true. There''s a snake demon in the deep mountains, practicing human cultivation techniques and using flying swords. I happened to encounter it."


    As an inner disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Sun Jian didn''t pay much attention to Chu Kingdom''s affairs, only having heard a little.


    If he hadn''t planned to enter the mountains today and asked around, he wouldn''t have known about this.


    "Rumor has it that this demon is also skilled in puppet techniques, but in my opinion, it''s just showing off in front of an expert."


    Sun Jian sneered inwardly. He had been on guard because he had spotted the scouting snake hiding in a tree.


    Such a snake could deceive others but not him. With fifty years of experience in puppet techniques, he could distinguish between real and fake at a glance.


    He had pretended not to see it on purpose.


    Now, the snake was trading injuries with his puppet, fighting back and forth, showing some skill.


    Even his puppet had the strength of the Foundation Establishment Stage. For a small demon at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Communion Stage to suppress his puppet was unexpected.


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, a giant sharp stone pillar shot up from beneath him, shattering the tree. Before Sun Jian could react, it pierced through his lower body.

 Chapter 92: Stinking Thunder Bomb

    Chapter 92: Stinking Thunder BombAn indescribable, earth-shattering pain spread throughout his body. Even with Sun Jian''s calm demeanor, he couldn''t help but let out a piercing scream. Blood spurted from his back as he shot into the sky.


    Fortunately, his protective magical treasure blocked the attack for a moment, and his constant vigilance allowed him to escape in time.


    Otherwise, that blow would have surely caused him unbearable agony.


    Without time to look closely, a sense of danger loomed from behind, and another stone pillar shot up from the ground.


    In an instant, Sun Jian realized that his opponent''s strength was not inferior to his own; otherwise, they wouldn''t be able to cast such spells.


    Without hesitation, Sun Jian merged into a nearby tree, swiftly traveling through its roots.


    This was the Wood Escape Technique, one of the Five Elements Escape Techniques.


    While the Earth Escape Technique was direct, the Wood Escape Technique excelled in its elusiveness, allowing one to move between trees and remain hidden, making it difficult to track. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, Xu Hei seemed to see through his position. Earth Spikes continuously erupted from the ground, piercing through tree after tree. Each strike forced a shadowy figure to leap out in a panic.


    "Can he sense my location?"


    "How is that possible? I have a Concealment Talisman given by my master. It''s a third-tier talisman. Unless someone has the Divine Sense of a Core Formation Stage cultivator, they shouldn''t be able to lock onto me!"


    The more Sun Jian moved, the more alarmed he became. It seemed his opponent had pinpointed his location, always finding the right tree whenever he used the Wood Escape Technique.


    Even more bizarre, the one chasing him seemed to be a giant serpent.


    Then, what was the other serpent fighting his puppet?


    ...


    At this moment, Sun Jian''s puppet had its limbs severed and lay on the ground. The previously balanced situation had turned against him due to his distraction, leading to the puppet''s swift defeat.


    Sun Jian''s face darkened, a pained look flashing in his eyes. He took out a handful of seeds and scattered them, slapping his palm down.


    "Parasite!"


    In an instant, the seeds landed on the trees, quickly sprouting into vines.


    The parasitized trees came to life, uprooting themselves and lunging at Xu Hei, their branches flailing like fists.


    "Ground Collapse!"


    Xu Hei muttered, and the ground caved in, trapping the tree-men. But more and more tree-men surged from all directions.


    Xu Hei looked around. In just a few breaths, hundreds of trees had been parasitized, transforming into tree-men rushing toward him.


    Sun Jian formed another hand seal, and the vines on the tree-men rose into the air like venomous snakes, striking at Xu Hei.


    "Sandstorm Technique!"


    Xu Hei decisively swallowed a Rejuvenation Pill and cast the Earth Element Spell that Ye Haichuan had used.


    Though it was a Foundation Establishment spell, Xu Hei had enough True Qi to perform it.


    "Boom!!!"


    In an instant, sand and dust filled the air, a violent storm raging. Within a five-hundred-meter radius, all the trees were uprooted and shredded by the fierce winds.


    The gale was like a knife, lifting Sun Jian into the air. His skin cracked, blood sprayed, and the light in his body exploded one by one.


    "Sandstorm Technique? That''s a Foundation Establishment spell. How can a Spirit Communion Stage demonic beast use it? Impossible!"


    Sun Jian''s face was filled with horror, his shock beyond words.


    This spell consumed a tremendous amount of energy. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator needed deep reserves to use it.


    Suddenly, a gleam flashed in his eyes as if he understood something.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei charged forward, killing intent surging, ready to deliver a fatal blow.


    Suddenly, Sun Jian''s body flickered, his limbs vanished, and his aura disappeared.


    The figure before him transformed into the puppet he had previously defeated.


    "Switched places?"


    Xu Hei was astonished.


    Swapping places with a puppet wasn''t part of his puppet techniques.


    "It seems he''s figured something out."


    Xu Hei remained expressionless, glancing at the red dot on the jade stone. He decisively dashed in another direction.


    He had been able to locate Sun Jian''s true body because of the jade stone Hei Huang had given him, which could pinpoint the opponent''s location through a red dot.


    When those two appeared, Xu Hei had sensed something was off. The jade stone showed no red dots, yet they were right in front of him.


    Xu Hei quickly realized they were fake!


    Upon closer inspection, he noticed a faint red dot ten miles away. Xu Hei had then quietly approached and ambushed the real body.


    As for the other serpent, it was a clone given by Hei Huang, almost identical to the original.


    Apart from the scales, everything else was nearly perfect, making it a flawless clone according to Hei Huang.


    Even the experienced old puppeteer hadn''t noticed the deception.


    You were fake, and so was I. Two fakes fighting, exchanging injury for injury.


    The only miscalculation was that this person could swap places with his puppet.


    This effectively allowed him to teleport ten miles, a truly heaven-defying ability.


    ...


    Meanwhile, Xu Hei''s serpent puppet encountered Sun Jian''s true body.


    Without a word, Sun Jian took out a bundle of threads and shot them at Xu Hei''s puppet.


    These were puppet threads, a magical treasure from the Heavenly Puppet Sect, designed specifically to immobilize puppets upon contact.


    Sun Jian''s intention was clear: he couldn''t defeat the serpent''s true body, so he aimed to capture the puppet. If he succeeded, it would be a draw, with each side losing a puppet, and he might even gain a flying sword.


    Xu Hei''s puppet dodged and burrowed into the ground, retreating swiftly. But the threads were too fast, striking the puppet within a few breaths, producing a snapping sound.


    Xu Hei could feel his control slipping. The puppet''s body stiffened, unable to move.


    "Slash!"


    An ivory flying sword cut through the threads, but more threads followed, relentless and continuous.


    Gradually, Xu Hei lost control of the puppet, even the flying sword fell helplessly to the ground.


    Sun Jian landed, ready to store the flying sword and puppet in his storage bag.


    At that moment.


    "Boom!!"


    Suddenly, a massive figure collided from behind. It was Xiao Chou, now gigantified, holding a pill in his hand, which he hurled forward with a loud shout.


    "Stinking Thunder Bomb, explode!"


    The pill detonated, releasing a thick, pervasive smoke. Sun Jian, on high alert, held his breath and cast protective barriers, but the overwhelming stench that followed was indescribable, assaulting his senses.


    It was a stench he had never encountered, making his vision blur and nearly causing him to faint.


    The stench penetrated his soul, beyond the defense of any simple magical treasure.


    "What is this foul thing? Ahhh!!"


    Sun Jian screamed and retreated, while even Qin Shuang''er turned green, vomiting.


    Amazingly, Xiao Chou withstood the stench, charging like a bull, swinging his right arm and landing a punch on Sun Jian''s face.


    His speed was beyond words.


    "Bang!!!"


    Sun Jian''s protective True Qi shattered, teeth flew out, blood sprayed, and he was sent flying.


    At the same time, Xu Hei finally arrived, his anger surging. He controlled his flying sword with a single gesture, beheading Sun Jian.


    "No!!!"


    Qin Shuang''er let out a desperate, heart-wrenching scream.

 Chapter 93: Being more affectionate is harder than being heartless

    Chapter 93: Being more affectionate is harder than being heartlessXu Hei took out the jade stone and watched the red dot on it rapidly dim. This was a sign of life fading away.


    "No! Brother Jian, don''t go! Don''t leave me!"


    Qin Shuang''er knelt in front of Sun Jian, holding his body, tears streaming down like rain.


    Sun Jian''s lips moved, as if he wanted to say something, but he was too weak to speak.


    Xu Hei muttered to himself, "Is he addicted to role-playing? Even at death''s door, he''s still at it?"


    Sun Jian was cold and ruthless, while Qin Shuang''er was indecisive. When Xu Hei first met them, he really thought they were fellow disciples. It turned out they were two puppets controlled by the same person.


    This left Xu Hei speechless.


    As Sun Jian''s life ebbed away, the light in Qin Shuang''er''s eyes also gradually faded.


    When the master dies, the puppet loses all its vitality as well.


    "Dao... Daoist..."


    Suddenly, Sun Jian''s lips moved slightly, and his head struggled to make a sound, as if he wanted to leave some last words.


    "Please... bury us... together..."


    Just as Sun Jian was speaking, Xu Hei spat out a flame, burning his head to ashes, not giving him the chance to finish his last words.


    "Your last wish means nothing to me."


    Xu Hei said coldly, burning his body to ashes as well.


    A cultivator must not have a merciful heart. This was something he always said to himself, and now it had come true for him.


    As Sun Jian''s soul dispersed, the puppet named Shuang''er also completely lost consciousness, becoming utterly motionless.


    But at the corners of her eyes, two lines of tears hung, as if she were truly crying.


    Xu Hei raised an eyebrow, showing a look of doubt.


    He vaguely felt that things were not so simple.


    Sun Jian''s last words were incomplete, but Xu Hei could guess that he wanted them to be buried together.


    "Xiao Chou, what do you think?" Xu Hei looked at Xiao Chou.


    Xiao Chou shrugged and said, "What can I think? Probably another tragic lover like me."


    "Yours can''t be called a tragic lover, can it?" Xu Hei sneered.


    "......"


    Xiao Chou''s face darkened, and he chose to remain silent.


    Xu Hei put away Sun Jian''s storage bag and checked it, his eyes widening instantly.


    He found that the resources in this person''s storage bag could only be described as terrifying. Various pills and treasures were piled up like mountains.


    There were also many jade slips, countless magical treasures that hadn''t been refined, all brand new. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The number of spirit stones reached two thousand!


    The Ye Haichuan he had killed before, who was also at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, only had a tenth of this.


    "My God, so rich!" Xu Hei gasped.


    This was the most abundant haul Xu Hei had ever gotten from killing and looting.


    Xu Hei immediately realized that this person must have fought in a war and plundered the storage bags of Chu Kingdom cultivators, which is why he had such a rich collection.


    Killing and looting to get rich, as long as one could survive the war, they could always gain some spoils.


    "With such a big harvest, this trip was worth it." Xu Hei thought to himself.


    In the storage bag, there was also demonic beast meat, all neatly cut high-quality great demon meat, looking very appetizing. But the quantity was not much, only two hundred pounds.


    The Pangolin King had run off, probably hiding deep underground.


    The Purple Crystal Thunder Lion was finally killed and put into Xu Hei''s storage bag.


    As for the purple crystal mine in its cave dwelling, Xu Hei didn''t dare to take it. According to the lioness, she had a husband whose cultivation level was unknown, so Xu Hei decided not to provoke him lightly.


    Lion-type demonic beasts practiced polygamy, with one male lion usually leading a pride with multiple lionesses.


    It was rare for a lioness to come out alone with her cubs.


    Xu Hei guessed that the male lion was probably deep in the Wu Mountain Range and might be extremely powerful.


    Lions should have special ways of communicating. After thinking for a moment, Xu Hei cleaned up his traces, collected his spoils, and quickly left the place.


    As for the lioness, he decided not to eat her for now. Maybe one day he would encounter her mate, and she might come in handy.


    The two demonic beasts and Xu Hei ran all the way back to their cave dwelling.


    Back in the cave dwelling with formations set up, they finally felt at ease and breathed a sigh of relief.


    Xu Bai did not participate in the battle, only eating some poisonous creatures along the way.


    Xiao Chou, however, made a great contribution. Although Xu Hei could have caught up eventually, it would have consumed a lot of energy and might have led to unforeseen complications.


    For this person, Xu Hei planned to give a reward.


    He took out a Foundation Establishment Pill from Sun Jian''s storage bag and handed it over.


    "Whether you can establish your foundation, it''s up to you." Xu Hei said.


    "Thank you, Senior, hahaha..."


    Xiao Chou laughed wildly, took the Foundation Establishment Pill, and went into the deepest part of the cave dwelling.


    There were five more Foundation Establishment Pills in Sun Jian''s storage bag, enough for Xu Hei to use.


    Xu Hei checked the jade slips, all of which were wood-based spells, which Xu Bai could probably use.


    One golden jade slip had a seal on it, seemingly recording the second layer of puppet techniques, but Xu Hei couldn''t open it.


    Xu Hei sighed and took out Qin Shuang''er''s storage bag.


    After his inspection, he found that Qin Shuang''er was not a fictional puppet but a real person who had already fallen. This was her storage bag from when she was alive.


    Inside were some jade slips recording her experiences.


    Through these, Xu Hei understood the sequence of events.


    Qin Shuang''er was the daughter of Qin Xuanji, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect. She and Sun Jian had mutual affection. During a siege, she spared a child, who then detonated a Thunder Tribulation Pearl, severely injuring her.


    The child died instantly, and Qin Shuang''er was on the brink of death.


    At the last moment, she turned herself into a flesh puppet, preserving a sliver of consciousness in her body.


    In this way, she remained by Sun Jian''s side, fulfilling their mutual promise.


    "Shuang''er, as a cultivator, you must not have a woman''s kindness!"


    Recalling Sun Jian''s words at the time, Xu Hei had a different understanding.


    Actually, when Sun Jian and the puppet switched places, Xu Hei wondered why he didn''t switch with Qin Shuang''er. That woman was unharmed and might have delayed him a bit.


    Instead, he switched with a broken body, which Xu Hei didn''t even bother with and directly chased after.


    If Qin Shuang''er had held him back, even for a moment, Sun Jian''s chances of escaping would have greatly increased.


    "People are not plants; who can be without feelings? Sun Jian kept talking about being ruthless, but in the end, he lost because of his feelings."


    Xu Hei sighed.


    He couldn''t help but compare the experiences of these two with Xiao Chou and found that there was no comparison. This was a true partnership, while Xiao Chou''s situation was nothing.


    He took Sun Jian''s ashes and buried them on a hill, then buried Qin Shuang''er''s body next to him.


    This flesh puppet had the cultivation of the Foundation Establishment Stage and had some value, but Xu Hei had no interest in using it.


    With his current strength, he didn''t need such a puppet.


    "Rest in peace, both of you. Farewell."


    Xu Hei said, turning to leave.


    Just as Xu Hei turned around, a golden light flashed from Qin Shuang''er''s forehead and entered Xu Hei''s storage bag.


    Xu Hei was stunned and took out the golden jade slip recording the puppet techniques.


    He found that the seal on it was gone.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and he sent his divine sense into it.


    In an instant, the complete steps for cultivating the Puppet Mechanism Technique appeared in Xu Hei''s mind.


    "Puppet Mechanism Technique, Second Layer, Earth Puppet Technique."


    "Can create Foundation Establishment Stage puppets, including three puppet spells: Spirit Thread, Transposition, Hundred Puppet Formation."

 Chapter 94: Foundation Establishment Stage: Purple Qi Comes from the East

    Chapter 94: Foundation Establishment Stage: Purple Qi Comes from the EastIn the process of Xu Hei acquiring the cultivation technique.


    Under the mound of earth, Qin Shuang''er lay quietly beside Sun Jian''s ashes, a look of relief in her eyes. Suddenly, her body ignited without fire, gradually turning to ashes.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, took a deep look at the mound, and placed a stone tablet in front of it.


    He seemed to want to carve something, but felt his talent was insufficient, so he turned and left.


    Humans are emotional beings. They may seem heartless, but it''s all for survival, for becoming stronger.


    Demonic beasts are also emotional beings. A mother beast can risk her life for her cubs.


    If there''s anything truly heartless, it would be things like stones or lifeless puppets.


    Xu Hei didn''t know if being heartless would allow one to live longer, but for now, he couldn''t do it.


    Since Xu Hei began cultivating, his primary belief was that for survival, one could abandon everything. Of course, this belief had not changed to this day.


    "I''m going to establish my foundation. This time, I''m fully prepared. I won''t come out until I''ve succeeded."


    Xu Hei made up his mind. No matter what happened outside, he wouldn''t leave his retreat.


    The resources he had prepared were more than enough to reach the Foundation Establishment stage from scratch, let alone now.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Chuyang City, Southern Region of Chu Kingdom.


    This city was the gateway to the Southern Region of Chu Kingdom. As long as the city stood, the Southern Region would be safe. But if it fell, the entire Southern Region would be accessible, making it the most strategic city.


    A hundred miles outside Chuyang City, the Qin Kingdom''s army had been stationed there for a month.


    The Astrology Bureau had ceded many cities, with almost everyone guarding this place for this crucial battle.


    Inside the Qin Kingdom''s main tent.


    Qin Xuanji suddenly opened his eyes and took out a soul jade, covered in cracks and already shattered.


    "Sigh!"


    Qin Xuanji was silent for a long time, then let out a sigh.


    This was Sun Jian''s soul jade.


    This young man had average talent, reaching only the early Foundation Establishment stage after fifty years of cultivation. But his determination and ruthlessness were remarkable, and he had developed feelings for Qin Xuanji''s daughter, Qin Shuang''er.


    As the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Qin Xuanji naturally couldn''t allow his daughter to follow someone with such mediocre talent, leading to conflicts and even threats to sever ties.


    Qin Xuanji hadn''t paid much attention to the two, only saying that if they could lead an army to capture a city, he wouldn''t stop them.


    In the end, the city fell, but Qin Shuang''er perished.


    "Forget it. Once we take Chuyang City, I''ll bring you both back to the Qin Kingdom for burial."


    Qin Xuanji closed his eyes, a pang of sorrow in his heart.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time flew by, and the months passed like a shuttle.


    In April, the most crucial battle since the Qin Kingdom''s invasion began outside Chuyang City. Over a million troops from both sides clashed in an epic battle.


    The southern forests of Chu Kingdom entered a long period of peace.


    Without human hunting, the flora and fauna rapidly proliferated, and some rare spirit medicines appeared.


    Xu Hei swallowed two Foundation Establishment Pills in succession. After breaking through to the twelfth layer of the Spirit Communion stage, he made a bold move towards the Foundation Establishment stage. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Boom!!!"


    A loud explosion echoed within Xu Hei''s body. The spiritual liquid in the Demon God Cauldron boiled, compressing rapidly towards the center, forming a solid, square platform at a slow pace.


    At this moment, the spiritual energy within a thirty-mile radius seemed to be drawn in, converging madly towards this place and being absorbed into the cave dwelling.


    Even the clouds in the sky above roared in, piling up into mountains and seas of clouds.


    From a distance, the sky over this place could only be described as spectacular.


    Many spirit-communing demonic beasts looked up in shock at this unprecedented celestial phenomenon.


    Fortunately, no humans were around. Otherwise, they would have thought a rare treasure was emerging.


    Soon, the spiritual energy within thirty miles was drained, and the energy from beyond thirty miles was also being absorbed, forming a vast vortex of spiritual energy pouring into the cave dwelling.


    Despite this, Xu Hei still felt the spiritual energy was coming too slowly.


    "Not enough, not enough!"


    Xu Hei''s heart stirred, and a thousand spirit stones fell from his storage bag, placed all around.


    As soon as the spirit stones appeared, the concentration of spiritual energy in the cave dwelling skyrocketed, but it didn''t take long for Xu Hei to absorb them all.


    The spirit stones quickly lost their color, turning to residue and disintegrating into ashes.


    Fortunately, this measure was effective. Under the frenzied devouring of the Demon God Cauldron, Xu Hei''s spiritual foundation gradually took shape.


    He took out a bottle of Minor Essence Nurturing Pills and swallowed them whole, along with the remaining demonic beast meat, for the final push.


    A month later.


    The celestial phenomenon in the sky persisted, with rays of light shooting up.


    At this moment, the spiritual foundation within Xu Hei''s Demon God Cauldron was complete, emitting terrifying spiritual resonance that shot into the sky, scattering light at the horizon.


    Initially, the light was white, gradually turning pale blue.


    "Pale blue spiritual energy, this is perfect Foundation Establishment."


    Xu Hei thought to himself, maintaining his focus and continuing to absorb the remaining spirit stones.


    The light in the sky deepened from pale blue to deep blue and continued to transform.


    According to Hei Huang, beyond perfect Foundation Establishment, the color would deepen further.


    Three days passed, and the light turned pale purple, as if purple energy was coming from the east, a magnificent sight.


    Such a phenomenon could be considered a wonder of the world!


    Xu Hei didn''t know that in ancient times, perfect Foundation Establishment had several levels: pale blue, deep blue, and purple.


    Most cultivators achieved only the first level.


    Purple spiritual energy was extremely rare even in the peak of ancient times, requiring not only the twelfth layer of the Qi Refining stage at Great Perfection but also top-tier cultivation techniques, supreme spiritual roots, and perfect comprehension.


    All these conditions were indispensable!


    Such a cultivator, once successfully establishing their foundation, would be a terrifying existence, causing calamities.


    If Xu Hei were in that era, achieving purple spiritual energy, or even deep purple, would be easy.


    But now, with the scarcity of spiritual energy, even with the most extraordinary talent and powerful techniques, true perfection was unattainable.


    Under the purple light, the creatures in this area also benefited, undergoing evolution, an additional boon from the purple energy.


    Xu Hei''s scales grew rapidly, soon covering his entire body, except for a spot between his eyebrows.


    No one knew how much time had passed.


    The celestial phenomenon gradually dissipated, the clouds scattered, and the purple energy returned to the cave dwelling.


    The vortex of spiritual energy also vanished.


    All movements in the world came to a complete halt.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of air.


    At this moment, he no longer appeared as the previous Black Yin Snake but as a new species covered in Black Gold Scales.


    His body was three meters long but could stretch freely, with flexibility beyond imagination, reaching over ten meters.


    The spiritual foundation within the Demon God Cauldron was complete, emitting purple spiritual energy that flowed through his meridians, a type of energy Xu Hei had never heard of.


    "Now, I am at the early Foundation Establishment stage, but the Flood Dragon hasn''t appeared."


    Xu Hei pondered.


    His divine sense locked onto the Demon God Cauldron, trying to contact the Flood Dragon statue, but there was no response.


    This contradicted the previous agreement that once he established his foundation, he would be told the truth.


    "Senior, are you playing me?" Xu Hei transmitted.


    The Flood Dragon remained silent.


    Xu Hei sighed. Since he had already established his foundation, it didn''t matter if the Flood Dragon appeared or not.


    However, Xu Hei soon discovered a problem.


    His cultivation had stagnated.


    His mysterious cultivation technique seemed to only allow him to reach the early Foundation Establishment stage, with nothing beyond.


    Xu Hei took out a Minor Essence Nurturing Pill, a second-tier pill for Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    He swallowed it in one gulp and quickly refined it according to his previous cultivation steps, but his cultivation didn''t budge, and his true qi didn''t increase at all.


    "Indeed, my cultivation has stopped. The previous cultivation technique is now useless," Xu Hei thought.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect''s techniques were divided into layers: the first layer, the second layer, the third layer...


    Xu Hei''s mysterious technique seemed to have only the first layer, a fragment.


    It really was missing a crucial piece.

 Chapter 95: Xu Hei descends the mountain to seek the Way

    Chapter 95: Xu Hei descends the mountain to seek the WayThe Art of Earth Puppetry not only allows one to refine puppets but also includes a comprehensive cultivation technique, detailing every step from Foundation Establishment to Core Formation.


    Xu Hei felt a bit unwilling. He knew that his possession of purple True Qi was entirely due to that mysterious cultivation technique, and he didn''t want to switch to another.


    "Senior, can you give me a response?"


    Xu Hei continued to try to make contact, but there was still no response.


    "Strange! Such a powerful existence shouldn''t deceive me."


    Xu Hei''s face showed doubt, wondering if he hadn''t met the requirements.


    At this moment, whether it was his internal spiritual foundation or his external aura, he was undoubtedly at the Foundation Establishment stage.


    Compared to other Foundation Establishment cultivators he had seen before, Xu Hei''s aura was purer and more robust, and his Divine Sense range had exceeded a thousand meters.


    The only thing that didn''t match Xu Hei''s expectations was his Black Gold Scales, which were still missing one piece.


    It was his forehead, still missing the final piece of scale!


    "Could it be because of this scale? My cultivation has reached Foundation Establishment, but my physical body is still lacking?" Xu Hei pondered.


    In the following days, he tried devouring demonic beast meat, even consuming part of the Purple Crystal Thunder Lion, and took some body-tempering pills.


    Xu Hei could feel his physical body growing stronger.


    But that last piece of scale remained motionless.


    "Strange."


    Xu Hei shook his head.


    He didn''t dwell on it and instead took out his puppets, using the Art of Earth Puppetry to reinforce them all.


    As for his own cultivation, if it was stagnant, so be it.


    In a few days, he planned to go down the mountain, consult some human sects'' classics, and thoroughly study the techniques of the Five Great Sects. Perhaps he could find some clues.


    As for asking Hei Huang, that dog didn''t know when it would come out of seclusion, so he couldn''t rely on it for now.


    Now that he had successfully reached Foundation Establishment, Xu Hei felt more confident. With the war between the two countries, as long as Xu Hei was cautious, he would be safe.


    Even if he was really unlucky and encountered a Core Formation old monster, he still had the life-saving item given by Hei Huang, which was said to be able to split anything in the world fifty-fifty. Xu Hei was actually eager to try it out.


    ...


    Next, Xu Hei made full preparations.


    Besides reinforcing his puppets, Xu Hei also needed to refine two flying swords. At the same time, he needed to update his own magical treasures, talismans, and pills.


    He spent five days reinforcing his main puppets to the Foundation Establishment level.


    Then, he took out the Ice and Fire Ivory, cut off a part, and spent three days crafting two flying swords.


    Thus, Xu Hei now had three ivory flying swords.


    Xu Hei named them: Spirit-Breaking Sword, Extreme Frost Sword, and Heaven-Burning Sword.


    However, the power of the latter two swords was too great, reaching the peak of the second tier. With Xu Hei''s Divine Sense, he could barely control them, far less smoothly than the Spirit-Breaking Sword.


    Xu Hei mainly used the Spirit-Breaking Sword.


    The leftover materials from the Spirit-Devouring Elephant''s ivory were melted down into some Spirit-Breaking Needles for auxiliary use. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After that, he selected a Fire Thunder Seal and a Wind-Stabilizing Pearl from Sun Jian''s collection and carried the old ape''s iron pot on his back, all of which were mid-grade Spiritual Treasures.


    In terms of defense, his entire body was covered in Black Gold Scales, which could basically ignore most attacks.


    "It''s time to go down the mountain. I want to empty the human Scripture Repository."


    Xu Hei thought to himself as he climbed out of his cave dwelling and arrived outside.


    Xiao Chou had already successfully reached Foundation Establishment and was lying in the valley, sunbathing in a strange posture.


    "Senior, are you going down the mountain?"


    Xiao Chou raised his head excitedly when he saw Xu Hei coming out of the cave.


    "That''s right." Xu Hei nodded.


    "Can I come with you?"


    Xiao Chou''s face turned serious as he said, "Now that I''ve reached Foundation Establishment, I have some scores to settle with certain people."


    Xu Hei knew what he had been through and nodded without hesitation, "Alright, but you must follow my lead."


    "Good!"


    Xiao Chou followed, looking a bit excited.


    He had waited for this day for far too long. The humiliation of being hunted down and nearly losing his life could finally be washed away! He only hoped those people were still alive and hadn''t died too soon!


    Thus, one man and one snake left the valley and headed down the mountain.


    "By the way, Senior Hei, I encountered a lot of trouble during my Foundation Establishment. I almost died. Let me tell you about it."


    Xiao Chou followed behind, chattering excitedly.


    Perhaps it had been too long since he had spoken to anyone, Xiao Chou turned into a chatterbox, talking non-stop along the way.


    "Senior, you wouldn''t believe it. At the critical moment of my Foundation Establishment, the Spiritual Qi around me suddenly disappeared. Within a ten-mile radius, not a drop was left, causing me to fail my breakthrough! It''s infuriating. I don''t know which bastard did it!"


    Xiao Chou cursed.


    Xu Hei''s mouth twitched, but he chose to remain silent.


    "That wasn''t the worst part. Later, when I tried to break through again, an extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon appeared nearby, almost scaring me to death!"


    Xiao Chou complained again.


    Xu Hei was instantly shocked.


    An extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon? What was going on?


    Cultivators defy the heavens, and during breakthroughs, there is a small chance of attracting an extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon, also known as external demonic possession.


    But this usually only happens to Core Formation cultivators during their Nascent Soul formation, and only to those with extraordinary talent, one in a million.


    For example, the Mountain-moving Patriarch died due to an extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon.


    "Damn it! I''m just a small Foundation Establishment cultivator. How could I attract an extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon? It''s ridiculous. I suspect they made a mistake." Xiao Chou cursed.


    At this point, he fell silent, not speaking for the rest of the journey.


    Xu Hei was eagerly waiting to hear more, but Xiao Chou suddenly stopped talking, which made Xu Hei quite annoyed.


    He wanted to prompt him to continue, but Xu Hei didn''t know how to start.


    "And then?"


    After holding back for a long time, Xu Hei couldn''t help but ask.


    "Oh? So you were listening, Senior. I thought you weren''t paying attention." Xiao Chou said in surprise.


    "I suddenly feel like punching you." Xu Hei said honestly.


    "Don''t dare, don''t dare!" Xiao Chou quickly returned to the main topic and continued, "Later, for some unknown reason, that extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon entered a spatial rift and disappeared. The demon''s expression seemed like it had encountered something terrifying."


    "Of course, it might have been an illusion caused by a cultivation mishap."


    Xiao Chou quickly added, as the whole thing was too outrageous. How could an extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon appear during a Foundation Establishment?


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and also felt it was an illusion. How could an extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon target Xiao Chou?


    Xiao Chou had indeed been through a lot, with a difficult and troubled path to Foundation Establishment.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and asked, "After failing twice, how did you finally reach Foundation Establishment?"


    "Later, Senior Bai successfully refined a Foundation Establishment Pill and asked me to test it. I couldn''t resist and took it." Xiao Chou said.


    Xu Hei immediately stopped, staring at Xiao Chou, examining him closely.


    "What''s wrong?"


    Xiao Chou felt a bit uneasy under the scrutiny.


    "Are you alright? Any side effects?" Xu Hei asked curiously.


    "No, I''m perfectly fine. How could there be any side effects? Senior Bai''s other pills might be unreliable, but the Foundation Establishment Pill is absolutely fine!"


    Xiao Chou said confidently.


    Xu Hei examined him again for a long time but didn''t find anything wrong, so he said, "Let''s continue on our way."


    "Alright!"


    Xiao Chou slithered along like a snake, following behind.

 Chapter 96: This punch can only be endured for five seconds

    Chapter 96: This punch can only be endured for five secondsXu Hei had two choices for his descent from the mountain: the Purple Mist Sect or the Mountain Movers Sect.


    In terms of strength, the Purple Mist Sect was undoubtedly the weaker option. With the fall of Patriarch He Luohua, there was no longer a Core Formation Stage expert to hold the fort, significantly increasing the safety factor.


    Moreover, Xu Hei had been to the Purple Mist Sect once before and had experience in sneaking around, making him quite familiar with the place.


    Xu Hei decided to head to the Purple Mist Sect first to take a look.


    However, after spending three days traveling to the Purple Mist Sect, he found the place completely deserted, with not a single disciple in sight.


    All the houses and pavilions were empty, and even the medicinal gardens had been thoroughly cleaned out.


    Only a few unattended spirit beasts remained, wreaking havoc on the ecosystem.


    "Have they... moved?" Xu Hei''s face showed a hint of suspicion.


    He used the Earth Escape Technique to reach the former location of the Purple Mist Pavilion, only to find that the entire building was gone, undoubtedly moved by someone.


    There were no signs of battle or bloodshed, indicating that it was a voluntary relocation.


    Xu Hei searched around but only found a few outer disciples on the periphery.


    To be cautious, Xu Hei didn''t ask anyone and simply turned to leave.


    "Senior, aren''t you going to ask someone?" Xiao Chou asked in confusion.


    "What''s there to ask? Without a Core Formation expert, the Purple Mist Sect is vulnerable in these troubled times. Moving to seek protection from the Snake Catchers Sect is quite reasonable."


    Xu Hei had figured it out and wasn''t surprised.


    The head of the Purple Mist Sect had formed a Dao companionship with a significant figure from the Snake Catchers Sect, so such a move was easily arranged.


    Unexpected, but reasonable.


    Xiao Chou looked disappointed. He had hoped to settle a score with a woman who had humiliated him before.


    With no other choice, they turned and headed for the Mountain Movers Sect.


    Going to the Mountain Movers Sect had its advantages. Xiao Chou was a disciple there and could use his disciple token to enter openly.


    "Aren''t you afraid of trouble, showing up like this when you''re wanted by the Snake Catchers Sect?" Xu Hei asked.


    "That was before. Now that I''m in the Foundation Establishment Stage, who would dare trouble me?" Xiao Chou said proudly.


    In the late Qi Refining Stage, he was just an inner disciple. But in the Foundation Establishment Stage, he was at the elder level. Hua Yuntian didn''t have the power to make the Mountain Movers Sect hand over an elder.


    After a moment of contemplation, Xu Hei decided to go with Xiao Chou to take a look.


    The Mountain Movers Sect was one of his backup options anyway.


    The Mountain Movers Sect was at the pinnacle of Earth Spiritual Roots research in the Chu Kingdom, making it the best place for Xu Hei to learn Earth Element Spells.


    After another two days of travel, they arrived at the Mountain Movers Sect''s mountain gate.


    Before them stood a towering mountain, its edges steep and its middle flat and expansive. It was said that the Mountain-moving Patriarch had spent many years moving mountains from all over the Chu Kingdom to form this one.


    After half a year, Xiao Chou returned to his homeland, feeling a mix of emotions.


    "Xiao Chou, why do I feel like there''s something off about the way you walk?" Xu Hei couldn''t help but ask.


    "Hmm? What''s off?" Xiao Chou wiggled his hind limbs, slithering forward like a snake.


    "Aren''t humans supposed to walk upright?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei pointed ahead, where an outer disciple was walking up the mountain.


    Xiao Chou was stunned for a full five seconds before he realized.


    "Hey, that''s right! I walk on two legs!"


    He quickly stood up and walked back and forth but felt awkward and continued to crawl on the ground, frowning in thought.


    "Strange, why is this happening?"


    Xiao Chou couldn''t figure it out.


    To avoid strange looks, he decided to walk upright, even though it felt awkward.


    Xu Hei shrank his body to a meter and was stuffed into a sack by Xiao Chou, who slung it over his shoulder and headed for the mountain gate.


    Before long, they reached the entrance halfway up the mountain.


    "Stop!"


    The gatekeeping disciple glanced at Xiao Chou, looked closely for a while, rubbed his eyes, and his face changed dramatically. "Xiao Chou? Is that you?"


    "Is there a problem?" Xiao Chou''s face was expressionless.


    "You''re not dead?" The gatekeeping disciple was shocked.


    "What do you mean? Who said I was dead?"


    Xiao Chou squinted his eyes, feeling puzzled.


    The gatekeeping disciple''s face turned strange, and he hesitated to speak.


    Feeling the overwhelming pressure from Xiao Chou, the gatekeeping disciple swallowed hard and explained honestly.


    "It''s like this. Last year, you were wanted by the Snake Catchers Sect and fled into the deep mountains. After being missing for half a year, the sect removed you from the roster and listed you as deceased."


    "Your cave dwelling and all your belongings were handed over to your relatives."


    The gatekeeping disciple was only in the early Qi Refining Stage and didn''t dare offend an inner disciple. He explained everything in detail.


    "Relatives? My parents are mortals. What relatives?" Xiao Chou glared, feeling something was off.


    "That, I don''t know. But it was two female cultivators wearing Purple Mist Sect robes. You can go back and check for yourself," the gatekeeping disciple said hurriedly.


    Hearing this, Xiao Chou''s eyes immediately flared with anger.


    He stepped forward and rushed into the mountain gate at an incredible speed, heading straight for his cave dwelling.


    ...


    Inside the Mountain Movers Sect, the inner disciples'' residences were different from those of the Purple Mist Sect. All disciples lived inside the mountain, with cave dwellings allocated based on their cultivation levels.


    It was said that the center of the mountain contained half a spiritual vein, making the spiritual energy in the cave dwellings much denser. Many disciples from other sects envied the Mountain Movers Sect for this.


    At this moment, inside Xiao Chou''s cave dwelling, sat two female disciples from the Purple Mist Sect.


    Xu Hei had seen these two before; they lived next to Silver Bell and had constantly mocked and ridiculed Xiao Chou.


    A month ago, they had used special means to take over Xiao Chou''s cave dwelling.


    "Elder Qiu, this is the contract for their Dao companionship. It clearly states that if Xiao Chou dies, all his property belongs to Silver Bell. As her sister, I have the right to inherit it," Xu Mei said with a flirtatious smile.


    "Haha, well said. I''ll open the cave dwelling and take out that kid''s belongings right away."


    Elder Qiu of the Mountain Movers Sect laughed heartily, forcibly opened the cave dwelling, and handed it over to Xu Mei.


    All the items inside were also given to Xu Mei.


    In fact, Xu Mei and Elder Qiu had been secretly involved for a long time, and this was just a natural progression of their relationship.


    Elder Qiu would occasionally visit the cave dwelling to meet Xu Mei for illicit activities.


    This time, Xu Mei had even brought her good sister along for a threesome.


    "Dual cultivating with a Foundation Establishment cultivator is extremely effective. In just a month, I''ve reached the ninth level of the Qi Refining Stage."


    "Haha, I should thank you for letting me benefit as well."


    The two chatted happily.


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, the cave dwelling''s door was blasted open with a punch.


    Xu Mei and her sister were startled awake and looked outside.


    "Who dares to barge into my cave dwelling? Are you tired of living?" Xu Mei shouted in anger after realizing someone had intruded.


    At the cave dwelling''s entrance, dust rose, and a young figure walked in from outside.


    This person had a bundle hanging from his waist, was travel-worn, had dark skin, and an ordinary appearance. His eyes burned with fiery anger¡ªit was Xiao Chou.


    "It''s you?"


    Xu Mei was shocked, thinking she was seeing things.


    "You... you''re not dead!"


    Xu Chun, beside her, widened her eyes in disbelief.


    They were very familiar with Xiao Chou, having often mocked and ridiculed him. How could they not recognize him?


    Xiao Chou just stared at them silently.


    "You''ve got some nerve! Don''t you know Hua Yuntian is looking for you? How dare you come back to court death!" Xu Mei reacted quickly and scolded with a flushed face.


    She knew how to deal with such men; she had to be tough.


    Xu Chun also threatened, "If you''re smart, leave now, and we''ll pretend nothing happened. Otherwise, when Young Master Hua arrives, it''ll be your death!"


    They were smart women. If Xiao Chou wasn''t dead, they would likely have to give up the cave dwelling.


    Their dual cultivation plans with Elder Qiu would be ruined, which was unacceptable.


    So, Xiao Chou had to die!


    Given Xiao Chou''s cowardly nature, he might just submit to their threats. After all, they had mocked him countless times before, and he never dared to say a word.


    Xiao Chou remained expressionless and coldly said, "Do you know what it means to be overbearing?"


    Xu Mei sneered, "Oh? A lowly coward dares to resist? Kneel and lick my toes, and maybe I''ll spare you..."


    "Bang!!"


    Her words were cut off by a punch.


    Xu Mei''s nose bled, her face caved in, and she was sent flying, crashing into the stone wall with a bloody head.


    With just one punch, her face was disfigured!


    Xu Chun''s expression changed drastically, as if she had seen a ghost.


    Who was this? Xiao Chou?


    How was this possible? Xiao Chou was a coward, a simp who couldn''t even speak clearly to women. How could he hit a woman?


    "You... you dare hit..." Xu Chun''s voice trembled, but she couldn''t help but threaten.


    "Bang!!"


    Another heavy punch landed on Xu Chun''s face.


    Her teeth flew out, and her head was twisted, nearly breaking her neck, as she crashed into the ceiling.


    "Boom!!"


    The entire cave dwelling shook, and dust fell.


    Both women were knocked down with a single punch.


    At this moment, Xiao Chou seemed like a different person.


    "I''ve been honing this punch for five years!"


    Xiao Chou clenched his fist, his eyes red, and said through gritted teeth, "But from now on, I''ll only endure for five seconds!"

 Chapter 97: Mountain Movers Sect Earth Relocation Spell

    Chapter 97: Mountain Movers Sect Earth Relocation Spell"Whoosh!!"


    Elder Qiu sped towards Xiao Chou''s cave dwelling at an incredible speed. Just moments ago, he had received a distress signal from Xu Mei.


    Originally, Xu Mei had brought along a sister, planning to dual cultivate together. Elder Qiu had even prepared some pills to enhance the experience, but things had gone awry.


    As Elder Qiu neared the cave dwelling, a figure suddenly appeared before him, blocking his path.


    "You..."


    Seeing the person, Elder Qiu''s eyes widened in disbelief. "It''s you?"


    "That''s right, it''s me, Xiao Chou," Xiao Chou said with a bright smile.


    "You didn''t die?" Elder Qiu''s eyes narrowed.


    "I was hunted down but managed to survive," Xiao Chou replied with a smile.


    Ignoring him, Elder Qiu tried to bypass Xiao Chou and head straight for the cave dwelling.


    "Elder Qiu, what are you doing? The cave dwelling is my private territory. According to sect rules, no one is allowed to trespass, not even an elder."


    Xiao Chou took two steps back, blocking the entrance to his cave dwelling.


    "Move aside!"


    "No!"


    "Do you have a death wish?"


    Elder Qiu''s gaze turned sinister, and a powerful aura began to press down on Xiao Chou. However, Xiao Chou remained unmoved, a glint of determination in his eyes.


    Elder Qiu''s gaze turned cold. He raised his hand and launched a fireball, but Xiao Chou caught it effortlessly and flung it aside, where it exploded in mid-air.


    This display of skill made Elder Qiu''s eyes widen in shock.


    He had heard that this young man, when fully unleashed, could fight Hua Yuntian to a standstill and even severely injure him, breaking one of his arms.


    Though Xiao Chou was only at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage, his true strength was not to be underestimated.


    "As an elder, I''m merely conducting a routine inspection to see if you''re harboring any enemies in your cave dwelling. Is there a problem with that?" Elder Qiu''s tone softened slightly.


    "Fine." Xiao Chou waved his hand, and the door to the cave dwelling opened.


    Inside, there was nothing.


    Elder Qiu glanced around the entrance. The two women were long gone, likely reduced to bones.


    "What a ruthless method..."


    Elder Qiu''s heart turned cold, but he didn''t act out. After all, if this matter were exposed, he would lose face as well.


    He had privately given a disciple''s cave dwelling to his lover, and even as an elder, he would face severe punishment.


    He said nothing more and turned to leave.


    Xiao Chou also refrained from acting out. In the Mountain Movers Sect, causing too much trouble wasn''t wise. Killing an elder was no small crime.


    "Xiao Chou, let me remind you, our four-sect alliance has strict military regulations against killing allies. Don''t leave any evidence behind."


    Elder Qiu''s words were meaningful as he disappeared down the corridor.


    Xiao Chou had heard about the four-sect alliance on the way.


    The Mountain Movers Sect, Carefree Sect, Purple Mist Sect, and Tai Xuan Sect had formed an alliance, led by the Heavenly Puppet Sect, to attack the Chu Kingdom.


    As for the Snake Catchers Sect, they were not participating in the fighting but were providing logistical support.


    Allies were forbidden from killing each other, and the consequences of being caught were severe.


    "Why didn''t you kill him?" Xu Hei asked, puzzled.


    "This is the Mountain Movers Sect. If I kill him, it will be hard to escape," Xiao Chou replied helplessly.


    Xu Hei said, "Then let''s take care of him tonight and then run away."


    Xiao Chou was speechless. Why was it necessary to kill a mere Foundation Establishment elder? He wasn''t a significant threat.


    Xu Hei didn''t bother to explain.


    He only understood one principle: eliminate any potential threats without mercy.


    "Killing him tonight isn''t impossible, but the items you need might be hard to obtain," Xiao Chou said.


    Xu Hei hesitated.


    "Then let''s hurry."


    "Understood!"


    After that, Xiao Chou left Xu Hei in the cave dwelling and went to the sect''s main hall to report his successful Foundation Establishment to his master, Shi Longzi.


    However, he was informed that his master, Shi Longzi, had gone to the front lines in Chuyang City and wouldn''t be back for a while.


    "Xiao Chou, if you have any matters, you can report them to me. During the war, I can handle all internal affairs," said the elder in the main hall calmly.


    Xiao Chou reported truthfully, "I have successfully established my foundation and seek Foundation Establishment stage cultivation techniques, spells, and the rewards for becoming an elder."


    The elder in the main hall was taken aback.


    After a thorough examination, confirming Xiao Chou''s Foundation Establishment, the elder was filled with surprise. He took a deep breath and nodded heavily.


    "Under normal circumstances, the process would take at least half a month. But given the current situation, many steps can be skipped."


    "Follow me."


    "......"


    After a detailed inspection, Xiao Chou successfully received the rewards for becoming a Foundation Establishment elder.


    At the same time, Xiao Chou''s information was reported to the higher-ups. Within three days, he would likely receive orders to head to the front lines.


    "With the war intensifying, all Foundation Establishment cultivators will be assigned to the front lines. If you desert, there will be severe punishments, including the revocation of your elder status and the destruction of your cultivation. Be careful."


    The elder reminded him.


    "Thank you for the warning!" Xiao Chou cupped his hands in gratitude.


    He returned to his cave dwelling and opened his storage bag, stunned by the wealth of resources inside.


    Xu Hei was also taken aback.


    A thousand spirit stones, three bottles of Pei Yuan Pills, countless recovery pills, two flying swords, and even two spiritual treasures, one for attack and one for defense...


    There was also a third-tier talisman capable of defending against a Core Formation stage attack.


    As for the jade slips Xu Hei needed, there were too many to count.


    "No wonder it''s wartime; the resources are abundant!" Xiao Chou exclaimed.


    "Are you heading to the battlefield?" Xu Hei asked curiously.


    "Yes! If I don''t go, I''ll be considered a deserter and punished! A few days of delay are fine, but if it''s too long and affects the war, my cultivation will be destroyed," Xiao Chou said helplessly.


    Xu Hei said no more and began examining the jade slips one by one.


    These spell jade slips usually required a large number of contribution points to exchange.


    Now, to enhance their combat power, the sects were not holding back.


    From these jade slips, Xu Hei learned several powerful spells.


    "Mountain Embrace Seal, second-tier advanced."


    "Stone Vein Technique, second-tier advanced."


    "Falling Stars, second-tier peak."


    "......"


    Xu Hei''s target was only those second-tier advanced spells, which had the power of late Foundation Establishment.


    Although Xu Hei had never fought a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, he felt that with his previous methods, he could handle mid-stage opponents. Intermediate spells didn''t add much to his power.


    To become stronger, he had to learn second-tier advanced spells.


    These would be his trump cards against late Foundation Establishment cultivators!


    Of course, with Xu Hei''s current strength, he believed it would still be difficult to contend with some veteran late Foundation Establishment cultivators. Even within the same realm, the difference in strength could be vast.


    Xu Hei had experienced this firsthand.


    For example, that old ape, who was only at the Great Perfection of the Spirit Communion Stage, could still injure him, who was at the same stage.


    Xu Hei couldn''t guarantee that he would win against a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, or even a mid-stage one.


    Especially after seeing Xiao Chou obtain a third-tier defensive talisman, this thought grew stronger. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An hour later, Xu Hei had read through all the jade slips, recording the cultivation steps in his mind.


    At the same time, he had obtained the main cultivation technique of the Mountain Movers Sect, the second layer of the Mountain Moving and Ridge Shifting Technique.


    Although Xu Hei''s cultivation hadn''t advanced, acquiring this knowledge had rapidly increased his combat methods. With more practice, his strength would be incomparable.


    He didn''t need to find a place to test; he could directly experiment on people.


    "It''s time to kill," Xu Hei thought.


    Xu Hei locked onto a red dot on the jade slip. That night, he and Xiao Chou stealthily moved towards their target.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Mountain Movers Sect, back mountain.


    Elder Qiu paced back and forth, his expression anxious.


    "Damn it, I''ve sent the message jade slip all afternoon, why hasn''t there been any response?"

 Chapter 98: Spell and Magical Treasure Clash

    Chapter 98: Spell and Magical Treasure ClashElder Qiu, whose full name is Qiu Hua, was one of the few who remained loyal to the sect.


    Originally, he planned to make things difficult for Xiao Chou, assigning him to deadly positions or finding opportunities to eliminate him secretly.


    But when he learned that Xiao Chou had become an elder in the Foundation Establishment Stage, he couldn''t sit still.


    He immediately sent a message to the alliance, reporting Xiao Chou for killing allies and demanding evidence be submitted.


    Killing two allies was no small crime!


    Although he himself couldn''t escape blame, his extensive connections meant he could easily get away with a minor charge of negligence. But Xiao Chou would be in serious trouble.


    Now, with the need for a suicide squad, Xiao Chou''s fate would likely be to have his soul imprinted and be sent to the front lines as cannon fodder.


    A Foundation Establishment Stage cannon fodder was hard to come by.


    "They''re here!" Qiu Hua''s face lit up with excitement.


    In the distance, two figures, a man and a woman, flew in on swords. They were enforcers from the Four Sects Alliance, both in the mid-Foundation Establishment Stage.


    "Are you the one who reported someone from the Mountain Movers Sect for killing allied disciples?" The red-haired woman looked down at him coldly.


    "That''s right, here''s what happened..."


    Facing the enforcers, he didn''t dare hide anything and recounted the events in detail, including his own actions.


    A flicker of disgust passed through the red-haired woman''s eyes.


    While others were fighting and dying on the front lines, this old man was enjoying himself at home, even indulging in secret affairs.


    "My actions have shamed the position of elder. I am willing to volunteer for the front lines at Chuyang City to atone for my sins!" Qiu Hua clasped his hands and half-knelt on the ground, eyes full of regret.


    His attitude left the red-haired woman momentarily stunned.


    "Hehe, Elder Qiu, there''s no need for such dramatics. It''s a small matter. Those two female cultivators from the Purple Mist Sect were also seeking their own cultivation. What''s wrong with mutual benefit?" The middle-aged male enforcer stepped forward and helped Qiu Hua up.


    During their interaction, a storage bag was quietly passed from Qiu Hua to the man, who tucked it into his waistband.


    "I... I truly feel guilty. If I don''t go to the front lines, I won''t be able to cultivate in peace!" Qiu Hua spoke with tears and remorse.


    The middle-aged male cultivator responded with polite words, both of them seasoned veterans of such situations.


    However, the red-haired woman was new and didn''t understand the nuances, thinking the old man was genuinely remorseful, and nodded secretly.


    "Do you really want to die that badly?"


    Suddenly, a cold voice echoed.


    Xiao Chou appeared behind Qiu Hua, standing like a tower, eyes sharp as lightning, fists clenched.


    "Xiao Chou?" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Qiu Hua was startled, then a look of joy flashed in his eyes. This person had walked right into his trap.


    The middle-aged man raised an eyebrow and said indifferently, "So, you''re Xiao Chou? Perfect timing. We suspect you of murdering allies. Come with us!"


    Xiao Chou remained calm, "I didn''t kill anyone."


    Of course, he hadn''t killed anyone; Xu Hei had done it.


    "Whether you did or not, we will investigate. Don''t make things worse for yourself!" The middle-aged cultivator said coldly.


    Seeing Xiao Chou unmoved, the red-haired woman advised, "Xiao Chou, Elder Qiu''s evidence isn''t enough to convict you. If you''re innocent, we will clear your name."


    Qiu Hua pointed at him and shouted angrily, "I saw you kill with my own eyes. How can it be false..."


    "Thud!!!"


    Suddenly, a massive spike shot up from the ground at an incredible speed, striking Qiu Hua from below.


    "Boom!!"


    A protective barrier shattered, and Qiu Hua, terrified, hurriedly took out a defensive magical artifact. But then, an ivory flying sword slashed across his throat, sending his head flying and blood spurting.


    "Stop!" The middle-aged cultivator''s face changed drastically, but it was too late. The sudden attack left no time to react.


    Qiu Hua''s flying head had wide-open eyes, full of disbelief.


    He couldn''t believe he was killed right under the enforcers'' noses.


    "No..."


    Fear lingered in Qiu Hua''s eyes as his head hit the ground, and his headless body collapsed.


    This actor, who had played his role all his life, finally met his end at the hands of a brute.


    "As you wished, I killed him."


    Xiao Chou''s cold voice slowly echoed.


    He had understood one thing.


    ¡ªWhen someone accuses you of murder, it''s best to actually kill.


    The two enforcers were stunned. In all their years of enforcing, they had never seen such a brazen act, killing right under their noses.


    "Attack!"


    Xu Hei gave them no time to think. He immediately cast spells, releasing a giant snake and a huge frog, which lunged at the middle-aged cultivator. Xiao Chou charged at the red-haired woman.


    The middle-aged cultivator, experienced in countless battles, reacted swiftly. As an enforcer, he had amassed many magical treasures.


    He crushed a golden talisman, forming a protective barrier that blocked the Earth Spike''s attack. Simultaneously, he flicked two purple beads from his storage bag, shooting them into the mouths of the giant frog and snake.


    Xu Hei reacted quickly, making the puppets retreat and activating the Gravity Technique, suspending the beads in mid-air.


    "Explode!"


    The middle-aged cultivator shouted, and the beads exploded, lightning flashing and thundering, creating a deep chasm within a hundred feet.


    Although the puppets avoided the explosion, they were charred black and lost their combat ability.


    "Thunder Tribulation Pearls?"


    Xu Hei squinted, then shook his head, "No, just imitations!"


    True Thunder Tribulation Pearls absorbed the power of heavenly tribulations, their power comparable to a minor heavenly tribulation, capable of threatening even Core Formation Stage cultivators.


    The downside was that they didn''t discriminate between friend and foe, potentially killing the user as well.


    "Still alive?"


    The middle-aged cultivator glanced at Xu Hei in surprise, then shouted at Xiao Chou, "Xiao Chou, attacking enforcers is a serious crime. Surrender now!"


    Xiao Chou had already transformed into battle mode, his body like a small mountain, fists thundering as he fought the red-haired woman fiercely, ignoring the man.


    "Swish!"


    A flying sword flashed like lightning, stabbing at the middle-aged cultivator. The protective barrier around him shattered upon contact, and the spiritual energy dissipated instantly.


    This flying sword was Xu Hei''s Spirit-Breaking Sword.


    "This sword is strange!"


    The middle-aged cultivator squinted, taking out a gourd. Opening the gourd''s stopper, a powerful suction force erupted, pulling Xu Hei''s Spirit-Breaking Sword towards it.


    The Sword-Swallowing Gourd, specifically designed to devour flying swords, was the nemesis of all flying swords!


    If not for the sword''s strong suppression of spiritual energy, it would have been swallowed already.


    "Gravity Technique!"


    Xu Hei focused, applying the Gravity Technique to the gourd. The middle-aged cultivator used the same technique, resulting in a stalemate.


    But then, the middle-aged cultivator was horrified to find that his Gravity Technique couldn''t compete with this Foundation Establishment Stage great demon?


    The Sword-Swallowing Gourd slowly moved towards Xu Hei.


    "How is this possible?"


    The middle-aged cultivator was shocked. Not only was his cultivation higher, but the gourd was also refined with his imprint. How could it be forcibly taken?


    Even a late Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator couldn''t achieve this!


    Xu Hei realized that his purple True Qi could suppress this person in quality.


    This suppression transcended cultivation levels, an upper-level suppression over a lower level!


    Though the man''s cultivation was higher, his True Qi quality was inferior to Xu Hei''s.


    However, Xu Hei had just entered the Foundation Establishment Stage, and his True Qi wasn''t as deep. Within a few breaths, he had consumed a lot.


    Xu Hei didn''t continue the stalemate. He quickly swallowed a Rejuvenation Pill and cast the Sandstorm Technique!


    "Boom boom boom!!!"


    In an instant, winds howled, sand filled the sky, and a massive storm erupted, lifting the ground as if to blow away the entire mountain.


    The middle-aged cultivator quickly retrieved the gourd, took out a green pearl, and formed a wind-resistant barrier around him, ignoring the storm.


    "Damn! This guy has so many magical treasures!"


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly. The people he had killed mainly relied on spells, occasionally using flying swords, but he had never encountered someone with so many magical treasures.


    In comparison, Xu Hei had very few magical treasures and rarely used them. He wasn''t skilled in their use either.


    The middle-aged cultivator was equally shocked. Despite his higher cultivation, he was at a disadvantage, barely able to defend himself.


    This was the first time Bai Xiu had encountered such a situation.


    "This demon isn''t simple. Though it appears to be in the early Foundation Establishment Stage, its True Qi can suppress mine. The situation on the other side isn''t good either. I can''t drag this out."


    Bai Xiu took out a black flag from his storage bag. It quickly expanded into a giant sail in his palm.


    Instantly, the sky darkened, and the sound of ghostly wails and howls echoed.


    Seeing the giant sail, Xu Hei felt a chill, as if he were in the depths of the underworld.


    He retrieved his Spirit-Breaking Sword and the charred puppets, eyes wary.


    "This giant sail must be his trump card. I can''t give him time to release it."

 Chapter 99: What is reverse cultivation? (1)

    Chapter 99: What is reverse cultivation? (1)Xu Hei''s current usable magical treasures¡ªFire Thunder Seal, Wind-Stabilizing Pearl, and an iron pot¡ªare all mid-grade spiritual treasures, possibly even less powerful than a flying sword.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, swallowed a Divine Explosion Pill, closed his eyes, and calmed his mind.


    Mountain Embrace Seal, an advanced earth spell, requires constant visualization of a massive mountain day and night. Once the mountain''s shadow can be manifested, True Qi is infused to solidify it.


    The stronger the True Qi, the more powerful the mountain.


    This spell demands extremely high earth spiritual roots and comprehension, usually only executable by late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators. Xu Hei, however, had simulated it in his mind countless times.


    Gradually, a shadow of a mountain formed above Bai Xiu''s head.


    "Feel this!"


    Bai Xiu waved a giant sail, releasing gusts of eerie wind. In an instant, countless phantoms emerged, charging straight at Xu Hei.


    These phantoms were invisible to the naked eye but could be sensed through divine sense.


    Xu Hei had never encountered such things before, feeling his scalp tingle.


    He had heard Hei Huang mention that these were soul entities born from deceased cultivators, specialized in devouring human flesh.


    Xu Hei ignored them, his gaze fierce. With a do-or-die attitude, he condensed the Mountain Embrace Seal and pressed it down on Bai Xiu.


    At this moment, retreat was not an option; retreat meant defeat!


    "Boom!!!"


    A colossal mountain formed above Bai Xiu''s head, crushing down like Mount Tai.


    The void where Bai Xiu stood collapsed instantly, the earth roared, and the ground sank into a crater, resembling a cataclysm.


    "Mountain Embrace Seal?"


    Bai Xiu''s face turned pale with horror, as if he''d seen a ghost.


    This move was rare even within the Mountain Movers Sect.


    What kind of snake was this? The sect''s guardian beast?


    From the beginning, he felt something was off about this snake. Only now did he realize it was a monstrous anomaly.


    "Boom!!"


    The mountain crushed Bai Xiu into the ground, while countless phantoms invaded Xu Hei''s body, starting to devour his flesh.


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei took out the Fire Thunder Seal, put it in his mouth, and bit down hard.


    "Boom!"


    The Fire Thunder Seal exploded inside Xu Hei, unleashing terrifying thunder and overwhelming flames, burning his flesh. The violent force spread through his meridians.


    The invading phantoms screamed in agony, their souls dissipating into nothingness.


    But Xu Hei also suffered severe injuries. Letting a mid-grade spiritual treasure explode inside him was no joke. It was fortunate he was Xu Hei; a human would have died many times over.


    This was Xu Hei''s premeditated strategy. He couldn''t retreat, so he resorted to this desperate measure!


    "Who would''ve thought the treasures I prepared would be used this way."


    Xu Hei smiled bitterly inside. Without hesitation, he summoned all his True Qi and launched a crimson flying sword towards his target.


    Heaven-Burning Sword, a peak second-tier magical treasure!


    At this moment, the solidified mountain had disappeared. Bai Xiu, crushed into a pulp, lay in a deep pit, his defensive treasures dim.


    He had many defensive treasures, but time was too short to summon them.


    He didn''t expect the Mountain Embrace Seal to form the moment he used his soul sail, leaving him no time to defend.


    He also didn''t expect Xu Hei to charge through the phantoms to kill him.


    "No, you can''t kill me, Xiao Chou, if you kill me, you..."


    Before he could finish, the Heaven-Burning Sword fell, slashing and burning him into nothingness.


    Xu Hei opened his mouth and sucked in the storage bag.


    As an enforcer, this guy was a fat sheep.


    It was Xu Hei''s first time encountering a cultivator skilled in magical treasures. As a demonic beast, he relied more on his own strength and rarely used magical treasures. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This led to him suffering a great loss in this battle.


    "Foundation Establishment cultivators are not easy to deal with; I can''t underestimate humans."


    Xu Hei thought to himself.


    At this moment, the red-haired woman fighting in the distance saw Bai Xiu''s death and lost all will to fight, turning to flee.


    She knew Bai Xiu was a top-tier mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. Though they were of equal cultivation, she was no match for him.


    "This woman is also mid-stage Foundation Establishment. I must strike with all my might."


    Xu Hei swallowed an explosive essence pill and a Divine Explosion Pill, ignoring the side effects to reach his peak state.


    Then, with a thought, the Heaven-Burning Sword shot towards the red-haired woman, who paled in fear and took out a talisman.


    "Slash!"


    The red-haired woman''s head flew off, her body instantly reduced to ash.


    Only after she disappeared did the light shield from the talisman form, enveloping nothing.


    "Hmm?"


    Xu Hei was stunned, quickly extending his divine sense to search but found nothing.


    He took out a detection jade and checked again, still finding nothing. It was as if the woman had vanished into thin air.


    "Dead?"


    Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    Just like that... gone?


    Seeing the storage bag burned and items scattered, Xu Hei realized she was indeed dead.


    This was absurd. He thought she was a formidable opponent, but she was so weak.


    The gap between her and Bai Xiu was so vast that Xu Hei didn''t even react.


    Xu Hei opened his mouth and sucked in the Heaven-Burning Sword and the scattered items.


    He exchanged a glance with Xiao Chou and quickly left the area.


    The battle seemed long but lasted less than half an incense stick.


    They couldn''t stay in the Mountain Movers Sect any longer. News of the two mid-stage Foundation Establishment enforcers'' deaths would spread quickly.


    During wartime, any Foundation Establishment cultivator could change the course of a battle, and their loss was unacceptable.


    One man and one snake left the Mountain Movers Sect, flying swiftly.


    They didn''t stop until daylight.


    "Xiao Chou, what are your plans?" Xu Hei asked.


    Xiao Chou was silent for a long time before calmly saying, "Senior, I have a request."


    "Speak."


    "I want to leave for a while, to the front lines, Chuyang City," Xiao Chou said.


    Xu Hei was taken aback.


    Going to the front lines was a good way to avoid punishment. The Four Sects Alliance had a rule that any crime could be pardoned if one volunteered as a vanguard.


    This rule, set by the Heavenly Puppet Sect, was inviolable.


    "Why?"


    Xu Hei didn''t understand.


    "I''m from Chu Kingdom. My parents and family are in Chuyang City. I can''t sit idly by; I must save them!"


    Xiao Chou''s eyes were filled with unprecedented determination.


    Xu Hei fell into a dead silence.


    He had misunderstood.


    Xiao Chou didn''t want to go to Qin Kingdom''s front lines but Chu Kingdom''s!


    Wasn''t this courting death?


    Qin Kingdom had the upper hand, with a higher survival rate, while Chu Kingdom''s cultivators had been losing.


    "Senior might not understand why a cultivator would care about mortals. For the sake of cultivation and immortality, what do these matter? What''s the difference between Qin and Chu?"


    Xiao Chou''s words reflected not just Xu Hei''s view but that of all cultivators.


    Many disciples in the Four Sects Alliance had mortal relatives, but few stood up to protect them.


    As cultivators, they were expected to sever mortal ties and be loyal to their sect.


    After countless years, mortals would turn to dust, but the sect would endure.


    "But I can''t bear it. I''ve been cultivating for five years, and my parents and relatives are still alive. I can''t bear to see them leave like this! I can''t!"


    Xiao Chou gritted his teeth, his eyes red with determination as he looked at Xu Hei. "I beg you, Senior, allow me to leave for a while. I swear, if I survive, I will repay your kindness a thousandfold!"


    Xiao Chou knelt and kowtowed to Xu Hei.

 Chapter 100: What is reverse cultivation? (2)

    Chapter 100: What is reverse cultivation? (2)Half an hour later.


    Xiao Chou finally left, his solitary figure disappearing into the distance.


    At first, he crawled on the ground like a snake, but when he reached the mountain peak, he stood up.


    Xu Hei had no reason to stop him; this was the path he had chosen.


    Even if it was a path to death.


    Xu Hei didn''t follow him. He only gave him some magical treasures, talismans, and pills refined by Xu Bai as life-saving items.


    As for the chance of survival, it was almost zero.


    Joining the Qin Kingdom''s side offered a slim chance of survival, but going to the Chu Kingdom was undoubtedly a death sentence.


    Hei Huang had once said that the Heavenly Puppet Sect was no simple matter. Behind it was a colossal force, where even an old monster could easily destroy a kingdom but had no interest in seizing power.


    The defeat of the Chu Kingdom was already certain, and the cession of the Southern Region was inevitable. The only suspense was how long it would take to conquer the entire country.


    "Why can''t he just stay alive and get stronger? Why insist on going to his death? Some human behaviors are truly beyond my understanding," Xu Hei muttered to himself.


    Suddenly, a flash of insight struck Xu Hei''s mind.


    He stared at Xiao Chou''s departing figure and thought of one word¡ª


    Rebellion!


    What is rebellion? Xu Hei had never had a clear answer. He only knew that cultivators inherently defied the heavens, cultivating against the natural order.


    Therefore, during Qi Condensation, the heavens would send down the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations. During Nascent Soul formation, the Fifty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations would descend, and sometimes even extraterrestrial Heavenly Demons would appear.


    Cultivation itself was rebellion! Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei''s understanding was limited to this.


    But recalling Xiao Chou''s actions, Xu Hei gained a new perspective on what rebellion meant.


    Xu Hei immediately took out the spell jade slips from the Mountain Movers Sect and began to peruse them one by one.


    Xiao Chou had not only brought spell jade slips but also all the books and ancient texts he could find for Xu Hei to examine.


    Finally, Xu Hei found a sentence in the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s writings.


    "Rebel against the prison of the heavens, rebel against the obsessions of the heart, rebel against the shackles of rules..."


    "Throughout history, the great cultivators who could reach the heavens and the earth were all rebellious cultivators!"


    Xu Hei silently recited this sentence in his heart, recalling Xiao Chou''s actions...


    This was clearly the epitome of rebellious cultivation!


    As a cultivator, one should sever ties with the mortal world; this was the rule.


    Having an obsessive and pathological love for Silver Bell; this was an obsession.


    In the environment of the Mountain Movers Sect, he was supposed to be loyal to his sect; this was a prison!


    Xu Hei couldn''t guarantee whether his understanding was right or wrong, nor could he be sure if the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s writings were correct.


    But without a doubt, Xiao Chou had indeed embarked on a path of rebellious cultivation.


    Doing what others dared not do, walking the path others dared not tread¡ªif this wasn''t rebellious cultivation, then what was?


    "Perhaps I should go down the mountain and see the human world."


    Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Everyone had a different understanding of rebellious cultivation. Xu Hei wouldn''t imitate the Mountain-moving Patriarch, nor would he follow Xiao Chou.


    Xu Hei decided he would find his own path.


    Unknowingly, a faint glimmer appeared in the last empty spot between Xu Hei''s brows.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After two days of rest.


    Xu Hei left the mountains and began to crawl down, not using the Earth Escape Technique, but moving like a mortal snake towards his old home.


    His pace was slow, crawling over mountains and rivers, over soil scorched by wildfires.


    A year had passed, winter had gone, and spring had come.


    New plants grew from the blackened ashes, tender green saplings sprouted, vegetation budded, insects emerged, and occasionally, some rodents foraged in the grass.


    Ants also appeared from the ground, building new homes.


    Wildfires couldn''t destroy everything; spring winds brought life anew.


    The only regret was that the towering trees that had grown for centuries were gone, as were the wild animals. But in countless years, a new cycle would begin.


    Xu Hei returned to his former territory.


    It had been occupied by snake catchers, who had established a branch hall. The buildings were complete, but no formation had been set up, and there were no disciples guarding the mountain.


    Although the Snake Catchers Sect remained neutral, they were greatly affected. The mortal towns under their jurisdiction had been plundered by the Qin army.


    Xu Hei took out a detection jade and found that there were only a few cultivators, the strongest being at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage. The others were nowhere to be seen.


    Xu Hei put away the jade and scanned the area with his divine sense.


    At that moment, he detected a familiar figure.


    ¡ªChen Daoling!


    The man who had once chased him for a hundred miles.


    Now, Chen Daoling''s eyes were dim, his vitality weak. His cultivation had plummeted from the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage to the seventh level of the Qi Refining Stage, just a step away from falling to the mid-stage.


    He was imprisoned in a dungeon, chained, surrounded by rats and snakes that gnawed at him, his True Qi sealed, left to die.


    Xu Hei initially wanted to kill him, but seeing him in such a state, he thought living might be a greater torment.


    With his current strength, Xu Hei could easily wipe out this branch hall without leaving a single survivor.


    But he didn''t want to alert anyone and quickly moved on.


    Xu Hei continued down the mountain, returning to Snake Village.


    He went back to the desolate watermelon field and saw Wang Xiaoniu''s thatched hut.


    The lonely grave was still there, but the body inside had disappeared.


    Wang Xiaoniu was also in the hut. Compared to two years ago, he was now a fifteen-year-old boy, taller but thinner, his face pale. Days of hunger had left him lying weakly on the bed.


    At the village entrance, a cultivator at the early stage of the Qi Refining Stage stood, with a Qin Kingdom badge on his waist.


    A group of Qin soldiers was searching each house for enemies.


    "Sir, there''s no one hiding here, it''s just me."


    "Hey, little girl, still got a sharp tongue, drag her out..."


    After looking around, Xu Hei withdrew his divine sense, feeling conflicted.


    He had found the hiding place of the Chu soldiers, in a pigsty. There were only three of them, all injured.


    One suggested surrendering to become prisoners and survive, but the other two vehemently refused.


    Xu Hei remained silent for a long time, then decided to leave.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei sensed something.


    He flashed to the front of Wang Xiaoniu''s thatched hut.


    Inside, hanging from a beam, was a noose. Wang Xiaoniu stood on a stool, his neck in the noose, biting his dry lips.


    Tears streamed down his cheeks.


    Seeing this, Xu Hei immediately thought of one word: suicide.


    Life is precious, why seek death?


    In front of Wang Xiaoniu was his father''s memorial tablet. He stared at it, his dry eyes unable to shed another tear.


    "Father! I''m sorry, I am unfilial. You risked your life to earn money for my studies, but I am useless! Although I didn''t achieve fame, I am still a scholar!"


    "I don''t want to be a slave to a fallen kingdom!"


    Wang Xiaoniu hung himself, kicking the stool away.


    The noose tightened, Wang Xiaoniu didn''t struggle, his breath stopping, eyes filled with unwillingness and pain. The light of hope for knowledge and learning slowly faded.


    Xu Hei watched silently, unmoved for a long time.


    Respecting others'' fates and letting go of the urge to help was Xu Hei''s usual way.


    But this time, he acted.


    "Snap!"


    The noose silently broke, and Wang Xiaoniu fell to the ground. A stream of spiritual power flowed into his body, bringing him back to consciousness.

 Chapter 101: Life is hard-earned

    Chapter 101: Life is hard-earnedWang Xiaoniu fell to the ground and slowly regained consciousness.


    Spiritual Qi had been injected into his body, restoring some of his senses, but the long-term hunger and malnutrition left him weak and feeble.


    Even attempting to hang himself had exhausted all his strength.


    As a scholar, he didn''t want to die silently in bed from starvation; he wanted to end his own life.


    Wang Xiaoniu got up and planned to re-tie the broken rope.


    Suddenly, he froze.


    He sensed a familiar aura, one he hadn''t encountered in two years but often appeared in his dreams.


    Wang Xiaoniu looked around blankly and muttered, "Snake Immortal?"


    Snake Immortal.


    It was the first time Xu Hei had been called that.


    In the past, he was either called Old Snake Demon, Old Snake King, or some other derogatory term.


    Xu Hei transmitted his voice, "What is an Immortal?"


    Hearing the voice appear out of nowhere in his mind, Wang Xiaoniu took a deep breath and pondered, "A person and a mountain make an Immortal."


    "A person and a mountain make an Immortal..." Xu Hei murmured to himself.


    He wasn''t asking about the writing but the meaning.


    However, Xu Hei didn''t want to ask such enigmatic questions; only riddlers did that.


    Xu Hei then asked, "Why do you want to commit suicide?"


    Wang Xiaoniu remained silent for a long time before sighing, "The country is about to fall. What meaning is there in my life?"


    "You''re just starving, about to die of hunger," Xu Hei said.


    "..." Wang Xiaoniu was at a loss for words.


    There wasn''t a single coin left at home, and no food either. He just wanted to hang himself while he still had some strength.


    Dying for honor was better than starving to death in bed.


    Thinking this way, he even entertained the idea of dying for his country, feeling a surge of heroism, which led to the earlier scene.


    Xu Hei sighed helplessly.


    With a flash of light, a jade bottle appeared out of thin air in front of Wang Xiaoniu.


    "You''re severely dehydrated. Drink this first," Xu Hei transmitted his voice.


    Wang Xiaoniu quickly picked up the jade bottle and drank the liquid inside in one gulp.


    Immediately, he felt a cool sensation in his body, even his hunger lessened, and he regained some strength.


    Xu Hei didn''t carry mortal food, so he took out a lot of the Spiritual Qi liquid he had earlier and placed it on the ground.


    Wang Xiaoniu drank several mouthfuls in a row, and his complexion became rosy.


    "Now, do you still want to die?" Xu Hei asked.


    Wang Xiaoniu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head.


    However, he added, "Snake Immortal, don''t underestimate scholars. Many of my classmates would rather die standing than live as slaves."


    "If one day I am captured by the Qin army to be a slave, I will also commit suicide."


    He wasn''t lying; Wang Xiaoniu''s eyes were clear and honest.


    "Intelligence is hard to come by. Do you know how many lifetimes of reincarnation it takes to become human? Even so, you still want to commit suicide?"


    Xu Hei voiced his confusion.


    Wang Xiaoniu fell silent, unable to answer such a profound question.


    "Wang Xiaoniu, where is your sister?" Xu Hei asked.


    "My sister was sold to the Chen Family as a maid last year. Rather than suffer with me, she can at least have enough to eat and won''t starve. Besides, Mr. Chu is looking after her, and she can learn to read and write."


    Wang Xiaoniu said slowly.


    Mr. Chu was a well-known teacher in Chen Family Town, quite talented, and wrote excellent poetry. He was the top scholar of his year.


    It was said that he offended a powerful official and was suppressed, unable to become an official, so he returned to be a teacher.


    Xu Hei had also heard the villagers speak of this teacher, who often held free classes to teach children to read. All the villagers praised him.


    "Unfortunately, it''s wartime now, and the Chen Family''s situation is unknown. Many immortals are said to have gone there."


    Wang Xiaoniu sighed and added, "By the way, Snake Immortal, I''m no longer called Wang Xiaoniu. Mr. Chu gave me a name, Wang Ding, as in ''a word as good as a bond.''"


    "Wang Ding... a good name," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Maybe he should ask Mr. Chu to give him a name too. Xu Hei sounded so rustic.


    Forget it, he was used to it and wouldn''t change it.


    When he named himself, he couldn''t think of any good words with his limited vocabulary.


    Xu Hei found talking to Wang Xiaoniu quite interesting. He went to the wild, caught a mountain chicken, and planned to roast it for Wang Xiaoniu.


    However, his fire breath turned the chicken into charcoal.


    Wang Ding didn''t mind at all, grabbing the blackened chicken and stuffing it into his mouth.


    It had been a long time since he had eaten anything.


    Xu Hei also dug up sweet potatoes and caught some wild rabbits, bringing them to Wang Ding''s home.


    "I ate a few fish from the Wang Family before. Today, I''ll repay the favor," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    This was entirely out of character for him, and Xu Hei didn''t know why he was doing it.


    Compassion?


    What a joke, he was a snake; how could he feel compassion for mortals?


    However, Wang Ding was indeed different. Despite having no Divine Sense, he could always sense Xu Hei''s presence.


    Xu Hei pondered for a long time, planning to leave, but before he did, he wanted to say something.


    "Wang Ding."


    Xu Hei looked at the young man before him and said slowly, "Reincarnation into a human is not easy. Your current life is something countless beings can only dream of."


    "Do you know that out of a thousand sea turtles born, only one hatchling makes it to the sea?"


    "Countless salmon swim upstream, but only one percent successfully spawn!"


    "You humans can''t comprehend such cruelty!"


    Xu Hei''s voice, like thunder, echoed in Wang Ding''s mind.


    Wang Ding sat on the ground, recalling the words of sages and Xu Hei''s words, falling into silence. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This Great Chu Kingdom has billions of beings, but how many are human? One in a billion? Haha, being born human is incredibly fortunate."


    "Treasure this hard-earned intelligence. At least you can think. Many beings don''t even have the chance to think before they die."


    "Don''t take your life for granted!"


    Since his birth, this was the first time Xu Hei had spoken so much, and it was to a human.


    He didn''t continue. This was his unchanging belief since his birth.


    He envied humans.


    If those beasts had intelligence, they would envy humans too.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After the Qin soldiers searched house by house.


    Finally, the Chu soldiers hiding in the pigsty came out, but only two of them.


    The third had become a corpse.


    They carried the third person''s head to the village entrance and knelt before the early-stage Qi Refining Qin cultivator.


    "Immortal, we tried to persuade Zhang San to surrender, but he refused. We were so angry that we cut off his head to present to you."


    One of them knelt and said.


    "We will definitely follow your orders and submit to the Qin army."


    The other knelt sincerely.


    The young cultivator nodded slightly, not even bothering to look at them, and ordered someone to incorporate them.


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense saw this scene and could only sigh. These two were smart, choosing the only way to survive.


    Living meant hope; if a person died, there was nothing left.


    But at that moment.


    As the young cultivator passed by the two...


    One of the Chu soldiers suddenly sprang up, a steel nail in his hand, stabbing fiercely at the young cultivator''s back of the head.


    "Hmm?"


    The young cultivator was taken aback, clearly not expecting this mortal to dare to attack him.


    Even more absurd, the other also took out a jade blade, slashing at his neck.


    "Courting death!"


    Although he was only at the early stage of Qi Refining, his reaction was swift. His body surged with Spiritual Qi, and he struck back with a palm.


    "Boom!"


    The Chu soldier''s chest was pierced, but he didn''t retreat an inch, clinging to the cultivator''s body, biting at his shoulder, only to be bounced off by a protective light shield.


    The other''s blade only made a small cut on his sleeve before being knocked away, spitting blood, and both died instantly.

 Chapter 102: Something more important than life

    Chapter 102: Something more important than lifeTwo mortals, killing their teammates to gain trust, waiting for the right moment to get close, attempting to slay an immortal.


    Xu Hei was stunned by this scene.


    "Mortals trying to kill a cultivator? Isn''t that courting death?"


    Xu Hei couldn''t understand. Their courage was commendable, but how was this different from suicide?


    Knowing that it was an impossible task, why would they still do it?


    At this moment, just after the two mortals died, not long after.


    The young cultivator suddenly began to tremble. A shallow scratch appeared on his sleeve, exactly where the blade had grazed him.


    And that shallow wound turned a purplish-blue.


    "This is..."


    The young cultivator''s heart shook. It was a kind of poisonous spiritual herb.


    Clearly, the blade was poisoned.


    "Immortal!"


    Qin soldiers hurriedly surrounded him, only to see the cultivator spew a mouthful of black blood, sitting cross-legged on the ground, quickly swallowing a pill to suppress the poison within.


    Xu Hei had noticed this detail early on and now could only sigh inwardly.


    Clearly, the cultivator wasn''t dead, just severely poisoned.


    Those two mortals had done everything they could, but still couldn''t defy the heavens.


    Cultivators are invincible to mortals; this is almost an iron law.


    "Poof!!"


    Suddenly!


    A large blade emerged from the Qin army crowd, slashing at the young cultivator''s head, blocked by a halo of light, but still cutting a bit.


    "There''s a traitor!"


    An exclamation rang out, and the crowd swarmed, hacking the Qin soldier who struck into pieces.


    But the young cultivator, heavily injured and poisoned, died after the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.


    Xu Hei was struck as if by lightning, falling into a long daze.


    Even he hadn''t expected such a scene.


    "So that''s how it is!"


    Xu Hei let out a bitter smile.


    These mortals had exchanged their lives for the life of a cultivator.


    Life is precious, but some things are worth more than anything.


    Defy? What does it mean to defy?


    Xu Hei vaguely had an answer in his heart.


    "Slaughter this village; this is the price of rebellion!"


    "Kill everyone!"


    The remaining dozen or so Qin soldiers split into two teams, one heading straight for Wang Ding''s house at the village entrance.


    Wang Ding saw the commotion outside, his face pale. He watched as two Qin soldiers burst into his home, and without a word, slashed at his forehead.


    Xu Hei''s face was expressionless.


    "Die!"


    A flying needle, driven by the Gravity Technique, instantly flashed through each person''s forehead.


    In an instant, all the Qin soldiers in Snake Village fell to the ground, their bodies stiff.


    "Snake Immortal Senior?"


    Wang Ding turned around, looking at Xu Hei inside the house, his eyes wide open.


    He knew Xu Hei was powerful, but he didn''t expect him to be this powerful, killing a dozen Qin soldiers in an instant.


    Xu Hei flicked out flames, burning the bodies clean.


    "Today, I''ve gained a lot. I can grant you one wish. Speak, what do you want?" Xu Hei raised his snake head, quietly looking at him.


    Wang Ding bit his lip, tears welling up, "I want to go to Chen Family Town to see my sister."


    Xu Hei was slightly surprised.


    He thought this person would ask for a method of cultivation or something, but it was just this?


    "Alright." Xu Hei nodded.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Chen Family Town.


    The Chen Family, as a cultivation family, had developed significantly over the years.


    But under the invasion of the Qin army, even a cultivation family had to bow and submit. If they resisted, they would face annihilation.


    The Chen Family survived by providing a large amount of resources.


    Xu Hei took out a detection jade and found that the strongest person in the entire Chen Family Town was only at the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage.


    The Southern Region of the Chu Kingdom was too vast, and Foundation Establishment cultivators were limited in number, making it impossible to station them in such places.


    With Xu Hei''s help, Wang Ding easily entered the Chen Family and reunited with his sister, Wang Qin.


    In the courtyard, the siblings hugged and cried.


    "By the way, where is Mr. Chu?" Wang Ding asked.


    "The commander of the Qin Kingdom, after learning about Mr. Chu''s deeds, met him personally. Since then, Mr. Chu has shut himself in." Wang Qin pointed to the study door.


    At that moment, the study door opened.


    A middle-aged scholar with a scholarly aura walked out, looking refreshed and radiant.


    "Mr. Chu?" Wang Ding was overjoyed.


    "Wang Ding? You''re just in time, join me for a drink!" Mr. Chu smiled.


    "I don''t drink."


    "There''s a first time for everything, especially for scholars, who must know how to drink!"


    Mr. Chu took out a jar of old wine, smiling, "This is a fine wine given to me by that Qin Kingdom commander."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Unable to resist Mr. Chu''s insistence, Wang Ding had to take a small sip in the courtyard, coughing as he drank.


    Xu Hei was right beside them, using an invisibility technique, unnoticed by anyone.


    At this moment, Xu Hei clearly saw a cloud of death qi on Mr. Chu''s forehead.


    This was the sign of someone whose lifespan was nearing its end!


    "He''s going to die? Clearly, he''s only middle-aged, not poisoned, and looks radiant. Why is this happening?" Xu Hei didn''t understand.


    He used his Divine Sense to carefully examine the man, finding his body in perfect health. How could there be death qi?


    "Mr. Chu, what did that Qin Kingdom general say to you?" Wang Ding asked curiously.


    "He said he admired my talent, said the Chu Kingdom had buried me, and asked me to follow the Qin King to compile their history." Mr. Chu laughed.


    "Then you..."


    Wang Ding looked at the middle-aged scholar before him, his heart stirred.


    "I agreed. At thirteen, I passed the imperial exam, at fifteen, I became a scholar, entered the court for three years, presided over reforms, but was repeatedly ostracized and demoted back to my hometown. I''ve had enough of this humiliation!"


    Mr. Chu took a big gulp of wine, cursing with a smile, "Now, I''m finally going to rise to power! Wang Ding, life is not easy, live well."


    He patted Wang Ding''s shoulder, speaking earnestly.


    The two talked for a long time, and the middle-aged scholar got up to leave.


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense was locked onto him, following behind.


    Moments later.


    He arrived at a riverbank, a tributary of the Yanluo River.


    This was also where Xu Hei had once been pursued.


    Mr. Chu stood by the river, laughing up at the sky, then leaped into the river, swallowed by the rushing waves.


    Like a tiny speck of dust falling into the river, without causing a ripple.


    Xu Hei stood for a long time, leaving in silence.


    He returned to Mr. Chu''s study, reading every book in the room, like a scholar thirsting for knowledge.


    After a long time, Xu Hei put all the books back.


    He glanced at the drunken Wang Ding, imparting a simple breathing exercise to him.


    Then, he turned and left Chen Family Town.


    Xu Hei headed deep into the mountains. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was time to go home.


    Now, it was spring, the season when snakes gathered.


    Xu Hei planned to return to Myriad Serpent Valley.


    That was the place that gave him life, that was his home.

 Chapter 103: Blood Sacrifice of a Million Common Snakes

    Chapter 103: Blood Sacrifice of a Million Common SnakesMyriad Serpent Valley.


    Every year, from April to May, countless snakes converge from all directions to gather in Myriad Serpent Valley, much like migrating birds that appear at fixed times in fixed places.


    No one can explain this phenomenon.


    It could be that generations of snakes have formed a natural instinct through survival and reproduction, etching it into their genes. Or perhaps there''s a special scent in Myriad Serpent Valley that attracts the snake swarms.


    Myriad Serpent Valley is rich in Spiritual Qi and has birthed many rare spiritual herbs, making it a natural paradise. Hei Huang once said that if it could be transformed into a secluded cultivation retreat, it would be perfect.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside Myriad Serpent Valley, atop a high peak.


    The eldest disciple, Wu Mochou, sat cross-legged, eyes closed in deep concentration.


    On the neighboring peak, the second disciple, Liu Fei, also sat cross-legged, facing Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Additionally, the third disciple, Wang Ping, the fourth disciple, Su Bei, and the fifth disciple, Hua Yuntian, each sat on separate peaks, forming a faint circular formation, surrounding Myriad Serpent Valley.


    "Half a month has passed, and the number of snakes in the valley has exceeded two million. Is Master planning to make a breakthrough in one go?" Hua Yuntian''s heart trembled.


    The five disciples seemed motionless as they surrounded the valley. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In reality, they had subtly created an invisible force field, trapping the snakes within the valley, preventing them from leaving.


    Most of the snakes would leave after mating and reproducing, but this action caused the number of snakes to continuously accumulate, only entering and not exiting, now exceeding a million.


    The cultivation technique of the Snake Catchers Sect required the use of snakes to aid in cultivation.


    Refining snake blood and gallbladders, extracting their essence to transform into one''s own energy, required a large number of snakes.


    The sect also raised many snakes, but the quantity was limited, sufficient for ordinary disciples to cultivate, but far from enough for those at the Core Formation Stage.


    "This cultivation session is akin to draining the pond to catch the fish; it might take a hundred years for the snake population to recover."


    Wu Mochou sighed inwardly. He understood his master''s actions; in the face of great events, only by becoming stronger could one ensure their own safety.


    The sheer number of snakes this time would not only allow Xuan Yangzi to break through but also benefit the five true disciples and many inner disciples, allowing them all to gain something.


    This was a great opportunity, a great fortune!


    As time passed, some inner disciples quietly arrived.


    They did not approach but sat quietly at a distance to avoid disturbing the snake swarms.


    The disciples scattered medicinal powder along the way, attracting hidden snake swarms into Myriad Serpent Valley, pushing the number of snakes to an unprecedented peak.


    "Whoosh!"


    In the distance, a middle-aged figure floated over, landing nearby, dressed in a yellow Daoist robe similar to Xuan Yangzi''s.


    Upon seeing this person, the inner disciples all cupped their fists respectfully, "Greetings, Elder Cui."


    Cui Yuan, whose cultivation had reached the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment Stage, was once Xuan Yangzi''s senior brother and had a life-and-death bond with him. However, his talent was slightly inferior, and he had not reached the Core Formation Stage.


    Cui Yuan had been stuck at the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment Stage for fifty years, with half his lifespan gone. This time, he had poured all his resources into a final attempt to break through.


    "This is my last chance in this life. Whether I survive depends on today." Cui Yuan''s eyes flashed with determination.


    Soon, other familiar faces at the Foundation Establishment Stage arrived one after another.


    The Snake Catchers Sect was vast, with many branches. Those who came this time were all from Xuan Yangzi''s lineage or had deep ties with him.


    "Two million snakes, tsk tsk, it seems like half of the Southern Region''s snakes are here."


    "Senior brother, you''re mistaken. The Southern Region is vast, and the number of snakes is countless times that of mortals. Two million is nothing."


    "I used to believe that, but now, there are fewer and fewer snakes."


    The disciples discussed among themselves.


    In ancient times, demonic cultivators slaughtered cities, blood-sacrificing a hundred thousand mortals to condense blood pills, inciting the wrath of gods and men. But no one would criticize a blood sacrifice of mortal snakes.


    In the blink of an eye, several more days passed.


    When the number of snakes reached three million, it stopped increasing because the valley was saturated. The snakes began to die off gradually.


    Whether through fighting, cannibalism, or being crushed, the number could no longer rise.


    Moreover, there were no more snakes to lure in from outside; the snakes within a thousand-mile radius had almost disappeared.


    "The time has come."


    Suddenly, a distant, resonant voice echoed throughout the valley.


    At this moment, all five true disciples, inner disciples, elders, and stewards raised their heads in unison, looking towards the center of Myriad Serpent Valley.


    In the sky, a figure in a yellow robe slowly appeared.


    Xuan Yangzi, the core elder of the Snake Catchers Sect, a Core Formation Stage cultivator.


    "This blood sacrifice is unprecedented in my life. Three million mortal snakes and five hundred snake demons are enough for me to break through to the mid-Core Formation Stage and for all of you to break through your bottlenecks and advance to the next level!"


    With a wave of his hand, Xuan Yangzi released a large number of snake demons he had captured from various places into Myriad Serpent Valley, merging them into the snake tide.


    These snake demons had been sealed by him, unable to move, like lambs to the slaughter. Their eyes were filled with anger and despair, emitting unwilling hisses.


    The valley was filled with their kin, now trapped like livestock, unable to resist, only to be slaughtered one by one.


    Among the snake demons, one was entirely white, but her eyes were calm.


    "Everyone, step forward. How much you can absorb depends on your fortune," Xuan Yangzi said loudly.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    Numerous cultivators gathered, sitting cross-legged outside Myriad Serpent Valley. They took out pills they had treasured for years, planning to break through in one go, their eyes filled with excitement and anticipation.


    This was the greatest opportunity since they joined the sect.


    Just as everyone was about to begin the blood sacrifice.


    In one corner of Myriad Serpent Valley, a thick green smoke suddenly emerged. The smoke was highly corrosive, melting soil and rocks into nothingness, accompanied by an indescribable stench that quickly spread.


    "Ah!!"


    Two disciples, unable to dodge in time, were engulfed by the smoke, their bodies instantly vaporized, flesh dissolving, emitting agonizing screams.


    "Hmm?" Xuan Yangzi''s eyes widened. He raised his hand, capturing the spreading green smoke and confining it to a small area.


    He quickly pulled the two affected disciples out, but only their skeletons remained, dead beyond saving.


    Such a horrifying scene caused an uproar among the crowd.


    Two inner disciples were killed right in front of a Core Formation Stage cultivator, with no time to rescue them. What was happening? Was there an unexpected turn of events?


    The area corroded by the green smoke revealed a gap in the formation, allowing the snake swarm to surge out, but Xuan Yangzi sealed the gap in an instant.


    Xuan Yangzi''s Divine Sense spread out, quickly locating the source of the smoke¡ªa green pill.


    He drew the pill into the air, sealing it.


    "Well, well, an unexpected bonus! I can give this pill a seven out of ten!"


    Xuan Yangzi''s face remained expressionless, his gaze locking onto an inconspicuous white snake below, his eyes flashing with brilliance.


    With a grasp from afar, he pulled the white snake from the ground.


    Various smokes emanated from the white snake''s body, causing crackling sounds in the air. Xuan Yangzi''s brows furrowed, growing more intrigued.


    He took out a second-tier Spiritual Treasure and placed it on the snake. With just a touch, the treasure dissolved into nothingness.


    This scene left everyone present in astonishment.


    "Heh, interesting," Xuan Yangzi said with great interest.


    Hua Yuntian hesitated for a moment, unable to resist saying, "Master, this mere Spirit Communion Stage snake demon, why trouble yourself? Let me handle it..."


    "Shut up!"


    Xuan Yangzi glared at him, and Hua Yuntian immediately fell silent.


    Wu Mochou inwardly scoffed. Hua Yuntian had potential, but his brain often failed him, frequently saying things that left others speechless, always out of sync with everyone else.

 Chapter 104: Also what my heart favors

    Chapter 104: Also what my heart favorsXuan Yangzi stared at the white snake for a long while before suddenly smiling, "Do you think I''ll keep you here and take you back for research?"


    The white snake stared at him intently, without a word, its eyes showing no emotion.


    "Heh, I''m not curious about you at all."


    Xuan Yangzi pulled out a long spear and hurled it into the void. The spear pierced through the white snake''s body and shot towards Myriad Serpent Valley, pinning it to the center of the valley.


    "Begin the blood sacrifice, leave no one alive!" Xuan Yangzi ordered.


    "Yes!"


    Everyone shouted in unison. With a wave of Xuan Yangzi''s hand, a blood-red light enveloped the entire Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Many were puzzled. This white snake was an unprecedented oddity. Why not take it back for research?


    No one could fathom Xuan Yangzi''s true intentions, so they continued as usual, casting spells and throwing them into the valley.


    From the edge of Myriad Serpent Valley, the snake swarm began to struggle and hiss, writhing like severed earthworms. Their physical bodies dissolved, and blood was drawn out, forming thin lines that injected into the meridians of the Snake Catchers Sect disciples nearby.


    Everyone focused their minds, fully refining the precious snake essence, circulating their Snake Catching Technique, and their cultivation levels rapidly soared.


    This was a gluttonous feast!


    The anguished cries of the snakes echoed through the mountains. They died slowly, first their gallbladders were extracted, then their blood, and due to their tenacious vitality, they often endured prolonged torment before turning into a puddle of mud, completely dead.


    Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of snakes were drained dry within an hour.


    "I''m about to break through!"


    "Break through for me!"


    Many Qi Refining Stage disciples reached their bottlenecks, swallowed pills, and charged towards the next level with all their might.


    Devouring others to gain strength, the strong live, and the weak die. This is the natural order, unbreakable by anyone.


    Most ordinary snakes had not reached Spirit Communion; they didn''t know why they were dying or where their enemies came from. Silently, they turned into blood, dissipated into ashes, and became nourishment for the Snake Catchers.


    Those Spirit Communion Stage snake demons, however, had eyes filled with anger and despair. Some female snakes showed pleading eyes, but it was futile.


    Regardless of gender, age, species, race, or cultivation level, all were melting, dying slowly.


    Xuan Yangzi took a deep breath. It was time for him to act. This time, he would surely reach the mid-Core Formation Stage.


    "Whoosh!"


    Just then!


    A white lightning bolt streaked across the sky, a sword coming from the west!


    Five inner disciples absorbing nourishment were instantly decapitated, and a Foundation Establishment Stage elder also perished, not even knowing how he died.


    But just after killing these six, the white lightning was forcibly frozen in place, revealing itself to be a flying sword.


    Everyone was shocked, exiting their meditative states, staring in disbelief at the flying sword.


    Xuan Yangzi opened his eyes, not angry, but filled with intense curiosity.


    "Another one, and a Foundation Establishment great demon at that."


    Xuan Yangzi''s gaze shifted, raising his hand to activate the Gravity Technique, pulling the target into the air.


    It was a snake covered in black gold scales!


    In the past, he would have kept such a snake demon alive for research.


    But today, there was no need for words; it would be thrown into Myriad Serpent Valley and refined!


    Curiosity is good, but excessive curiosity while ignoring the inherent threat of the other party signifies ignorance and arrogance, often leading to great upheaval!


    "Go!"


    With a flick of his wrist, Xu Hei''s body was uncontrollably flung into Myriad Serpent Valley, about to become part of the nourishment. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As a Foundation Establishment great demon, he could not resist the Gravity Technique of a Core Formation Stage cultivator.


    Moreover, this was not an ordinary Core Formation Stage; it was the peak of Core Formation, far beyond the old woman from the Purple Mist Sect.


    Xu Hei''s eyes were blood-red, filled with raging anger, but his mind remained calm.


    At the moment he was pulled up, a pale gold storage bag fell from his mouth.


    This was the storage bag Hei Huang had given him.


    "Open it at the moment of life and death. Whatever is inside, you can fight any opponent to a draw!"


    These were Hei Huang''s exact words.


    Xu Hei didn''t know what was inside, nor if it would be useful. Facing a Core Formation Stage cultivator, he might not even have time to use it before being killed.


    But Xu Hei did not hesitate for a moment.


    The storage bag automatically opened, and a purple bronze mirror flew out.


    Seeing the familiar mirror, Xu Hei''s pupils contracted. He had seen it before; it was the very mirror Hei Huang had tried to steal from the Purple Mist Pavilion.


    "This is..."


    Xuan Yangzi''s gaze sharpened, instinctively dodging to avoid being reflected by the mirror, but the mirror seemed to lock onto him, aiming directly at him.


    "Buzz!"


    In an instant, a reflection appeared in the mirror, looking exactly like Xuan Yangzi.


    The reflection waved its hand, and Xuan Yangzi''s face changed dramatically, retreating hastily. Xu Hei seized the opportunity to break free from the Gravity Technique and fled from mid-air.


    "Boom!!"


    A noticeable dent appeared on Xuan Yangzi''s chest.


    The entire scene erupted in chaos, everyone witnessing this was shocked to the core.


    "What is that mirror?"


    "How could it harm a Core Formation Stage cultivator!?"


    "My heavens, what kind of treasure is this?"


    "I think I''ve seen this item in the Purple Mist Pavilion!"


    For a moment, the crowd was abuzz, the disciples of the Snake Catchers Sect were all stunned, their eyes filled with shock.


    At this moment, all eyes were on that purple bronze mirror.


    From the mirror, a figure emerged.


    This person, dressed in a yellow robe, a middle-aged scholar, looked exactly like Xuan Yangzi, the very reflection from the mirror!


    However, this reflection had materialized, as if it had come to life, staring at Xuan Yangzi with identical expressions.


    Xuan Yangzi''s gaze was fixed on the mirror, coldly saying, "So, this is the mirror''s effect. I underestimated it!"


    He had seen this mirror before; it was obtained by the Purple Mist Ancestor and stored in the Purple Mist Pavilion, seemingly useless except for its hardness.


    Now, it was an unexpected surprise.


    Xuan Yangzi disappeared from his spot, reaching for the bronze mirror, but the reflection also waved its hand, unleashing a strike. A deafening explosion echoed through the void, forcing Xuan Yangzi to retreat.


    "Hmph!"


    Xuan Yangzi snorted coldly, summoning an ancient cauldron that enlarged in mid-air, pressing down on the reflection.


    This cauldron, named the Myriad Serpent Cauldron, was a third-tier magical treasure, effective against Core Formation Stage cultivators. No matter how strong the reflection was, it was still just a reflection, incomparable to a real cultivator.


    Unexpectedly, the reflection also summoned an identical Myriad Serpent Cauldron, enlarging it and pressing it down on Xuan Yangzi.


    "How is this possible?!"


    Xuan Yangzi''s face finally changed, exclaiming in shock.


    He quickly took out two third-tier talismans, simultaneously activating them with a low shout of "explode," causing an explosion in front of the Myriad Serpent Cauldron.


    The reflection did the same, producing two talismans, shouting "explode," and blasting Xuan Yangzi''s cauldron away.


    Xuan Yangzi then summoned a flying sword, and the reflection did the same. The two swords clashed in mid-air, evenly matched.


    After some probing, Xuan Yangzi realized that the reflection could replicate his magical treasures and talismans perfectly, an unbelievable phenomenon!


    "If I can''t deal with the mirror, I''ll deal with its owner!"


    Xuan Yangzi changed his tactics, summoning ancient wood to create wooden puppet clones, sending them towards Xu Hei.


    The reflection also summoned ancient wood, creating countless wooden puppet clones, even more than Xuan Yangzi''s, intercepting all of them.


    Some even charged towards the disciples below, causing them to scream and flee in terror.


    Xuan Yangzi''s face turned dark.


    He finally realized that relying on himself alone, it would be difficult to spare a hand to kill this snake. Targeting Xu Hei would only provoke the reflection to use even stronger methods.


    He needed help.


    "Master, don''t worry, I''ll kill this snake!"


    Wu Mochou saw Xuan Yangzi''s predicament and stood up from the mountaintop, speaking loudly.


    "And us!"


    "Just a Foundation Establishment Stage, easily crushed!"


    Liu Fei, Wang Ping, and other disciples also stood up, drawing their magical treasures.


    Xuan Yangzi took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Everyone, attack together with all your might, kill this snake! Leave no survivors!"


    With these words, everyone present stopped their cultivation, stood up, and focused their gaze on Xu Hei, who had not fled but instead charged towards the crowd.

 Chapter 105: Though facing death nine times, I still have no regrets

    Chapter 105: Though facing death nine times, I still have no regretsXu Hei charged forward like a raging bull, shattering a Foundation Establishment cultivator into pieces. He swung his flying sword, decapitating five inner disciples in quick succession. Meanwhile, his puppets were unleashed, attacking in all directions.


    "So, this is the snake demon causing trouble earlier. My clone must have been destroyed by this snake," Xuan Yangzi observed calmly, his eyes flickering with a hint of mockery as he watched Xu Hei''s relentless slaughter below.


    He had planned to use the bloodline tracing secret technique to find Xu Hei after reaching the mid-stage of Qi Condensation. But now, Xu Hei had delivered himself, saving him the trouble.


    Although this strange mirror was indeed troublesome, the Snake Catchers Sect was filled with experts. How could a mere snake contend with them?


    "Kill! Kill! Kill!" Xu Hei, fearless and ferocious, charged into the crowd like a god of death. Lightning arcs surrounded him as he cut down one Snake Catchers Sect disciple after another.


    Countless spell attacks landed on Xu Hei, but his tough scales deflected them with a metallic clang. Unhindered, he continued his killing spree, drenched in blood, resembling a fearsome demon.


    "Clang!" A massive flying sword struck Xu Hei from behind. Though it didn''t break his defense, the impact caused his body to sink, bones cracking, nearly making him fall from the sky.


    The attacker was none other than Wu Mochou.


    As the top disciple, Wu Mochou knew well the vital points to strike on a snake. Each of his sword strikes aimed directly at Xu Hei''s weak spots. His strength far surpassed that of Bai Xiu, whom Xu Hei had faced earlier, by at least tenfold.


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold. He spat out a cerulean ice soul flying sword, which collided with the giant sword above, instantly freezing it with spreading frost.


    "Heavenly Thunder Curse!" Suddenly, a bolt of lightning descended from the sky, striking Xu Hei''s back.


    Though his scales blocked most of the attack, some of the lightning penetrated, sending Xu Hei crashing heavily to the ground, creating a snake-shaped crater.


    "Elder Cui is so powerful!" The crowd cheered.


    Cui Yuan, at the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment stage, was even more terrifying than Wu Mochou! S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Cui Yuan, expressionless, directed several more bolts of lightning into the snake-shaped crater.


    As Xuan Yangzi''s senior brother and the highest-ranking individual present, Cui Yuan''s strength and wisdom far surpassed everyone else.


    He could see the strangeness of this snake. Despite appearing to be at the initial Foundation Establishment stage, he had to go all out. Even if the snake died, he needed to ensure its body was utterly destroyed to feel at ease.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!..." Continuous lightning bolts struck Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei used his Earth Escape Technique to dodge desperately, but the lightning pursued him relentlessly, no matter how fast he fled.


    Moreover, his opponent''s perception was incredibly sharp and experienced, seemingly able to predict Xu Hei''s moves, always blocking his path in advance.


    "Boom!!" Another lightning strike hit Xu Hei, severely injuring him, his aura plummeting.


    If not for his tough scales, he would have died countless times already.


    Xu Hei patted his storage bag, took out some healing pills, and swallowed them. Using the Demon God Cauldron, his injuries healed at an astonishing rate.


    But immediately, lightning and flying swords attacked again, joined by several mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    Xu Hei''s freshly healed wounds were once again severely damaged, his meridians ruptured, flesh charred, and he fell into the ground.


    Even in a one-on-one fight, Xu Hei struggled to defeat Wu Mochou, let alone contend with Cui Yuan.


    Moreover, with both of them teaming up and so many mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators attacking him, they were determined to kill Xu Hei at all costs.


    The humans didn''t underestimate him due to his low cultivation. They unleashed all their trump cards and magical treasures without holding back, attacking with full force!


    Xu Hei''s injuries were too severe, and his consciousness began to fade.


    "Boom! Boom!" Two bolts of lightning struck, sending Xu Hei crashing into the ground.


    At this moment, Xu Hei could clearly feel his physical body nearing death. Though his scales remained intact, his internal organs were utterly destroyed.


    "Clang!!" A flying sword struck his vital point, splitting the ground with a thousand-foot chasm, burying Xu Hei deep underground.


    Is this the end...


    A single snake''s strength could never contend with an entire sect, nor with the overwhelming force.


    Two fists can''t fight four hands. Humans are the spirits of all beings, standing at the pinnacle of creation. This is the rule!


    They are snake catchers, and I... am a snake!


    "Why didn''t you run?" In a daze, Xu Hei entered a dream, hearing that familiar voice again.


    The voice sounded like it came from a flood dragon, yet also from within himself.


    "Why did you fight so desperately?" The voice echoed once more in Xu Hei''s mind.


    "Do you regret it?" The voice asked three soul-searching questions, and Xu Hei asked himself the same.


    Why didn''t he run, why didn''t he escape as he usually did?


    If he had, he could have survived easily, preserved his strength, and risen again, with a chance to return one day.


    What did the extinction of the snake clan have to do with him?


    He risked his life to kill a group of Snake Catchers Sect disciples, but lost his own life. Was it worth it?


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s mind flashed with blurry images, like a revolving lantern.


    Scenes appeared before his eyes, as if in the present, as if in the distance, as if in his heart.


    "I am from the Chu Kingdom. My parents and family are all from the Chu Kingdom. I can''t just stand by and do nothing!" Xiao Chou knelt before him, tears in his eyes.


    He stood up resolutely, turning away, leaving only a lonely silhouette.


    ¡ªWhat if there''s no return?


    ¡ªThen there will be no return!


    "This is my ancestral jade, which I ground into a blade. It''s the only thing with spiritual power."


    A Chu Kingdom soldier, trembling, handed a sharp jade piece to his companion.


    "Kill me, use my head to approach that Qin Kingdom cultivator."


    The Chu Kingdom soldier, holding his comrade''s broadsword, stabbed it into his own chest.


    "No!!" A painful cry from a comrade echoed in his ears.


    "My... death... is it worth it?" The Chu Kingdom soldier quietly closed his eyes.


    In a thatched hut, Wang Ding used his last strength to shout "I won''t be a slave to a fallen kingdom," hanging himself from the beam.


    By the turbulent river, Mr. Chu laughed wildly at the sky, abandoning the pursuit of official rank and power, throwing himself into the great river.


    "Why didn''t you run?" The ethereal voice echoed once more.


    Xu Hei smiled calmly, replying, "This is my home. Why should I run?"


    "Why did you fight so desperately?" The question appeared again.


    Xu Hei replied calmly, "They kill my compatriots, destroy my home. If I don''t fight desperately, who will?"


    This time, the ethereal voice paused for a moment before continuing, "Do you regret it?"


    Do I regret it?


    Xu Hei remained silent for a long time, seemingly sighing, but his gaze remained unwavering.


    "Though I face death nine times, I have no regrets!"


    ...


    Time seemed to pass quickly and slowly.


    Who knows how long the attacks continued.


    Suddenly, a new force was born within Xu Hei. His already established spiritual foundation began to expand once more.


    The foundation rose, like a giant dragon soaring to the sky.


    "Buzz!!" A beam of purple light shot from the ground, illuminating the mountains and rivers for miles.


    The sky was filled with purple light, and the eastern sky was bathed in purple.


    Everyone was stunned by this magnificent scene.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s purple true qi rapidly changed, its color deepening from light purple to dark purple, and then gradually turning into an even deeper black!


    Xu Hei finally realized that his previous Foundation Establishment was not truly perfect!


    It wasn''t until this moment, when he understood the concept of reverse cultivation, that he achieved true perfection!


    "Reverse! What does it mean to be reverse?"


    "A dragon has a reverse scale; touch it and it will rage. Though I face death nine times, I have no regrets!"


    Xu Hei''s voice, like thunder from the nine heavens, descended from the clouds.


    The reverse scale! Xu Hei''s last missing scale was his reverse scale!


    "Boom!!!" Thunder rolled, splitting the sky, like the wrath of a god descending to the mortal world, striking Xu Hei''s forehead.


    On Xu Hei''s forehead, a black-gold reverse scale was rapidly forming, becoming tangible.


    This reverse scale was the scale of the ancestral dragon, even the heavens would tremble before it!


    "This is... the Four-Nine Minor Heavenly Tribulation?" Xuan Yangzi''s heart was in turmoil.

 Chapter 106: Nine Transformations of the True Dragon

    Chapter 106: Nine Transformations of the True DragonThe Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations are meant for a Foundation Establishment cultivator reaching Great Perfection and forming a Golden Core. How could they appear on a mere snake?


    "Boom!!!"


    The thunder tribulation struck Xu Hei''s head, but it was completely absorbed by the reverse scale on his forehead, as if it turned into nourishment, leaving him unharmed.


    Xuan Yangzi''s heart sank, and he shouted, "We must not let him cross the tribulation, kill him!"


    Wu Mochou raised his hand, and a giant sword flew out. But as it approached Xu Hei, the thunder tribulation fell with a roar, turning the flying sword into ashes in an instant.


    A small lightning bolt was drawn towards Wu Mochou, who hurriedly took out a pagoda to block it. The lightning struck the pagoda, shattering it into pieces.


    Everyone realized that attacking Xu Hei now would trigger a chain reaction from the tribulation.


    Xuan Yangzi''s face was cold as he said, "Surround him. Even if he crosses the tribulation, what can he do? A dying snake is nothing to fear!"


    ...


    As time passed.


    The spiritual foundation within Xu Hei grew larger, several times that of an ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator. His True Qi had turned a deep, profound black.


    Such blackness was unheard of, even among ancient cultivators! S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only by tracing back to ancient times could there be any clues.


    Cultivation techniques, spiritual roots, temperament, and... one''s own Dao!


    Xu Hei''s Dao was the path of reverse cultivation.


    And his mysterious cultivation technique gradually revealed its true nature.


    A vague voice appeared in Xu Hei''s mind, conveying the complete content of the technique!


    "This cultivation technique is inherited from the Great Void Ancestral Dragon, the only technique for a snake to transform into a dragon, the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon!"


    "To transform from a snake to a dragon, one must undergo nine transformations: forging dragon scales, tempering dragon bones, opening dragon veins, creating dragon blood, growing dragon claws, raising dragon might, shaping the dragon body, and igniting the dragon soul!"


    "Each transformation is not only a physical change but also a spiritual one!"


    "The first transformation of the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, the dragon scales, is now complete!"


    With the appearance of Xu Hei''s reverse scale, the final dragon scale was finally perfected.


    His entire body of scales trembled with a terrifying pressure, even the surrounding Snake Catchers felt a chill of fear.


    Their cultivation technique, the Snake Catching Technique, was supposed to suppress snake-type demonic beasts!


    But facing Xu Hei, not only did it fail to suppress him, it instilled fear instead!


    This was no ordinary snake!


    What was he?


    At this moment, Xu Hei finally understood why his scales grew wildly when he rushed to save the white snake and the wolf king from a thousand miles away.


    He finally understood why, on that day, when he faced He Luohua and used the Mountain Severing Abyss technique, his scales surged.


    ¡ªHe was perfecting his Dao!


    The Nine Transformations of the True Dragon were not just about refining the physical body but also cultivating the Dao.


    The first transformation, the dragon scales, could only be achieved by truly understanding the meaning of the reverse scale, transforming into a true dragon.


    Without the reverse scale, he would never become a true dragon, always remaining a snake!


    Only dragons have reverse scales.


    "Crack!"


    A rift opened in the void.


    A pitch-black demonic hand reached out, with overwhelming demonic energy sweeping out.


    "An extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon?!"


    Everyone was horrified and retreated.


    But as soon as the demonic hand fully emerged, revealing a demonic eye, it glanced at a bronze mirror in mid-air and quickly retracted, disappearing without a trace.


    The rift closed, as if it had never appeared.


    Everyone looked at each other, bewildered.


    It was just an interlude.


    ...


    Moments later, the tribulation disappeared, and the thunderclouds dispersed.


    Xu Hei opened his cold eyes, looking at the crowd. Though his form hadn''t changed much, his aura was vastly different, no longer resembling a snake demon.


    Whether it was an illusion or not, everyone felt as if they were facing an emperor, not a snake demon.


    Especially the reverse scale on his forehead, which looked like an imperial mark!


    With a thought, Xu Hei took out a Blood Replenishing Pill from his storage bag marked with a skull and swallowed it.


    This Blood Replenishing Pill, if taken by a human, would cause an excess of blood, bursting out.


    But for Xu Hei, it was just right.


    This was not a human pill; it was a pill for a demon king.


    Xu Hei hadn''t transformed into a dragon yet; he had only completed the first step, gaining true dragon scales, but his physique was far beyond that of a snake demon.


    As the pill entered his body, his previously exhausted flesh and blood rapidly recovered.


    "Go!"


    Cui Yuan, holding a thunder seal, waved his hand, and a purple thunderbolt as thick as a barrel condensed into a thunder spear, shooting towards Xu Hei with indescribable speed, reaching him in an instant.


    "Boom!!!"


    The void shook, and the ground was split into a thousand-foot chasm.


    But Xu Hei''s figure had completely disappeared.


    "Quick, dodge!" Xuan Yangzi shouted angrily.


    "Snap!!"


    With a flick of his tail, a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator''s head was smashed, blood spraying, his body torn apart, turning into pieces.


    There was no time to use any magical treasures; all defensive talismans exploded automatically, unable to block the attack.


    This strike, Xu Hei didn''t use any spells; it was pure physical combat!


    Everyone was horrified and retreated, only to see a flash of black light, and Xu Hei disappeared again.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei turned into an arc of lightning, darting through a string of figures, killing six people in an instant, including two Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    "Bang, bang, bang..."


    Blood and flesh exploded, limbs flew everywhere, with no trace of spell fluctuations; it was pure physical collision.


    Cui Yuan waved his hand, and four large flags flew out, planting themselves in four directions. With a change of hand gestures, he shouted, "Four Symbols Snake Trapping Formation!"


    In an instant, the four flags emitted red, green, white, and yellow lights, forming a square formation, trapping the area tightly.


    Cui Yuan clasped his hands together and shouted "Constrict," causing the formation to rapidly close in, trapping Xu Hei within.


    Xu Hei''s movement range grew smaller and smaller, soon colliding with the formation.


    "Boom!!"


    The formation shook violently, Cui Yuan''s face turned pale, almost spitting blood, but he gritted his teeth, eyes bloodshot, and activated the formation again, tightening it further.


    Wu Mochou wasn''t idle either; he cast a glazed pagoda, which hovered high above, its colorful light covering Xu Hei''s head.


    Xu Hei''s speed slowed, as if he were a worm trapped in mud.


    Soon, he stopped completely.


    "Kill!"


    Seizing the opportunity, the others unleashed their spells, bombarding Xu Hei with a barrage of colorful lights, causing the ground to collapse, the earth to rumble, and the sound of explosions to spread for miles!


    Facing a mutated snake, they had responded perfectly.


    The Snake Catchers Sect members showed joy, but their faces soon stiffened.


    As the dust cleared, Xu Hei''s body was covered in thick stone armor, sixteen Earth Shields, thirty-two light rings, along with his dragon scales and the Stone Vein Technique, blocking all attacks.


    "Crack, crack..."


    The shields, light rings, and armor shattered one by one, leaving Xu Hei unharmed.


    Everyone gasped.


    "Earth Shield, I''ve only seen eight shields at most, how does he have sixteen?"


    "Is that thick earth armor?"


    They couldn''t understand how Xu Hei''s basic defensive spells could have such terrifying effects!


    Xuan Yangzi''s face turned grim, realizing that mid-Foundation Establishment spells could no longer harm Xu Hei.


    But among them, only two were late-Foundation Establishment cultivators, Wu Mochou and Cui Yuan!


    Xu Hei looked at the crowd coldly and said, "Now, it''s my turn!"


    He recalled the earth spells he had learned before.


    Advanced spell, Mountain Embrace Seal?


    No, not needed. Xu Hei directly aimed for the pinnacle spell, Falling Stars.


    This move was one of the most powerful killing techniques in the Foundation Establishment stage, with a wide range, capable of covering everyone.


    But the cost was that the more targets, the greater the consumption!


    Even with Xu Hei''s perfect Foundation Establishment and unprecedented black True Qi, he couldn''t attack everyone at once.


    High-quality True Qi didn''t mean a large quantity.


    Xu Hei couldn''t afford such consumption!


    But his killing intent was overwhelming!


    "No matter! Today, no matter the cost, none of you will leave alive!"


    Xu Hei made up his mind, took out a whole bottle of Rejuvenation Pills from his skull-marked storage bag, and swallowed them all in one gulp.

 Chapter 107: Dragons Reverse Scale

    Chapter 107: Dragon''s Reverse ScaleA whole bottle of Super Rejuvenation Pills entered his body, transforming into a surging torrent of True Qi, roaring like mountains and seas, crashing wildly within Xu Hei''s body.


    Blood seeped from the corners of Xu Hei''s mouth, his meridians nearly collapsing, and his flesh experiencing unimaginable pain, almost on the verge of exploding.


    He possessed dragon scales, but the rest of his body was still that of a snake, yet to undergo transformation, unable to withstand such a violent impact.


    "Demon God Cauldron, refine it for me!"


    Xu Hei shouted, mobilizing the Demon God Cauldron to absorb all the True Qi streams, fully suppressing and compressing them within, preventing any chaos.


    Gradually, his pain lessened.


    He looked around again; the crowd had already gathered their second round of spells, launching them together like a storm.


    The Snake Catchers'' strategy was clear: they had the numbers, and even through attrition, they could exhaust Xu Hei to death!


    Xu Hei''s spells were powerful, no doubt! With the black True Qi''s enhancement, even the most basic spells could achieve miraculous effects.


    But his True Qi was limited. He could defend once, twice, but could he defend three times, ten times?


    In an instant, the crowd''s spells descended upon Xu Hei, including Wu Mochou''s three Bone-Corroding Nails, top-tier second-grade magical treasures he had treasured for years, now taken out for use, comparable to third-grade.


    One person even burned their life force to unleash a third-grade Wind Blade Talisman, aiming to sever Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei swallowed a Blood Replenishing Pill, ignoring all attacks, a madness gleaming in his eyes as he silently chanted in his heart.


    "Falling Stars!"


    In the sky, massive meteors suddenly appeared, gradually solidifying from phantoms into physical forms.


    At the same time, the True Qi within Xu Hei''s body was being consumed frantically, depleting rapidly, while the suppressed chaotic True Qi within the Demon God Cauldron was swiftly released, replenishing his body.


    During this process, Xu Hei felt indescribable pain, his meridians seemingly on the verge of bursting, his body feeling as if struck by a thousand-pound hammer, blood seeping from his dragon scales, flowing all over his body.


    But he gritted his teeth and endured!


    "I can''t lose, this is my home, my home!!!"


    Xu Hei roared in his heart, the reverse scale on his forehead shining brilliantly.


    Behind him were his family, his reverse scale!


    If he were a snake, he could flee, but as a true dragon, he could not retreat!


    "Boom, boom, boom..."


    The Falling Stars streaked across the sky, crashing down on the crowd below with a terrifying, world-destroying force.


    Falling Stars was originally a peak second-grade spell, but in Xu Hei''s hands, enhanced by black True Qi, its power approached third-grade, comparable to the Core Formation Stage!


    "Boom!!"


    A large group of inner disciples hadn''t even been touched yet, but were already crushed by the increasing gravity, their flesh disintegrating, countless magical treasures shattering into fragments.


    When the meteors struck, the disciples were instantly obliterated, not even a hair left behind.


    "Boom!!"


    Another meteor fell on the heads of two elders, who took out their life-saving treasures, third-grade golden shield talismans, but due to insufficient spiritual power, the shields shattered after a few breaths, and the meteors fell, killing them amidst their screams.


    Fourth disciple Su Bei used his treasured umbrella to protect himself, lasting five breaths, but turned to ashes after the second meteor fell.


    Third disciple Wang Ping, terrified out of his wits, chose to flee, but was caught by a meteor from behind, smashing into his back, leaving not even a trace of skin.


    "No!!!" Xuan Yangzi roared to the heavens.


    Second disciple Liu Fei lasted the longest, with three meteors falling on her delicate body, driving her into the ground. Even though she had a treasure capable of blocking a Core Formation Stage attack, she couldn''t hold out for long, ultimately perishing.


    One by one, disciples died, elders with countless means perished, like wheat being harvested, unable to resist.


    Xuan Yangzi''s heart bled, he burned his blood and Qi, forming a blood array with his life soul, determined to kill Xu Hei at any cost.


    But the mirrored figure opposite him also burned its blood and Qi, attacking with the same method, even stronger than him.


    Xuan Yangzi immediately realized he couldn''t act rashly; if he attacked in anger, the mirror image would do the same, even stronger!


    When he changed his plan to protect the disciples, the mirror image directly attacked the crowd.


    Xuan Yangzi was instantly at a loss.


    Even if he wanted to leave, the mirror image blocked him, preventing any escape.


    Xuan Yangzi''s gaze was fixed on the mirror image before him, which also stared back, mirroring his every move.


    "What kind of magical treasure is this, why is it so defiant of the heavens?"


    Xuan Yangzi couldn''t understand, the effects of this magical treasure were beyond his comprehension.


    At this moment, the mirror image stared at him, suddenly revealing a sinister smile.


    Seeing this smile, Xuan Yangzi''s scalp tingled, goosebumps rising all over.


    He clearly wasn''t smiling, so why was this figure smiling?


    Could it be, the other party had intelligence?


    This wasn''t an ordinary mirror image?


    "What score would you give this magical treasure?" the mirror image suddenly sneered.


    Xuan Yangzi''s scalp exploded, involuntarily taking a step back.


    The figure in front also stepped forward, maintaining the same distance.


    "Who are you?" Xuan Yangzi''s face darkened, shouting.


    The other party didn''t speak, just looked at him quietly, a mocking and ridiculing smile on its lips.


    Xuan Yangzi''s mind flashed through countless ancient texts, racking his brains for clues, but he was completely at a loss.


    He couldn''t fathom the principle behind this magical treasure!


    Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, and he thought of a word¡ª


    Inner Demon!


    The figure before him resembled the inner demons that ancient cultivators faced when breaking through.


    Born from the heart, emerging from within, inner demons knew everything about you, the evil projection of a cultivator''s heart.


    There was also a theory that inner demons were transformations of extraterrestrial Heavenly Demons entering the body, but the truth was unknown.


    "Boom, boom, boom..."


    Meteors fell, leaving the land scarred, countless cultivators crushed to death, the Snake Catchers Sect disciples nearly wiped out, less than five surviving.


    They couldn''t believe that an hour ago, they were hunters, about to blood sacrifice three million snakes.


    In the blink of an eye, they were slaughtered, dead and wounded.


    Regret surged in their hearts; if they had known, why get involved in this mess? What they thought was a great opportunity turned into a nightmare!


    At the same time, Xu Hei suffered unprecedented injuries.


    Not only from the collective attack of the Snake Catchers but also from the severe backlash of casting Falling Stars.


    This move was originally for those at the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment Stage, relying on their abundant True Qi to perform.


    Xu Hei was only at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, relying entirely on the Rejuvenation Pills and the Demon God Cauldron to forcibly refine and cast it.


    The damage to himself was terrifying.


    Even though Xu Hei took various healing pills to recover, the burning pain in his meridians and the mental exhaustion couldn''t be alleviated. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His Divine Sense also felt waves of dizziness, nearly fainting, but he held on with sheer willpower.


    Xu Hei had yet to transform into a true dragon, only taking the first step, forging dragon scales, achieving perfect Foundation Establishment.


    He had reached his limit.


    Looking around, the Snake Catchers present were almost all dead, the survivors severely injured, worse off than him.

 Chapter 108: Not a single one left

    Chapter 108: Not a single one leftThe eldest disciple, Wu Mochou, had his sleeves hanging empty, both arms severed, and his flying sword shattered. He was barely clinging to life.


    Cui Yuan wasn''t faring much better. He was covered in blood, emaciated, and his True Qi was nearly depleted. He must have used some secret blood-burning technique to barely stay alive.


    Another person had managed to run farther away, surviving by sheer luck, but he was also on his last breath, lying on the ground with little time left.


    In an instant, all the snake catchers who had come to participate in the blood sacrifice were either dead or gravely injured.


    Xuan Yangzi felt his worldview shatter, as if struck by lightning, unable to accept this reality.


    He couldn''t help but ponder a question.


    What was the cultivation level of this snake?


    How could it, at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, unleash an attack comparable to the Core Formation Stage, crossing an entire major realm and killing so many people in one blow?


    Even Cui Yuan, at the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, nearly perished! Fortunately, he had blood-refining techniques and numerous magical treasures protecting him. Any other Great Perfection Foundation Establishment cultivator would likely have been dead by now.


    "This snake cannot be allowed to live, or the Snake Catchers Sect will face annihilation!"


    Xuan Yangzi''s face was grim, and the killing intent in his eyes was almost tangible.


    ...


    Xu Hei took deep breaths, swallowing a large amount of pills again, using the Demon God Cauldron to refine them and maintain his combat state.


    "Why... is he still able to move?" Wu Mochou was already bewildered.


    Seeing that the opponent still seemed capable of fighting, Cui Yuan was equally stunned.


    They couldn''t comprehend why Xu Hei had such powerful mental strength!


    They had never witnessed a mortal slaying immortals.


    So, they didn''t understand!


    "Whoosh!"


    A flying sword shot straight towards Wu Mochou.


    Cui Yuan suddenly flashed in front, slapping the flying sword away, but his arm also broke, turning into a mist of blood.


    "Junior Nephew Wu!"


    Cui Yuan shouted.


    Wu Mochou shuddered, struggling to lift his head to look at Cui Yuan.


    "Run! I''ll hold him off!"


    Cui Yuan gritted his teeth, a resolute look in his eyes.


    Wu Mochou and he were both at their limits, but the former was young with an unlimited future. Cui Yuan, on the other hand, was past his prime, and this severe injury meant he would never form his core in this life.


    Seeing Wu Mochou still hesitating, Cui Yuan shouted again, "Get out of here!"


    His voice was like thunder, snapping Wu Mochou out of his daze.


    With red eyes, Wu Mochou solemnly said, "Take care, Uncle Cui!"


    He turned and trudged away.


    With both arms severed and his True Qi depleted, he could only rely on his legs to run.


    Xu Hei''s eyes were cold as he spat out the ivory flying sword, aiming once more at Wu Mochou''s back.


    But Cui Yuan''s figure flashed again, appearing in front of the flying sword, shouting loudly.


    "Explode!"


    Cui Yuan''s physical body swelled and then exploded, turning into a mist of blood, with a powerful shockwave sweeping in all directions.


    The self-destruction of a Great Perfection Foundation Establishment cultivator was terrifying. The ivory flying sword was blasted away, flying thousands of meters, even showing cracks.


    Even Xu Hei was impacted, flying out like a kite with a broken string, spitting blood.


    "Uncle Cui!!"


    Wu Mochou cried out in anguish but didn''t dare to look back. He bit his tongue and ran for his life, using his remaining legs to escape.


    He couldn''t die!


    His life was bought with Cui Yuan''s sacrifice, and he had to live!


    With hatred and unwillingness, he had to live on to avenge his fallen brothers!


    "Senior Brother..."


    Xuan Yangzi''s eyes were filled with sorrow.


    Of his generation, few were still alive, and now, even Cui Yuan was gone.


    Xu Hei flew out, his body once again suffering a severe impact, bones breaking.


    Watching Wu Mochou gradually disappear into the distance, Xu Hei''s eyes filled with intense grief and anger.


    Wu Mochou carried the hope of this lineage; he had a reason to live.


    But he also had a reason to die!


    "I said, none of you are getting away!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were vicious, his remaining True Qi rapidly depleting.


    Xuan Yangzi''s face changed drastically, shouting, "Be careful!"


    At this moment, a small scouting snake appeared near Wu Mochou.


    This scouting snake was Xu Hei''s only remaining puppet, following him until now. It had no cultivation level and had never participated in a fight.


    It had no combat power and was never taken seriously by anyone.


    But in this instant!


    The positions of the scouting snake and Xu Hei swapped!


    "Body Swap!"


    Xu Hei''s True Qi was exhausted, using a puppet technique from the Earth Puppet Art to switch places with the small snake, appearing right in front of Wu Mochou.


    "Die!"


    Xu Hei, unable to use any more spells, pounced directly, opening his bloody mouth and biting Wu Mochou''s head.


    "Ah!!"


    Wu Mochou screamed miserably, his legs kicking wildly, but Xu Hei didn''t budge.


    Reverse cultivation, what is reverse cultivation?


    Cultivators who follow the natural order are like clay chickens and pottery dogs before a true reverse cultivator, unable to withstand a single blow!


    Xu Hei gave him no chance, twisting hard, and Wu Mochou''s screams abruptly stopped with a crack, his head severed.


    The entire scene fell silent.


    The whole Myriad Serpent Valley was deathly quiet, only the sound of the breeze blowing through, carrying the scent of blood.


    Around the perimeter of Myriad Serpent Valley, corpses lay in heaps, all snake catchers, young and old, all dead.


    Xuan Yangzi was stunned, standing there like a fool.


    With Wu Mochou''s death, his lineage was completely wiped out.


    Xu Hei, at the early Foundation Establishment Stage, had killed a late Foundation Establishment cultivator, forced a Great Perfection Foundation Establishment cultivator to self-destruct, and slaughtered a large number of elder disciples. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such a record was simply terrifying.


    In that moment, Xuan Yangzi seemed to age significantly, feeling somewhat unreal.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, taking advantage of Xuan Yangzi''s distraction, the mirrored figure flicked his wrist, sending several phantom spirit snakes flying from his sleeve, striking Xuan Yangzi''s chest and burrowing in. Xuan Yangzi''s face turned pale, spitting blood, quickly circulating his energy to expel the spirit snakes.


    "Hey, hey! You actually got distracted. Show some respect, will you? This is an eight-point spell."


    The mirrored figure sneered, seizing the opportunity to attack relentlessly, bombarding with various magical treasures and secret techniques.


    Their strengths were evenly matched, but Xuan Yangzi, deeply affected, lost his balance, allowing the suspected inner demon to land a successful sneak attack.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s spirit was also at its limit, feeling dizzy and on the verge of fainting.


    He could only take an Awakening Pill to stay alert.


    "What should I do now?"


    Xu Hei couldn''t intervene in the Core Formation Stage battle; he didn''t have that capability yet.


    At this moment, facing the mirrored figure''s attacks, Xuan Yangzi was at a disadvantage, in a perilous situation, but his eyes showed no panic, only a hint of a cold smile.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, a flying sword slashed from afar, its speed like teleportation, aiming at the mirrored figure.


    "Clang!"


    The mirrored figure took out the Myriad Serpent Cauldron, blocking the sword, his figure retreating rapidly. Xuan Yangzi took the opportunity to escape, landing in the distance.


    Xu Hei''s eyes focused, looking towards the sky.


    Behind Xuan Yangzi, a purple-haired young man had appeared at some point. His hair was disheveled, his attire strange, and he was covered in weapons, yet his presence was almost undetectable.


    But from his earlier strike, it was clear that this person was undoubtedly at the Core Formation Stage!


    The purple-haired youth glanced around, his gaze sweeping over the corpses outside Myriad Serpent Valley, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.


    "Xuan Yangzi, you seem to be in trouble. What''s going on?"

 Chapter 109: Reinforcements have arrived

    Chapter 109: Reinforcements have arrivedThe young man with strange purple hair, named Han Te, was one of the rare Core Formation Stage rogue cultivators in the Southern Region. He had no sect or faction, known for his incredible speed, appearing and disappearing without a trace. He was an old acquaintance of Xuan Yangzi. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xuan Yangzi had always been cautious. Upon realizing something was wrong, he decisively used a communication jade slip to send a message to Han Te.


    At that time, Xu Hei was still in the midst of his tribulation, and no one believed he would survive.


    But Xuan Yangzi still used a favor to have Han Te rush over at the fastest speed for support.


    As it turned out, his choice was correct!


    A major upheaval indeed occurred!


    In fact, Xuan Yangzi was not the only Core Formation Stage cultivator in the Snake Catchers Sect, but most of the core elders were in seclusion at the headquarters, and the fastest one would take a day to arrive, which was too late for support.


    The only one nearby who could make it in time was Han Te.


    "Don''t ask unnecessary questions. You just need to kill that snake, that''s enough," Xuan Yangzi pointed at Xu Hei and said coldly.


    Han Te squinted his eyes and hesitated, "What about the price..."


    Xuan Yangzi impatiently threw out a storage bag and urged, "Hurry up and do it, don''t dawdle!"


    Just a dying early-stage Qi Condensation great demon, and he still wanted to negotiate the price. Xuan Yangzi was speechless.


    Han Te took the storage bag, glanced inside, and said, "This is the price for helping you out earlier. If you want me to kill that snake, you''ll have to add more!"


    Xuan Yangzi''s lips twitched. He forced himself to be patient and threw out another storage bag.


    Han Te took a look and finally smiled, putting the storage bag away.


    "Fellow Daoist, you are indeed generous. I will kill that snake right away!"


    Han Te sneered, waved his hand, and a flying sword shot out, aiming straight for Xu Hei''s forehead.


    At that moment!


    A violent demonic wind suddenly arose in front of Xu Hei, forming a fierce storm that swept up the flying sword and blew it far away.


    This terrifying demonic aura had already turned into a destructive storm, sweeping in from the distance. The sky darkened, black clouds pressed down on the city, as if some terrifying demonic beast was approaching!


    "A Golden Core great demon?"


    Xuan Yangzi and Han Te''s faces changed simultaneously.


    In the distant sky, a giant elephant as large as a mountain stepped through the void, each step shaking the void, rumbling as if the sky was about to collapse.


    The terrifying might of this creature was among the top of the great demons they had seen!


    This was the leader of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, Man Jin.


    Unlike before, Man Jin''s body had grown to ten meters, shining with golden light, with long hair like a forest. On each side, there were three tusks like ferocious curved blades, a unique mark of a Golden Core giant elephant!


    The Elephant Tribe was already among the top demonic beasts, almost invincible in the same realm.


    If he hadn''t just broken through recently, he could even fight two at once!


    Xu Hei finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    When he first arrived at Myriad Serpent Valley and noticed something was wrong, he immediately sent a message to Man Jin, requesting support.


    At that time, Man Jin had already completed his Core Formation, and with the healing pills Xu Hei had given him, he successfully endured the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations in winter without serious injury.


    Now, Man Jin had finally arrived.


    Not only did he come, but he also brought a group of tribesmen. Behind him were several late-stage Qi Condensation great demons, all elite members of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe.


    Xuan Yangzi called for help, and Xu Hei did the same!


    Moreover, Xu Hei called upon top-tier demonic beasts, the elite among demonic beasts.


    "This..." Xuan Yangzi''s body stiffened, his face turning black.


    He never imagined that this snake would also call for help!


    Seeing the situation turn bad, Han Te took a few steps back and said in a deep voice, "Xuan Yangzi, this will cost extra."


    Xuan Yangzi ignored him and turned to flee.


    At this point, there was no need to continue fighting. It was no longer a matter of revenge but whether they could escape!


    If this Wild Giant Elephant and the mirror image person attacked him together, he would be in grave danger.


    As for Han Te, he couldn''t be relied on. He was good at bullying the weak, but asking him to risk his life was impossible.


    "Trying to escape?"


    The mirror image person sneered, moving like a ghost to block Xuan Yangzi''s path.


    Xuan Yangzi slapped his chest, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and shot out like a meteor, flying a thousand feet away.


    The mirror image person also spat out blood, flying a thousand feet to pursue.


    The two figures flew continuously, disappearing from sight in an instant.


    Man Jin roared, stepping on the sky, charging towards Han Te.


    "Misunderstanding!"


    Han Te''s face changed, and he turned to run. His speed was faster than Xuan Yangzi''s blood escape, turning into a flash of lightning, speeding towards the horizon.


    Even Man Jin couldn''t keep up with such speed!


    Man Jin initially chased for a bit, but the opponent disappeared in an instant. He could only roar in frustration and return to the original place.


    "That damned human escaped! Unfortunately, my strength is still not enough!" Man Jin was unwilling.


    Man Jin returned to Myriad Serpent Valley, looking around outside the valley, and couldn''t help but gasp.


    Groups of snake catchers lay dead outside Myriad Serpent Valley, their deaths miserable. He recognized their clothes; they were his enemies!


    "My benefactor avenged me and killed so many people!" Man Jin was deeply moved.


    ...


    Xu Hei entered Myriad Serpent Valley.


    After a year, he finally returned home.


    Xu Hei felt a special sensation, like a wanderer returning to his hometown.


    This feeling was common among humans, but Xu Hei, as a demonic beast, also had this feeling.


    The restraints of Myriad Serpent Valley had long been lifted. Many surviving snakes left Myriad Serpent Valley, returning to their respective habitats.


    However, whether they were ordinary snakes or snake demons, they all bowed their heads to Xu Hei in deep respect when they left.


    Xu Hei was their savior!


    Xu Hei had defeated the snake catchers, saving the lives of millions of snakes, earning the respect of every snake!


    Especially after Xu Hei developed dragon scales, he seemed like the emperor of snakes. Even his aura was enough to make snakes submit!


    Xu Hei came to the middle of the valley, crawling to the side of the white snake.


    Xu Bai had a spear stuck in her, pinning her to the ground. She was barely breathing but still alive.


    Xu Hei carefully pulled out the spear, picked up Xu Bai, and carried her on his back.


    Xu Hei continued crawling forward, reaching a hillside.


    Here stood a stone tablet, the tombstone of the Old Snake King.


    Back then, the Old Snake King gave two Serpent Fruits, one to him and one to Xu Bai.


    "Old man, I''m back to see you."


    Xu Hei whispered to the tombstone.


    An overwhelming sense of fatigue swept over him, and Xu Hei collapsed in front of the tombstone, passing out.


    Man Jin watched from afar, sighed, and ordered, "All members of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, guard this valley until the benefactor wakes up."


    "Yes, Great King!"


    The elite members of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe roared, taking positions around Myriad Serpent Valley to guard it.


    ...


    An hour later.


    "Whoosh!"


    A figure flew back from afar, the mirror image projection of Xuan Yangzi.


    This person was covered in blood, his aura chaotic, as if he had experienced a life-and-death battle. He said nothing, diving into the purple bronze mirror and disappearing.


    The bronze mirror lost its luster, flying back to Xu Hei''s side and landing on the ground.

 Chapter 110: Noble spirit remains

    Chapter 110: Noble spirit remainsChu Kingdom Calendar, Early May.


    Xuan Yangzi led a hundred members of the Snake Catchers Sect to surround Myriad Serpent Valley, intending to blood-sacrifice three million mortal snakes, but they suffered a devastating defeat, with nearly all dead or injured.


    Since then, Xuan Yangzi disappeared.


    No one knew where he went. He might have found a secret place to heal, or he might have been too ashamed to face anyone, or perhaps he fled to another region.


    Because no one survived to tell the tale, the massacre at Myriad Serpent Valley was only discovered by the world a week later.


    Mid-May.


    The Qin army broke through Chuyang City, decimating the Chu army of 800,000 and capturing 500,000, including 3,000 cultivators!


    The Southern Region of Chu Kingdom completely fell.


    The core force of Chu Kingdom, the Astrology Bureau, retreated to the capital city. The main force''s defeat signaled the end of this war, and the fall of the entire country was only a matter of time.


    This was destined to be a losing war from the start; the strength of the two sides was not on the same level.


    If the Qin army hadn''t been cautious to minimize casualties, they would have broken the city a month earlier.


    The four major sects of the southeast, northwest, Kunlun, Penglai, Ice and Snow, and Snake Catchers, did not send a single person to aid, waiting quietly for the regime change.


    These four sects have a long history, even predating Chu Kingdom, and regime changes were nothing new to them.


    For the stubborn resistance of various cities in Chu Kingdom, the Qin army was very patient. They would rather wait for months until the people inside starved or surrendered than attack rashly.


    They wanted a complete country, not ruins.


    Of course, these are all later matters.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    This time, Xu Hei''s coma did not last long.


    In just three days, he woke up. After achieving perfect Foundation Establishment, Xu Hei''s physique far surpassed ordinary demonic beasts, possessing the qualities of a legendary divine beast.


    Xu Hei checked on Xu Bai beside him and found that she was unharmed, which put his mind at ease.


    He picked up the bronze mirror beside him and observed it carefully, finding that it had lost its previous luster. He remembered Hei Huang had said it could only be used once.


    He probed it with his divine sense, but there was no response.


    Xu Hei looked at his reflection in the mirror, sighed, and put it back into the pale golden storage bag.


    "Brother Xu, you''re awake!"


    Man Jin immediately flew over and stood in front of him.


    "Thank you, Brother Man Jin, for your help this time!"


    Xu Hei said sincerely.


    "Brother Xu killed so many enemies for me; I should be the one thanking you. Besides, it was the pills you gave me that gave me the courage to attempt Qi Condensation. You helped me!"


    Man Jin said even more sincerely.


    Originally, Xu Hei''s kindness to him was already immense. After this battle, Xu Hei''s kindness was even more unrepayable.


    He even wanted to give Xu Hei a piece of his ivory, but Xu Hei strongly persuaded him not to.


    This time, although Xu Hei woke up, his condition had not fully recovered. Consuming so many pills in succession had caused significant side effects.


    Even now, he still felt waves of soreness. Both his bones and meridians had varying degrees of damage, and there were many residual medicinal residues in his body.


    During the previous battle, he didn''t have time to check, but now he saw that the problem was significant.


    Xu Hei planned to retreat in Myriad Serpent Valley for some time, adjust his condition to the best, and then come out.


    "I need to retreat for a few more days," Xu Hei said.


    "Haha, no problem. I''ll guard here. This valley is quite nice; I also need to consolidate my cultivation," Man Jin laughed.


    Xu Hei nodded.


    Man Jin was not human; he had not experienced the scheming of human sects and had a simple mind, which also made him sincere.


    Xu Hei immediately activated the Demon God Cauldron to absorb the remaining medicinal power in his body. At the same time, he operated the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon cultivation technique, fully refining it, or expelling some useless substances from his body.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the blink of an eye, June arrived.


    The breeding season for snakes had ended, and most of the snakes in Myriad Serpent Valley had left, returning to their respective habitats.


    Only a few snakes that lived here year-round remained, and they all revered Xu Hei as their king.


    The hundreds of snake demons captured by Xuan Yangzi had also left, leaving only a few behind for unknown reasons, staying in Myriad Serpent Valley for a long time.


    Whenever they saw Xu Hei, they would lower their heads.


    Without any verbal communication, just a glance from Xu Hei, they could understand his orders and act according to his will.


    Xu Hei did not interfere with these intelligent snake demons; whether they stayed or left was their own choice.


    The environment here also often attracted some natural enemies of snakes, leading to hunting and fighting.


    Xu Hei did not interfere with this either. As long as it wasn''t humans causing large-scale destruction, he wouldn''t intervene.


    During this time, under Xu Hei''s careful observation.


    He discovered that Myriad Serpent Valley, besides being filled with spiritual qi and being a rare blessed land, seemed to have a trace of dragon qi deep underground.


    It might be this trace of dragon qi that attracted so many snakes every year.


    But when Xu Hei delved underground to investigate, he couldn''t sense it anymore.


    Xu Hei didn''t understand why. He wasn''t the type to dig to the bottom of things. Since he couldn''t find it, it meant the time wasn''t right. If he hadn''t cultivated the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, he wouldn''t have sensed the dragon qi at all.


    In the battle against the snake catchers, he had obtained over a hundred storage bags, which he checked one by one, categorizing the items and storing them in the huge black jade space.


    Xu Hei took out some items and gave them to Man Jin and Xu Bai.


    Since waking up, Xu Bai had locked herself in the underground cave dwelling, fully immersed in researching pills.


    It seemed that the recent injuries had greatly affected her.


    Xu Hei didn''t disturb her. He took out the formation flags left by Hei Huang and placed them around the cave dwelling, ensuring it was well-hidden.


    This way, no one could discover Xu Bai''s whereabouts.


    Xu Hei regretted that he didn''t have Hei Huang''s formation skills. Otherwise, he could have set up a Mountain Protection Array like human sects, providing defense even if someone came.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    One day, Xu Hei left Myriad Serpent Valley.


    He went to a branch hall of the snake catchers he had passed by before and found it already emptied, with no one in sight.


    "Have they withdrawn?"


    Xu Hei was puzzled. Normally, if the small ones died, wouldn''t the older ones come? If the older ones ran, wouldn''t even older ones come?


    He didn''t know what was happening with the Snake Catchers Sect.


    However, in these turbulent times, any sect was caught in the larger trend and couldn''t stay unaffected.


    Xu Hei then went to Snake Village.


    The news of the Southern Region of Chu Kingdom falling and the complete defeat had spread to every town and village.


    From now on, Chu Kingdom might cease to exist.


    Xu Hei wasn''t human, so he couldn''t empathize with humans.


    But the scene of mortals killing immortals that day deeply influenced him, giving him the courage to resist the invaders.


    Xu Hei took out a stone tablet and placed it at the entrance of Snake Village.


    With the power of mortals, defying the heavens and killing cultivators, these nameless people deserved respect!


    This stone tablet was called the Immortal Slaying Tablet!


    Xu Hei wasn''t skilled in carving words, so he used his divine sense to imprint it, merging it into the stone tablet. Only those with a fated connection could sense that trace of defiance. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Afterward, Xu Hei went to the riverside.


    He set up another stone tablet, leaving the image of a middle-aged scholar.


    A person''s death could be as light as a feather or as heavy as Mount Tai.


    In a daze, Xu Hei saw the scene of that day again.


    A speck of dust fell into the river, swallowed by the waves.


    But this speck of dust stirred up a mighty wave.


    "Though you have died, your deeds will be passed down through generations, your name will be remembered forever!"


    Xu Hei bowed deeply to the stone tablet.


    Across the vast land, the sun and moon changed the sky, though people die, their noble spirit remains.


    Xu Hei was also about to embark on a new path.


    ¡ª¡ªEnd of Volume One, Dragon Scale Chapter!


    ¡¾PS: I deleted the relationship between the Old Snake King and the protagonist from the last chapter, treating him as a senior. The same goes for Xu Bai, treating her as a junior.¡¿


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    End of Volume Summary & Reflections:


    I''m quite satisfied with the ending of the first volume. This was the plot I had designed from the beginning, starting and ending with Snake Village.


    The difference is that the protagonist has changed, from running away at the sight of people to confronting them head-on (not really).


    In short, a growing protagonist whose personality also changes is relatively rare in web novels.


    This actually carries a significant risk. A change in personality might mean that readers'' tastes may not accept it. For example, the initial cautious approach might deter readers who prefer hot-blooded stories, while those who came for the cautious approach might not like a reckless protagonist.


    But I believe that as long as the story is well-written, there is no conflict of genre or style.


    Regarding the female lead, I haven''t decided whether to write one yet.


    Many readers insist on no female lead because many web novels have poorly written romance, with female leads being either vases or tools to create conflict, leading to readers developing PTSD and avoiding female leads.


    Some readers also say the protagonist shouldn''t turn human or empathize with humans, blah blah blah.


    As I said before, as long as it''s well-written, there''s no such thing as what can or can''t be written.


    I''ve written snakes with female leads and without, and I haven''t seen much difference.


    Ultimately, content is king.


    Why do many novels with unique concepts or gimmicks start strong but fall apart later?


    Because unique concepts are temporary; only a good story can retain readers.


    In the second volume, the protagonist won''t stay in Myriad Serpent Valley but will go to other places and do other things. Being a mountain king all the time can get boring, right?


    He might go to the deep sea or some human sects, but it won''t be clich¨¦.


    The usual content will still be mainly light-hearted and enjoyable. People like to read funny stuff, and a serious ending once in a while is enough.


    At the end of each volume, I''ll do a summary. With nine realms and currently 250,000 words, it should at least reach two to three million words... probably.


    Off-topic:


    Next month, I plan to change to a shorter title. The current title is somewhat off-putting. Although more people click in, many leave after a few chapters, especially after the Immortal Emperor devours everything, which is frustrating.


    Actually, that Immortal Emperor is useless, purely a gimmick. He might come back for a revival match later to play a minor role.

 Chapter 111: Emotional Outburst Lion King

    Chapter 111: Emotional Outburst Lion KingXu Hei passed through village after village, wandering aimlessly until he found himself outside the Mountain Movers Sect.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei thought of someone¡ªXiao Chou.


    Chuyang City had fallen; this person was probably dead.


    Xu Hei sighed, and on a peak outside the Mountain Movers Sect, he erected a monument and carved the name "Xiao Chou" on it.


    "I know this person best, so I should write a bit about his life."


    Xu Hei pondered for a long time, then wrote down the contents of a bamboo slip he had once read, carving small lines of text at the bottom of the stone tablet.


    "Just got beaten up by Young Master Hua. I wanted to fight back, but I didn''t, because you said you liked honest people."


    "You told me to get lost. You finally spoke to me, which means you have me in your heart..."


    "..."


    These were all written by Xiao Chou himself, likely the best reflection of his life... Xu Hei thought to himself.


    ...


    Chuyang City.


    Shi Longzi, an elder of the Mountain Movers Sect and a veteran Foundation Establishment cultivator.


    Today, however, he received a summons from the Grand Commander.


    The Grand Commander, also known as the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Qin Xuanji, was a figure who had almost no rivals even in the Core Formation Stage.


    With a heart full of anxiety, Shi Longzi entered Qin Xuanji''s palace.


    Qin Xuanji sat in a chair, quietly gazing ahead.


    On the ground in front of him lay a man covered in blood, on the brink of death, his breath barely detectable. The moment Shi Longzi saw this man, his pupils contracted, and his face turned deathly pale.


    This dying man was none other than his disciple, Xiao Chou.


    "You are this man''s master?" Qin Xuanji asked calmly.


    Shi Longzi trembled all over, immediately kneeling on one knee, and said, "Yes, his name is Xiao Chou. It''s my fault for not teaching him well..."


    He knew that Xiao Chou had fought a life-and-death battle with the Qin army to protect the Xiao family, killing five Foundation Establishment cultivators. In this one-sided war, it was nothing short of astonishing.


    To know that during the Qin army''s siege of Chuyang City, they had lost fewer than thirty Foundation Establishment cultivators, many of whom had died in mutual destruction, one-for-one, or even more.


    Killing five was simply unbelievable!


    However, what surprised Shi Longzi was that this had caught the Grand Commander''s attention. Shouldn''t his focus be on battles at the Core Formation Stage? Why pay attention to a Foundation Establishment junior?


    "You don''t need to be afraid; I''m not here to hold you accountable."


    Qin Xuanji waved his hand, interrupting Shi Longzi''s apology, and said, "I''m here to discuss taking this disciple of yours. What do you think?"


    Shi Longzi was momentarily stunned.


    "Am I not clear enough?" Qin Xuanji said indifferently.


    Shi Longzi''s heart trembled, and he quickly said in a panic, "No... no problem, I''ll do as you say, Senior!"


    "Very well. I won''t take your disciple for free. Here, take this as compensation."


    Qin Xuanji tossed a storage bag to Shi Longzi, who caught it without even looking, hurriedly bowing, "Thank you, Senior."


    He didn''t know why Qin Xuanji had taken an interest in Xiao Chou. Xiao Chou''s spiritual root was indeed exceptional, but not enough to attract this person''s attention.


    The inner disciples of the Heavenly Puppet Sect were all more talented and brilliant.


    "Go now, and make sure the survivors of the Xiao family are well taken care of. Do not harm a single member of the Xiao family, especially this person''s direct relatives. Ensure they are properly settled," Qin Xuanji said.


    "Yes! I''ll take care of it right away!" Shi Longzi nodded and bowed as he retreated.


    Qin Xuanji looked at the unconscious Xiao Chou lying on the ground, not bothering to heal him, merely letting out a cold laugh.


    "Reverse cultivation, interesting."


    He waved his hand and said to the shadows, "Take this kid and dump him in some desolate mountain. Just don''t kill him."


    "Yes!" Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A black-clothed person emerged from the shadows, grabbed Xiao Chou, and vanished into the air.


    ...


    Myriad Serpent Valley.


    After returning from his travels, Xu Hei sensed two powerful auras outside Myriad Serpent Valley.


    One belonged to Man Jin, but the other was unfamiliar.


    Xu Hei quickly returned to the valley and immediately locked onto the massive figure in mid-air.


    It was a lion covered in purple lightning, its fur bristling, with wings on its back. Though slightly smaller than Man Jin, it was still a colossal beast to Xu Hei.


    The void around the lion was entirely purple, with bolts of lightning crackling, exuding a terrifying aura.


    "Purple Lightning Lion King!"


    Xu Hei''s heart tightened.


    Comparing its aura to Man Jin''s, the Purple Lightning Lion King''s cultivation was slightly higher, roughly at the peak of the early Core Formation Stage, not far from the mid-stage.


    However, Man Jin, being from the Elephant Tribe, had naturally powerful combat abilities, making him not inferior to his opponent.


    "I''ve been waiting for you."


    The Purple Lightning Lion King''s gaze locked onto Xu Hei as it approached.


    Man Jin stepped forward, blocking its path, and said coldly, "Speak your piece and be quick about it. Don''t just barge into someone''s home; it''s extremely rude!"


    The Purple Lightning Lion King''s eyes flashed with disdain but stopped in its tracks, not forcing its way in.


    It looked at Xu Hei and said, "My wife''s body is in your possession, isn''t it?"


    "..." Xu Hei was taken aback.


    His wife? That Purple Crystal Thunder Lion in the Foundation Establishment Stage?


    In the lion tribe, any lion with a lightning spiritual root could be called a Thunder Lion.


    Xu Hei had long suspected that the lion might have a powerful mate, but he hadn''t expected it to be this strong and to come looking for him.


    That lion had a leg bitten off by him, and its body was incomplete. Would it cause trouble for him because of that?


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and then feigned confusion, "Your wife?"


    "I won''t waste words with you. It''s that Purple Crystal Thunder Lion. From what I understand, she was killed by a human, but her body was taken by you. I advise you to hand it over quickly, or don''t blame me for being impolite," the Purple Lightning Lion King said coldly.


    "Rude!"


    Man Jin roared and stepped forward, his powerful demonic wind forcing the Purple Lightning Lion King back half a step.


    "Is this how you ask for help? Threatening people? If you can''t speak properly, go back and learn how to communicate before coming back!"


    Man Jin''s voice was filled with anger. To him, Xu Hei was a great benefactor, and he wouldn''t allow anyone to threaten Xu Hei.


    The Purple Lightning Lion King was stunned, his eyes filled with uncertainty.


    He was just surprised why this Golden Core elephant would help a Foundation Establishment snake, trying to test the other''s attitude, but the response was so resolute.


    He began to doubt the snake''s background.


    Xu Hei asked in confusion, "How did you know the body was taken by me?"


    "I asked the Pangolin King and two passing eagles. They all saw what happened that day. I also caught a few snake demons to inquire. In this forest, you''re the only snake that can use spells," the Purple Lightning Lion King explained.


    Xu Hei couldn''t help but feel speechless.


    He had become so famous without realizing it, to the point where people could find him just by asking any random snake.


    Damn it...


    Xu Hei suddenly felt that he couldn''t keep a low profile anymore, even if he wanted to.


    Seeing Xu Hei''s prolonged silence, the Purple Lightning Lion King coldly said, "You didn''t eat her, did you?"


    "So what if I did? You said yourself that your wife was killed by a human. If you want revenge, go find the humans. Why are you causing trouble here?"


    Man Jin retorted unceremoniously.


    The Purple Lightning Lion King was utterly enraged, raising its paw to strike.


    Xu Hei didn''t hesitate any longer. He quickly took out the incomplete body and used the Gravity Technique to toss it over.


    The moment he saw the body, the Purple Lightning Lion King immediately stopped, rushed over, and hugged the body, wailing in grief.


    "Howl! Ninth Sister, Ninth Sister!"


    The Purple Lightning Lion King cried tears like rain, wailing incessantly, a stark contrast to his previous image.


    "..."


    Xu Hei and Man Jin were both stunned.


    Damn it, you were just about to fight, and now you''re crying?


    After wailing for a full hour, the Purple Lightning Lion King finally stopped, wiped away his tears, and regained his composure.


    He stored the body away and said, "Sorry, I lost control of my emotions earlier."


    "It''s fine, I understand."


    Xu Hei nodded in agreement.

 Chapter 112: Attack the Snake Catchers Sect branch

    Chapter 112: Attack the Snake Catchers Sect branchThe Purple Lightning Lion King was born into an unremarkable Thunder Lion family. He was the eldest and the first to successfully reach the Qi Condensation stage, becoming a demon king.


    Afterwards, he inherited the position of Lion King and took nine wives. Eight of them were inherited from the previous Lion King, and only the ninth was his original mate.


    The ninth wife was the youngest and had the lowest cultivation level. She was often ostracized, but she had a strong personality and left home, taking her child with her.


    As a result, she met a tragic end.


    The Purple Lightning Lion King was heartbroken and gritted his teeth, "Do you know which sect''s people killed her?"


    Xu Hei initially wanted to tell the truth and say it was the Heavenly Puppet Sect. But after a moment''s thought, he shook his head and said, "I''m not sure, but in these chaotic times, the only ones capable of such an act are the Snake Catchers Sect."


    "Good! I''ll destroy the Snake Catchers Sect right now!"


    The Purple Lightning Lion King roared, stepping on lightning and thunder, his wings flapping as he flew towards the direction of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    "¡­¡­" Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    He''s just going like that? Where''s his brain?


    "Don''t be impulsive!" Xu Hei shouted.


    "I''m not impulsive at all. If I can''t destroy the headquarters, I can at least wipe out their branch halls! Watch me take down their three branch halls in one go!"


    As he spoke, the Purple Lightning Lion King had already disappeared from sight.


    Xu Hei turned around and looked at Man Jin, who was also looking at him.


    "Brother Xu, should we follow him?" Man Jin asked hesitantly.


    "He''s just a reckless brute. I''m afraid if we follow him, we''ll get ourselves into trouble."


    Despite saying this, Xu Hei was also hesitant. After all, the Snake Catchers Sect was his enemy too. If they could cause some damage to the sect, he would be happy to see it.


    After a moment of silence, Xu Hei gritted his teeth and said, "Let''s follow and see."


    "Alright!" Man Jin nodded.


    "Take this!"


    At this moment, Xu Bai''s voice came from behind.


    Xu Hei turned around to see Xu Bai throwing a porcelain bottle towards him. Xu Hei used the Gravity Technique to catch it. It seemed to contain some powdery substance.


    "Use this, and it will make the Snake Catchers Sect''s people unable to have descendants!" Xu Bai said seriously.


    Xu Hei was surprised, "Is this a poison pill?"


    "That''s right, it''s my first time making a poison pill!" Xu Bai nodded.


    Xu Hei was stunned.


    The normal pills Xu Bai made already had terrifying effects. If this was a poison pill, it must be extraordinary.


    Hearing her description of "unable to have descendants," Xu Hei knew it wasn''t simple. He instinctively took a few steps back, carefully storing it in a storage bag from a distance of thirty meters, sealing it with a label before taking it.


    Xu Hei didn''t even dare to swallow it, only hanging it around his neck to avoid accidentally breaking the storage bag inside his stomach, which would be disastrous.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The headquarters of the Snake Catchers Sect was in the northern part of the Southern Region, a long distance away, but it had five branch halls.


    Each branch hall had a Great Perfection stage cultivator stationed, combined with a third-tier formation. Even a Core Formation stage cultivator couldn''t easily take it down and could hold out until reinforcements arrived from the headquarters.


    Some old monsters at the end of their lifespan in the Core Formation stage would also come to the branch halls to retreat, making them even harder to attack.


    The two demons traveled at full speed and arrived outside a city after half a day.


    This city was called Rock Serpent City, built on the edge of a cliff. Only cultivators could enter and exit, with the Snake Catchers Sect stationed there, making it one of the few cities not affected by the war. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    From a distance, Xu Hei saw the Purple Lightning Lion King standing outside Rock Serpent City, surrounded by purple lightning, with a demonic wind swirling around him, ready to attack.


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."


    Behind him, a group of female lions appeared, the Purple Lightning Lion King''s eight wives, each exuding a powerful aura, moving like thunder, stepping on seven stars.


    Three were at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, three at the late stage, one at Great Perfection, and one was his first wife at the Core Formation stage.


    In comparison, the ninth wife''s cultivation level was indeed the lowest.


    "Lions have so many wives..."


    Xu Hei was also shocked, not by the number, but by their combat abilities.


    At this moment, a light shield rose outside Rock Serpent City, with faint snake-shaped shadows circling it. This was the city''s protective formation.


    Inside the light shield, an old man with white hair and a white beard appeared on the city wall. He looked at the Purple Lightning Lion King and said calmly, "Purple Lightning Lion King, how has our Snake Catchers Sect offended you to bring you here?"


    "You killed my wife and child, and you still ask why I''m here?"


    The Purple Lightning Lion King didn''t bother with words, roaring angrily and spitting out a thirty-meter-wide lightning bolt, striking the city wall of Rock Serpent City.


    "Boom!!!"


    The light shield shook violently, cracks spreading all over it, showing signs of collapse with just one strike.


    The old man''s face darkened, "This year, no one from our Snake Catchers Sect has entered the mountains. How could we have killed your wife and child?"


    As soon as he said this, his heart sank.


    Not long ago, Xuan Yangzi''s faction suffered a great disaster, with everyone slaughtered, and Xuan Yangzi himself missing. No one knew the details.


    Could it have been Xuan Yangzi''s people who did it?


    The old man was pondering this when he heard a mocking voice.


    "Didn''t enter the mountains? Your Snake Catchers Sect sent over a hundred people to Myriad Serpent Valley, blood-sacrificing millions of lives. Is this what you call not entering the mountains?"


    Xu Hei didn''t waste words, directly taking out over a hundred Snake Catchers Sect disciples'' clothes, tokens, and body fragments, making them circle in the air with the Gravity Technique.


    At this moment, there was an uproar inside Rock Serpent City.


    Everyone stared at the items flying in the air, their faces twitching, their hearts in turmoil.


    "My God! The rumors are true, Xuan Yangzi''s faction was completely wiped out!"


    "Look at that golden token, it''s the first disciple Wu Mochou''s!"


    "Oh my God! That''s Cui Yuan''s head!"


    The city was in complete chaos.


    A hundred people entered the mountains, not a single one returned alive, and even Xuan Yangzi was missing.


    They only knew they were all killed but didn''t know the details. Seeing this now, it was highly likely they had clashed with this demonic beast.


    The old man''s face turned black.


    "Xuan Yangzi, how could you cause such a huge disaster!"


    The old man cursed Xuan Yangzi''s ancestors in his heart.


    The Chu Kingdom was in turmoil, the Heavenly Puppet Sect had wild ambitions, and all their branch halls had received orders to guard their headquarters and not go out casually.


    At such a critical moment, Xuan Yangzi took his hundred men to hold a blood sacrifice ceremony.


    He could understand, though. If it succeeded, their strength would greatly increase, and even if the Heavenly Puppet Sect wanted to act against them, they would have to think twice.


    But it failed and caused such a huge trouble.


    "Attack!"


    The Purple Lightning Lion King was impatient. Seeing the old man silent, he directly ordered an attack on the city gate.


    "Boom boom boom!!!"


    All eight female lions attacked, spitting thunder and flames, beams of terrifying energy striking the light shield, causing it to shake and crack all over.


    On the light shield, a coiled snake shadow appeared, the spirit of the formation.


    A third-tier mountain protection formation had a spirit guarding it. At this moment, the coiled snake roared to the sky, spitting out streams of venom, raining down on the lion group.


    "Roar!"


    Suddenly, a thunderous roar came from behind. Man Jin raised his nose to the sky, spraying a stream of scorching air, evaporating the venom completely.


    "Another one!"


    The people inside Rock Serpent City were once again shocked, their hearts almost numb.

 Chapter 113: Han is just passing by

    Chapter 113: Han is just passing byA pack of Thunder Lions was already enough to handle, and now an elephant had appeared.


    The elder of the Snake Catchers Sect initially believed that with his strength combined with the Nascent Soul ancestor in seclusion and the Mountain Protection Array, they could hold out until reinforcements arrived from headquarters.


    But now, seeing that giant elephant, his heart sank.


    This wasn''t an ordinary Core Formation demonic beast; it was the most powerful elephant!


    "I''m going in!"


    Man Jin raised his trunk, took a deep breath, and sank his Qi into his dantian, compressing his True Qi into a single point within his Golden Core.


    Then, he suddenly released it. Man Jin stepped into the void, charging forward like an immense, boundless mountain toward the city wall.


    "Boom, boom, boom..."


    It was like a war chariot rolling across the sky; the heavens and earth trembled. Even before he arrived, a massive earthquake erupted within Rock Serpent City, and the deafening roar echoed in everyone''s ears.


    The sky collapsed, the earth shattered, and the sun and moon dimmed.


    In everyone''s eyes, it seemed as if it wasn''t an elephant charging but the heavens and earth themselves.


    "Fire the cannons! Release the arrows!" The white-bearded elder shouted in terror.


    The soldiers aimed their cannons, but there was no time to fire. Man Jin had already arrived!


    "Boom!!!"


    Man Jin''s body collided with the protective barrier. The entire Rock Serpent City seemed about to be blown away. The barrier, already covered in cracks, was instantly pierced by sharp tusks. His physical body crushed forward, and the entire formation was like glass on the verge of shattering.


    The white-bearded elder, who was controlling the formation, immediately spat out a mouthful of blood and was sent flying, crashing down from the city wall. The soldiers were shaken to death on the spot.


    The coiled serpent was also affected, letting out a miserable scream, its phantom dimming significantly.


    "Ha!"


    Man Jin roared, took a few steps back, and charged again. This time, the barrier shattered completely, turning into countless fragments.


    Man Jin''s momentum didn''t stop. He crashed into the city wall. The ten-meter-high wall crumbled like fragile paper under his massive body. With a loud "boom," the entire wall collapsed into ruins.


    One hit, two hits¡ªboom!


    From the start of the battle to the breach of the city, it took only a few breaths, setting a record for the fastest city breach in history.


    Everyone was dumbfounded.


    They had seen humans attacking cities, but never demonic beasts, and certainly not in such a straightforward and brutal manner.


    It wasn''t until the city wall collapsed that the Nascent Soul ancestor in seclusion within Rock Serpent City finally arrived, looking at the devastated battlefield, completely stunned, unable to advance or retreat.


    ...


    Rock Serpent City, Listening Wind Tavern.


    "This information is definitely worth thirty thousand. You won''t regret buying it. Why don''t you believe me?"


    "..."


    "Hey, twenty-eight thousand, how about that? I''m already giving you a discount!"


    "..."


    Han Te, with his messy purple hair and clothes filled with weapons, was haggling with a middle-aged man in black.


    The middle-aged man in black was the manager of Listening Wind Tavern, the largest intelligence organization between the two countries, responsible for intelligence transactions and also purchasing information.


    Han Te''s information was about the specific situation in Myriad Serpent Valley that day and the whereabouts of Xuan Yangzi.


    He directly asked for thirty thousand Spirit Stones.


    That was today''s price; two days ago, he even asked for fifty thousand.


    "Daoist Han, it''s not that the information is bad, but your asking price is too outrageous. Even if I sell this information to the Snake Catchers Sect, I won''t make a profit. You should look elsewhere," the middle-aged man in black said helplessly.


    "I don''t want to argue anymore. Twenty-five thousand, final offer!"


    "Daoist Han, are you insulting me?"


    "Then what''s your price?"


    The middle-aged man held up five fingers and said, "Five thousand."


    "Damn! Are you trying to brush off a beggar?"


    Han Te cursed and turned to leave.


    Five thousand? For someone at the Foundation Establishment Stage, it might be a fortune, but for someone at the Core Formation Stage, it was nothing.


    Qian Dachun sneered inwardly, not in a hurry. With Han Te''s greedy nature, he wouldn''t let the information rot in his stomach; he would eventually sell it to him.


    Han Te didn''t dare sell to the Snake Catchers Sect because they would capture and interrogate him directly.


    If he wanted to exchange it for money, this was his only option. He had already waited two days; he could wait a bit longer.


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, the ground shook violently, as if something had crashed into Rock Serpent City''s formation. The shockwave swept across the city, and the sky trembled.


    Even several nearby buildings collapsed.


    Fortunately, Listening Wind Tavern had a separate formation for isolation; otherwise, they would have been affected too.


    "What''s going on?"


    Qian Dachun''s face darkened as he stood up and went outside.


    Han Te disappeared in a flash. After a moment, he reappeared, urgently saying to Qian Dachun, "Five thousand, I''ll sell! I''ll sell!"


    Qian Dachun sensed something strange and didn''t immediately agree. Instead, he went to the edge of the city to take a look. What he saw nearly made his eyes pop out.


    The western city wall had completely collapsed, overturned by a ten-meter-tall giant elephant!


    "Roar!!"


    Man Jin raised his trunk and let out a loud trumpet, hot air spewing from his nostrils, his battle intent soaring.


    "Roar!!"


    Behind him, a male lion and eight female lions charged into the city, unleashing lightning and thunder, bombarding the buildings. Various demonic spells rained down, and screams filled the city, blood and gore everywhere.


    "Demonic beasts attacking the city?" S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Oh my god, something big is happening!"


    The cultivators in Rock Serpent City were scared out of their wits, fleeing for their lives. They never imagined that demonic beasts would attack a city.


    And three Core Formation great demons at that¡ªwho could withstand this?


    Qian Dachun quickly understood what had happened.


    "Xuan Yangzi has caused such a huge mess, what a disaster!" Qian Dachun cursed inwardly.


    At this moment, the lion pride was besieging the Nascent Soul ancestor. The male lion led the attack, while the female lions formed a formation to assist, working in perfect harmony. The ancestor spat blood, beaten so badly he couldn''t even escape.


    Lions were naturally good at teamwork, a trait they had inherited since their days as wild beasts.


    As for the coiled serpent formation spirit, after the formation was broken, its form became illusory and weakened significantly, but it still had considerable combat power.


    However, when facing Xu Hei, for some reason, there was deep fear in its eyes. It coiled in place, trembling, not daring to attack.


    Man Jin didn''t interfere. His gaze swept through the city, searching for other experts.


    Soon, he locked onto someone.


    "It''s you!"


    Man Jin immediately spotted the conspicuous Han Te, his eyes filled with murderous intent. Without a word, he charged forward.


    Han Te''s face turned green, and he turned to run.


    "Misunderstanding! I''m just passing by, I have nothing to do with that person!"


    "Passing by? Then today I''ll just pass by too," Man Jin said coldly.


    Qian Dachun finally understood why Han Te had agreed to lower the price so quickly¡ªit was because his enemy had come knocking.


    Man Jin stepped through the air, and wherever he passed, buildings collapsed one after another, like a bulldozer, leaving a long trench. The ground sank several meters deep.


    Han Te''s face twitched. If he got "passed by," there wouldn''t be anything left of him.


    Although he was also at the Core Formation Stage, as a rogue cultivator, he didn''t have the numerous treasures and trump cards of a sect elder. His combat power was among the lowest in his realm.


    Of course, as a rogue cultivator, surviving until now, he relied on his ability to escape.

 Chapter 114: Fake Cultivator

    Chapter 114: Fake CultivatorHan Te''s entire body surged with purple energy, his speed skyrocketing, and his purple hair danced wildly as if he were treading on lightning.


    Man Jin, however, was prepared. At the same moment he gave chase, he threw out a pair of icy tusks that spun together, summoning a frigid wind that froze the air, creating an expanse of ice.


    Han Te''s speed immediately plummeted, and even his True Qi began to freeze, causing him to stall halfway.


    His face turned ashen as he shouted, "Don''t push me! If you push me any further, I''ll have to use my killer move!"


    Man Jin remained unfazed, charging forward with a thunderous roar. Compared to him, Han Te''s figure was like that of a tiny ant.


    Qian Dachun was curious. Did Han Te really have a killer move?


    "Ten Thousand Swords, Unsheathe!"


    Han Te let out a strange cry, and the dozens of weapons on his body all unsheathed simultaneously, connecting together to form a ship.


    This ship, made of weapons, lifted Han Te up. With a burst of speed, it shot out in an instant, flying out of Rock Serpent City in the blink of an eye.


    "..." Man Jin was stunned.


    Not only him, but everyone who witnessed this scene was dumbfounded.


    No one had expected that the numerous weapons on Han Te''s body were not for killing but for forming a ship to escape.


    "What a disgrace to the Core Formation Stage!" Qian Dachun cursed inwardly.


    A Core Formation cultivator, with the same level of cultivation, fleeing without a fight was indeed a weirdo.


    Qian Dachun returned to the Listening Wind Tavern and activated a one-time teleportation array, leaving directly.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei stared at the formation spirit, the fear in its eyes growing more intense.


    At first, it flicked its tongue, issuing a warning sound, but as Xu Hei approached, the formation spirit''s body began to tremble.


    Xu Hei watched for a long time before calmly saying, "I know you were forced into this formation, not by choice. Would you be willing to leave with me?"


    Xu Hei had killed many members of the Snake Catchers Sect and had examined the jade slips in their storage bags. Naturally, he knew that each Mountain Protection Array of the Snake Catchers Sect used the soul of a Golden Core Snake Demon as the formation spirit.


    Some were cultivated by the sect, but most were captured from the wild.


    Each formation spirit had a history of hundreds of years, like the one before him in Rock Serpent City, which had existed for three hundred years.


    The formation spirit did not speak, still staring coldly at Xu Hei. Despite its inexplicable fear, its instinct to guard remained.


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly and said no more. Dragon scales detached from his body, attacking the formation spirit.


    Foundation Establishment cultivators had the ability to control flying swords.


    After completing his first transformation, Xu Hei''s new ability was to detach dragon scales, turning them into flying swords. However, this move had a drawback: it left him defenseless.


    "Swish!"


    The dragon scales sliced through the formation spirit''s body, causing it to let out a shrill scream and become even more ethereal. But this also triggered its ferocity, and it lashed its tail at Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei did not dodge. He condensed thick earth armor with True Qi and charged forward, colliding with the tail.


    "Boom!!"


    Xu Hei''s body trembled slightly, retreating a bit, but the formation spirit was heavily struck, sent flying into the City Lord''s mansion below.


    Facing this third-tier formation spirit, Xu Hei had the upper hand. Of course, it also helped that the formation spirit had been repeatedly injured and was no longer at its peak.


    The formation spirit rose again, biting towards Xu Hei.


    "Mountain Embrace Seal!"


    Xu Hei envisioned a great mountain descending from the sky, smashing onto the formation spirit''s head and pressing it deep into the ground, its screams echoing. He then took out several sealing talismans, continuously throwing them to temporarily seal the formation spirit.


    Xu Hei looked around and saw that the cultivators in the city were fleeing in all directions.


    Some elders of the Snake Catchers Sect initially wanted to resist, but seeing the situation deteriorate and the formation spirit defeated, they gave up and chose to run.


    Xu Hei had no interest in dealing with rogue cultivators, but he killed every member of the Snake Catchers Sect he encountered.


    "Kill!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei launched ivory needles, crafted from leftover materials, at the fleeing members of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    The crowd was terrified, using protective magical treasures to shield themselves, but Xu Hei''s gaze intensified. With his black True Qi burning, the needles'' speed doubled, creating a piercing force.


    "Thud, thud, thud, thud..."


    Wherever the needles went, magical treasures were pierced, and the crowd fell like wheat being harvested.


    Everyone had a blood spot on their forehead, killed instantly without even a chance to scream.


    Aiming for the forehead was the most efficient way to kill!


    Xu Hei conserved his True Qi, ensuring each strike was lethal.


    For tougher Foundation Establishment cultivators, Xu Hei used dragon scales to target their foreheads, achieving the same result.


    "Too terrifying, he''s a demon!"


    "Help!"


    The crowd screamed and fled, using all their trump cards to escape, fight back, or beg for mercy, but none could escape death.


    Xu Hei''s strength was nearly invincible within the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Except for a few tough opponents with numerous magical treasures, killing others was as easy as slaughtering chickens.


    However, after killing dozens, Xu Hei finally encountered a tough opponent.


    This was a middle-aged man with a full beard, at the peak of Foundation Establishment, likely from Cui Yuan''s generation.


    Unlike Cui Yuan, who had a sacrificial spirit, this man grabbed those around him and threw them at Xu Hei!


    Whether fellow disciples or passing rogue cultivators, he used them as shields to delay Xu Hei''s attacks.


    Xu Hei launched five attacks in a row, not even touching a hair on him.


    "Still trying to escape?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold, ready to pursue, but then he wondered if the man was feigning weakness to lure him into a trap.


    Seeing Man Jin returning from afar, Xu Hei felt reassured. Without hesitation, he charged at the man, recalling the flying dragon scales to his body, making them stand up like blades.


    "Swish, swish, swish..."


    Everything in his path was shredded to pieces as Xu Hei shot towards the bearded man like a straight line.


    "Don''t push me!"


    The bearded man roared. Seeing Xu Hei''s relentless approach, he made a decisive move, swallowing a shriveled Golden Core.


    "A Golden Core?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed.


    This Golden Core belonged to a Core Formation cultivator but was in a withered state, likely obtained from a long-dead corpse.


    The man''s desperate act made Xu Hei pause, quickly activating sixteen layers of Earth Shield and thirty layers of thick earth armor.


    "Boom!!!"


    The violent power of the Golden Core erupted from the man''s body, surging backward.


    Xu Hei''s defenses shattered, and he fell back.


    But his vast Divine Sense remained locked on the man.


    The bearded man''s Dantian, where his stable spiritual foundation was, rapidly transformed, forming a shriveled, semi-finished Golden Core.


    "Has he formed a Golden Core?"


    "No, it should be a False Core!"


    Xu Hei thought of a term. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Foundation Establishment cultivators, if unable to form a true Golden Core, might settle for a lower-grade semi-finished Golden Core, a False Core.


    Such cultivators might be stuck at the False Core Stage for life.


    False Core cultivators were weaker than true Core Formation cultivators but stronger than peak Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    This old Snake Catchers Sect cultivator, knowing he was in grave danger, sacrificed his future to form a False Core, just to survive.


    After forming the False Core, he didn''t turn to attack but used his boosted cultivation to burn his lifespan and flee Rock Serpent City at top speed.


    In this brief burst, his speed was indeed comparable to a true Core Formation cultivator!


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Previously, I referred to the Core Formation Stage, Golden Core Stage, and Demon Core Stage as the same realm. I''ll try to use consistent terms in the future to avoid confusion.]

 Chapter 115: Not let you go even as a ghost

    Chapter 115: Not let you go even as a ghostAs he fled for his life, he didn''t forget to repeat his previous actions, grabbing at the people around him.


    "Liu Buqun, you heartless scoundrel!"


    "You won''t die a good death!"


    Angry curses echoed from the sides, but Liu Buqun grabbed each person through the air and threw them behind him.


    Man Jin noticed Liu Buqun''s unusual behavior. He snorted, sending a wave of air that blasted through the crowd and headed straight for Liu Buqun!


    Liu Buqun pulled out a copper bell, withstanding the impact of the airwave. He spat out a mouthful of blood, using the force to propel himself forward. Mid-air, he took out a wind sail, riding the wind and diving out of the city.


    In an instant, he had escaped Rock Serpent City.


    "..." Xu Hei was stunned. That guy actually managed to escape.


    If Liu Buqun had even a moment''s hesitation or the slightest thought of turning back to fight, he would have been dead.


    Man Jin wanted to chase after him, but remembering the many experts still in the city, he had to give up. Instead, he turned his attention to the city guards on the tower.


    "Fire the cannons!"


    The City Lord waved his flag, and the guards aimed their cannons at Man Jin and fired.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    The cannonballs hit Man Jin, causing him no pain, only slightly halting his movement.


    At this moment, a ten-meter-wide ballista, carried by five cultivators, was brought out from the tower. They loaded a bolt and aimed at Man Jin, firing it with a loud "whoosh!"


    The bolt pierced through the void with a sharp, ear-piercing sound, slightly pausing Man Jin''s movement before it struck him.


    Initially, Man Jin didn''t pay much attention, but this bolt penetrated his protective true essence and embedded into his skin.


    Though only the arrowhead was lodged in, it shocked Man Jin.


    He used his nose to pull out the bolt and examined it closely.


    The arrowhead was white jade in color, with faint spiritual power fluctuations.


    It was made from the tusk of a Spirit-Devouring Elephant!


    Man Jin''s mind flashed back to his childhood memories.


    At that time, the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe had many members, including a branch of Spirit-Devouring Elephants with thirteen members, one of whom was his closest sister.


    But after a foraging trip, they never returned.


    When they were found, only their tuskless corpses remained, lying cold in a pit.


    The Spirit-Devouring Elephants were completely wiped out in that incident.


    "Roar!!"


    Man Jin let out an earth-shattering roar, shaking the entire Rock Serpent City.


    In truth, Man Jin was naturally simple and didn''t enjoy killing. As a herbivore, his bloodlust was far less than that of lions or Xu Hei.


    After entering Rock Serpent City, he only targeted Han Te and other potential threats.


    But now, seeing his kin''s tusks made into weapons by humans, he recalled those painful memories.


    "Senior Elephant, it was the Snake Catchers Sect that wronged you. Why must you annihilate us too?" the City Lord shouted in grief and indignation.


    Man Jin glared over.


    That sentence was like a fuse, igniting Man Jin''s fury completely!


    "You humans all deserve to die!"


    Man Jin''s roar echoed across the sky.


    At this moment, he had no more mercy, unleashing his most destructive demon technique, Elephant''s Roar!


    "Roar!!!"


    The air twisted, visible waves of air sweeping in all directions, destroying countless buildings, collapsing pavilions, and toppling city walls. Countless people had their brains burst and souls scattered.


    Some weaker cultivators were caught in the waves, their bodies exploding.


    On the city tower, the cultivators who were about to fire a second ballista bolt bled from their seven orifices, screaming in agony as they fell from the high walls, which tilted backward.


    The City Lord of Rock Serpent City, a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator, only lasted a breath before his head exploded. He died not knowing how he had offended this giant elephant.


    The sorrows of humans do not connect, let alone between humans and demons.


    Man Jin''s anguished roar spread far and wide, turning the surrounding ten miles into ruins in an instant!


    Xu Hei watched this scene and couldn''t help but gasp.


    He had used flying needles and dragon scales, going to great lengths to kill about fifty people, and even let one escape.


    But with a single roar from Man Jin, not a single person within ten miles survived, killing hundreds.


    The entire Rock Serpent City had fewer than a thousand cultivators, and half were gone in an instant.


    Adding those who fled and were killed by the Thunder Lions, the city was almost empty, with hardly any survivors.


    Xu Hei acted again, eliminating the remaining stragglers.


    Now, no disciples of the Snake Catchers Sect could be seen in the city.


    In the sky, the Core Formation Stage battle was also nearing its end. The Nascent Soul ancestor, unable to withstand the lions'' siege, was finally defeated.


    In his dying moments, he aimed at Xu Hei and dove down, preparing to self-destruct.


    He knew Xu Hei was the mastermind behind this incident! S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmph, dream on!"


    Not only did Man Jin intercept him, but the Purple Lightning Lion King also moved to block him.


    Xu Hei quickly retreated, putting a safe distance between them at unprecedented speed.


    "You little beast, I won''t let you go even as a ghost!"


    The unnamed Nascent Soul ancestor roared in unwillingness, his body exploding into a sky full of energy, sweeping outward.


    Man Jin inhaled deeply, sucking all the shockwaves into his nose and refining them, preventing any spread.


    The Purple Lightning Lion King activated his thunder shield, standing in front of Xu Hei and blocking most of the waves.


    The remaining impact on Xu Hei was minimal, hardly causing any discomfort.


    A few breaths later, everything was calm.


    The unnamed Nascent Soul ancestor was dead, not even leaving a storage bag.


    "Phew!"


    Xu Hei let out a long breath.


    Suddenly, he had a flash of inspiration.


    Not letting him go even as a ghost?


    He almost forgot!


    Xu Hei patted his storage bag and took out a black soul flag.


    This was the Soul-absorbing Flag he had taken from Bai Xiu, an enforcer of the Four Sects Alliance, a rare magical treasure capable of storing souls.


    Such treasures were extremely rare. Despite killing so many snake catchers, Xu Hei hadn''t found another with similar effects. Bai Xiu was indeed fortunate.


    Xu Hei waved the Soul-absorbing Flag at the spot where the old man had died.


    Suddenly, a faint, invisible wisp of yin energy was drawn into the flag.


    "It works!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes lit up, and he waved the flag again, drawing in another wisp of yin energy.


    It was said that a person''s soul lingers in the world for a moment after death before dissipating completely.


    Before that happened, Xu Hei needed to absorb the old man''s soul into the Soul-absorbing Flag for refinement!


    "If you won''t let me go even as a ghost, then I won''t let you go either!"


    Xu Hei activated the Soul-absorbing Flag, continuously waving it to absorb the yin energy. Finally, a nearly complete soul was drawn into the flag.


    With a sweep of his divine sense, Xu Hei saw a fist-sized misty spirit body swirling inside the flag, faintly emitting roars, its outline resembling the old man''s face.

 Chapter 116: Underground snake breeding farm

    Chapter 116: Underground snake breeding farm"Stay put."


    Xu Hei sneered inwardly.


    Xu Hei was not adept at using magical treasures and had suffered greatly because of it in the past. Now, he could finally indulge in the power of a magical treasure.


    Once he refined this old man, he could turn him into a vengeful spirit, unleashing him against enemies with remarkable effect.


    "Exactly, since so many have died, I should collect more," Xu Hei''s eyes lit up.


    Back then, Bai Xiu had released five or six vengeful spirits, forcing Xu Hei to swallow the Thunderfire Seal and injure himself to break the attack.


    If he could absorb a hundred or so and release them all at once, it would definitely be a powerful trump card!


    Xu Hei immediately took action, waving the Soul-absorbing Flag over the spots where Foundation Establishment cultivators had died, absorbing each soul.


    He ignored those at the Qi Refining Stage, focusing mainly on the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    The lion pack wasn''t idle either, scavenging storage bags from the ground and searching for anything useful.


    As demonic beasts, this was their first time attacking a human city, and their success left them somewhat excited.


    Man Jin wasn''t in the mood for treasure hunting; he headed straight for Rock Serpent City''s armory, pulling out all the ivory items and storing them in his trunk.


    Many of the ivory items emitted familiar energy fluctuations; they had once been members of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe.


    After a round of scavenging.


    Xu Hei had collected sixteen Foundation Establishment souls and over a hundred Qi Refining souls, though many were fragmented due to the passage of time.


    But Xu Hei was already very satisfied.


    He began to understand why humans valued magical treasures so much. If a treasure was carefully cultivated and used at a critical moment, it could indeed turn the tide of battle.


    Xu Hei''s physical body and True Qi were so powerful that he often defeated opponents with a single spell, causing him to frequently overlook the importance of magical treasures.


    Finally, Xu Hei headed straight for the City Lord''s mansion.


    There was still a Jiao Python formation spirit that hadn''t been subdued.


    When Xu Hei arrived, the formation spirit was already extremely weak, almost transparent, with no strength left.


    However, having guarded Rock Serpent City for three hundred years, it had developed an instinctual duty ingrained in its soul, long forgetting its wild nature.


    Xu Hei tried to persuade it, but the formation spirit remained unmoved, still attempting to attack.


    Xu Hei stopped wasting words and directly took out the Soul-absorbing Flag, focusing his mind.


    "Soul-absorbing Flag, absorb!"


    A suction force acted on the formation spirit, which screamed and struggled. Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold, and black True Qi ignited, increasing the force.


    After a series of screams, the formation spirit was forcibly absorbed into the Soul-absorbing Flag.


    Once inside the flag, over time, it could be refined into a vengeful spirit, ready to devour anyone.


    No matter who you were in life, you would ultimately become an emotionless killing machine.


    Xu Hei had given it a chance out of consideration for his kind, but he didn''t have time to convert it.


    Xu Hei scanned the Soul-absorbing Flag with his Divine Sense, noting that the old man and the Jiao Python were the largest and most conspicuous.


    Next were the sixteen Foundation Establishment souls, and finally, the over a hundred Qi Refining souls, scattered around.


    Once these souls were all turned into vengeful spirits and released together, who knew if they could threaten a Core Formation Stage cultivator.


    "Killing has its perks; this trip wasn''t in vain," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    "Hey! You over there, come take a look."


    A voice called from afar; it was the Purple Lightning Thunder Lion looking at him.


    Xu Hei flashed over to an underground cage. Above it had been a formation that blocked Divine Sense, but now it was destroyed.


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense probed underground, and he was shocked, his body stiffening.


    Inside the dungeon were countless snakes, densely packed and uncountable.


    There were all kinds of snakes, spread over ten levels with a thousand rooms, totaling over ten thousand, all ordinary snakes.


    At the lowest level, there were even snake demons.


    From the Spirit Communion Stage to the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    The strongest snake demon was a fifteen-meter-long giant horned python at the late Foundation Establishment Stage, but it was bound by iron chains, unable to move, with thin tubes inserted all over its body, looking emaciated.


    "So many."


    Xu Hei had known that the Snake Catchers Sect had places for raising snakes, but he hadn''t expected the scale to be so grand.


    This underground breeding base was like an underground city, filled entirely with snakes.


    And this was just one branch.


    The Snake Catchers Sect had five such branches and an even more exaggerated headquarters.


    What would that be like? It was unimaginable.


    Humans might find this snake-filled scene terrifying, but Xu Hei felt no discomfort. He leaped into the underground breeding ground.


    There were five snake catchers hiding there, knocked out by the Purple Lightning Thunder Lion.


    "These are your enemies. I didn''t kill them; I''ll leave them to you," the Purple Lightning Thunder Lion said calmly.


    "Thank you," Xu Hei nodded.


    He entered the underground, heading straight for the deepest part where the Foundation Establishment great demons were kept.


    Each cage on either side had its own formation, imprisoning a great demon.


    Most of the snake demons had thin needles inserted all over their bodies, connected to jade bottles and other containers, emitting a pungent smell.


    Xu Hei immediately recognized these as devices for extracting snake gall and snake blood. The cultivation techniques of snake catchers relied mainly on these.


    Foundation Establishment great demons were hard to cultivate, so they chose to extract them alive.


    The giant horned python twitched instinctively at the sound, its eyes flashing with fear.


    But when it saw that the visitor was not human but Xu Hei, it was visibly stunned, then overjoyed, "Brother, please kill me, kill me!"


    Its eyes were filled with fervor, as if death were a blessing.


    Xu Hei frowned.


    The other snake demons woke up and also began to shout, "Benefactor, please kill me! Be careful of the humans!"


    "Please kill me, I don''t want to suffer anymore!"


    "Please, have mercy and let me be free!"


    Various pleading voices filled Xu Hei''s mind.


    Their excitement outweighed their fear. To them, death, which ordinary people feared, was a release, a blessing.


    The late Foundation Establishment giant horned python had been imprisoned for five years. Once twenty meters long and as thick as a barrel, it was now skin and bones.


    Each extraction of snake gall was excruciatingly painful.


    Their True Qi was sealed, their meridians blocked, unable to move, not even able to commit suicide, forced to watch their life drain away helplessly.


    Xu Hei scanned each snake, taking in their emotions.


    "I''m here to save you," Xu Hei said.


    "No! Don''t save me, I just want to die!"


    "Benefactor, I don''t want to live!"


    The snake demons pleaded.


    Xu Hei remained expressionless, revealing the robes and heads of each snake catcher, and displayed the Soul-absorbing Flag, letting it float in the air.


    The noisy voices fell silent in an instant.


    All the snake demons stared in shock, the entire place falling into a deathly silence.


    "They''re all dead. Rock Serpent City has been destroyed. I can really let you out," Xu Hei said calmly.


    The snake demons'' eyes filled with hopeful light, but it quickly dimmed again. S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some things could never be restored.


    An old snake sighed, "My venomous fangs have been pulled, my venom sac removed. I''ve lost the ability to hunt. Going back means death."


    Another patterned python said dejectedly, "I''m already a useless snake. I don''t want my friends to see me like this."


    "My meridians are severed, my bones shattered. I can''t cultivate..."


    "My demon core was taken. I can only die..."


    Various helpless voices continued to echo.


    Gradually, the snake crowd fell silent, until the place was as quiet as death.


    Xu Hei then realized.


    The snake catchers had destroyed not only their physical bodies but also their spirits and wills.

 Chapter 117: Transformed into a vengeful spirit, living towards death

    Chapter 117: Transformed into a vengeful spirit, living towards deathOnce, they too had dreams of escaping this hellish place and regaining their freedom. But as time passed, their will to survive gradually faded away.


    Their bodies were still alive, but their spirits had been crushed, turning them into mere walking corpses.


    The only belief they had left was to die!


    "Thank you, benefactor, for killing so many of our enemies and fulfilling our wish!"


    "Please, elder, do it without mercy."


    The snake horde shouted in unison.


    They were grateful to Xu Hei for killing their enemies and granting them freedom.


    ¡ªThen choose death freely!


    Xu Hei sighed and decided to respect their choice.


    He released a scale, which shot out and shattered the formation and chains that bound them, pulling out the fine needles from their bodies.


    There were only thirteen Foundation Establishment Stage snake demons here.


    Xu Hei placed a slumber pill in front of each snake, allowing them to forget their pain briefly and die in their sleep.


    This, perhaps, was compassion.


    It was also the greatest kindness Xu Hei could offer.


    The snake demons understood Xu Hei''s intention, and tears of gratitude and excitement filled their eyes.


    "Benefactor, that flag should be able to collect souls, right?"


    The giant horned python, the highest in cultivation, looked at the soul-absorbing flag Xu Hei had just taken out and asked.


    "That''s right, I''ve collected many remnants of the snake catchers'' souls." Xu Hei nodded slightly.


    The other snake demons also looked over, staring at the soul-absorbing flag.


    The giant horned python took a deep breath and said, "I would like to request that after I die, benefactor can also collect my soul!"


    Xu Hei frowned slightly.


    "Do you know what it means to have your soul collected?"


    Xu Hei said in a deep voice, "This treasure, called the Soul-absorbing Flag, can refine souls into vengeful spirits, stripping them of their consciousness, leaving them only with the desire to kill. They will never reincarnate after death..."


    "I know!"


    The giant horned python interrupted him, his gaze unwavering. Then, he lowered his head, "If my soul can kill a snake catcher, I will die without regret."


    The other snake demons, seeing this, lowered their heads without hesitation.


    "Please collect my soul after I die!"


    "Refine me into a vengeful spirit to kill the snake catchers!"


    Various pleas echoed through the dungeon.


    Xu Hei was astonished, looking at each snake. In their cold eyes, a glimmer of hope appeared.


    This hope had never emerged, even when they were freed from their chains and regained their freedom.


    But when they learned they could become vengeful spirits, this hope became unprecedentedly strong. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They had found their value, which was¡ªrevenge!


    "Please let me kill my enemies with my own hands!"


    A flower python swallowed the pill and collapsed to the ground.


    "I have no regrets!"


    Old Snake swallowed the pill and closed his eyes.


    "Even if I never reincarnate, I will become a vengeful spirit and kill all the snake catchers!"


    The giant horned python swallowed the pill and slammed its head against the wall, causing blood to flow before collapsing to the ground.


    One by one, the snake demons swallowed the death pill and fell into a peaceful sleep.


    Their last words, countless as they were, condensed into two words: revenge!


    "My death has value, right?"


    A young Black Yin Snake, after taking the last pill, lay on the ground and spoke words that seemed familiar.


    Before her consciousness fell into chaos, she quietly looked at Xu Hei, her eyes filled with hope.


    "I promise you, your deaths will be the snake catchers'' nightmare!" Xu Hei said solemnly.


    She finally closed her eyes, dying peacefully.


    Xu Hei no longer hesitated. He took out the soul-absorbing flag and waved it towards the sky.


    Wisps of souls floated out from the tops of the corpses'' heads and were absorbed into the flag without Xu Hei needing to actively collect them.


    They were the shadows of snakes.


    They were heading towards a beautiful vision, towards hope!


    Before long, all thirteen souls were absorbed into the Soul-absorbing Flag without exception.


    Unlike the snake catchers'' souls, these snake souls retained their complete snake forms, vivid and lifelike, while the snake catchers'' souls were mostly scattered points of light or amorphous clouds, incomplete.


    Xu Hei spat out flames, burning the place to ashes.


    Just as Xu Hei was about to leave.


    Suddenly, there was a disturbance within his Soul-absorbing Flag.


    The souls of the snake demons, upon entering the flag, began to riot, all of them devouring the souls of the snake catchers!


    They opened their mouths wide, swallowing the snake catchers'' souls one by one.


    Points of light disappeared one after another, even the Foundation Establishment Stage souls were not spared, being devoured in one gulp.


    "This..." Xu Hei was stunned.


    This change was completely unexpected for Xu Hei.


    After devouring the remnants of the snake catchers'' souls, the snake demons'' souls seemed to have grown significantly, appearing more solid and several times stronger.


    Before long, over a hundred Qi Refining souls and sixteen Foundation Establishment souls were completely devoured, leaving only thirteen enhanced snake demons'' souls.


    An even more surprising scene unfolded.


    The formation spirit, the Jiao Python''s soul, seemed to be stimulated by something.


    With eyes full of rage, it roared towards the sky and pounced on the elder''s soul beside it.


    "Die! Revenge, revenge!"


    The Jiao Python''s soul roared continuously, biting at the elder''s face. Each attack devoured a large amount of soul power.


    The thirteen snake demons'' souls joined in the assault, surrounding and attacking the Qi Condensation elder.


    The elder tried to resist, but Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and he activated the Soul-absorbing Flag, suppressing the elder and allowing the snake horde to attack.


    In just a moment, the Qi Condensation elder was completely devoured, his soul scattered, never to reincarnate.


    After devouring the elder''s soul, the Jiao Python''s soul and the thirteen snake demons'' souls all sparkled with starlight, appearing even more robust than before.


    Especially the Jiao Python''s soul, the confusion in its eyes had vanished, and it lowered its head towards the sky.


    It seemed to be paying its respects.


    This situation was beyond Xu Hei''s expectations, and he couldn''t tell if it was good or bad.


    "Well, at least the benefits stayed within the family," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Losing over a hundred souls, but they were devoured by his own snake souls.


    Next, Xu Hei went to the cells of the Spirit Communion Stage snake demons. These snake demons had not been tortured, their gallbladders not extracted alive; the snake catchers had killed and eaten them directly, refining them completely.


    Xu Hei released all the snake demons, including the ordinary snakes.


    At the same time, Xu Hei opened a passage leading directly to the outside world.


    The snake demons bowed deeply to him and left the dark underground prison with their respective tribes.


    The five snake catchers were devoured by the frenzied snake horde.


    Xu Hei let out a long breath.


    "Brother Xu, it''s time to retreat."


    Outside, Man Jin''s voice came.


    He had just looted the armory, retrieving many ivory items, as well as unprocessed ivory and elephant bones.


    The lions had also destroyed the Snake Catchers Sect''s Scripture Repository, pill rooms, and other places storing valuables, but they hadn''t found much of value. It must have been taken away in the chaos, possibly hidden in a storage bag.


    There were quite a few jade slips, which could be of some reference even to demonic beasts.


    "There''s no time to lose, let''s go!"


    Xu Hei didn''t delay, immediately climbing onto Man Jin''s back.


    Man Jin stepped into the void, rushing out of Rock Serpent City, with the lion pack following behind, their bodies like lightning, quickly leaving the place.


    About half an hour after they left.


    An elderly man with a gloomy complexion appeared in the sky, his vast Divine Sense sweeping over Rock Serpent City inside and out.


    As the Divine Sense swept through, the elder''s face grew increasingly grim.


    "Hmph! My Snake Catchers Sect hasn''t suffered such a loss in a long time, and it was at the hands of a bunch of beasts!" The elder''s voice was calm, but the calmer it was, the more furious he was.


    "Senior brother, the envoy from the Heavenly Puppet Sect is about to arrive, it''s best not to act rashly," a gentle voice came from beside him.

 Chapter 118: Dragon Clans Ultimate Skill, Ever-changing Fish and Dragon

    Chapter 118: Dragon Clan''s Ultimate Skill, Ever-changing Fish and Dragon"Damn that Heavenly Puppet Sect, they''ve been eyeing us for half a year now. If it weren''t for them, Xuan Yangzi wouldn''t have faced such a calamity," the gloomy elder muttered bitterly.


    When the Qin Kingdom advanced, they didn''t take sides like the other four sects, and that was the problem.


    "Enough talk, let''s go back and deal with that envoy."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Xu Hei, Man Jin, and the Lion King had a simple division of spoils.


    In this siege, Xu Hei didn''t contribute much; it was Man Jin who broke through the Mountain Protection Array.


    And the one who killed the Nascent Soul ancestor was the lion pack.


    Xu Hei only subdued a weakened formation spirit and killed a bunch of ants.


    Even so, under Man Jin''s insistence, Xu Hei still got a third of the treasures, and the Lion King had no complaints.


    The lionesses wanted to say something, but a single glare from the Lion King silenced them.


    Family hierarchy...


    "How about this, I don''t want anything else, just the Spirit Stones," Xu Hei said.


    The two beasts exchanged glances and nodded simultaneously.


    The lionesses'' eyes also showed a hint of joy.


    Spirit Stones are mostly used as currency by cultivators or for daily cultivation needs, and they are of little use to demonic beasts.


    Demonic beasts primarily cultivate their physical bodies by devouring heavenly materials and earthly treasures, as well as other demonic beasts and cultivator corpses.


    Speaking of which, the cultivator corpses in Rock Serpent City were almost entirely eaten by the lion pack, and those weren''t even counted.


    "Then take all these Spirit Stones; they are useless to me anyway!"


    The Lion King took out the Spirit Stones he had collected, and Xu Hei exchanged various treasures for them.


    Xu Hei didn''t care about ordinary low-grade Spirit Stones; his eyes were only on the square high-grade Spirit Stones.


    There were five of them! sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Adding to what Xu Hei had previously acquired, he now had sixteen high-grade Spirit Stones.


    Xu Hei didn''t know how many the Demon God Cauldron''s true dragon needed to devour to be satisfied, but with sixteen, he could definitely give it a try!


    "This time, I also gained quite a bit, including two gold-element spells that I need to study carefully," Man Jin said.


    The Purple Lightning Lion King gave Xu Hei a deep look and said, "Xu Hei, right? My name is Lei Meng. If you have an urgent matter, you can use this communication jade slip to contact me. But if it''s not urgent, don''t bother me."


    He left a communication jade slip and departed with his lioness harem.


    "Lei Meng..."


    Xu Hei had a deep impression of this irritable lion who attacked cities at the slightest provocation.


    "This Lei Meng is not simple. He might have already realized that the one who killed his wife wasn''t a disciple of the Snake Catchers Sect," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    In the previous battle, Lei Meng surrounded and killed the Nascent Soul ancestor, showing a state that was not like a hot-headed fool.


    He might have long understood that Xu Hei was merely using him to attack the Snake Catchers Sect.


    Xu Hei shook his head, not dwelling on it. Regardless of whether Lei Meng saw through it or not, the fact that he left a communication jade slip and shared the Spirit Stones already expressed goodwill.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the sky, Lei Meng''s wings flapped as he sped along.


    Behind him, a lioness said, "Great King, that little snake might be using you."


    "Yeah, Ninth Sister might not have been killed by the Snake Catchers Sect. What were the snake catchers doing at the mouth of Wu Mountain?" another lioness echoed.


    "Does it matter?" Lei Meng retorted.


    The lionesses were instantly speechless.


    "Don''t be ungrateful. Think about how many people you ate this time."


    Lei Meng''s words plunged the harem into collective silence.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After leaving a communication talisman, Man Jin also left Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Xu Hei burrowed underground, creating a spacious chamber. Then, he took out all the square high-grade Spirit Stones.


    He swallowed them one by one, pressing them against the surface of the Demon God Cauldron.


    With his knowledge, Xu Hei initially thought the dragon-shaped statue on the surface was a Flood Dragon, but it was actually a true dragon.


    Xu Hei only later understood the significance of a true dragon.


    Since ancient times, true dragons have been unseen, and those remaining in the world only have thin dragon bloodlines, known as Flood Dragons.


    For example, that third-tier formation spirit was a Jiao Python, not even a Flood Dragon.


    Only those at the Elemental Infant stage and above might encounter a Flood Dragon.


    "A true dragon is far above a Flood Dragon. What realm could that be..."


    Xu Hei calculated that a true dragon required nine transformations, one for each major realm, which was beyond his imagination.


    The first high-grade Spirit Stone was quickly absorbed by the dragon statue.


    Xu Hei swallowed the second, then the third.


    One after another, Xu Hei consumed seven stones, but it still wasn''t enough.


    "Could it be a bottomless pit?" Xu Hei''s heart trembled.


    He had killed so many people and washed an entire city, barely accumulating sixteen stones, which even a Core Formation Stage cultivator might not have.


    Xu Hei steeled himself and continued devouring.


    After consuming the eighth stone, the dragon statue began to emit a faint glow.


    "Eight stones, plus the two I had before, that''s ten in total!" Xu Hei calculated.


    "Boom!"


    A thought surged into Xu Hei''s mind.


    Then, that grand and distant voice echoed once more.


    It was the voice of the true dragon.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, a lower-grade dragon clan supreme technique..."


    "Master this body technique, and you can grasp the wonders of myriad transformations, invisible to the naked eye, undetectable by Divine Sense, traversing forbidden zones, passing through formations, and escaping the void as if walking on solid ground..."


    Countless pieces of information converged, flooding into Xu Hei''s memory.


    Who knows how long it was before Xu Hei opened his eyes again, filled with deep shock.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, a dragon clan body technique!"


    Xu Hei had only ever learned elemental spells from humans and had never seen a demonic beast technique.


    Let alone a dragon clan technique!


    This Ever-changing Fish and Dragon body technique completely opened a new world for him.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon has nine levels."


    "The first level increases movement speed, making it impossible for anyone in the same realm to harm you."


    "The second level further increases speed, allowing you to create afterimages."


    "The third level multiplies afterimages, making the true body hard to find."


    "The fourth level solidifies illusions, enabling the creation of external incarnations."


    "¡­¡­"


    "The eighth level allows for initial shape-shifting."


    "The ninth level enables myriad transformations, mastering the Dao of change!"


    Recalling the contents of Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, Xu Hei couldn''t help but gasp.


    Nine levels, each more heaven-defying than the last.


    At the later stages, one could even pass through formations without being detected.


    Especially the final level, enabling myriad transformations.


    Of course, no matter how you change, it doesn''t alter your essence; a fight would reveal you. It''s just a smokescreen.


    Xu Hei wasn''t interested in transformations; his focus was on the body technique''s enhancements, which could save his life.


    "Nine levels are too far off; I''ll start with the first level."


    Xu Hei estimated that with the difficulty of this technique, truly mastering the ninth level would take who knows how many years.


    So, feeding the dragon statue Spirit Stones would yield a dragon clan supreme technique. It was a huge gain.


    But Xu Hei suspected that next time, ten stones wouldn''t be enough. Who knows how many it would take.

 Chapter 119: Time flies, the dragon bone transforms

    Chapter 119: Time flies, the dragon bone transformsSouthern Region, Headquarters of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    This time, a large number of core elders who had been in seclusion came out, all to welcome the envoy from the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Rather than welcoming, it was more like being on high alert to prevent any sudden attacks.


    Upon arrival, the envoy demanded one hundred thousand spirit stones without any preamble, which enraged all the elders.


    However, after the envoy injured two people, the Snake Catchers Sect obediently handed over the spirit stones.


    "As cultivators of the Qin Kingdom, what''s wrong with paying a little tax?"


    "If you behave, this tax will be collected once a year. If not, I''ll come every day to collect it, and you will have to pay whether you like it or not!"


    The envoy sneered, pocketed the spirit stones, and left.


    One hundred thousand spirit stones were no small amount for the Snake Catchers Sect; many Core Formation elders didn''t have that many spirit stones. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This Heavenly Puppet Sect is too much!"


    "They''re treating us like pigs to be slaughtered!"


    The elders were furious but didn''t dare to say much, knowing they couldn''t afford to offend this person.


    "Envoy, please wait!"


    Suddenly, the Grand Elder, who was seated at the head, spoke up.


    This person was the same gloomy old man who had appeared in Rock Serpent City earlier, his cultivation at the peak of mid-stage Core Formation, known as Yin Mingzi.


    Apart from the sect master and some elders in deep seclusion, his cultivation was the highest.


    "Oh? Do you have something to say?"


    The envoy turned back, frowning slightly.


    Yin Mingzi waved his hand, and a storage bag flew to the envoy''s side.


    "Envoy, you''ve traveled a long way. This is a small token of my appreciation, and also an apology for any earlier disrespect," Yin Mingzi said apologetically.


    The envoy took the storage bag and scanned it with his divine sense, finding twenty thousand spirit stones inside, raising his eyebrows.


    This didn''t need to be handed over and was his personal gain.


    "You have a request, don''t you?" The envoy accepted it expressionlessly.


    Yin Mingzi didn''t hide anything, cupping his fists, "You must have heard about the demonic beast that destroyed Rock Serpent City."


    "I''ve heard a bit," the envoy nodded.


    "If the Heavenly Puppet Sect can capture that snake demon, I will offer three hundred thousand spirit stones as a reward," Yin Mingzi said, cupping his fists.


    All the elders gasped.


    Three hundred thousand spirit stones were more than half of the Snake Catchers Sect''s savings, sending it out would be a severe blow! The elders wouldn''t receive their stipends for years.


    Everyone''s expressions changed.


    "Oh? Not interested in the giant elephant or the thunder lion, but willing to pay three hundred thousand for the weakest snake... why?"


    "Capturing the snake is a small matter; it''s just a gift to your sect, hoping the envoy will show mercy in the future."


    Yin Mingzi bowed respectfully, his attitude sincere.


    His words were reasonable, seemingly flawless.


    But anyone could hear the underlying message in Yin Mingzi''s words.


    The envoy frowned, pondered for a moment, then nodded, "I will report this matter, and the sect will decide."


    "Farewell, envoy!"


    The envoy said no more and turned to leave.


    After leaving, the envoy was still deep in thought.


    He couldn''t understand why three hundred thousand spirit stones, enough to hire a group of Core Formation cultivators, were offered just as a gift.


    He initially thought of capturing the snake demon himself and pocketing the three hundred thousand, but on second thought, he decided to report it to avoid any traps.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, the Snake Catchers Sect''s main hall was in an uproar.


    No one understood why they had to offer three hundred thousand spirit stones to capture a snake, their savings accumulated over countless years.


    "Grand Elder, why?"


    "We could capture that snake demon ourselves, why give away our savings?"


    Questions arose from all directions.


    Yin Mingzi coldly said, "Can''t you see?"


    Everyone was stunned.


    "That snake demon has always seemed off! Puppet techniques, human spells, countless magical treasures and pills, its cultivation advancing rapidly. Do you think a wild snake could achieve this?"


    Yin Mingzi said coldly.


    An old woman seemed to realize something, her voice heavy, "Are you saying... this snake demon has someone behind it?"


    "Exactly!"


    Yin Mingzi nodded, "Initially, I was just suspicious, but yesterday, I learned from a bounty hunter that the snake demon could perform Body Swap, a secret technique of the Heavenly Puppet Sect!"


    "Only a few direct disciples of the Heavenly Puppet Sect know this technique!"


    "¡­¡­"


    The hall fell into dead silence.


    "And last year, on the Yanluo River official ship, what did Qin Xuanji say? He told us not to worry about the snake, that he would handle it. Now it seems, how ironic," Yin Mingzi said self-deprecatingly.


    In fact, they had long felt something was wrong. How could a snake be so formidable? Single-handedly wiping out all of Xuan Yangzi''s subordinates and leading a group of demonic beasts to flatten Rock Serpent City?


    They didn''t believe in a miraculous snake, only in a powerful backer.


    It made much more sense that the Heavenly Puppet Sect had secretly nurtured it to target them!


    Everyone suddenly understood.


    "My offer of three hundred thousand is clear: asking them to show mercy. We''ve already lost Rock Serpent City. If we lose Green Snake City or King Snake City, it won''t be just three hundred thousand!" Yin Mingzi said helplessly.


    The other elders sighed, treating the three hundred thousand spirit stones as a protection fee.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this time, Xu Hei had no idea what the Snake Catchers Sect had imagined.


    He had been waiting in Myriad Serpent Valley for days, but no one had come to trouble him.


    In fact, Xu Hei was mentally prepared that if a powerful elder came, he would have to flee, but he would take Xu Bai with him, one of his few friends.


    Xu Hei kept a bit of his divine sense on the jade disk given by the old dog.


    The rest of his mind was focused on cultivating the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique.


    Days passed.


    The jade disk remained empty; not a single red dot from the Core Formation, Foundation Establishment, or Qi Refining stages appeared. Even if there were, they passed by quickly, never approaching Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Xu Hei was puzzled.


    Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, summer and autumn passed, and it was the end of the year.


    Xu Hei finally completed the first layer of the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique and began the second layer.


    Now, his movements were not just fast but had some form, unlike before, when he relied solely on speed.


    "Swish, swish, swish..."


    Xu Hei darted back and forth over the pond several times without causing a single ripple, sometimes left, sometimes right, leaving a phantom behind.


    Leaving a phantom was the mark of the second layer.


    "Half a year to reach the second layer, who knows when I''ll finish all nine layers," Xu Hei sighed.


    Over the past six months, Xu Hei hadn''t neglected his main cultivation technique either.


    The second transformation of the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon was to temper the dragon bones.


    Xu Hei noticed a faint golden glow at the tip of his tailbone, and his cultivation had improved slightly.


    Although it was just a preliminary change, the power of his tail had increased several times.


    "Boom!"


    Xu Hei''s tail struck the pond, causing a massive splash and leaving a hundred-zhang deep crater! The water shot up into the sky and fell like rain!


    This casual strike was comparable to a high-level spell.


    Xu Hei''s black true qi made him nearly invincible within the Foundation Establishment stage, and once his dragon bones formed, his physical strength would also increase dramatically.


    This gave him great confidence.


    "Time to spar with Man Jin."


    Feeling confident, Xu Hei went to the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe.


    Over the past six months, Xu Hei had often sparred with the Elephant Tribe, challenging all their experts, except for Man Jin.


    However, to Xu Hei''s frustration, no matter what moves he used or how he attacked, Man Jin remained unmoved.


    Man Jin''s body was covered with a golden shield, and no matter how Xu Hei struck, it had no effect, not even causing a ripple.


    "Haha, use more strength! This is a gold-element spell I acquired last time, specializing in defense. Your strength is not enough!" Man Jin laughed heartily.


    Xu Hei felt ashamed.


    He used his dragon scales to cut with all his might, but it was useless, only scratching the surface, which quickly healed.


    After three attempts, Xu Hei couldn''t even break through the defense.


    "Forget it, I give up."


    Xu Hei sighed. The gap between Foundation Establishment and Core Formation was indeed vast.


    The true essence power used in the Core Formation stage was far superior to that of the Foundation Establishment stage. Unless he used the Soul-absorbing Flag, Xu Hei had no other way.

 Chapter 120: Change ones appearance and enter Chuyang City

    Chapter 120: Change one''s appearance and enter Chuyang City"Man Jin, I''m planning to visit a human city to buy some supplies. Do you need anything?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Oh, you''re going to a human city?" Man Jin was slightly surprised.


    Xu Hei patted his storage bag and took out a puppet, placing it in front of him.


    This was a flesh puppet Xu Hei had crafted from the corpse of a rogue cultivator, similar to Qin Shuang''er and Sun Jian.


    Xu Hei had found this rogue cultivator''s body during his attack on Rock Serpent City. The man had an ordinary appearance, the kind that would blend into a crowd. His storage bag was also empty, without even an identity token.


    Using this puppet to infiltrate the city was ideal.


    Of course, besides this puppet, Xu Hei had also made a backup and a backup for the backup.


    "So it''s a puppet."


    Man Jin was well aware of Xu Hei''s puppet techniques. After thinking for a moment, he said, "I don''t really need anything. If you have time, could you get me some bananas? Oh, and watermelons too."


    "Bananas, watermelons..."


    Xu Hei was speechless.


    Damn it, can''t you ask for something more serious? Magical treasures or pills would be fine too.


    He hadn''t expected Man Jin to be such a foodie. With his ten-meter-tall body, it seemed no amount of food would be enough.


    "Hehe, I have a child now, and he likes those things," Man Jin said with a simple smile.


    Xu Hei was momentarily stunned and looked towards a hot spring, where a mother elephant and a recently born baby elephant were.


    "I see."


    Xu Hei nodded and said, "I''ll keep an eye out."


    Xu Hei put away the puppet, flashed his figure, and left the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, heading straight north.


    This trip was necessary because he had accumulated too many low-grade spirit stones. With storage bags from hundreds of people, he had over seventy thousand spirit stones and a bunch of miscellaneous magical treasures to sell.


    ...


    Xu Hei left the mountains and first passed through Chen Family Town.


    Now, Wang Ding and his sister Wang Qin were both working for the Chen Family. Wang Qin was a maid, and Wang Ding had become a servant.


    The breathing exercise Xu Hei had taught them was learned by both. Although it wasn''t a complete cultivation technique and couldn''t generate cultivation, it could strengthen the body and prolong life.


    Because of this, Wang Ding was recruited to do chores like chopping wood and cooking, which saved him from starving to death.


    At the same time, he hadn''t forgotten to study.


    "A teacher imparts knowledge and resolves doubts... Huh? Snake..."


    Wang Ding was suddenly startled, looking towards the east side of the courtyard. He was about to call out to the Snake Immortal but hesitated, fearing someone might overhear, and didn''t say it.


    Xu Hei was speechless. He was observing from a thousand meters away with his divine sense, yet Wang Ding still noticed.


    "The Snake Immortal didn''t show up, probably because he doesn''t want to see me. Forget it, teaching me the breathing exercise in a dream was already a great favor."


    Wang Ding didn''t say anything more. He just knelt on the ground and kowtowed towards the east.


    For this simple village boy, Xu Hei didn''t want him to step onto the path of cultivation. It was a cruel and inhumane world.


    Once you start cultivating, it''s like a fish coming ashore. The fish is no longer a fish, and a person is no longer a person.


    Xu Hei didn''t linger and quickly left, heading towards the big city in the north.


    However, Xu Hei didn''t know.


    From the moment he taught Wang Ding the breathing exercise, Wang Ding''s path was already set. It was a bloody, cruel, and endless road.


    Once you step into cultivation, there''s no turning back!


    ...


    Southern Region core, Chuyang City.


    After six months of full restoration, Chuyang City had already regained its prosperity. This was a crucial battle for Qin Shengchu, and the city received special attention.


    Over the past six months, a large number of people had migrated in. The number of cultivators and the economic strength had surpassed the Chu Kingdom''s peak.


    On this day.


    An unremarkable middle-aged man walked to the gate of Chuyang City. The man had a square face, a broad forehead, dull eyes, and dry lips¡ªan appearance that would blend into a crowd.


    His hair was messy, he wore a thick coat, and his waist was tied with a burlap sack, making him look like a bloated dumpling.


    Fortunately, it was winter; otherwise, this appearance would make him look like a lunatic.


    Xu Hei had originally planned to wear a mask, but now, with the whole country catching spies and remnants of the Chu, masks were banned in the city. Xu Hei had no choice but to take off his mask.


    "Entering the city requires a fee of five taels of silver."


    The guard at the gate said, frowning at Xu Hei''s appearance.


    "Silver?"


    Xu Hei was stunned and quickly searched his body.


    After searching for a long time, he couldn''t find any silver, which made him very embarrassed.


    At this moment, the guard stared at his face for a long time, his expression changing. He trembled and said, "Senior, please enter. We won''t charge you!"


    Another guard''s face also turned pale, and he took a few steps back.


    "Hmm? No charge?" Xu Hei frowned. "You''re not going to arrest me, are you?"


    "No, no! Cultivators always enter the city for free!" The two guards quickly shook their heads.


    Xu Hei didn''t think much of it and walked into the city.


    After Xu Hei entered the city, the two guards exchanged glances and waited for a long time until Xu Hei was completely out of sight before whispering.


    "That person is..."


    "Yes, it''s him. I recognize every wanted criminal''s portrait. That man is Ma Teng, who lost everything, even his wife and children, and still owes the Heavenly Dragon Casino a thousand spirit stones. He''s currently wanted by the casino..."


    "Shh, keep your voice down. Cultivators have extremely sharp senses. Don''t let him hear us."


    The two guards'' faces changed, and they didn''t dare to discuss further.


    After entering the city, Xu Hei didn''t walk far before realizing something was wrong.


    He noticed that some passersby were subtly observing him, staring at his face, but quickly looking away when Xu Hei glanced back.


    Was his face that strange?


    Or was his figure too conspicuous?


    Xu Hei''s true body was hidden under his clothes, making him appear a bit bulky, but it was a reasonable amount of fat.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and gradually quickened his pace, becoming more vigilant.


    Chuyang City was divided into the inner city and the outer city.


    The inner city was the cultivator''s area, occupying one-third of the city''s area.


    After entering the inner city, Xu Hei headed straight for the Myriad Treasure Pavilion trading area.


    Suddenly, a group of cultivators emerged from the street corner, rushing towards Xu Hei with fierce expressions.


    Xu Hei instinctively wanted to run but stopped himself.


    "Ma Teng, you dare show your face? You have some nerve!"


    "Get him!"


    The leading black-clad cultivator waved his hand, and the others swarmed Xu Hei, punching and kicking him.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to cause trouble, but he quickly realized that this group had a grudge with the former owner of this body.


    So this person''s name was Ma Teng. What bad luck, running into this right away.


    Xu Hei took a step back, activated the Gravity Technique, and sent the group flying, causing them to fall in disarray. Xu Hei had held back, so no one was killed.


    "This..." Everyone was shocked.


    The black-clad cultivator''s face darkened and said, "Ma Teng, do you know the consequences of defying the casino?"


    "Speak plainly. What do you want?" Xu Hei said impatiently.


    The black-clad cultivator laughed coldly and said, "You owe our casino one thousand three hundred spirit stones. Are you trying to deny it?"


    "Hmm?" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei was stunned. All this trouble was over some money?


    Xu Hei suddenly realized that the original owner of this body was just a Qi Refining Stage cultivator. One thousand three hundred spirit stones was an enormous sum!


    He remembered how surprised he was when he found over a thousand spirit stones in Zhao Yiduo''s black jade stone.


    The black-clad cultivator was sure Ma Teng couldn''t repay the debt, which was why they attacked.


    One thousand spirit stones would take a Foundation Establishment cultivator a long time to save, and a Qi Refining Stage cultivator might never earn that much in a lifetime without great fortune.


    As for how Ma Teng owed the money.


    It started with just a hundred, but with interest piling up, it grew to this amount.

 Chapter 121: Upon entering the marketplace, meet Han Te

    Chapter 121: Upon entering the marketplace, meet Han TeXu Hei was new to the area and didn''t want to attract too much attention. He planned to settle things quietly and return the thousand spirit stones.


    But on second thought, if he easily took out a thousand spirit stones, it might backfire and draw unwanted attention.


    After weighing the pros and cons, Xu Hei released a hint of Foundation Establishment Stage pressure.


    The black-clad cultivator was about to make a move when his body suddenly trembled, his face turned pale, and he stared with wide eyes, "F-Foundation Establishment?"


    This kind of aura made his True Qi stagnate, and his whole body felt numb. It was definitely not a bluff.


    Xu Hei took out a storage bag, filled it with a hundred spirit stones, and tossed it over.


    "This is all I have. Follow me again, and don''t blame me for turning hostile."


    After saying this, Xu Hei turned and left.


    He estimated that the man originally owed just a small amount, but it had snowballed due to high-interest loans.


    The black-clad cultivator caught the storage bag, still shocked. He couldn''t believe that this wretched gambler, who had disappeared for years, had actually broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage!


    The other thugs were also stunned. Was there any justice in this world?


    "Master... Master Ma!"


    In an instant, the black-clad cultivator''s attitude changed. He followed Xu Hei, his tone now ingratiating, with a flattering smile.


    The speed of his change in demeanor made Xu Hei frown, "Do you still have something to say?"


    "Master, it''s like this..." The black-clad cultivator paused, his tone respectful, "Our Heavenly Dragon Casino is under the Myriad Treasure Pavilion. If your debt isn''t cleared, you''ll remain on the blacklist and won''t be able to make purchases or trades at any Myriad Treasure Pavilion location. You would only..."


    The black-clad cultivator laughed awkwardly.


    According to the casino''s rules, if a Qi Refining Stage cultivator owed over a thousand spirit stones, they would be a wanted criminal. But for a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, it would only be a bad credit record, not enough to warrant capture.


    Different cultivation levels had different credit limits.


    "How did I end up owing so much?" Xu Hei asked.


    "It''s like this, you borrowed a hundred and twenty spirit stones from the casino years ago and didn''t repay them on time. According to our interest rates, the debt doubles every year, but there''s a cap where the interest can''t exceed ten times the principal."


    The black-clad cultivator patiently explained, "It''s been five years now, so the debt has capped at one thousand three hundred and twenty spirit stones." Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The tenfold cap was to prevent some debtors from disappearing for decades and returning to find their debt had multiplied to an unpayable amount.


    Seeing Xu Hei''s troubled expression, the black-clad cultivator added, "If you''re short on spirit stones, you can sign this installment agreement, and the Myriad Treasure Pavilion will immediately remove you from the blacklist."


    The black-clad cultivator took out a jade slip and handed it over.


    Xu Hei looked at the jade slip and couldn''t help but feel a bit strange.


    The agreement divided his debt into three years of repayments, with a hundred spirit stones due each month, plus an additional double repayment.


    Xu Hei was disgusted by this swindler. He lost his patience and coldly said, "I can pay it off, but are you sure you want to take it?"


    "Casino rules, I have no choice." The black-clad cultivator laughed awkwardly.


    Xu Hei said no more and threw over twelve hundred spirit stones.


    "Thank you, Master. Take care, Master."


    The black-clad cultivator collected the spirit stones with a smile.


    Xu Hei left expressionlessly. Although the spirit stones were not much, just a fraction of his wealth, it still put him in a foul mood, lowering his opinion of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion to the minimum.


    At this moment, a young woman in black approached. She was young, stunningly beautiful, and dressed similarly to the previous cultivator, indicating she was also from the casino.


    "Master Ma, now that you''re a valued guest of our Heavenly Dragon Casino, is there anything you need to take care of in Chuyang City? I can arrange it for you!"


    "A top-notch cave dwelling, a fine restaurant, a trade fair, an auction, or even a few young ladies, I can arrange it all. Or if you want to place another bet, we can raise your limit to five thousand..."


    "Get lost!"


    Xu Hei shouted, sending the woman flying.


    The young woman was terrified but didn''t dare to react. She bowed respectfully, "If Master Ma needs anything, feel free to send me a message."


    Xu Hei ignored her and walked away.


    Damn, they''re too damn greedy!


    Even after he paid off his debt, they still wanted to raise his limit and trick him into gambling more.


    They''d squeeze the rich dry and leave the poor in debt.


    "When I leave the city, I''ll visit the casino personally and place a big bet!"


    Xu Hei didn''t care about the money, but he didn''t want to suffer a loss. Once he finished his business, he would make the casino understand that sometimes, it''s not spirit stones you lose, but your life.


    ...


    Inner City, Jiaofang Division.


    In Chuyang City, brothels were divided into several levels, with the Jiaofang Division being the highest. The women there were all stunningly beautiful and had notable backgrounds.


    They included family members of high officials, fallen nobles, daughters of cultivators, and even female cultivators at the Qi Refining Stage. As long as you had enough spirit stones, you could find any kind of woman.


    At this moment, in a courtyard, a young girl was cleaning.


    The door opened, and a black-clad cultivator entered. It was the same person from the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    "Ma Yuanyuan, you can leave now," the black-clad cultivator said indifferently.


    "What did you say?"


    Seeing the person who had sold her here years ago, Ma Yuanyuan thought she had misheard.


    "You''re lucky. Your father, Ma Teng, has repaid the debt and even reached the Foundation Establishment Stage. The Jiaofang Division naturally won''t hold you anymore. You can leave."


    The black-clad cultivator''s gaze was indifferent. He raised his hand and lifted the seal within Ma Yuanyuan, restoring her cultivation.


    "Master Ma is now a valued guest of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion. You can find him there."


    After saying this, he ignored the stunned young girl and turned to leave.


    Ma Yuanyuan sat on the ground in a daze, tears streaming down her face.


    "Mother!"


    ...


    Myriad Treasure Pavilion, marketplace.


    Many cultivators set up stalls here, either selling or buying. The outer area was filled with Qi Refining Stage cultivators, while the inner area had Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    Xu Hei casually browsed the stalls but found nothing useful.


    "If only Hei Huang were here. With his knowledge, he could probably sniff out some treasures," Xu Hei thought.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed, and his Divine Sense locked onto a jade detection plate.


    There was a large red dot on it, right nearby.


    Xu Hei had long known there were Qi Condensation cultivators in Chuyang City, but he hadn''t paid much attention. However, this red dot was right in front of him, among the stall owners.


    The puppet''s face remained calm, and his gaze shifted to a purple-haired man in the corner.


    This man looked unfamiliar, but he gave Xu Hei a sense of familiarity, especially with his unique roguish aura. It reminded Xu Hei of someone.


    Xuan Yangzi''s accomplice, the Qi Condensation cultivator who escaped from Rock Serpent City...


    "Han Te?"


    Xu Hei discreetly sniffed with his snake tongue. He recognized Han Te''s scent. As Xu Hei approached, he sniffed again, confirming that this person was indeed Han Te.


    But he was in disguise.


    This man''s cultivation was also suppressed to the late Foundation Establishment Stage. Who knew what he was planning?


    "Hey! Fellow Daoist, interested in any of these treasures? They''re all rare finds, reasonably priced, just five thousand spirit stones each."


    Han Te noticed Xu Hei''s interest and smiled. Anyone who didn''t back off at that price was definitely wealthy.


    Xu Hei glanced at the three items in front of Han Te.


    An ancient map, a mechanical box with a keyhole, and a pitch-black mirror.


    The moment he saw the mirror, Xu Hei''s pupils contracted.


    Damn... that''s Hei Huang''s mirror.


    The real mirror was in his possession.


    The one before him was undoubtedly a fake!


    Seeing Xu Hei''s gaze, Han Te''s eyes lit up. He pointed to the mirror and said, "Fellow Daoist, you have a good eye. This mirror has a mysterious origin. It''s said to be a supreme treasure left by an ancient demonic cultivator, with unfathomable powers!"


    Xu Hei was speechless.


    This guy had made a fake mirror and was praising it to the skies. Didn''t he feel embarrassed?

 Chapter 122: Three treasures, fake one and compensate ten

    Chapter 122: Three treasures, fake one and compensate tenFive thousand spirit stones were enough to deter most Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    Among the storage bags Xu Hei had acquired, only a few of Xuan Yangzi''s direct disciples and a couple of deeply hidden individuals had more than five thousand spirit stones.


    "What is this ancient map?" Xu Hei asked.


    "This is a map of an ancient ruin. The story behind it is quite significant..." Han Te began to boast.


    He claimed that two Core Formation Stage cultivators fought fiercely over this ancient map, and he had obtained it by sheer luck.


    He had once formed a team to explore the ruins, led by a Core Formation Stage cultivator, but the entire team perished, leaving him as the sole survivor.


    As for the mechanism box, it was discovered within the ruins.


    With permission, Xu Hei picked up the mechanism box and examined it. There was a keyhole on it, and the size...


    Xu Hei was suddenly startled.


    He had found a key in the black jade storage artifact of the old ape, and its size seemed to match this keyhole.


    "Could it be such a coincidence?"


    Xu Hei was uncertain but remained outwardly calm, placing the box back down and turning his attention to the mirror. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Inwardly, he was debating whether to buy the mechanism box.


    Five thousand spirit stones were no small amount.


    "Hey? Isn''t that the mirror from the Purple Mist Pavilion? How did it end up here?"


    A surprised voice came from behind.


    Xu Hei turned to see a young cultivator dressed in luxurious clothes, exuding an extraordinary aura, likely a scion of a great family.


    Han Te''s expression changed, and he looked around before lowering his voice, "Do you recognize this item, fellow cultivator?"


    "Indeed!"


    The noble cultivator nodded slightly and stepped forward, "I''ve seen it once before. How did it end up in your hands?"


    Han Te sighed, "To be honest, this mirror is an ancient relic that had been stored in the Purple Mist Pavilion for many years, but no one could decipher its mysteries until one day, a demon stole it!"


    "And that demon used this mirror to defeat Xuan Yangzi!"


    Han Te lowered his voice for the last two sentences, as if transmitting the information only to Xu Hei and the noble cultivator.


    The noble cultivator''s expression changed immediately, indicating he had heard of it before.


    "I acquired this mirror by chance, and the details are inconvenient to disclose," Han Te said.


    The noble cultivator pressed, "What exactly does this mirror do?"


    "Its function..." Han Te took a deep breath and lowered his voice mysteriously, "It can create inner demons!"


    Both the noble cultivator and Xu Hei were shocked.


    Han Te''s words were so convincing that if the genuine mirror wasn''t in Xu Hei''s possession, he might have been deceived into buying it.


    "Really? You''re not a fraud, are you?" the noble cultivator asked suspiciously.


    Han Te glanced at him disdainfully, "If you don''t believe me, I can demonstrate, but you''ll have to buy it first."


    The noble cultivator hesitated for a moment, then gritted his teeth, "If it truly can create inner demons, this treasure is priceless. I, Bai, will definitely buy it!"


    Han Te smiled slightly.


    "Watch closely, I can only demonstrate a fraction of its power."


    Han Te picked up the mirror and chanted a spell. The mirror emitted a faint light and shone on the Bai family cultivator.


    Suddenly, Bai Ye''s expression changed as if he had seen something terrifying, and he staggered back.


    "It''s really... an inner demon!"


    His eyes were filled with fear, and he clutched his chest as if struck by a heavy blow, spitting out a mouthful of blood, as if an invisible person was attacking him.


    Han Te retracted the mirror and sneered, "Now, do you believe me?"


    Bai Ye nodded quickly, still shaken, "I believe, I believe!"


    Xu Hei was baffled. He had tried various methods but couldn''t see what was in front of Bai Ye.


    But judging by his reaction, it seemed he had indeed been attacked.


    "Could it be that Han Te created a replica using the mirror?"


    Xu Hei vaguely sensed something. The mirror wasn''t entirely useless; it still had some effects of a magical treasure.


    "Damn it!"


    Bai Ye touched his storage bag and panicked, "I didn''t bring enough spirit stones! Can I owe you five hundred? I''ll go get it right away."


    "That''s not possible. No credit here!" Han Te frowned.


    Bai Ye was so anxious he was almost jumping, "Fellow cultivator, can you lend me five hundred? I''ll repay you double, no, triple!"


    Xu Hei decisively refused.


    Bai Ye had no choice, sweating profusely, "Hold it for me, I''ll be right back with the money!"


    With that, he disappeared as fast as he could.


    Xu Hei watched him leave, frowning slightly.


    Could these two be colluding to put on a show?


    That Bai family cultivator might not have encountered any inner demons at all; it was all an act.


    One selling fake goods, the other acting as a shill!


    This...


    Xu Hei was speechless. If he hadn''t opened his Heavenly Eye and known the real mirror was with him, he would have been deceived.


    "Creating a fake, selling it for five thousand, and using real rumors to make people believe..."


    Xu Hei suddenly felt that the city was full of schemes, and he just wanted to go back to the mountains.


    Seeing Xu Hei still hesitating, Han Te raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Fellow cultivator, time waits for no one. That Bai family cultivator might return any moment."


    Xu Hei remained silent for a long time, then took out a storage bag with ten thousand spirit stones, "A total of ten thousand spirit stones for these three items. If you don''t sell, I''ll leave immediately."


    Han Te''s face stiffened, and he shook his head repeatedly, "Three items for fifteen thousand, no bargaining!"


    "Then goodbye! I want to see if that Bai family cultivator will come back."


    Xu Hei sneered and turned to leave decisively.


    Han Te panicked, feeling like ants were crawling all over him, but he remained outwardly calm, sitting still.


    Until Xu Hei reached the marketplace gate, Han Te transmitted, "Ten thousand, I agree!"


    Xu Hei returned, threw out the storage bag with ten thousand spirit stones, and took all three items from the stall.


    "Fellow cultivator, here''s the method to use the mirror." Han Te tossed a jade slip over.


    Xu Hei caught the jade slip and left without looking back, heading to an inn under the Myriad Treasure Pavilion.


    ...


    Myriad Treasure Pavilion, marketplace.


    Not long after Xu Hei left, the Bai family cultivator returned.


    He looked around cautiously and approached Han Te, "Senior Han, did it work?"


    "It worked, but that person... seemed to have noticed something wrong with the mirror," Han Te said seriously.


    "What?" Bai Ye was stunned.


    "Anyway, we sold the other two treasures, so it''s not a loss," Han Te said.


    "Are the other two also fake?" Bai Ye couldn''t help but ask.


    Han Te glanced at him and smiled, "I, Han, do business with a mix of truth and falsehood. What I said before was not a lie, and the items are real. Don''t ask more."


    ...


    In the inn.


    Xu Hei looked at the jade slip''s instructions, which said the mirror needed to be refined for a year before it could be used.


    "Damn it!"


    Xu Hei threw the mirror on the ground.


    It wasn''t even a replica, just a piece of junk! Completely useless!


    After hesitating for a while, Xu Hei picked up the mirror and put it back in his storage bag. He had spent money on it, and if he ever got the chance, he would demand a tenfold refund!


    Xu Hei could only pin his hopes on the mechanism box now.

 Chapter 123: If you dont do anything reckless, you wont get hurt

    Chapter 123: If you don''t do anything reckless, you won''t get hurtInside the inn.


    Xu Hei took out the mechanism box. First, he tried to force it open with brute strength, but it didn''t budge, and his Divine Sense couldn''t penetrate it either.


    Then, he took out the key he had obtained from the old ape and inserted it into the keyhole.


    "Click!"


    With a crisp sound, the mechanism box automatically opened without needing to be turned, revealing its contents.


    Xu Hei''s pupils shrank, and he stared intently.


    Inside the box was a purple bead, about the size of a palm, with countless purple arcs of electricity flowing inside. Lightning flashed and roared.


    Despite the outer shell, Xu Hei could clearly feel the destructive energy contained within.


    "This is... a Thunder Tribulation Pearl?"


    Xu Hei carefully sensed it. Bai Xiu had previously used a makeshift version of the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, which was incredibly powerful.


    The one before him was clearly a genuine Thunder Tribulation Pearl, having absorbed the power of the Heavenly Tribulations. It could unleash the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations, posing a threat to Core Formation Stage cultivators!


    Xu Hei probed it with his Divine Sense, and a wave of destructive energy immediately surged forth, startling him into quickly retracting his Divine Sense, no longer in doubt.


    Once the box was opened, it lost its defensive properties and turned to ash automatically. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei suddenly realized that if the mechanism box had been forcibly opened with brute strength, it would have immediately triggered the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, leaving him with no place to be buried!


    The key was the only way; otherwise, it was just scrap.


    "So, Han Te wasn''t entirely a fraud. What he described might actually be true."


    Recalling Han Te''s previous statements, Xu Hei realized that aside from some exaggeration, the events were mostly accurate.


    Xu Hei then took out the ancient map and probed it with his Divine Sense, finding the exact location of the ruins.


    Located deep within Wu Mountain, in an underground cave, the entrance was clearly marked, very detailed.


    The map also depicted the general structure.


    Rather than an ancient ruin, it was more like a grand tomb.


    The location where the mechanism box was found was also marked, in a hidden chamber on the outskirts of the tomb.


    Xu Hei made a copy of the map and stored it safely. He also placed the Thunder Tribulation Pearl into a special storage bag, as it was extremely dangerous and needed careful handling.


    The value of the map aside, obtaining a Thunder Tribulation Pearl was worth more than ten thousand Spirit Stones.


    This was a tangible treasure that could threaten a Core Formation Stage cultivator!


    Xu Hei glanced at the key again and was momentarily stunned.


    He noticed that the key seemed to have shortened after opening the box.


    "Could it be that this key has a limited number of uses?" Xu Hei frowned.


    ...


    One day later.


    Xu Hei left the inn and entered a shop in the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, selling off some of the stolen goods he had previously acquired.


    In a hurry, Xu Hei didn''t haggle over the price, conceding at least twenty percent.


    Two days later.


    Xu Hei switched to a human puppet and repeated his actions, selling off another portion of the stolen goods.


    Xu Hei didn''t dare to sell everything at once. Instead, he sold in batches, using different identities in different areas, through various channels.


    Sometimes he set up a stall, sometimes he went to a pawnshop, sometimes he sold to shops, and sometimes at auctions.


    After seven consecutive days of selling, Xu Hei finally sold off all the miscellaneous items that were of no use to him.


    He totaled thirty thousand Spirit Stones.


    During this period, Xu Hei also purchased a large number of Foundation Pills for his Foundation Establishment Stage cultivation, as well as various spiritual fruits, heavenly materials, and earthly treasures valuable to Demonic Beasts.


    He spent even more, but such a vast amount of resources was enough to cultivate him to the mid-stage.


    Along the way, Xu Hei wasn''t without encounters with those who coveted his wealth and secretly followed him.


    All were dealt with by Xu Hei in secret, adding two more human puppets to his collection.


    These encounters only heightened Xu Hei''s vigilance.


    "I can''t stay here any longer. Who knows how many people are secretly watching me? I''ve gained enough; I''ll leave tonight," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    That day, Xu Hei switched back to his first identity, Ma Teng.


    Since his transaction with Han Te, he hadn''t used this identity. Today, he switched back, finding it the cleanest.


    Just as Xu Hei stepped out of the inn, a clear female voice suddenly called out from beside him.


    "Father!"


    Xu Hei was momentarily stunned and turned to look.


    He saw a young girl, about thirteen or fourteen, clutching her sleeve, staring at him with tearful eyes.


    The girl''s appearance was very similar to Ma Teng.


    Xu Hei had heard of Ma Teng''s story¡ªlosing his entire fortune, running away with a mountain of debt, even losing his wife and child.


    It seemed that after clearing his debts, the child had left the Jiaofang Division.


    Xu Hei had no interest and turned to leave.


    "Father, this is the only thing Mother left behind before she passed. She said it was to repay your debt. Please take it!"


    Ma Yuanyuan rushed up to Xu Hei, holding out a bracelet.


    Xu Hei frowned slightly and scanned it with his Divine Sense, immediately detecting a strange poison within the bracelet¡ª


    Corpse Bone Pill!


    If worn regularly, the poison from the Corpse Bone Pill would gradually enter the body until it fully erupted. Even a Foundation Establishment cultivator would find it hard to eradicate.


    Looking at Ma Yuanyuan again, she appeared normal on the surface, but her eyes concealed a deep hatred that Xu Hei, having experienced these recent days, could easily discern.


    "Heavenly Dragon Casino, truly harmful..."


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly. He bore no ill will towards the girl. From her perspective, a gambling-addicted father had ruined her mother and sold her to the Jiaofang Division, so her desire for revenge was understandable.


    She had probably been racking her brains these days to come up with such a revenge plan!


    Unable to defeat a Foundation Establishment cultivator, she could only resort to such means.


    "I am not your father. Don''t deceive yourself!"


    Xu Hei said calmly and turned to leave, ignoring the girl.


    Hearing this, Ma Yuanyuan''s hatred surged uncontrollably, unable to be suppressed any longer.


    She drew a Flying Sword, bit her tongue, and unleashed all her cultivation, blood seeping from her body as she charged at Xu Hei''s back.


    "Boom!"


    Ma Yuanyuan was sent flying, landing by the roadside.


    In a hidden alley.


    The black-clad cultivator who had taken thirteen hundred Spirit Stones from Xu Hei couldn''t help but sigh.


    "Failed again. This Ma Teng is really cautious!" the black-clad cultivator lamented.


    "His daughter used such a method, yet he saw through it and killed her effortlessly. It shows he is cold-hearted. We better not provoke him further," an old man beside him sighed.


    The black-clad cultivator, named Zhang Kuang, was a manager at the Heavenly Dragon Casino, responsible for debt collection.


    A week ago, he saw Ma Teng easily produce over a thousand Spirit Stones and break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, believing he had a great opportunity.


    Coupled with Ma Yuanyuan''s desire for revenge against Ma Teng, Zhang Kuang had given her her mother''s relic, laced with the poison of the Corpse Bone Pill.


    As long as Ma Teng took the bracelet, within two days, the poison would erupt, his strength would plummet, and that would be the day they killed him for his treasures.


    "Let''s go. It''s best not to think about Ma Teng anymore. He''s no longer the gambling addict he once was."


    The old man urged, getting up to leave.


    "What a pity," Zhang Kuang sighed. He understood the psychology of gamblers. If Ma Teng still wanted to gamble, he had countless ways to make him hand over his opportunities and wealth without resorting to such means.


    But Ma Teng had stopped gambling, leaving them no choice.


    Just as the two were about to leave the alley.


    A figure suddenly appeared at the alley''s entrance, staring at them coldly.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [Minor revision in the previous chapter: the protagonist also obtained the relic map. Thanks to the readers for the timely feedback. Writing and posting immediately can lead to such issues. I''ll ensure to double-check in the future.]

 Chapter 124: Heavenly Dragon Casino, Xu Hei gambles with his life

    Chapter 124: Heavenly Dragon Casino, Xu Hei gambles with his life"Ma... Master Ma!"


    Zhang Kuang''s face changed instantly. He never expected Ma Teng to discover them.


    But thinking about the mid-Foundation Establishment elder beside him, he didn''t feel afraid. He smiled and asked, "What brings you here, Master? Let me introduce you to Zhu, our manager at the Heavenly Dragon Casino."


    "I handle matters related to the Qi Refining Stage. Since you are a Foundation Establishment cultivator, Manager Zhu will take care of all your affairs from now on," Zhang Kuang said, pointing to the elder behind him.


    Manager Zhu nodded and smiled, "Whatever Master Ma wishes to play, our Heavenly Dragon Casino can accommodate."


    He was speaking leisurely when suddenly his vision blurred.


    "Retreat!" Manager Zhu''s face changed dramatically.


    Just as he was about to summon his magical treasure, Xu Hei appeared before him with terrifying speed, almost like teleportation.


    It was the Dragon Clan''s movement technique, the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!


    Even when performed by a human puppet, the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon was still more than enough to handle a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator.


    "Crack!"


    A pair of powerful hands clamped around Manager Zhu''s neck, lifting him off the ground.


    Manager Zhu''s face turned pale with fear. He found himself completely immobilized, unable to activate his magical treasure or even circulate his True Qi. His entire body felt like it was being crushed.


    It was nothing but the Gravity Technique.


    Under the enhancement of black True Qi, Xu Hei''s Gravity Technique had reached an almost divine level.


    Zhang Kuang, who tried to escape, was also caught by the Gravity Technique and dragged in front of Xu Hei.


    "Anything you want to play? How about your lives?" Xu Hei said coldly.


    Both Zhang Kuang and Manager Zhu turned pale, their scalps tingling with fear.


    The opponent was clearly at the early Foundation Establishment stage, yet he handled them like they were mere chickens.


    "Please, don''t be hasty. We can talk this out. If our Heavenly Dragon Casino has offended you in any way, just let us know your demands, and we can negotiate!" Manager Zhu said, trembling. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei remained expressionless, glanced at Zhang Kuang, and said coldly, "I have no demands. Since this gentleman kept urging me to gamble, let''s do as you wish. I''ll place a bet."


    Zhang Kuang was nearly scared out of his wits, his lips trembling and his body shaking. "It''s a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding..."


    Without another word, Xu Hei moved his mind, and a thin thread of True Qi entered Zhang Kuang''s meridians.


    "Ugh..."


    Zhang Kuang''s body convulsed, his eyes rolled back, and his consciousness began to fade.


    Xu Hei sped up his movements, sending one thread of True Qi after another into Zhang Kuang''s body, connecting to his joints and fully integrating into his flesh.


    Puppet Mechanism Technique, second level, Earth Puppet Art, which includes three techniques: Spirit Body Thread, Body Swap, and Hundred Puppet Array.


    This move was the Spirit Body Thread!


    Sun Jian had once used this move to deal with Xu Hei''s puppet, causing Xu Hei''s giant snake puppet to lose consciousness on the spot. Now, Xu Hei used it against a living person.


    In no time, Zhang Kuang completely lost control of his body, becoming a living puppet under Xu Hei''s control.


    His consciousness remained, but he couldn''t speak or make any expressions. He was like a wooden doll, at Xu Hei''s mercy.


    "You, you..."


    Witnessing this scene, Manager Zhu was terrified, a chill running down his spine, feeling an unprecedented fear.


    "Heavenly Puppet Sect, a direct disciple?!"


    Such a terrifying thought crossed Manager Zhu''s mind.


    Initially, he had thought to use his status and the backing of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion to intimidate Xu Hei. But after witnessing the Spirit Body Thread, he was utterly hopeless.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect was a colossal power in the Qin Kingdom, the leaders of warfare, while the Myriad Treasure Pavilion was merely a business entity.


    At this moment, Manager Zhu deeply regretted his actions.


    They had speculated that Ma Teng had some great fortune, never imagining that he was a puppet all along.


    Had they known, they wouldn''t have dared to provoke such a deadly figure even with a hundred lives.


    "Master, it''s a misunderstanding. I didn''t know you were..." Manager Zhu said regretfully.


    "Enough with the nonsense!"


    Xu Hei used the Spirit Body Thread again, controlling Manager Zhu as well.


    Manager Zhu''s cultivation was slightly higher, making it a bit more troublesome to control him. But with the enhancement of black True Qi and the fact that Manager Zhu had already lost all hope, Xu Hei managed to subdue him within half an hour.


    In fact, a week ago, Xu Hei had considered whether to reveal that he was a puppet.


    But for the sake of caution, Xu Hei hid his puppet identity, leading the Heavenly Dragon Casino to misjudge the situation.


    This was a wise decision, as the identity of a Heavenly Puppet Sect disciple was too prestigious and would easily attract unwanted attention.


    Now that he was about to leave, a bit of attention didn''t matter anymore.


    Xu Hei dragged the two living puppets behind him, walking at the forefront as they headed towards the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    Passing through a bustling street, Xu Hei arrived at the center of Chuyang City.


    This was the most prosperous commercial area under the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, with arenas, the Jiaofang Division, martial arenas, taverns... everything one could imagine.


    The Heavenly Dragon Casino was among them, one of the busiest places.


    It was the golden hour, and the streets were adorned with eternal lamps, making the night as bright as day.


    The puppet Ma Teng walked in front, followed by Zhang Kuang and Manager Zhu, like two dogs on a leash, as they entered the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    The casino''s interior was luxurious, akin to a palace, filled with shouts and curses.


    "Ah, isn''t this our esteemed guest, Master Ma? Welcome, welcome!"


    A woman in a cheongsam approached, her face beaming with a smile. "What would Master Ma like to play today?"


    Clearly, this woman knew Ma Teng. Ma Teng was a notorious gambler at the Heavenly Dragon Casino, a well-known figure. Every hostess would vie to attach themselves to him, enticing him to gamble heavily for a substantial commission.


    Xu Hei scanned the place with his Divine Sense, finding a variety of games.


    There were the simplest dice and mahjong, and more advanced stone gambling.


    There were also beast fights, slave fights, and insect fights.


    As long as you had enough Spirit Stones, you could even call two people to the stage for a duel, with the house setting the odds and the guests betting on the outcome.


    Whatever you wanted to play, you could play.


    You could even grab a passerby for a game of rock-paper-scissors.


    This was a gambler''s paradise, but also a gambler''s hell.


    Countless people had lost everything here, selling their children and wives.


    In just a brief scan, Xu Hei witnessed two people who had lost everything, crying in despair.


    Because this was the inner city, the players were mostly cultivators, primarily at the Qi Refining Stage.


    The lower the cultivation, the easier it was to get addicted.


    Foundation Establishment cultivators were rarer; those who had broken through to Foundation Establishment naturally had extraordinary willpower and usually came just for fun, rarely getting addicted.


    However, Foundation Establishment cultivators often played the biggest stakes, losing dozens of Spirit Stones without a care. They were the casino''s esteemed guests.


    Xu Hei retracted his Divine Sense and looked at the cheongsam woman in front of him. "Anything I want to play?"


    "Of course, as long as you''re willing, anything is possible."


    The cheongsam woman giggled, subtly using her charm technique.


    As a professional hostess, she was not only skilled in verbal persuasion and psychology but also proficient in charm techniques.


    She had already arranged for Ma Teng to win a hundred Spirit Stones today.


    Winning and losing could be manipulated in secret!


    First, get him hooked, and there would be plenty of opportunities to slowly drain him in the future.


    "Good!" Xu Hei nodded and said calmly, "Today, I won''t play for Spirit Stones. I''ll play for lives!"


    His words caused a brief silence around them.


    Playing for lives was rare at the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    The cheongsam woman was momentarily stunned but quickly recovered, smiling, "So Master Ma likes this kind of game. We have plenty of slaves and demonic beasts at the Heavenly Dragon Casino, all available for life-and-death games, as long as you..."


    "Bang!!"


    Before she could finish, Xu Hei slapped her, sending her head flying, blood gushing out.


    "You misunderstood me. When I said playing for lives, I meant this."

 Chapter 125: Friend, stay calm; lets talk it out

    Chapter 125: Friend, stay calm; let''s talk it outThe head of the female cultivator in the cheongsam rolled to the side of the hall.


    The noisy crowd instantly fell silent, everyone retreating to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.


    Some cultivators, however, wore cold smiles, eager to watch the spectacle.


    The last person who killed someone in the Heavenly Dragon Casino had grass growing a meter high on their grave.


    "How dare you kill someone in the Heavenly Dragon Casino! You''re courting death!"


    An old man in hemp clothes appeared, raising his hand to suppress Xu Hei without a word. His palm, as large as a fan, descended on Xu Hei like Mount Tai.


    This man''s cultivation had reached the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage. Against a troublemaker like Xu Hei, he struck with lethal intent!


    Xu Hei himself was hidden underground with an Invisibility Talisman. This mere avatar couldn''t withstand such a powerful opponent.


    But Xu Hei remained unfazed, pulling out the Soul-absorbing Flag and waving it skyward.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    A large group of phantom snake heads suddenly burst from the flag, biting at the descending palm. Each bite took out a large chunk, and in an instant, the palm crumbled to dust.


    "Not bad."


    The old man''s eyes narrowed. He took out a bronze furnace and waved it. With a thought, the furnace''s suction power erupted, and a fire ignited inside, attempting to draw in and refine the snake souls.


    Suddenly, one of the Jiao Pythons raised its head and spat a stream of venom onto the furnace. The bronze furnace emitted a hissing sound, blue smoke rising as it vaporized instantly, leaving no trace.


    "What?" The old man was dumbfounded, retreating as if he''d seen a ghost. The Jiao Python soared into the air, opening its mouth to bite his head.


    "A third-tier demonic beast''s soul!"


    The old man was terrified, shouting in despair, "Master, save me!"


    "Boom!"


    An invisible force surged, halting the Jiao Python mid-air, but it still spat venom, which splashed onto the old man''s sleeve.


    "Ah!!"


    A piercing scream echoed as the old man decisively severed his arm, which turned to ash instantly.


    Xu Hei waved the Soul-absorbing Flag, recalling all the souls, including the Jiao Python.


    These snake demon souls had grown, developing some basic instincts. They were no longer just mindless wraiths; they had a degree of self-awareness.


    Thus, they could be recalled after being released.


    In mid-air, the figure of a woman in a red robe gradually appeared. She looked to be in her middle years, with fair skin, long legs, red lips, and white teeth, exuding the charm of a mature woman.


    She was the master of the Heavenly Dragon Casino, Liu Ruyan.


    "Who would have thought that my humble casino would attract such an esteemed guest," Liu Ruyan said calmly, her tone betraying no anger.


    "Master, this..."


    The old man with the severed arm hurriedly transmitted his voice, thinking that if they didn''t kill this person who had murdered in public, their reputation would be ruined.


    "Step back."


    Liu Ruyan glanced at him. The old man trembled, bowed, and retreated.


    Then, the red-robed woman looked at Xu Hei and smiled, "Esteemed guest, what would you like to play?"


    "I already said, I''m playing for my life," Xu Hei replied, his expression unchanged.


    "Very well, the Heavenly Dragon Casino has always had a rule: whatever the guest wants to play, we will accommodate," Liu Ruyan nodded slightly.


    This bizarre scene caused an uproar among the crowd.


    The Heavenly Dragon Casino was the most profitable force under the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, an economic pillar. Even Core Formation Stage cultivators wouldn''t dare cause trouble here.


    Yet this middle-aged male cultivator had killed someone in public and severed the arm of the old manager, and he was just let off?


    "Isn''t he the infamous gambling addict Ma Teng? He sold his wife and children."


    "What''s going on?"


    "Heavens, when did Ma Teng get such a powerful backing!"


    The crowd speculated wildly. How had Ma Teng gotten so lucky? Not only had he broken through to the Foundation Establishment Stage, but he also had such a powerful backing that he dared to kill in the Heavenly Dragon Casino without being captured.


    Most of the people present were locals from the Chu Kingdom, with few from the Qin Kingdom.


    They had never encountered an inner disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect in their lives and couldn''t fathom the use of a puppet in place of a real person.


    Many were unaware of such puppet techniques, only the high-level members of the Heavenly Dragon Casino could recognize it, but they didn''t expose it.


    Xu Hei walked to a platform and waved his hand.


    "Whoosh!"


    A figure flew onto the platform, it was Zhang Kuang, controlled by Xu Hei.


    "You and I will gamble. You send someone to fight this person. If your person wins, I''ll lose ten thousand to you. If they don''t win, you lose ten thousand to me. How about it?" Xu Hei said calmly.


    Liu Ruyan nodded slightly, "Agreed."


    She waved her hand, and a burly man walked out from among the slaves and stood on the platform. This man had reached the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage, equal in cultivation to Zhang Kuang.


    The onlookers were stunned.


    This was clearly Zhang Kuang, who was responsible for debt collection, yet he was on the platform like a slave.


    And his expression seemed unusually calm.


    "Others can place bets too. The odds are two to one. I''ll accept all bets. You have the time of one stick of incense to decide," Xu Hei said.


    The crowd looked at each other, hesitant to place bets.


    This situation was clearly not simple. Who would dare get involved?


    However, many gambling addicts with low intelligence and some influential people were present.


    After a while, many placed their bets.


    "I bet a hundred on Zhang Kuang to win."


    "I bet three hundred on the slave to win..."


    Soon, Xu Hei collected three thousand spirit stones in bets.


    "I bet five thousand spirit stones on Zhang Kuang to win."


    The last bet was placed by a young cultivator. He had an arrogant demeanor, handsome looks, and had reached the mid-Foundation Establishment Stage at a young age.


    "That''s the young master of the Bai Family, Bai Qiushui!"


    "He''s a prodigy, said to have achieved a perfect Foundation Establishment, capable of fighting even late Foundation Establishment cultivators."


    Whispers spread among the crowd.


    Xu Hei was taken aback. It was the first time he had heard of a perfect Foundation Establishment in someone else.


    The Bai Family was a renowned noble family in the Qin Kingdom. Bai Xiu and Bai Ye were both from the Bai Family.


    Bai Qiushui glanced at Xu Hei and nodded slightly.


    Xu Hei paid no attention to him and said directly, "Begin!"


    As soon as Xu Hei spoke, he controlled Zhang Kuang to charge forward, engaging in a fierce battle. The slave quickly stabilized his stance.


    The slave had survived countless life-and-death battles, and both his spellcasting and physical body had reached the peak of the Qi Refining Stage. In terms of raw strength, he was clearly superior to Zhang Kuang.


    However, Zhang Kuang was under Xu Hei''s control.


    "Boom!!!" S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a few moves, Xu Hei controlled Zhang Kuang to self-destruct while holding the slave, resulting in both of them dying on the spot.


    Everyone was stunned.


    They had never seen a self-destruction in a platform battle before.


    "A draw, all bets are collected!"


    Xu Hei gathered all the spirit stones from the bettors, including Liu Ruyan''s, making a small profit of eighteen thousand.


    Ignoring the angry expressions of the crowd, Xu Hei sent Manager Zhu onto the platform and said, "For the second round, I''ll have him fight. You send someone too. The rules remain the same."


    Manager Zhu, who was at the mid-Foundation Establishment Stage, was not fully controlled. His eyes were filled with deep fear as he looked at Liu Ruyan, seemingly pleading for help.


    Liu Ruyan took a deep breath, her voice turning cold, "Esteemed guest, I have respected you and given you some face. I hope you know when to stop. The Heavenly Dragon Casino is not a place to be bullied!"


    Liu Ruyan could see that Xu Hei had no other intention but to cause trouble.


    Playing along once in front of so many people was giving face, but if he pushed too far and even dared to kill a Foundation Establishment manager, where would her dignity be?


    As the casino master, she wasn''t easy to bully. Did he really think she feared a disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect?


    "Hmm?"


    Xu Hei frowned slightly, taking something out of his storage bag.


    "Your voice was too low, I didn''t hear what you said. Could you repeat it?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes gleamed coldly, and he applied slight pressure to the bead in his hand. The bead emitted a world-destroying aura, with arcs of lightning spreading and rumbling. It was the Thunder Tribulation Pearl.


    "Run!"


    The entire crowd was terrified, retreating frantically. Even Bai Qiushui''s face changed drastically as he retreated hundreds of meters, taking out a Small Teleportation Talisman for safety.


    Liu Ruyan could no longer remain calm. Her face changed dramatically as she shouted in shock, "Friend, calm down! Let''s talk this out!"

 Chapter 126: Ten bets, nine losses; lose everything and stop

    Chapter 126: Ten bets, nine losses; lose everything and stopLiu Ruyan''s heart was in turmoil.


    The Thunder Tribulation Pearl, a devastating weapon of war, was priceless and unattainable!


    The creation of this pearl was extremely difficult. Only when a cultivator reached the Core Formation Stage and attracted the Heavenly Tribulation, with a great divine ability user nearby to condense the tribulation lightning into a single point using supreme artifact refining techniques, could it be formed.


    Such stringent conditions made mass production of the Thunder Tribulation Pearl impossible; each use meant one less in existence.


    Who was this person, to possess a Thunder Tribulation Pearl?


    "Fellow Daoist, don''t be impulsive. Everything is negotiable. How about putting down the Thunder Tribulation Pearl?" Liu Ruyan had never been so flustered.


    "I''m not impulsive at all, just a bit shaky. I can''t handle stimulation, so you''d better not say anything to provoke me," Xu Hei said calmly.


    "Alright, we''ll do as you say. Let''s continue with the second round, okay?" Liu Ruyan was truly scared; this guy was a lunatic.


    The biggest feature of the Thunder Tribulation Pearl was that it didn''t distinguish between friend and foe. Once used, it meant mutual destruction, but its power was undeniable.


    Back then, she had set up countless third-tier defensive formations, used numerous magical treasures, and had senior experts protecting her, barely surviving the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations, and was severely injured as a result.


    If the tribulation were to be triggered without any preparation, not only she but the entire Heavenly Dragon Casino and even half of the commercial district would be doomed!


    Xu Hei stared at her for a long time before finally putting down the Thunder Tribulation Pearl and putting it away.


    Liu Ruyan finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    The crowd watching had long lost their interest in the spectacle.


    Except for a few who were not afraid of death and returned, most had scattered, fleeing the Heavenly Dragon Casino to avoid being caught in the explosion if the lunatic really detonated the Thunder Tribulation Pearl.


    Bai Qiushui hesitated for a long time but finally steeled himself and returned.


    Who knows what was going through his mind.


    Moments later, only the casino staff, slaves, and a few spectators remained.


    Liu Ruyan sent an old slave at the Foundation Establishment Stage onto the arena. At Xu Hei''s command, the two immediately began to fight.


    At this moment, the old manager with a severed arm returned.


    "Master, I''ve investigated the matter. The cause is as follows..."


    The old manager explained the situation through sound transmission.


    "Those two bastards..."


    Liu Ruyan''s face twisted upon hearing the explanation, cursing Zhang Kuang and Manager Zhu''s ancestors for eighteen generations. These two jinxes, of all people to provoke, they had to provoke a lunatic like this.


    Running a casino involved many shady dealings, especially in debt collection¡ªforcing people into prostitution, kidnapping, and murder were commonplace.


    They could even lure the families and children of those unwilling to gamble into gambling.


    With these methods, the Heavenly Dragon Casino, under the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, was the most profitable business.


    Usually, Liu Ruyan couldn''t be bothered to intervene.


    But these two didn''t even investigate who they were dealing with. A week ago, they extorted 1,300 spirit stones from Ma Teng, who didn''t cause trouble, which was already lucky. Now, they even incited Ma Yuanyuan to plot against him.


    No wonder someone came to make trouble.


    "Ahhh!!"


    Manager Zhu''s limbs were twisted, and he screamed miserably, ultimately ending in self-destruction, taking others down with him.


    In an instant, the Heavenly Dragon Casino lost two Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    An unprecedented humiliation!


    Liu Ruyan sighed inwardly, accepting her bad luck for the day, and handed over 10,000 spirit stones.


    "Continue!"


    Xu Hei took out the Thunder Tribulation Pearl and walked towards the casino''s interior.


    Liu Ruyan gritted her teeth and followed.


    "I wonder, how long does this esteemed guest plan to play?" Liu Ruyan asked.


    "Until the end of time, until I lose everything!" Xu Hei sneered.


    Lose everything... Liu Ruyan''s eyelids twitched.


    The casino members nearby all had expressions of gritted teeth.


    "Heh, your people invited me to play back then, so why am I not welcome now?" Xu Hei said with a fake smile.


    "You misunderstand, we certainly welcome you!"


    Liu Ruyan outwardly flattered him while inwardly cursing those two again.


    Next, Xu Hei started playing human vs. demonic beast battles.


    The Heavenly Dragon Casino raised many demonic beasts, either bought or captured, all fitted with Beast Control Rings for human manipulation.


    Using these small tricks, they secretly controlled the outcomes to earn gambling money.


    In gambling, nine out of ten bets are lost, nine out of ten bets are scams; the only way to win is not to gamble.


    Of course, Xu Hei''s method was an exception.


    If you could carry explosives into a casino, they would ensure you win.


    "Let that rat fight that big cat. I bet 10,000 spirit stones on the rat winning!" Xu Hei pointed to the caged rat demon and cat demon.


    Everyone looked at each other in disbelief.


    The rat was only at the mid-stage of Spirit Communion, while the cat demon was at the later stage, with a bloodline suppression. How could it win?


    Liu Ruyan signaled to someone, and the manager immediately arranged for the two demonic beasts to be brought to the arena.


    The battle began.


    With just one move, the rat demon was caught in the cat''s mouth, unable to fight back.


    "Crack!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s hand trembled, causing a slight vibration in the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, and his body tensed up.


    "Stop!"


    Everyone''s faces changed drastically.


    The old manager immediately willed the rat to go berserk, escaping the cat''s mouth, while the cat mysteriously weakened, having its neck bitten off.


    The rat demon won narrowly!


    Xu Hei''s hand stopped shaking, and he took his winnings, feeling pleased.


    Bai Qiushui suddenly regretted coming to watch this spectacle.


    This was clearly dancing on the edge of a knife!


    "This guy is a lunatic, a maniac!"


    Bai Qiushui, usually arrogant, couldn''t muster any arrogance in front of such a ruthless person.


    As for why he followed, he was mainly curious about how the other person showed off in front of others; he wanted to learn.


    This was a profound skill.


    Among the onlookers, a few fearless bystanders focused on the fact that the casino could easily manipulate the outcomes! What did their previous bets mean then?


    Liu Ruyan''s face was extremely ugly; this was not just a slap in the face but also ruining their reputation!


    However, she couldn''t let these people leave.


    "You, and you, get on stage and fight that bear."


    Xu Hei randomly pointed to two people in the crowd.


    "Me?"


    These two were casino employees, responsible for reception and such, and were dumbfounded.


    The old manager waved his hand, directly throwing them onto the stage.


    As expected, Xu Hei won another 10,000 spirit stones, and the two employees died.


    Then, Xu Hei played various games, winning a total of 50,000 spirit stones.


    Such a loss made even Liu Ruyan feel a pang of pain.


    They earned a lot, but most of it had to be tributed, leaving them with little.


    "Hurry and find out which disciples from the Heavenly Puppet Sect have come to Chuyang City!" Liu Ruyan secretly urged.


    "Yes!" The old manager quickly left.


    ...


    Xu Hei arrived at the stone gambling area.


    These stones were claimed to be from spirit stone mines, potentially containing high-grade spirit stones and rare artifact refining materials.


    But most were junk.


    Xu Hei didn''t bother to look closely, taking out the Spirit Devouring Sword, cutting one after another, slicing through rows of stones, revealing many materials, and even damaging some treasures in the process.


    Everyone watching had twitching mouths.


    This area had a total of 1,000 stones, each priced at least ten spirit stones, the most expensive over a hundred, all casually cut through!


    More absurdly, Xu Hei only found two high-grade spirit stones and a pile of worthless stuff, showing how stingy it was.


    "So black, too black!"


    Xu Hei cursed loudly.


    Everyone else was angry but didn''t dare to speak. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 127: Hit someone and leave

    Chapter 127: Hit someone and leaveBased on the provided genre, character introductions, story settings, and name correspondences, here is the translated text:


    According to the listed prices, selling all these stones could fetch over sixty thousand spirit stones, but the actual value of what was cut out didn''t exceed five thousand.


    Not even a tenth!


    Meanwhile, banners overhead boasted about certain cultivators cutting out treasures worth fifty thousand, a hundred thousand. It was all just a scam.


    Xu Hei shook his head and cursed, then walked into the next stone gambling area to continue cutting.


    The stones here were enormous, some even taller than a person or a house, and their prices were equally staggering.


    The lowest priced stone was five hundred spirit stones, while the most expensive one reached a whopping ten thousand!


    Xu Hei scanned the stones with his divine sense but couldn''t penetrate them, so he simply started cutting.


    "Honored guest, the stones on the outskirts are one thing, but these stones here are closely monitored by the Myriad Treasure Pavilion. Some contain extreme dangers, please consider the consequences," Liu Ruyan said seriously.


    Bai Qiushui also reminded, "I once saw a cultivator cut out an evil weapon here, which killed him on the spot."


    Xu Hei found their words reasonable.


    As soon as he entered this area, he felt a faint sense of being watched, indicating that there were experts hidden nearby.


    They were probably there to guard this stone area.


    Liu Ruyan kept her eyes on Xu Hei, squinting slightly, wanting to see how he would react and whether he would back down.


    If he retreated...


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei drew his sword and slashed at a giant stone worth three thousand spirit stones. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "I don''t even fear the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, why would I be afraid of mere danger?" Xu Hei sneered.


    He was showing his defiance; since he was already in trouble, he might as well go all the way.


    Liu Ruyan''s face remained unchanged, but her inner fury was raging. If it weren''t for the Thunder Tribulation Pearl in his hand, she would have attacked him a thousand times over.


    "Crack!"


    The giant stone split open, revealing a blood-red light inside.


    A streak of blood shot out from the stone, and Xu Hei quickly took out his Soul-absorbing Flag to capture it. The snakes inside the flag devoured the remnant soul in an instant.


    "This..."


    The crowd was stunned.


    Xu Hei completely cut open the stone, revealing a human skeleton inside. The remnant soul had flown out from its skull.


    "This is... an ancient cultivator!" Bai Qiushui said in a deep voice.


    "An ancient cultivator?"


    "How is that possible? The ancient era was countless millennia ago; their bodies should have turned to dust long ago."


    Some remained skeptical.


    Bai Qiushui explained, "Ancient cultivators had much stronger physiques than us. They were skilled in body refining, had excellent bone structure, and their bones were thicker. This is the proof!"


    Bai Qiushui pointed at the skeleton.


    The crowd examined it closely and found it to be true compared to their own bodies.


    The skeleton was over two meters tall, and each bone was about thirty percent thicker, like a small giant.


    "In ancient times, everyone had a perfect Foundation Establishment. Today''s Foundation Establishment Stage cultivators would be mere ants in that era."


    Bai Qiushui sighed inwardly. Despite his current brilliance, he would be nothing in ancient times, where everyone could surpass their level.


    Xu Hei said nothing, waving his hand to turn the skeleton into dust. No matter what cultivation level the person had in life, after countless years, it was worthless.


    Suddenly, a small black stone the size of a fingernail fell from the ashes.


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed, and with lightning speed, he collected the entire pile of ashes along with the inconspicuous black stone, almost unnoticed by anyone.


    Xu Hei continued cutting several more stones but found no treasures.


    He did, however, cut out a streak of Sword Qi that almost severed his puppet''s arm, but there was nothing inside.


    This made Xu Hei realize that even in this high-level stone gambling area, finding treasures was nearly impossible.


    Xu Hei targeted a stone priced at thirty thousand spirit stones and slashed at it, but after cutting just an inch, he couldn''t cut any further.


    It was absurdly hard.


    "This stone is called Qingdan. It requires the destructive power of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator to break it," Liu Ruyan explained softly from the side.


    Xu Hei frowned. His true body wasn''t nearby, and he didn''t want to reveal his dragon scales. After a moment of contemplation, he retracted his flying sword.


    "Alright, that''s enough for today!"


    Xu Hei knew that everything had its limits.


    The other side was surely investigating his identity, possibly even contacting the higher-ups of the Heavenly Puppet Sect. He didn''t want to actually detonate the Thunder Tribulation Pearl.


    Xu Hei tried to store the giant stone in his storage bag but found it wouldn''t budge, so he had to give up.


    "Is the honored guest leaving?"


    Liu Ruyan''s eyes flickered as she probed.


    "Why, don''t want me to leave? I can stay and play until dawn," Xu Hei said with a smile.


    Liu Ruyan''s face stiffened.


    "Hehe, I have other matters to attend to, so let''s call it a day. I hope that next time I come to Chuyang City, I''ll still receive an invitation," Xu Hei said with a forced smile.


    The crowd cursed inwardly, hoping he would leave quickly. Whoever invited him again would be a fool!


    Liu Ruyan had long reached her limit but maintained her smile, saying, "In the future, as long as the honored guest enters the city as Ma Teng, I guarantee a warm welcome!"


    "Then I will certainly come as promised," Xu Hei said, cupping his hands. "Farewell!"


    He held the Thunder Tribulation Pearl and turned to leave.


    Once he exited the stone area, the sense of being watched disappeared, making Xu Hei breathe a sigh of relief.


    The hidden expert was indeed only guarding the stone gambling area and wouldn''t follow him elsewhere.


    Xu Hei instinctively glanced at the jade detection disk Hei Huang had given him and found that only Liu Ruyan was marked as a red dot nearby.


    This puzzled Xu Hei. According to his guess, the hidden expert should be a high-level Qi Condensation cultivator. Why didn''t the disk detect them?


    "It seems this jade disk isn''t foolproof," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Under various gazes, Xu Hei boldly left the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    As he walked out, someone followed him in secret.


    It was unclear if they were from the casino or just curious onlookers.


    However, one person openly followed him, none other than the Bai Family''s young master, Bai Qiushui.


    Dressed in white, with an elegant demeanor, he followed Xu Hei from a distance of about three meters, neither too fast nor too slow.


    "Fellow Daoist, may I know your name?" Bai Qiushui asked, cupping his hands.


    "Ma Teng," Xu Hei replied.


    "..." Bai Qiushui, of course, knew that this puppet body was called Ma Teng. He could only smile awkwardly. "Then I''ll address you as Brother Ma from now on."


    Xu Hei had no interest in this overly familiar person.


    He just wanted to get rid of him and said bluntly, "If you have something to say, just say it. Can you stop following me?"


    "Uh..." Bai Qiushui hesitated for a moment, then asked, "I want to know, if the casino master had troubled you earlier, would Brother Ma really have detonated the Thunder Tribulation Pearl?"


    "Of course," Xu Hei replied.


    Bai Qiushui wiped the sweat from his forehead and continued, "Brother Ma, you must also have a perfect Foundation Establishment, right?"


    Xu Hei refused to answer.


    "Brother Ma, there''s no need to hide it. The Bai Family is a major clan in the Qin Kingdom. I''ve been dealing with Heavenly Puppet Sect cultivators since I was young. A normal Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn''t possibly have such proficient puppet techniques," Bai Qiushui said confidently.


    Xu Hei took out the Soul-absorbing Flag and said coldly, "If you keep following me, don''t blame me for taking action."


    Bai Qiushui immediately froze.


    "I mean no harm. I just wanted to ask a few questions. Since Brother Ma is unwilling, I''ll take my leave!" Bai Qiushui cupped his hands and decisively turned to leave.

 Chapter 128: Thoughts are clear and accessible, act according to ones heart

    Chapter 128: Thoughts are clear and accessible, act according to one''s heartBai Qiushui thought for a moment and then turned back, saying, "By the way, if Brother Ma enjoys gambling on stones, you''re welcome to visit my Baidi City. The stones there are all first-hand, much better than the rejects in Chuyang City. In Baidi City, we gamble, but we don''t cheat!"


    Xu Hei paused for a moment, said nothing, and left straight away.


    Watching Xu Hei''s departing figure, Bai Qiushui''s eyes showed a look of reverence.


    Xu Hei''s heroic act today had completely overturned his understanding.


    Though young, Bai Qiushui was a rising star in the Bai Family and had experienced life-and-death battles, but he had never shown such brilliance in front of others.


    The world''s perception of him was limited to being the young master of the Bai Family with a perfect Foundation Establishment.


    He had an arrogant personality, disdaining to use his status to oppress others and hating those who fawned over him. However, purely based on his own strength, a Core Formation Stage cultivator could crush him with a single finger.


    But Xu Hei''s actions today made him realize that even a Foundation Establishment cultivator could make a Core Formation Stage cultivator tremble with fear.


    Bai Qiushui''s eyes flickered.


    "Old Du."


    "At your service, young master." A shadow appeared, bowing.


    "Do we still have any Thunder Tribulation Pearls in the Bai Family?"


    "This..." The shadow shook his head, "No."


    "..." Bai Qiushui was speechless.


    ...


    Chuyang City, core commercial district.


    That night was a night of humiliation for the Heavenly Dragon Casino. Someone had come to provoke them, killed several members in public, forced the master to lose tens of thousands of Spirit Stones, and cut all the gambling stones in the outer area without a single complaint.


    It was a blatant slap in the face!


    The news spread, and the Heavenly Dragon Casino''s reputation was utterly ruined!


    If it were just a slap in the face, it would be one thing, but there were also rumors that the Heavenly Dragon Casino could manipulate the outcomes behind the scenes. On the surface, it was gambling, but in reality, it was cheating.


    This was no longer just a matter of face but a matter of credibility!


    Once the casino lost its credibility, no one would come to gamble. Although gamblers were foolish, they weren''t foolish enough to give money away for nothing.


    "Have you found out anything?" Liu Ruyan asked coldly.


    "Master, I have already asked Elder Ding. He said that there have only been two inner disciples in Chuyang City recently. One left yesterday, and the other is reclusive and couldn''t have caused such trouble," the old steward replied with a fist salute.


    Elder Ding, Ding Quan, was the manager stationed in Chuyang City by the Heavenly Puppet Sect. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Thirty percent of the Heavenly Dragon Casino''s profits went to him, making him their biggest backer.


    Liu Ruyan''s face darkened, "Then who could it be?"


    "No need to think about it, it''s not someone from our Heavenly Puppet Sect."


    At this moment, a mechanical voice came from outside the hall.


    A mechanical dog ran in, entirely yellow, only the size of a palm, but very fast and agile. It was Elder Ding''s puppet.


    "Greetings, Elder Ding!"


    Liu Ruyan and the old steward quickly bowed.


    Ding Quan loved dogs, and all his mechanical beasts were modeled after dogs. People secretly called him Ding Dog, but he didn''t mind.


    "Elder Ding, are you sure?" Liu Ruyan asked.


    "Of course, I''ve already sniffed around. I remember the aura of every inner disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, and there''s none nearby!" the mechanical dog said with a smile.


    Liu Ruyan was first shocked, then her face turned completely dark.


    "Notify all city gates to set up a Ten Thousand Mile Soul-Chasing Formation. I want to make sure that person can''t escape!" Liu Ruyan said with a grim face.


    "Yes!" The old steward immediately left.


    "Apologies, Elder Ding, I have urgent matters to attend to. I''ll take my leave first!" Liu Ruyan cupped her hands.


    "Haha, no problem, business is important," the mechanical dog said with a smile.


    Liu Ruyan hesitated for a moment and couldn''t help but ask, "Once we catch that person, should we hand them over to Elder Ding, or..."


    "Just kill them directly, no need to inform me."


    The mechanical dog sneered and then disappeared.


    Liu Ruyan, being extremely shrewd, already understood his meaning!


    Thirty percent of the profits from the Heavenly Dragon Casino went to Ding Quan. How could he sit idly by while the casino''s reputation was ruined? There was only one solution: catch the person, kill them, and set an example.


    Whether that person was a disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect was no longer important.


    With Ding Quan''s tacit approval, that was enough.


    As an elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, his status was high. Even if the sky fell, he would bear it. The casino only needed to handle the killing.


    ...


    Chuyang City, the largest city in the Southern Region, had a no-fly formation in the sky and an anti-escape formation underground.


    To enter or leave the city, one had to go through the city gates.


    Only Core Formation Stage cultivators could ignore these rules.


    Xu Hei stood at one of the city gates, his true self hidden in a bundle, and Ma Teng had already been swapped into the form of a skinny old man.


    As for the people following him, Xu Hei had casually wandered around the city a couple of times and used a Body Swap once, shaking them all off.


    After checking with a jade disk to confirm no one was following, Xu Hei planned to leave.


    He mingled in the crowd, queued up, and after a routine check, was about to walk out of the city gate.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed, and he stopped in his tracks.


    Xu Hei could vaguely sense a thin membrane at the city gate, invisible to the naked eye. If not for his recent breakthrough and the surge in his Divine Sense, he wouldn''t have noticed it.


    Xu Hei recognized this thin membrane; he had encountered it before!


    It was the same Divine Sense membrane he had encountered when leaving the Purple Mist Sect.


    Anyone or anything passing through it would be marked with a Divine Sense imprint, hunted to the ends of the earth.


    Including Xu Hei''s true self.


    "Is this the work of the Heavenly Dragon Casino?" Xu Hei squinted his eyes.


    He switched to another city gate and carefully checked, but the result was the same.


    Every city gate had this Divine Sense membrane.


    Xu Hei had reason to believe this was the handiwork of the Heavenly Dragon Casino, but where did they get the guts to target him?


    "Could it be the high-ups of the Heavenly Puppet Sect giving orders?"


    "Forget it, I won''t leave the city for now. I''ll go back to the inn and wait for a couple of days."


    Xu Hei made a decisive decision, abandoning his plan to leave the city. He found a random inn on the roadside and checked in.


    In the inn, each cultivator had their own independent courtyard. Xu Hei took out four formation flags he had bought earlier and placed them in four directions, forming a simple shielding formation.


    This formation couldn''t block Divine Sense probes above the Foundation Establishment level but could serve as an alert, letting Xu Hei know if someone was watching.


    At the same time, he sent out two puppets to rent cave dwellings three and five miles away, respectively.


    This way, even if his true self was discovered, he could use Body Swap to escape, buying time to flee.


    The fact that the other party dared to target him, knowing he had a Soul-absorbing Flag and Thunder Tribulation Pearls, showed they had great confidence. Xu Hei had to be cautious.


    This situation was something Xu Hei had anticipated long ago.


    Back then, he could have ignored the other party''s schemes and left the city directly. If he had done that, perhaps nothing would have happened, and he wouldn''t be in this passive situation now.


    But Xu Hei didn''t regret it.


    If you asked why, there were only two words¡ªpeace of mind!


    He had stormed in and humiliated the Heavenly Dragon Casino, offending so many people and taking a huge risk, just for peace of mind.


    Xu Hei waved his hand, and a cold corpse appeared in the courtyard.


    It was Ma Yuanyuan''s body.


    She had been killed by Xu Hei but had died at the hands of Ma Teng, the puppet.


    "If it had been Ma Teng himself facing this situation instead of me, what would have happened..." Xu Hei fell silent.


    As an observer, he couldn''t empathize, but from Ma Yuanyuan''s despair and pain before her death, he gained a bit of understanding.

 Chapter 129: Descendants of Gongshu, relics of ancient times

    Chapter 129: Descendants of Gongshu, relics of ancient timesWas she innocent?


    Neither innocent nor guilty.


    She merely wanted to avenge her mother, but ended up being used as a tool to plot against Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei shook his head, no longer dwelling on the matter.


    He took out the black stone he had cut from the gambling house earlier.


    The stone, only the size of a fingernail, was peeled off from the fossilized bones of an ancient cultivator. The moment Xu Hei saw it, he realized it was a storage artifact he had seen before.


    Xu Hei had investigated this stone and believed it to be a material called "Void Stone."


    Ancient cultivators rarely used storage bags; they typically used Void Stones, which had vast space and could preserve items for a long time.


    Even after countless millennia, they wouldn''t decay.


    Many people embedded Void Stones in rings, naming them storage rings. They were extremely convenient for storing and retrieving items.


    However, in contemporary times, Void Stones were exceedingly rare, making storage rings almost extinct. Even Core Formation cultivators primarily used storage bags.


    Xu Hei''s divine sense probed into the black stone, encountering a layer of dense fog.


    Xu Hei pondered briefly, then took out the Soul-absorbing Flag, summoning a snake spirit to bite at the black stone. Gradually, the fog thinned.


    An hour later, the fog completely dissipated.


    Only then did Xu Hei''s divine sense smoothly enter the stone.


    Inside was an irregular spherical space with a diameter of fifty meters, filled with numerous enormous spirit plants.


    "Is this... Dragon Blood Vine! Earth Flame Mushroom! And..."


    Xu Hei was stunned, his breath stopping.


    These treasures were rare spirit medicines recorded in ancient texts, long thought extinct, and at least of the third rank.


    There were many others Xu Hei didn''t recognize, but judging by their appearance, they were likely of even higher rank, possibly above the fourth rank.


    Instinctively, Xu Hei touched them with his divine sense, only to see each plant turn to dust at the slightest contact.


    "This..."


    Xu Hei realized that too much time had passed. Even items in a storage ring would eventually perish.


    The space was stable, with no air circulation. If taken outside, a gust of wind would scatter them.


    Xu Hei sighed, touching each plant with his divine sense, hoping to find some remnants. Unfortunately, all turned to dust without exception.


    In the end, only a pill furnace and a token remained intact.


    The pill furnace was clearly a top-grade treasure, still metallically lustrous after countless years, though its spiritual essence had long been depleted, rendering it mundane.


    The token was quite large, retaining some spiritual aura.


    Xu Hei''s divine sense moved, taking out the token.


    It contained some information, and as Xu Hei probed, he heard fragmented words.


    "I... descendant of Gongshu... to save my master..."


    "Great calamity... Yin Corpse Pill... seal myself..."


    "Inherit my legacy... Divine Puppet Sect..."


    Xu Hei only grasped the gist.


    This person was a descendant of Gongshu, collecting so many spirit medicines to save his master. When calamity struck, he had to take the Yin Corpse Pill to seal his physical body.


    The rest involved the Divine Puppet Sect, but too much time had passed, leaving many gaps.


    "Divine Puppet Sect... this name is quite similar to the Heavenly Puppet Sect. Are they related?" Xu Hei pondered.


    Such ancient jade slips are hard to preserve unless by a great divine ability user.


    Judging by the medicinal herbs left behind, this person''s cultivation was likely at the peak of the Golden Core stage or around the Elemental Infant stage.


    "Even such a powerful person struggled to leave a bit of information." Xu Hei sighed.


    Time is the greatest enemy. After countless years, not only surviving but even leaving traces of existence is difficult.


    Xu Hei looked at the token in his hand and put it away.


    He then took out the pill furnace, examining it closely. Besides its sturdy material, its spiritual essence was long gone.


    So, he hadn''t gained any substantial rewards.


    "Wait a minute!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei had a flash of insight and took out the token.


    There was a complex mark on the token.


    He then took out the key left by the old ape, which had the same mark.


    The two were identical, possibly made by the same person!


    "Descendant of Gongshu..."


    Xu Hei suddenly had a thought.


    Could this key have been left by the descendant of Gongshu?


    And this key could open the mechanical box obtained from the ancient tomb.


    Xu Hei felt a chill down his spine.


    Ancient tombs, mechanical boxes, keys, descendants of Gongshu, Divine Puppet Sect...


    Could all these be interconnected?


    Xu Hei took out the ancient map, his eyes fixed on the tomb''s location.


    "It seems I need to find time to visit this tomb."


    Xu Hei thought to himself.


    However, now he was trapped in the city. Finding a way out was the priority.


    Xu Hei sighed, took a Qi Nourishing Pill, and sat down to cultivate.


    ...


    Two days later, at the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    "Hmph! How bold of him to still be in the city!"


    Liu Ruyan''s expression was uncertain.


    Over the past two days, she had investigated every Foundation Establishment cultivator leaving the city, totaling over thirty people, none of whom were the target.


    Not even a single puppet was found.


    There was only one possibility: the target hadn''t left the city and was still hiding in Chuyang City.


    "Master, why don''t we conduct a thorough search? We can check every Foundation Establishment cultivator in the city; we''ll surely find him," suggested the old steward beside her.


    "No, that would offend too many people!" Liu Ruyan shook her head.


    The Thunder Tribulation Pearl was still a hidden threat. If it were outside the city, it wouldn''t matter, but inside the city, it was troublesome.


    At this moment, a yellowish figure appeared in the front hall, Ding Quan''s mechanical dog.


    "Liu Ruyan, it''s been two days, and you still haven''t caught him. How disappointing," the mechanical dog said impatiently.


    Seeing this, Liu Ruyan knew her chance had come and quickly bowed. "Please, Elder Ding, give me some guidance."


    "Hmph." The mechanical dog tossed a jade slip over. "I found traces of that person''s scent in fifteen places within the city. I''ve marked them all."


    Liu Ruyan''s eyes lit up, and she eagerly took the jade slip.


    "Thank you, Elder Ding."


    Liu Ruyan put away the jade slip, her eyes flashing with cold light.


    Her figure vanished from the spot.


    In the past two days.


    Xu Hei hadn''t stayed in one place. He changed inns every few hours, never staying in one place for more than six hours.


    Not only him, but also the three puppets he sent out did the same.


    Xu Hei could control up to four human puppets, maintaining flexibility. Any more, and they would become like wooden dolls.


    Xu Hei had tried to leave the city, but the divine sense barrier remained.


    He knew this barrier couldn''t be maintained indefinitely, as it consumed a lot of divine sense.


    The opponent would eventually be unable to sustain it.


    But Xu Hei no longer planned to wait.


    "My patience lasts one more day. If you push me, I''ll turn your Heavenly Dragon Casino into rubble overnight," Xu Hei''s eyes were cold.


    If the opponent thought the Thunder Tribulation Pearl was just a deterrent and not a weapon, they were gravely mistaken.


    sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 130: Re-enter the gambling den, ignite the calamity

    Chapter 130: Re-enter the gambling den, ignite the calamityAt that moment, Xu Hei''s expression shifted as he took out a jade detection disk.


    On the disk, a large group of Foundation Establishment cultivators was approaching him and the places where his three puppets had been in an extremely orderly fashion.


    This group consisted of fifteen Foundation Establishment cultivators: seven in the mid-stage, five in the late-stage, and three at Great Perfection.


    Such a scale was beyond the capabilities of ordinary forces, and even the Heavenly Dragon Casino didn''t have so many experts.


    Xu Hei squinted his eyes as he watched the group quickly pass by the inn where he had previously stayed and head straight for his current location.


    "Heavenly Dragon Casino, you brought this upon yourselves."


    Xu Hei''s gaze turned cold as he severed his connection with all the puppets, leaving only Ma Teng by his side.


    He then stored Ma Teng in his storage bag.


    "Body Swap!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei''s true body instantly disappeared from the original spot and reappeared on a street five miles away.


    He had long set up small snakes in these places specifically for body swapping.


    However, Xu Hei''s current body swap technique was only partially mastered and could only move him five miles at most.


    Taking a deep breath, Xu Hei ignored the cultivators tracking him and controlled Ma Teng, who wore a mask, to head straight for the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    The streets were bustling with people and traffic.


    Even in the afternoon, the commercial district was still crowded. Along the way, Xu Hei overheard passersby discussing him and the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    "Ever since Ma Teng caused that commotion, the Heavenly Dragon Casino has lost more than half its customers."


    "Heh, serves them right. I''ve always heard that the casino is a scam, but some people just don''t believe it."


    "A gambling stone worth over eighty thousand was cut open and turned out to be worth less than five thousand. Isn''t that ridiculous?"


    "Some people always dream of getting rich overnight!"


    Two people by the roadside were discussing.


    Suddenly, a middle-aged man in black walked up and scolded, "What nonsense are you spouting?"


    The two were startled and quickly shook their heads, "We didn''t say anything!"


    "Boom!"


    With a palm strike, the middle-aged man in black made the two cough up blood and fall to the ground, their faces pale.


    "The Heavenly Dragon Casino has already debunked those rumors. They were spread by enemies. If you dare to talk nonsense again, I''ll cripple your cultivation!"


    The middle-aged man in black snorted coldly, spread his divine sense, and continued walking.


    The two dared not retaliate and had no choice but to leave helplessly.


    To control public opinion, the Heavenly Dragon Casino had resorted to extreme measures, sending out many people to forcibly silence others with violence.


    In the short term, this might not be effective, but over time, people tend to forget, and it would eventually work.


    By then, they would publicly execute Ma Teng, the rumor spreader, and hang his body at the city gate, ensuring no one would dare to speak out again.


    At this moment, Xu Hei passed by, staring at the black-clothed man with a blank expression. He raised his hand and clenched it.


    The middle-aged man in black seemed to be grabbed by an invisible hand, his head making cracking sounds before it was forcibly crushed.


    "Boom!"


    Blood splattered everywhere.


    In an instant, the entire street fell silent, and everyone looked over.


    "You dare court death!"


    From a distance, an old man in black rode the wind, rushing over and reaching out to grab Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei took out the Soul-absorbing Flag and waved it, causing a swarm of snake shadows to appear and pounce on the old man.


    "It''s Ma Teng!"


    The old man''s face changed drastically, and he screamed, "Master Ma, spare me!"


    "Die!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were filled with malice as the snake swarm quickly tore the old man to pieces, even absorbing his soul into the Soul-absorbing Flag, devouring it completely.


    The snake swarm grew even stronger.


    After killing the Foundation Establishment old man, Xu Hei quickened his pace, using the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique to leap into the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    After Xu Hei left, the place erupted into chaos.


    "Was that... Ma Teng?"


    "Ma Teng is back! My god!"


    "He''s back to make trouble again!"


    The entire street fell into a frenzy.


    However, no one dared to go and watch.


    Neither the Heavenly Dragon Casino nor the notorious madman Ma Teng were people ordinary folks dared to approach. One wrong move, and they could be caught in the crossfire and die.


    Like the onlookers two days ago, almost none survived; they were all silenced by the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    Ma Teng was even more dangerous, often using Thunder Tribulation Pearls!


    Although no one dared to approach, it didn''t stop people from excitedly discussing in small groups.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    Today, there were very few gamblers. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The casino had implemented a series of profit-sharing measures, and those who participated had won some spirit stones.


    They even arranged for two shills to open top-grade treasures from the gambling stones and hung banners to promote it.


    This attracted some customers.


    Xu Hei entered the casino and, without a word, started a killing spree, releasing snake spirits to kill everyone in sight, whether they were casino staff or bystanders.


    Most of the casino''s experts had been sent out, and Xu Hei, with bloodshot eyes, entered an unstoppable state.


    It wasn''t until a white-robed elder activated a large formation that Xu Hei''s rampage was slightly hindered.


    "Master Ma, when did our Heavenly Dragon Casino ever offend you to deserve such ruthless attacks?"


    The elder''s face was ashen.


    "Tell your master to come out and see me!" Xu Hei said coldly.


    ¡­¡­


    At this moment, Liu Ruyan had just captured the four puppets Xu Hei had abandoned when she received news from the casino.


    "What?!"


    Liu Ruyan couldn''t believe that Xu Hei had actually returned.


    Not only did he not leave the city, but he also went back to the Heavenly Dragon Casino, which was beyond everyone''s expectations.


    Without hesitation, Liu Ruyan retraced her steps and rushed back to the casino as fast as she could. Meanwhile, Ding Quan''s mechanical dog followed suit.


    "He actually went back. Is he courting death?"


    Ding Quan was baffled.


    However, it seemed the other party had no way out. Leaving the city meant death, staying in the city meant death, so the only option was to fight desperately at the casino.


    This was also within Ding Quan''s calculations, and a cold smile appeared on his lips.


    Inside the Heavenly Dragon Casino, in the main hall.


    In front of Xu Hei, Liu Ruyan''s figure slowly appeared. Her face no longer bore the courtesy from two days ago but was filled with cold killing intent.


    "Why did you come back?"


    "Someone didn''t want me to leave, so I had to come back," Xu Hei replied calmly.


    A trace of surprise flashed in Liu Ruyan''s eyes. This person could actually see through the soul-chasing technique at the city gate. Impressive.


    "Since you''re back, you won''t be leaving today!"


    Liu Ruyan waved her hand.


    As soon as she finished speaking, Xu Hei took out a Thunder Tribulation Pearl and, without giving her any time to react, threw it and clenched his hand in mid-air.


    "Explode!" Xu Hei shouted in a low voice.


    Liu Ruyan''s pupils contracted to a point.


    She had anticipated this moment but still didn''t expect Xu Hei to be so decisive.


    One must know that the range of the Thunder Tribulation Pearl was vast. Xu Hei''s true body would definitely be affected, if not killed, then severely injured.


    In that case, he would have no way to escape in Chuyang City.


    "Madman!"


    Liu Ruyan cursed inwardly, but she was prepared. The moment Xu Hei threw the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, she took out the formation disk given by Elder Ding and clenched it.


    In an instant, a light shield appeared, compressing rapidly towards the Thunder Tribulation Pearl''s location at lightning speed, aiming to minimize the destruction range.


    This was no ordinary formation but a mid-tier third-grade formation, capable of blocking most of the power of a heavenly tribulation!

 Chapter 131: Prehistoric thunder calamity, destroying heaven and earth

    Chapter 131: Prehistoric thunder calamity, destroying heaven and earthLong before, she had discussed with Ding Quan the method to deal with the Thunder Tribulation Pearl.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect had suffered greatly from the Thunder Tribulation Pearl before. Qin Xuanji''s daughter was killed by its explosion.


    Even the emperor of the Qin Kingdom had been ambushed with a Thunder Tribulation Pearl by someone who sent him a painting.


    This formation was the proud creation of Gongshu Lei, the strongest formation Heavenly Master of the Heavenly Puppet Sect. Although it couldn''t completely eliminate the impact, it could reduce the power of the heavenly tribulation to its minimum.


    The Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations couldn''t be fully suppressed. The more you tried to suppress it, the stronger it would explode.


    This was the terrifying aspect of the heavenly tribulation!


    This formation compressed the power of the heavenly tribulation within a specific area, releasing it cyclically without letting it spill out, thereby reducing the destruction.


    "Explode!"


    With Xu Hei''s low shout, the light shield formed simultaneously.


    Inside the light shield, there were thin blue lines, which were lightning conductors that could draw the lightning within the area and prevent it from spreading.


    "Crack, crack, crack..."


    The Thunder Tribulation Pearl was covered in cracks and instantly exploded. The destructive energy inside poured out, and the thunder roared like blue thunder dragons, letting out ferocious growls.


    "Boom!!!"


    The void shook, the heavens and earth trembled, and terrifying ripples swept out. Everyone spat blood and was thrown back.


    The lightning struck the edge of the light shield, constantly vibrating, causing the ground to crack and buildings to collapse, but it couldn''t break through the encirclement.


    "It''s under control!"


    Liu Ruyan wiped the blood from her mouth, breathed a sigh of relief, and a hint of sarcasm flashed in her eyes.


    Outside the casino, the mechanical dog also showed a look of disdain, sniffing around, intending to find Ma Teng''s hidden body.


    But at that moment.


    Inside the light shield, the originally blue lightning turned purple, growing darker and darker, becoming deep purple, and its power was crazily increasing!


    The light shield was visibly filling with cracks, about to collapse.


    "How is this possible?!"


    These words weren''t from Liu Ruyan.


    They came from the mechanical dog.


    Ding Quan''s heart was in turmoil. He could feel the formation rapidly disintegrating, unable to withstand it!


    He had planned to track Xu Hei''s real body, but now he had no such thoughts. In a flash, he fled at the fastest speed.


    Ding Quan''s hidden body also fled frantically, as if he had seen a ghost.


    Even Liu Ruyan, no matter how foolish, realized something was wrong.


    This Thunder Tribulation Pearl was abnormal!


    "Everyone, retreat!"


    Liu Ruyan shouted, and all the members inside the casino fled for their lives, their hearts in their throats, their souls almost scared out of them.


    At this moment, everyone felt a chill running from their spine to the top of their heads. This was the body''s instinctive warning of danger, a crisis of death!


    The formation controlling the heavenly tribulation was about to fail!


    As for Xu Hei''s true body, at the moment the first shockwave hit, he used Body Swap to switch places with another puppet five miles away.


    As for the puppet Ma Teng, he decisively abandoned it.


    "What¡¯s going on with that Thunder Tribulation Pearl? Why did it turn deep purple?"


    Xu Hei''s heart was very unsettled. He had vaguely felt before that the energy of this pearl seemed different from what was recorded, but he hadn''t thought much of it.


    Now, he felt a tingling on his scalp and fled at the fastest speed.


    In the blink of an eye!


    Not long after everyone fled, just two breaths'' time.


    "Boom!!!"


    A thunderous roar that everyone in Chuyang City could hear echoed above the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    "Boom!!!" S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The sky exploded, daylight filled the area, as if a hole had been punched in the sky, light piercing through the clouds, illuminating for miles.


    At this moment, everyone in the commercial district went blind, their ears deafened, their heads buzzing, losing all senses.


    The next second, a world-destroying thunder roar swept from the center, all cultivators spat blood and were thrown back, taking out various magical treasures to resist, but each one exploded, shattered into pieces.


    Qi Refining Stage, Foundation Establishment Stage, all were severely injured!


    These were the people in the commercial district.


    As for the cultivators at the center of the Heavenly Dragon Casino, the moment the dazzling lightning swept out, their bodies vaporized instantly, turning into steam, not even a hair left.


    "What kind of tribulation is this...?"


    Only this thought appeared in Liu Ruyan''s mind.


    This wasn''t the Four-Nine Minor Heavenly Tribulation, definitely not. A normal Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulation wouldn''t be this terrifying!


    What they saw wasn''t blue lightning, but deep purple, mixed with a hint of black!


    Ancient cultivators all had perfect Foundation Establishment!


    And the heavenly tribulation triggered by perfect Foundation Establishment cultivators during Qi Condensation was countless times more powerful than today''s!


    From the weakest Four-Nine Minor Heavenly Tribulation to the Great Heavenly Tribulation, and then to the Destruction Heavenly Tribulation, each level was a qualitative change!


    They didn''t know what kind of heavenly tribulation was stored in this Thunder Tribulation Pearl, only that it was not something a normal cultivator could withstand.


    "Bang!!"


    The shockwave hit, Xu Hei spat out a mouthful of blood, gritted his teeth, and once again used Body Swap, moving five miles away, but still being thrown out, blood oozing from his body, bones breaking.


    This was the result of him escaping at the first moment.


    If he had been at the center of the casino, one step slower, the outcome would be unimaginable.


    "Die, let them all die."


    Xu Hei didn''t dare stop, fleeing at the fastest speed, running thirty miles away, still dizzy and blood surging.


    Only when he reached the city gate did the feeling disappear.


    Xu Hei glanced at the detection jade plate, found it had lost its function, cursed inwardly, and quickly put it away to avoid it being shattered.


    He looked back at the dazzling sky behind him, the whole city watching, faces filled with fear, as if facing the end of the world.


    Xu Hei didn''t hesitate, taking advantage of everyone''s distraction, used Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, and rushed out of the city gate.


    The thin divine sense membrane naturally disappeared, its owner likely dead.


    Outside the inner city was the outer city, a gathering place for mortals.


    Because of the protective formation, the mortals in the outer city didn''t feel the destructive power of the heavenly tribulation, only saw the light in the inner city and heard the roaring thunder, not knowing what had happened.


    Everyone was curiously looking, pointing and discussing.


    It was their first time seeing such an apocalyptic scene, feeling a chill in their hearts.


    Xu Hei didn''t stop, fleeing at the fastest speed, not even bothering to use a puppet, moving with his true snake body.


    "This has blown up big, I wonder if I''ll be wanted by the Qin Kingdom."


    Xu Hei muttered to himself, swallowing a pill to suppress his injuries, speeding away like a thunderbolt.


    He didn''t want to use the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, it was purely a last resort. The other side had provoked him repeatedly, forcing him to take this desperate measure.

 Chapter 132: Surviving after a disaster, the myriad forms of life in the world

    Chapter 132: Surviving after a disaster, the myriad forms of life in the worldThe thunder tribulation lasted for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense before finally subsiding.


    Chuyang City, the core area of the inner city. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Heavenly Dragon Casino was reduced to ashes in an instant under the baptism of the thunder tribulation, leaving not even a trace behind. Every member was dead, without exception.


    Even the formation guarding the place couldn''t withstand a single breath before it exploded into fragments.


    Several nearby palaces and auction houses were also affected, their formations destroyed, and the casualties were heavy.


    Only the inner courtyard of the stone gambling house remained intact for some unknown reason.


    Most of the buildings in the commercial district collapsed, turning into flat ground. The crowd was either dead, injured, or fleeing.


    Looking around, only scorched earth remained.


    This was thanks to Gongshu Lei''s formation holding out for a moment. Otherwise, there wouldn''t have been a single survivor in this area.


    Of course, Xu Hei''s ability to leave smoothly and still have the strength to run was also due to Gongshu Lei''s formation.


    Otherwise, even if Xu Hei didn''t die, he would have been severely injured.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Liu Ruyan, a Core Formation Stage cultivator, had all three of her defensive magical artifacts shattered the moment the thunder tribulation exploded. Her limbs were broken, and her body was charred black.


    Using this brief moment of obstruction, she burned her Golden Core, raised a blood shield, and successfully used a life-saving Small Teleportation Talisman just before dying.


    She teleported ten miles away, finally avoiding the core explosion area.


    Although she had teleported away, burning her Golden Core cost her more than half of her cultivation. Her Golden Core shrank to the size of a fingernail, and her physical body suffered unprecedented damage.


    Her spirit was also heavily impacted!


    A lifetime of effort, gone!


    The Heavenly Dragon Casino, gone, with not a single survivor. All her accumulated wealth, destroyed in an instant!


    Even now, she felt like she was dreaming, unwilling to believe it all.


    Her heart was filled with endless regret. If she had known, why did she listen to Ding Quan''s nonsense and provoke that mysterious person?


    Ding Quan said it was safe, so it was safe? How could she participate in what the big figures of the Heavenly Puppet Sect were playing?


    "No!!"


    Liu Ruyan, now just a body and head, wailed and fell from the sky, crashing onto a brick and fainting.


    The commotion alerted two nearby cultivators.


    These two were regulars at the Heavenly Dragon Casino, having lost all their property and fallen into debt. One of their wives was even forcibly sent to the Jiaofang Division.


    The other had his hand cut off and still couldn''t afford treatment.


    Their hatred for the Heavenly Dragon Casino was beyond words. They had been spreading so-called "rumors" that tarnished the casino''s reputation.


    Because of spreading "rumors," they were crippled by black-clothed people, and one even had his tongue cut out.


    "Look, that person is..."


    One of the cultivators, named Wang Dashuang, stared at the charred Liu Ruyan lying on the stone-paved road, reduced to just a head and torso.


    "It''s her, the master of the Heavenly Dragon Casino!"


    The other person, who had his tongue cut out, used Divine Sense to transmit his voice.


    The two exchanged a glance, their eyes flashing with immense anger, and without hesitation, they rushed towards Liu Ruyan.


    Don''t ask if it was rational; they had long been desperate. What reason did they have left?


    "This person can''t be killed easily; she must suffer endless torment!"


    "Exactly! She caused us brothers such misery; we must repay her a hundredfold and not let her die easily!"


    "First, cut off her tongue! Cripple her meridians!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Ding Quan''s true body was kneeling in front of a large tree.


    Under the tree was his mechanical dog, now reduced to a pile of coal.


    "Woo woo woo, Da Huang, you died so miserably! Da Huang!"


    Ding Quan cried his heart out.


    He looked very young, under thirty, with a tall and handsome appearance, but in reality, he had lived for countless years.


    This dog was a spirit beast he had raised since childhood, growing up with him. Later, when its lifespan ended, he refined it into a puppet, accompanying him in another form until now.


    For Da Huang, he had spent a great deal of money to buy a Void Dog''s nose to attach to Da Huang, giving it an extraordinary sense of smell, which brought him repeated profits.


    Now, the dog was reduced to ashes.


    Ding Quan, not far away, was also affected, but compared to his own injuries, he cared more about the dog.


    "Da Huang, I swear, in this life, I will avenge you! I will capture that thief and cut him into a thousand pieces!"


    Ding Quan''s eyes were cold. With a wave of his hand, countless yellow dogs appeared everywhere.


    Er Huang, San Huang, Si Huang, Wu Huang... all the way to Er Bai Ling Ba Huang.


    They all looked exactly like Da Huang.


    They had keen senses, though not as good as Da Huang''s Void Dog nose, but they could still lock onto scents and track enemies for miles.


    Ding Quan rode on Er Huang''s back. At his command, all the yellow dogs began tracking outside the city.


    Suddenly, Ba Huang barked twice, arriving at an alley entrance, barking madly inside as if it had smelled something.


    Ding Quan raised an eyebrow and murmured, "Oh? I almost forgot, Liu Ruyan isn''t dead yet."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei fled at lightning speed, escaping Chuyang City.


    Xu Hei didn''t relax, still running non-stop.


    Liu Ruyan was definitely gone, but he feared there might be others behind.


    If Liu Ruyan didn''t have a backer, Xu Hei wouldn''t believe she dared to target him.


    He had hidden in Chuyang City, and they could accurately find his location, targeting every puppet''s trail. Clearly, there was a powerful figure helping behind the scenes.


    Xu Hei climbed for a day and night until his True Qi was exhausted, and his body was in unbearable pain before he stopped.


    He had long left Chuyang City, reaching the edge of the Southern Region.


    Xu Hei didn''t deliberately leave a scent trail. This trick worked on young cultivators but was counterproductive for cunning senior cultivators, slowing him down and leaving future troubles.


    "Erase the tracks, erase the scent."


    Xu Hei took out the Invisibility Talisman left by Hei Huang, stuck on two, then swallowed a Breath Suppressing Pill and activated the Dust Cleansing Technique to remove impurities from his body.


    Only then did he feel a bit more at ease.


    After running all the way, his True Qi was exhausted.


    Xu Hei found a river, pushed a tree into it, and climbed onto the trunk, drifting downstream.


    This way, he could heal while on the move.


    Xu Hei checked his gains from this trip.


    Originally, he came to Chuyang City to sell stolen goods, spend some money, and buy enough supplies to return.


    As a result, he entered with seventy thousand Spirit Stones and came out with eighty thousand.


    He had gained an extra ten thousand.


    Xu Hei shook his head helplessly. Sometimes, opportunities just coincided like that.


    Here, he had to thank the Heavenly Dragon Casino for courting death and delivering such a wave of benefits.


    With so many Spirit Stones, he couldn''t just leave them be; he had to make good use of them.


    After returning, Xu Hei planned to explore an ancient tomb marked on the map, looking for clues about the descendant of Gongshu, the key, and the mechanical box.


    However, he needed to be fully prepared.


    "I can''t go alone; I need to call for help."


    "Also, Han Te knows about that place. According to him, he went there with a group, but everyone died except him. Whether true or false, it must be extremely dangerous."


    "With these eighty thousand Spirit Stones, I need to buy some life-saving items, as many as possible, preferably Small Teleportation Talismans."


    Xu Hei pondered his next steps.

 Chapter 133: Xiao Chou collapses, fleeing a thousand miles

    Chapter 133: Xiao Chou collapses, fleeing a thousand milesChuyang City, Outer City, Xiao Family.


    The Xiao Family was just an ordinary small family in Chuyang City, running a medicinal herb business for generations. They owned several pharmacies and were somewhat well-known among mortals.


    Xiao Chou was noticed by an immortal while buying medicine and was thus recruited into the Mountain Movers Sect. It has been five years since then.


    After the Qin army''s plundering and bombardment, the Xiao family suffered heavy casualties but managed to survive.


    They were one of the few surviving families in Chuyang City.


    Xiao Chou was severely injured and bedridden for half a year before recovering.


    "Xiao Chou, now that the Qin Kingdom is in power, you can''t act recklessly like before. Be careful with your words!"


    "Don''t worry, Dad. I''m not a fool. I came back to save you all. As long as the Xiao family is safe, that''s all that matters."


    After his father''s repeated warnings, Xiao Chou packed his bags and left Chuyang City.


    After resting for half a year, it was time to return to the Mountain Movers Sect.


    Just before leaving, he suddenly heard an explosion from the inner city, startling him. Looking into the distance, he saw a thundercloud rising in the sky, emitting a terrifying purple light.


    After some inquiries, he learned that the Heavenly Dragon Casino had angered a fierce individual who blew up the commercial district, leveling it to the ground.


    It was said that the fierce individual was a disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    "Is the Heavenly Puppet Sect really that fierce?"


    Xiao Chou muttered to himself.


    "That''s right, the Heavenly Puppet Sect is that strong!"


    Behind him, a graceful and stunningly beautiful young girl smiled.


    The girl was about fifteen or sixteen years old, with fair skin as delicate as a budding peony, beautiful but not seductive, more attractive than most girls Xiao Chou had seen.


    "Why are you still in Chuyang City?" Xiao Chou''s heart stirred, and he asked in confusion.


    The girl''s name was Xiao Lan, a disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect. She was the one who had saved him from being devoured by wild beasts in the wilderness.


    Strictly speaking, this girl was his savior.


    "I''m here to take you back to the Heavenly Puppet Sect. You are a disciple personally chosen by our ancestor. If I don''t bring you back, I can''t explain it." Xiao Lan smiled.


    "I''m a disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect, I''m not going to the Heavenly Puppet Sect." Xiao Chou refused.


    "Fine, then I''ll go with you to the Mountain Movers Sect."


    Xiao Lan put her hands on her hips and followed behind, smiling like a flower.


    Xiao Chou''s body stiffened, and he could only shake his head helplessly and walk ahead.


    At this moment, five miles behind.


    In a small hut, a burly man with a black face, covered in muscles and a full beard, dressed in the black robe commonly worn by Heavenly Puppet Sect disciples, sat.


    The man was picking his toes and sneering, "Heh, I heard this Xiao Chou likes women. I''ve brought out the best Xiao Lan No. 1. I don''t believe I can''t handle him!"


    "Be proactive later!"


    The man grinned mischievously.


    He was under orders from his sect to bring this perfect Foundation Establishment individual back to the Heavenly Puppet Sect by any means necessary.


    After investigating Xiao Chou''s background, he decisively used his best tactic, the beauty trap. For someone like Xiao Chou, who lacked affection, this tactic was undoubtedly very effective.


    The man thought for a moment, controlled Xiao Lan to follow, and took out an exquisite gift.


    Just then.


    A large yellow dog suddenly burst into the hut, barking at him, "Gongshu Yi, come with me immediately to chase someone!"


    Gongshu Yi''s face changed slightly, "Elder Dog?"


    "Stop talking nonsense. The person who blew up the Heavenly Dragon Casino just left the city. Follow me to chase him immediately!" The yellow dog urged.


    "But I have a task. I need to bring Xiao Chou back!" Gongshu Yi hurriedly said.


    Before he could finish his sentence, the hut exploded, and Gongshu Yi was lifted into the air, flying into the sky.


    Along with him, his puppet Xiao Lan No. 1 also soared into the sky.


    ¡­¡­


    Xiao Chou walked along the road, his face calm, but his heart was anything but calm.


    Being followed by the most beautiful girl he had ever seen, who said she wanted to go back to the Mountain Movers Sect with him.


    Xiao Chou had never even held a girl''s hand in his life. It was impossible not to have thoughts.


    "Calm down, calm down. This girl has ulterior motives. She just wants to take me to the Heavenly Puppet Sect. Don''t fall for it!" Xiao Chou kept reminding himself.


    He quickened his pace, walking ahead without looking back, but the occasional whiff of fragrance and the sound of her silver bell-like laughter kept stirring his heart.


    "Xiao Chou, this is a puppet I made. Do you like it?"


    Suddenly, Xiao Lan skipped up to him, holding a palm-sized wooden puppet that looked just like Xiao Chou, and handed it to him.


    "Here, it''s for you!" Xiao Lan playfully smiled and placed the puppet in the dazed Xiao Chou''s hands.


    "This..." Xiao Chou''s face instantly turned red.


    In his life, he had only ever fawned over others, never had a girl given him a gift, let alone such a delicate puppet.


    Xiao Chou''s heart raced uncontrollably.


    What was this feeling?


    What feeling?


    That''s right! This was the feeling of being moved!


    Xiao Chou''s hand holding the puppet trembled, as if it was about to activate some long-forgotten bloodline power.


    Just then.


    A sudden explosion sounded in the distance, a house shattered, and a black-faced man flew out, dragged by a yellow dog.


    At the same time, Xiao Lan also flew into the sky, still smiling, caught by the yellow dog and put into a storage bag.


    The black-faced man looked at the bewildered Xiao Chou, grinned awkwardly, and said roughly, "Brother Xiao, sorry, Xiao Lan has urgent matters. She''ll play with you next time."


    With that, the black-faced man and a large group of yellow dogs behind him sped away, flying towards the horizon.


    Leaving Xiao Chou standing alone, like a clown, motionless.


    Xiao Chou stood there, as if struck by lightning, completely dumbfounded.


    The puppet in his hand fell to the ground with a thud.


    His dazed face gradually twisted into a contorted expression.


    "Ahhhhh!!!"


    A hysterical roar erupted from his throat, sounding like a madman.


    He understood what had just happened. He had been played again, played again! Played again!!


    "I swear, if I ever touch a woman again, I''ll castrate myself on the spot! Castrate! Castrate!!"


    Xiao Chou immediately took out a knife, but after hesitating for a moment, he didn''t go through with it. Instead, he howled at the sky, his voice more grating than a pig being slaughtered.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the rushing river.


    Xu Hei tied himself to a piece of driftwood, swallowed several pills, and entered a state of quiet healing.


    Whether it was due to exhaustion or the severe injuries from the thunder tribulation, making recovery difficult, Xu Hei''s vision darkened, and he almost fainted.


    "No, I need to find a safe place."


    Xu Hei inhaled an Awakening Pill, boosting his spirits, and focused on healing.


    The driftwood floated downstream. Xu Hei glanced at the map. At this rate, he would eventually reach the Mountain Movers Sect area, but the journey was long and would take several days.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei was startled. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He took out a detection jade plate and saw a red dot appear a hundred miles away.


    Judging by the size of the red dot, the person was a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator.


    "Mid-Foundation Establishment... can I counter-kill?"


    This thought flashed through Xu Hei''s mind but was quickly dismissed.


    The other party wouldn''t be foolish enough to send just one person to chase him. Who knew what else was behind?


    The experts in the gambling house made Xu Hei realize that the detection jade plate wasn''t foolproof. There were still ways to hide from it, like puppets, which couldn''t be detected!


    At this moment, the Foundation Establishment cultivator suddenly accelerated, heading towards the river.


    Xu Hei was sure that he had concealed himself well before entering the river, so the other party must be following his previous scent.


    Xu Hei immediately took a deep breath, used the Gravity Technique on the driftwood, and the driftwood shot forward like an arrow, sliding downstream.


    "Ma Teng, I found you. Come out and die!"


    Behind him, the mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator''s shout echoed, but Xu Hei ignored it.

 Chapter 134: Heart of the Way Game, Cultivation Improvement

    Chapter 134: Heart of the Way Game, Cultivation Improvement"Ma Teng, you cowardly rat who hides in the shadows, you don''t even have the courage to fight! You''ll never reach Qi Condensation in this life!"


    The Foundation Establishment cultivator continued to curse.


    These words were venomous, almost like a psychological suggestion meant to disrupt one''s Dao heart.


    For an ordinary cultivator with a weak Dao heart, such words might indeed provoke them into a fight, falling right into the enemy''s trap.


    But Xu Hei remained unmoved.


    The opponent mistakenly thought that Xu Hei, who had used the Thunder Tribulation Pearl to blow up the casino, was a hot-headed and impulsive person.


    Such people are the easiest to provoke!


    In reality, Xu Hei was very calm. His impulsiveness was always based on his own will.


    As long as he believed something was right, he would do it even if it meant defying the heavens and facing death.


    Conversely, such low-level provocations were useless against him!


    "Ma Teng, you''d rather never reach Qi Condensation than fight me. You''re a disgrace to cultivators, a joke!"


    As Xu Hei sped away, the taunting voice behind him grew fainter and fainter.


    It was clear that the opponent couldn''t track his movements.


    "Ma Teng''s inability to reach Qi Condensation has nothing to do with me!" Xu Hei chuckled inwardly.


    He had easily defused the psychological suggestion with this method.


    However, this made Xu Hei more vigilant.


    If the opponent knew his name, could he still defuse it?


    Xu Hei knew that every word related to cultivation carried immense power. Once such a suggestion took hold, it could significantly affect one''s state of mind.


    This was no longer a simple provocation but a battle of Dao hearts. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "My Dao heart is too strong to be disturbed by such petty tricks."


    Xu Hei thought for a moment. Since the opponent had come after him and used such despicable means, he couldn''t just let it go without a response.


    Xu Hei made a quick decision, took out a dragon scale, and carved a line of words on a large rock by the riverbank.


    "You two can''t catch me with your strength, so you resort to such despicable means. You''re unworthy of being called immortals. Your cultivation will end here!"


    As he carved the words, Xu Hei infused them with his insights from reverse cultivation, adding a touch of profound meaning. This made the words far more potent than mere insults.


    After finishing, Xu Hei didn''t care whether the opponent would find it. He immediately used the Earth Escape Technique to flee far away.


    In reality, if the opponent wasn''t stupid, they would follow the river and eventually find the rock.


    Xu Hei didn''t expect the words to have a significant effect, but if they could disrupt the opponent''s state of mind and make them spend energy to counteract the influence, that would be enough.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the riverbank, the black-faced man Gongshu Yi continued to shout.


    "Ma Teng''s puppet master, I''ll give you three more breaths to consider. If you don''t even dare to face a Foundation Establishment cultivator like me, what right do you have to talk about cultivation?"


    "¡­¡­"


    After shouting for half an hour, Gongshu Yi was exhausted.


    He opened a mechanical box, and a yellow dog appeared inside.


    Gongshu Yi said bitterly, "Elder Dog, that person is completely unresponsive. He must have already left!"


    The yellow dog looked grim and said coldly, "Even if he has left, he must have heard your words. His state of mind is inevitably damaged. This trip was not in vain."


    The yellow dog flashed and disappeared, replaced by a middle-aged man¡ªDing Quan''s true form.


    Ding Quan looked around to make sure no one was hiding nearby, then sighed and prepared to leave.


    Suddenly, he raised his hand and sucked a rock from the riverbank into his hand.


    "This is¡­"


    Gongshu Yi also came over. When he saw the words on the rock, his face changed dramatically, and he took several steps back in alarm.


    The rock bore the line Xu Hei had left, suggesting their cultivation would end here.


    Ding Quan''s face turned ashen, uglier than if he had eaten something foul.


    "Damned bastard!"


    He crushed the rock in his hand.


    The fact that the person had left such words indicated that not only had he not been affected by their taunts, but he had also calmly thought it through and countered, putting them in a difficult situation.


    Ding Quan wasn''t much affected, but Gongshu Yi might be in trouble.


    Ding Quan turned to look and was stunned.


    Gongshu Yi stood there pale-faced, trembling, his legs shaking, and cold sweat pouring down.


    He kept replaying the words "despicable means, unworthy of being called immortals" in his mind.


    He had used many despicable means in his life.


    "Gong! Shu! Yi!"


    Ding Quan''s shout was like a thunderclap, jolting Gongshu Yi awake.


    Gongshu Yi spat out a mouthful of blood and was thrown backward, landing on the ground.


    "What just happened¡­"


    He looked bewildered. Just seeing those words had made him lose consciousness, repeatedly reflecting on his despicable actions.


    Ding Quan realized something was wrong. It wasn''t just the words; there was something else attached to them.


    He took a deep breath, realizing he had underestimated the opponent.


    "Thank you, Elder Ding!"


    Gongshu Yi came to his senses and quickly bowed in gratitude.


    If it weren''t for Ding Quan''s thunderous shout breaking his thoughts, he might have suffered severe damage and really ended his cultivation here.


    "Alright, I''ll continue to investigate this person in the shadows. You don''t need to get involved."


    Ding Quan sighed.


    He had initially brought Gongshu Yi along to use his Foundation Establishment cultivation to lure the opponent into a counterattack. Given the opponent''s arrogant nature, he might have fallen for it.


    But it backfired. The opponent didn''t take the bait and almost caused Gongshu Yi serious harm.


    "Yes!"


    Gongshu Yi took a deep breath, bowed, and left with lingering fear.


    Surrounded by a group of yellow dogs, Ding Quan stared downstream, lost in thought.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei didn''t continue drifting along the river.


    After a certain distance, he used the Earth Escape Technique to burrow underground, found an underground river, and kept diving, constantly changing directions.


    Another day and night passed.


    Xu Hei remained underground, and the jade compass showed no signs of pursuit. He had completely shaken off his pursuers.


    Even Xu Hei didn''t know where he had escaped to.


    "I''m exhausted. I''ll sleep first."


    Xu Hei dug out a cave, took out the Soul-absorbing Flag, wrapped it around himself, and fell into a deep sleep.


    As long as danger approached, the snake spirit within the Soul-absorbing Flag would automatically attack the intruder and wake Xu Hei.


    He didn''t know how long he slept.


    During his sleep, the tip of his tailbone was quietly changing.


    In fact, after Xu Hei stormed the Heavenly Dragon Casino and detonated the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, the first dragon bone at the tip of his tail had already begun to transform.


    As Xu Hei fell into a deep sleep, this transformation reached its final stage and was finally completed.


    Five days later.


    Xu Hei slowly woke up, the pain in his physical body gone, feeling refreshed as if he had recovered from a great battle.


    It was said that human cultivators rarely slept as deeply as he did.


    They usually rested in a meditative state and never in deep sleep, which was a difference between human cultivators and demonic beasts.


    "I seem to have become stronger?"


    Xu Hei frowned slightly. The first thing he felt upon waking was this instinctive realization.


    He scanned himself with his Divine Sense and suddenly discovered that the first bone at the tip of his tail had turned a dark golden color.


    In appearance, it had reached a perfect state.


    This was purely a feeling. Xu Hei''s self-perception told him it was perfect.


    Moreover, his cultivation had also improved slightly, with his solidified spiritual foundation covering about thirty percent, still seventy percent away from the mid-stage.


    "I''ve improved this much!"


    Xu Hei was astonished.

 Chapter 135: Chu Kingdom border, strange tales and odd stories

    Chapter 135: Chu Kingdom border, strange tales and odd storiesXu Hei broke through the underground tunnel and emerged onto the surface.


    He spread out his Divine Sense, extending it within a five-mile radius, and found himself in an unfamiliar place.


    Towering mountains and steep ridges, desolate and uninhabited.


    "Where am I?" S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei''s face was full of confusion as he took out the map of the Southern Region for comparison. After looking at it for a long time, he was still at a loss.


    Before he lost consciousness, he had been dizzy and disoriented, unable to remember his bearings. He had just kept charging forward, not knowing where he had ended up.


    The Southern Region was vast, and Xu Hei was certain he hadn''t left its boundaries; he should still be within its range.


    He took out a jade disk and checked it. Within a hundred-mile radius, there were no red dots indicating the presence of cultivators.


    Xu Hei wandered around for a while, then flew into the sky to get a better view. There were no villages nearby, just mountains upon mountains.


    This made Xu Hei realize with frustration¡ª


    He was lost.


    However, as a demonic beast with rich survival experience, he knew that finding a river would lead him to a village. This was the simplest method.


    Once he found a village, he could use the map to find his way out.


    He didn''t stay in the air for long and landed on the ground. A leopard demon saw him and, terrified, its fur stood on end as it fled in panic.


    Xu Hei didn''t release any of his cultivation power, appearing just like an ordinary snake. But he had killed too many people and had experienced life and death multiple times, giving him an aura of ferocity.


    This aura made ordinary predators not dare to approach him.


    Xu Hei pounced and swallowed the leopard demon.


    Not long after, Xu Hei found a small stream and followed it downstream.


    He found a piece of floating wood to lie on and entered a state of cultivation, not wasting a single moment. At the same time, Xu Hei spread out his Divine Sense, ready to stop drifting as soon as he detected human presence.


    Unknowingly, two days passed.


    Along the way, there wasn''t a single human figure, and Xu Hei had no idea where he was.


    On the third day at dawn, Xu Hei smelled the fragrance of peach blossoms.


    He looked up and saw that the stream had flowed into a peach grove. The grass was lush, the petals were falling, the water was clear and transparent, fish swam in the shallow waters¡ªan incredibly beautiful scene that made him feel a sense of tranquility and peace.


    Such a scene, whether viewed from a human or demonic beast''s perspective, was breathtakingly beautiful, like a painting.


    As time passed, the hostility in Xu Hei''s heart unknowingly disappeared.


    This hostility had grown during his constant killing, and even Xu Hei himself hadn''t realized it.


    The floating wood continued to drift, and the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth gradually became denser.


    During this process, Xu Hei felt very at ease, as if lying in an absolutely safe house, not needing to be on guard or worry about being killed. The hostility disappeared, and so did the ferocity.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei thought of a problem.


    "Wait, it''s winter now, how can peach blossoms be blooming?"


    Xu Hei shivered, his eyes snapped open, and he shot out of the stream like lightning.


    He stared at the peach grove on both banks, filled with suspicion.


    The Spiritual Qi here was dense, and since entering this place, he had felt very comfortable, his body and mind bathed in tranquility, making him unconsciously want to relax.


    For Xu Hei, this was not a good sign.


    Xu Hei looked at the strange peach grove and then at the end of the stream, where a cave seemed to appear. But when he used his Divine Sense to probe, he found nothing.


    This made Xu Hei instantly tense.


    He had heard some rumors that some cultivators, to avoid war, would retreat to deep mountains and forests, creating a paradise to live out their years in peace, away from the world.


    The mindset of a cultivator could also affect the environment, washing away killing intent and irritability, leaving only peace.


    Xu Hei thought it best to stay away from such unknown things.


    He quickly retraced his steps and left along the stream. Once he was far away, that feeling of ease disappeared, and he was back in the jungle.


    Xu Hei let out a long breath.


    "Phew! That place was truly strange, affecting the mind without one realizing it."


    "However, that sense of peace and tranquility was unprecedented. I feel much lighter."


    Xu Hei reminisced for a moment, took a deep look back at the end of the peach grove, sighed, and turned to leave.


    After he had completely left, the peach grove vanished as if it had never existed.


    Recalling the cave he hadn''t entered, Xu Hei could imagine it must have been a paradise.


    Xu Hei spotted a cat demon, restrained his aura, and crept up to it.


    The cat demon stared at Xu Hei but didn''t flee like the leopard. Instead, it bared its teeth and attacked.


    Xu Hei flicked his tail, swiftly dodging to a distance.


    "Even the ferocity in me is gone. That place is truly magical," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    After hesitating for a moment, he turned back and swallowed the cat demon.


    He had to be fair.


    Xu Hei changed direction, moving away from the stream and heading in another direction.


    To find a village, Xu Hei no longer hesitated and used Sword Flight. After three days, he finally spotted a human village at the edge of his vision.


    Xu Hei immediately set off, flying a hundred miles to the village entrance.


    The stone tablet at the entrance had two words: Ma Town.


    "Ma Town..."


    Xu Hei took out the map to identify it, but to his frustration, Ma Town wasn''t on the map of the Southern Region!


    There was only one possibility: this town was too remote to be officially recorded.


    Even the war hadn''t reached here.


    In fact, Ma Town was a newly established settlement by refugees fleeing the disasters of the Qin Kingdom, located in an extremely remote area.


    Originally, the people of Ma Town lived self-sufficiently, but the influx of refugees had overwhelmed the limited resources, leading to overcrowding.


    The streets, the town outskirts, everywhere were beggars and refugees, with rotting corpses piling up in ditches, uncleaned.


    "Please, give us something to eat!"


    "I can wash clothes and chop wood, I can do anything, please take me in!"


    "¡­"


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense swept over the area, seeing refugees begging everywhere.


    Some desperate people had turned to banditry, robbing and stealing, making Ma Town chaotic.


    However, compared to places ravaged by war, where nine out of ten houses were empty, this place was still relatively better.


    Xu Hei didn''t plan to stay. He just wanted to ask for directions and leave.


    He locked onto a Qi Refining Stage cultivator and transmitted a message: "Which part of the Southern Region is this?"


    The cultivator was in seclusion and was startled by the sudden voice. He quickly stood up and respectfully replied, "Senior, this is the southwestern border. Eight hundred miles east is Liefeng City."


    Xu Hei recalled the location of Liefeng City, nodded silently, and left immediately.


    At that moment.


    A melodious sound of a zither came from afar.


    The music was enchanting, seemingly with an invisible power that could cleanse the soul and purify resentment. Many refugees, upon hearing the music, immediately showed happy smiles, as if bathed in sunlight.


    They no longer felt hungry, no longer tired, all negative emotions vanished.


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed, and he sent out a mechanical puppet to the street.


    At the end of the street, a luxurious long carriage was slowly approaching. A veiled woman sat on the carriage, playing a guzheng, while a group of maidservants walked ahead, scattering flower petals to clear the way.


    "Join the Changle Sect, and attain eternal bliss!"


    "Join the Changle Sect, and suffer no more pain!"


    "Join the Changle Sect, and be free from illness and disaster!"


    "¡­"


    The maidservants chanted slogans as they walked.


    Listening to the slogans and the music, both refugees and locals were filled with happiness, smiles on their faces, with no trace of negativity or despair.


    Even the Qi Refining Stage cultivator Xu Hei had questioned was no longer tense or fearful, a smile on his face, looking serene.


    Xu Hei felt something was off.


    Without a word, he quickly left, sealing his ears and nose to avoid hearing the enchanting music.

 Chapter 136: Repair the Magical Treasure, create Talisman

    Chapter 136: Repair the Magical Treasure, create TalismanXu Hei had never heard of the Changle Sect.


    In fact, the woman playing the zither wasn''t a powerful cultivator; her cultivation was only at the early Foundation Establishment Stage.


    The melody she played merely had a calming and stabilizing effect, capable of controlling emotions, useful for mortals and low-level cultivators.


    But Xu Hei thought of that eerie peach grove. Upon entering, all his negative emotions were dispelled, even the baleful aura was purified.


    He couldn''t help but link the two together.


    "With these two countries at war, all sorts of strange beings are emerging," Xu Hei mused.


    Xu Hei was familiar with the five great sects of the Chu Kingdom and the single sect of the Qin Kingdom, but he had never heard of the Changle Sect. It was likely a new emergence.


    Where there''s opportunity, there''s development.


    There were also some demonic sects and evil factions that often surfaced during wartime, massacring villages, refining corpses and souls¡ªit was quite common.


    Xu Hei didn''t know how to categorize the Changle Sect; it didn''t seem like an evil faction, but he didn''t want to get involved with it in any case.


    Eight hundred miles due east lay Liefeng City.


    This distance wasn''t far for Xu Hei now.


    Xu Hei traveled at a steady pace, neither hurried nor slow, passing through a slaughtered town along the way.


    The town, with a population of over ten thousand, had been reduced to just a thousand survivors. Corpses were piled in pits, emitting a dense baleful aura. Xu Hei could faintly see a red mist hovering over the town.


    Xu Hei didn''t know if the massacre was done by the Qin army or by demonic cultivators framing the Qin army. It had nothing to do with him.


    At this moment, a red-robed cultivator was lurking underground, absorbing the remaining baleful aura to forge his spiritual foundation, hoping to break through to the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Most of the baleful aura from over ten thousand people had already been taken by someone else, leaving him with the scraps.


    "Another strange being," Xu Hei shook his head.


    He approached and transmitted his voice, "What''s your name?"


    The red-robed cultivator''s face changed drastically, spitting out a mouthful of blood in panic, "Junior... Junior Li Yang! What are your orders, Senior?"


    He had been in seclusion for half a month, just a few days away from completing his Foundation Establishment, but was interrupted. Yet, due to the opponent''s cultivation, he could only suppress his anger and answer patiently.


    "Li Yang, not a bad name. It will be mine from now on!" Xu Hei sneered coldly.


    Li Yang was stunned for a moment, then reacted with terror. Without hesitation, he soared into the sky, pulling out various magical treasures and a communication jade slip.


    "Thud!"


    His body stiffened, a bloody hole appeared in his forehead, and he fell before he could use his treasures.


    Xu Hei collected the corpse and quickly left.


    He had run out of human puppets and needed a suitable one. This person would be perfect for refining into a Foundation Establishment puppet.


    He checked the storage bag and found that the person''s identity was well-hidden, with no identity token found, suggesting he was a rogue cultivator.


    However, the communication jade slip was exquisitely made, and he didn''t know who it would contact.


    Xu Hei didn''t bother with it. After refining the puppet and storing the jade slip, he headed straight for Liefeng City.


    Liefeng City, a small city in the Southern Region, was less than a tenth the size of Chuyang City. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a city where mortals and cultivators coexisted, with both an inner and outer city.


    Xu Hei checked with a jade disk and found that the city had no Core Formation cultivators, only one late Foundation Establishment cultivator.


    The city''s protective formations were all second-tier, prohibiting flight and underground travel, with entry and exit only through the city gates.


    Xu Hei saw a Foundation Establishment cultivator flying into the city from the sky.


    Xu Hei didn''t make a scene and entered the city through the gate obediently.


    Once inside, he first checked the wanted notices.


    To his surprise, he found that the Qin Kingdom had not issued a warrant for his arrest.


    The wanted list mostly consisted of rebels and traitors from the Chu Kingdom, as well as Core Formation cultivators, with some bounties exceeding a hundred thousand spirit stones.


    Compared to these high-level cultivators, Xu Hei was insignificant.


    "Looks like I was overthinking. They wouldn''t issue a warrant for their own sect member," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He then headed straight for the largest Myriad Treasure Pavilion in the city.


    Myriad Treasure Pavilion had branches in every city. Xu Hei directly found the branch master and asked bluntly if they had any life-saving items.


    "Small Teleportation Talismans are rare and in high demand. I can''t guarantee availability, but we do have a third-tier defensive magical treasure. However..." The branch master hesitated.


    "However, what?" Xu Hei asked quickly.


    The old cultivator sighed and led Xu Hei to an underground plaza.


    In the center of the plaza stood a three-meter-tall pagoda, its surface battered and cracked, as if struck by immense force, looking ready to collapse.


    "This Moon-supporting Pagoda is a mid-tier third-tier spiritual treasure, but it''s severely damaged. It will be destroyed after one use. If you need it, I can sell it to you at the price of a low-tier third-tier spiritual treasure, just thirty thousand spirit stones," the old cultivator said with a wry smile.


    "Thirty thousand for something that can only be used once?" Xu Hei frowned.


    "You''re mistaken, esteemed guest. This treasure''s spirituality is intact, with the potential to birth a spirit in the future. If you buy it, it''s surely for repair. If you manage to repair it, it will be a genuine mid-tier third-tier spiritual treasure, worth far more than thirty thousand," the old cultivator explained.


    Though true, the materials needed for repair would not be cheap.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you have the recipe for the Small Teleportation Talisman?"


    "Haha, the recipe for the Small Teleportation Talisman is known to all major sects and families. The main issue is the scarcity of materials, hence the high demand. I can make a deal: if you buy this pagoda, I''ll give you the recipe for free!" the old cultivator laughed.


    A stick of incense later.


    Xu Hei decisively spent thirty thousand spirit stones to buy the Moon-supporting Pagoda and the recipe for the Small Teleportation Talisman.


    After reading the recipe, Xu Hei understood why it was so rare.


    Because the main ingredient was Void Stones!


    Xu Hei had heard of this before, but seeing it confirmed today.


    Additionally, he learned that a single high-grade spirit stone cost at least a thousand low-grade spirit stones to exchange, and even then, it wasn''t guaranteed!


    In other words, Xu Hei''s remaining fifty thousand spirit stones could only exchange for fifty high-grade ones.


    Xu Hei shook his head and left immediately.


    "Heavenly Puppet Sect disciples are truly wealthy."


    The branch master sighed deeply. A Foundation Establishment cultivator could casually spend tens of thousands of spirit stones to buy a Core Formation treasure, something unimaginable in other sects.


    Of course, a Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn''t wield a third-tier spiritual treasure, so it was likely bought for an elder.


    ...


    Next, Xu Hei moved to another city and, using a similar method, acquired the remaining materials for the Small Teleportation Talisman and a high-quality artifact refining furnace.


    He spent another twenty thousand spirit stones in total.


    Afterward, Xu Hei left the city and headed deep into the mountains.


    He found a desolate, uninhabited place, dug a cave, and began his secluded refining and talisman crafting.


    For an average Foundation Establishment cultivator, even if they obtained a third-tier spiritual treasure, they couldn''t use it.


    Third-tier spiritual treasures required the true essence of Core Formation cultivators to activate, a level above the true qi of Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    However, Xu Hei''s true qi was of such high quality that it was very close to true essence, allowing him to barely use third-tier spiritual treasures.


    For example, the Soul-absorbing Flag, after absorbing the soul of the Jiao Python, was already considered a low-tier third-tier spiritual treasure, and Xu Hei could wield it freely.


    But the defensive pagoda he bought was meant for life-saving in critical moments, not for killing or suppressing.


    Such high-intensity consumption was beyond Xu Hei''s means.


    "To repair the Moon-supporting Pagoda, I could try this..."


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and took out the pill furnace he had found in the jade slip of the descendant of Gongshu.


    This pill furnace was an ancient relic, long devoid of spirituality, but the materials were still intact. Melting it down to repair the Moon-supporting Pagoda would be perfect.


    This was Xu Hei''s plan.


    He had never refined artifacts before, but with a foundation in puppet crafting, learning wouldn''t be difficult. He had also obtained many artifact refining jade slips from the Mountain Movers Sect.


    It was a large project, but Xu Hei was very patient.

 Chapter 137: Artifact Refining failed, unexpected trouble

    Chapter 137: Artifact Refining failed, unexpected troubleXu Hei planted the formation flags in all directions, setting up a small formation. Then, he took out the artifact refining furnace.


    Unlike a pill furnace, the artifact refining furnace only required the infusion of True Qi to continuously increase its temperature. As long as the temperature was high enough, even the toughest materials could be melted.


    With a thought, Xu Hei sent the ancient pill furnace into the refining furnace and began infusing it with True Qi.


    "Boom!"


    In an instant, the interior of the refining furnace turned red, and the temperature soared rapidly, resembling the core of the earth. However, the surface of the furnace remained icy cold.


    This furnace had cost Xu Hei eighteen thousand Spirit Stones, the highest quality refining furnace he could afford, capable of melting third-tier Spiritual Treasures.


    Time slowly passed.


    With the continuous infusion of True Qi, the temperature inside the furnace reached an extremely terrifying level, glowing red like a small sun.


    "Strange, why hasn''t this pill furnace melted yet?" Xu Hei''s face showed doubt.


    The ancient pill furnace remained intact inside the refining furnace, without any reaction, not even a change in color.


    At such a temperature, an ordinary third-tier Spiritual Treasure would have long melted.


    "I don''t believe this, let''s increase the temperature further!"


    Xu Hei swallowed a pill and continued to infuse True Qi.


    Three hours passed.


    Xu Hei had infused most of his True Qi, consuming five Rejuvenation Pills in the process.


    Inside the refining furnace, the heat waves were overwhelming, as if he were inside the sun, distorting the space around it.


    Even the previously cold surface began to heat up.


    Such a temperature could only be achieved by Xu Hei''s True Qi; no other Foundation Establishment cultivator could manage such an exaggeration.


    Yet, despite this, the pill furnace remained unmoved!


    Wisps of white steam began to rise from the surface of the refining furnace, accompanied by faint cracking sounds.


    Xu Hei''s expression changed; the refining furnace was reaching its limit, yet the pill furnace still hadn''t melted!


    "I refuse to believe this!"


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth, swallowing a handful of Rejuvenation Pills and forcefully infusing a large amount of True Qi.


    The temperature inside the refining furnace rose another notch.


    Xu Hei was certain that at this temperature, even the Moon-supporting Pagoda would melt into liquid, and even higher-grade Magical Treasures would show some reaction.


    But to his dismay, the ancient pill furnace remained unresponsive.


    The refining furnace began to shake slightly, with more white steam rising and cracking sounds becoming more pronounced, faint cracks appearing.


    Even the stable formation flags started to shake violently.


    "Not good!"


    Xu Hei''s face changed dramatically, and he quickly withdrew his hand and retreated.


    "Boom!!!"


    A deafening explosion echoed through the cave, the refining furnace unable to withstand the heat and exploding completely, the force terrifying.


    The explosion caused a nearby mountain peak to collapse.


    Within a hundred meters, the rocks melted into liquid under the intense heat, turning into magma.


    Xu Hei was blasted away, crashing deep into the ground, covered in soot and charred all over.


    Fortunately, he had dragon scales protecting him, so he wasn''t seriously harmed, just severely shaken.


    Xu Hei lay underground for a long time before recovering.


    "I actually... failed..."


    Xu Hei muttered to himself.


    This was his first attempt at artifact refining, and he had been full of confidence, yet he couldn''t even complete the first step of melting the materials.


    Xu Hei crawled back, diving into the cooling magma to retrieve the intact ancient pill furnace and stored it in his Void Stone.


    Not wanting to waste anything, he also collected the fragments of the refining furnace, storing them carefully.


    "What material is this ancient pill furnace made of, to be so sturdy? What a pity."


    Xu Hei shook his head and sighed.


    He wasn''t discouraged; the steps he had taken were correct, it was just that the material of the pill furnace was beyond his capabilities.


    It was a pity that the refining furnace he had bought for eighteen thousand Spirit Stones couldn''t even refine a single Magical Artifact and was now useless.


    He could only buy a better refining furnace or find a natural treasure land to try again.


    Xu Hei adjusted his breathing and rested for a while before starting to craft Talismans.


    Compared to artifact refining, Talisman crafting required more skill.


    Among puppets, there was a branch called Talisman Puppets, and the two were closely related. Xu Hei had previously made some low-level Talismans.


    Now, he took out the Talisman crafting materials and began to carefully carve.


    Xu Hei meticulously drew on a piece of Talisman paper, sometimes applying materials. After a whole day, he took out a small Void Stone and imprinted it.


    Moments later, the Talisman flashed with a black light, becoming semi-transparent and emitting faint spatial fluctuations, forming complex patterns.


    The Void Stone had shrunk by about one-tenth.


    "Success!" Xu Hei was delighted.


    Upon closer inspection, it was indeed a Small Teleportation Talisman, though the color was slightly different, covered in black patterns. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Never mind, it''s good enough."


    Xu Hei didn''t stop and continued crafting; the more life-saving items, the better.


    The first Talisman took him a day to make.


    The second one took only three hours.


    The more he made, the more skilled Xu Hei became, and the time required shortened.


    By the time he used up this small piece of Void Stone, Xu Hei had crafted eight Small Teleportation Talismans, enough for him to use freely.


    He still had two larger pieces left, which he could use to make more in the future.


    "Why not test one out?"


    The thought flashed through his mind but was quickly dismissed.


    These things were precious; he couldn''t afford to waste them.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei sensed something.


    He took out the communication jade slip he had found in Li Yang''s Storage Bag.


    The surface of the jade slip gradually gathered Divine Sense, and moments later, a phantom figure appeared, its features blurred, emitting strong Divine Sense fluctuations.


    "Tomorrow night, at the third watch, Mountain Movers Sect."


    The figure spoke.


    Xu Hei stared at the figure, surprised.


    What a peculiar way of transmitting messages; Xu Hei had never seen anything like it!


    The person behind this message clearly had a high cultivation level.


    Just then, the figure suddenly said, "Why is there no response?"


    Xu Hei was startled, alive?


    He reacted quickly, spitting a mouthful of fire at the figure.


    "Stop! Who are you?"


    The figure roared, but Xu Hei didn''t hesitate, summoning the Soul-absorbing Flag and sucking the figure in.


    The voice stopped abruptly, and the jade slip was burned to ashes by Xu Hei.


    Staring at the remnants, Xu Hei fell silent.


    It seemed he had stirred up trouble; there was a powerful figure behind Li Yang.


    Could he still keep this puppet?


    Xu Hei had thought it was just an ordinary communication jade slip, but it turned out to contain something akin to a clone.


    Though it wasn''t exactly a clone, as it had no combat power, only capable of speaking and issuing commands.


    Xu Hei''s mind raced as he took out the treasures from Li Yang''s Storage Bag again, checking each jade slip one by one for anything similar.


    He even released the Jiao Python spirit to swallow and spit out each one, ensuring nothing was missed before putting them away again.


    "Mountain Movers Sect is not far from here, just on my way. Should I avoid it?" Xu Hei pondered.

 Chapter 138: After a long separation, it feels familiar

    Chapter 138: After a long separation, it feels familiarOutside the Mountain Movers Sect, in an unremarkable small town.


    Inside a tavern, a group of plainly dressed farmers sat around a table, drinking rice wine and whispering among themselves.


    "Something happened to Li Yang," said a man with a bushy beard.


    "Hmph, that man was always on the wrong path. It''s a miracle he didn''t betray us sooner. Don''t count on him," a wrinkled woman snorted coldly.


    "Master, what''s the point of recruiting these rogue cultivators? None of them are reliable," a young man in coarse clothes muttered.


    The bearded man sighed, took a large gulp of wine, and said, "I know Li Yang. He wouldn''t betray us. I believe something unexpected happened to him."


    A towering man with a soldier''s bearing nodded in agreement, "In these times, it''s hard enough to gather together. Let''s not speak such discouraging words."


    "In the future, there will be fewer and fewer like-minded people!" A bald man at the next table smiled bitterly and recited a Buddhist chant.


    As the group chatted, the sky gradually darkened.


    At this moment, everyone in the tavern looked out the window, towards the distant Mountain Movers Sect.


    "Back when the Mountain-moving Patriarch was still around, the sect was so glorious. What a pity, what a pity."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A hundred miles outside the Mountain Movers Sect.


    A black snake flashed by and burrowed underground.


    Xu Hei ultimately decided not to bypass the sect because he suddenly remembered that there was a spiritual vein beneath it, providing a continuous supply of spiritual qi that could aid in artifact refining.


    Moreover, there was the heavy-pressure artifact refining chamber left by the first patriarch.


    This was arguably the best place for artifact refining in the Southern Region''s sects. There was no second place like it!


    It was the only place where he had a chance to melt the ancient pill furnace. If he failed again, he would have to wait until he reached the Core Formation Stage to try again.


    Originally, Xu Hei didn''t plan to take such a risk.


    But he had just refined eight Small Teleportation Talismans. If he chickened out over this, he might as well give up on exploring the great tomb and just go into seclusion to await death.


    "There''s some risk, but it''s worth a try." sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei took out a jade disk for detection. Inside the Mountain Movers Sect, there was only one red dot symbolizing the Core Formation Stage, representing a patriarch in seclusion.


    Judging by the brightness of the red dot, the person''s life force wasn''t strong, possibly due to injuries.


    Xu Hei immediately sprang into action.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the foot of the Mountain Movers Sect.


    Xiao Chou was climbing the steps. Although he could fly up the mountain with his cultivation, he seemed to prefer walking.


    Along the way, some Qi Refining Stage disciples glanced at Xiao Chou, their expressions turning strange. After confirming it was him, they couldn''t help but smile.


    But whenever Xiao Chou looked over, they would stop smiling, put on serious faces, and pretend to be deep in thought.


    "What''s going on?" Xiao Chou wondered.


    He had encountered this phenomenon more than once or twice on his way back. Every disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect who saw him had the same expression.


    Were they mocking him?


    Xiao Chou was very sensitive to ridicule and could spot it instantly.


    "Hey! Kid, what were you laughing at just now?"


    Xiao Chou grabbed a disciple and demanded.


    "I wasn''t laughing, senior. You misunderstood. I really wasn''t laughing!" the disciple hurriedly replied.


    Xiao Chou stared at him for a long time, but the disciple refused to admit it, so he had no choice but to let him go.


    Finally, when Xiao Chou reached the mountain gate.


    The gatekeeping disciple saw Xiao Chou and couldn''t hold back any longer, bursting into laughter.


    This laughter triggered a chain reaction. All the Qi Refining Stage disciples behind him clutched their stomachs and laughed uncontrollably, some even rolling on the ground with laughter.


    "Is this the protagonist of that stone tablet?"


    "That''s right, just like his name!"


    "I usually don''t laugh unless I can''t help it, haha..."


    "......"


    Seeing the people around him, Xiao Chou''s face turned as dark as if he had eaten something foul.


    At this moment, a tall elder appeared in the sky, looking down at Xiao Chou with eyes like lightning and an imposing aura. This was his master, Shi Longzi.


    "Master!" Xiao Chou quickly bowed.


    "Xiao Chou, you have disgraced the sect and have been expelled. You are not to step foot in the Mountain Movers Sect again. Leave!" Shi Longzi glanced at him coldly, not giving Xiao Chou a chance to speak, and disappeared.


    Xiao Chou stood there, stunned.


    The laughter behind him grew even louder.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    It was noon.


    Xu Hei had been wandering around the foot of the mountain for half a day, looking for a disciple to blend in with.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei heard loud laughter coming from above.


    Looking from a distance, he saw a dejected disciple standing at the mountain gate, surrounded by countless people laughing at him.


    That person being laughed at looked somewhat familiar.


    Xu Hei stuck on an Invisibility Talisman and approached, his eyes widening in surprise.


    "Xiao Chou?"


    Xu Hei wasn''t mistaken. It was indeed Xiao Chou. Wasn''t this guy supposed to be dead?


    In that situation, rushing into Chuyang City to defend it was practically suicide.


    Xu Hei observed for a moment and confirmed it was indeed Xiao Chou. This scene felt familiar. When he first arrived at the Purple Mist Sect, this guy was also being laughed at by a group of people.


    Now, despite his increased cultivation, he was still being laughed at. Truly a unique talent.


    "Forget it, I''ll help you out."


    Xu Hei took out an Awakening Pill and slightly activated his true qi.


    In an instant, a nauseating stench spread out, causing all the disciples nearby to clutch their heads and vomit. Some even rolled down the steps.


    "What the hell is that smell?"


    "So disgusting! Damn it!"


    The gatekeeping disciple turned pale, clutching his stomach and vomiting.


    In just a few breaths, all the disciples nearby fled in panic, not a single one remaining.


    Only Xiao Chou stood there, turning his head to look at the source of the smell.


    This once extremely foul odor now felt oddly familiar.


    "Is it... Senior Hei?"


    Xiao Chou looked towards the empty void.


    Xu Hei transmitted his voice, "How did you know it was me and not someone else?"


    Hearing this voice, Xiao Chou''s eyes immediately welled up, his nose tingling, almost bursting into tears.


    Xu Hei was puzzled.


    Why are you so emotional? Did the smell make you cry?


    Xu Hei quickly put away the Awakening Pill.


    Xiao Chou, holding back his tears, said, "This Awakening Pill, although it smells bad, actually... well, it still smells bad."


    He wanted to say it smelled good, but found he couldn''t lie.


    Xu Hei, not wanting to waste time, climbed up to Xiao Chou and said, "Get into the mountain. I need to go to the artifact refining chamber of the Mountain Movers Sect."


    Xiao Chou nodded repeatedly, "Yes!"


    He took out the elder token of the Mountain Movers Sect and walked to the mountain gate.


    At this moment, the gatekeeping disciple had recovered and shouted at Xiao Chou, "Xiao Chou, you''ve been expelled from the sect. How dare you..."


    Before he could finish, Xiao Chou''s eyes turned cold, and he slapped the disciple from a distance, sending him flying with a powerful gust of wind.


    "Smack!"


    The crisp sound of the slap echoed as the gatekeeping disciple was sent spinning through the air, crashing to the ground with a broken tooth and a bright red handprint on his face, blood flowing.


    "Let me through, or I''ll kill you!"


    Xiao Chou''s eyes were icy as he pressed the token against the mountain gate''s barrier.


    "Yes, I''ll let you through right away!"


    The gatekeeping disciple didn''t dare to stop him and opened the passage, allowing Xiao Chou to enter the mountain.


    Xiao Chou quickly disappeared into the distance.


    Watching Xiao Chou''s departing figure, the gatekeeping disciple''s eyes turned cold, and he gritted his teeth, "Xiao Chou, you brought this on yourself. Don''t blame anyone else!"


    "Your master showed mercy by only expelling you. Otherwise, with the crimes of killing Elder Qiu Hua, two enforcers, and five Foundation Establishment Stage members of the Qin army, you''d be dead a hundred, no, a thousand times over! Just wait until the other elders come after you. Let''s see how you handle it!"

 Chapter 139: The dragons energy has vanished, and the fate is exhausted

    Chapter 139: The dragon''s energy has vanished, and the fate is exhaustedThe Mountain Movers Sect, still the familiar scene.


    Passing through the outer sect plaza and entering the mountain tunnel, the lives of the inner disciples were all within the mountain. The closer to the spiritual vein, the denser the spiritual Qi.


    Along the way, Xiao Chou ignored the various glances and discussions, his mind focused solely on the task Xu Hei had entrusted to him.


    In truth, Xiao Chou was not foolish; he knew the risks of returning to the sect, yet he did not hesitate, resolutely heading to the center.


    For no other reason than Xu Hei having saved his life!


    Back then, if Xu Hei hadn''t rescued him, he would have been killed by Hua Yuntian.


    Although Xu Hei had fed him various strange pills and conducted all sorts of experiments, causing him much suffering.


    But it later proved that those strange pills truly had life-saving effects!


    Xiao Chou had a flawed character, but he valued gratitude deeply.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have risked his life to save his parents, nor would he have returned to the sect to see Shi Longzi, knowing he had committed a grave crime.


    The puppet Xiao Lan could deceive him because it saved his life, leaving Xiao Chou without any suspicion.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After a long time.


    Xiao Chou arrived at the central area of the mountain range, in front of a stone door.


    This was the artifact refining chamber of the Mountain Movers Sect.


    The sect became a major force in artifact refining because of the gravity refining chamber left by the patriarch of old.


    Just like how the Purple Mist Sect excelled in pill refining, every sect had its own focus.


    "Xiao Chou!"


    In front of the refining chamber appeared an elder in a yellow robe, with dry skin and cloudy eyes, looking like an old man at the end of his life.


    "You have been expelled from the sect, why have you returned?"


    The yellow-robed elder spoke calmly; he was the gatekeeping elder who had guarded this place for two hundred years, a figure from the era of the first patriarch. The refining chamber had always been his responsibility.


    "Junior wishes to use the refining chamber once, and will leave immediately after. I hope Elder Hai will grant this request!" Xiao Chou clasped his fists.


    Xu Hei hid in the back, ready to act at any moment.


    The yellow-robed elder stared at Xiao Chou, and after a while, waved his hand.


    Xu Hei was about to unleash the Soul-absorbing Flag, to strike the elder down with lightning speed.


    Suddenly, the door to the refining chamber opened.


    "¡­¡­"


    Not only was Xiao Chou stunned, but Xu Hei was also taken aback; clearly, this scene was beyond their expectations.


    "I owe your master a favor, use it quickly and leave, I''ll pretend you never came." Elder Hai glanced at Xiao Chou, his tone still calm.


    "Thank you, Elder Hai!" Xiao Chou nodded excitedly.


    Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief; he had been prepared for a battle, but the elder''s understanding saved them the trouble.


    Xiao Chou and Xu Hei simultaneously slipped through the stone door, which slowly closed behind them.


    Elder Hai sat cross-legged in front of the door, his eyes filled with bitterness.


    "Since the patriarch''s fall, the Mountain Movers Sect has declined with each generation, even losing its backbone. This last hard bone cannot be retained either." Elder Hai sighed deeply in his heart.


    The gravity refining chamber, the core of the Mountain Movers Sect.


    Inside was a massive hall, filled with formation flags forming a grand formation, connected to the underground spiritual vein, allowing for continuous extraction of spiritual Qi.


    At the center was a super reactor, connected to the earth vein, immovable, a masterpiece of the Mountain-moving Patriarch.


    "My heavens, if this doesn''t melt, I might as well bash my head in."


    Xu Hei gazed at the colossal structure, his heart in awe.


    He hesitated no longer, taking out the ancient pill furnace and tossing it into the reactor, then activated the formation, injecting spiritual Qi.


    In an instant, a blue flame ignited within the reactor, the temperature rising at an astonishing speed.


    Space distorted, gravity increased, and the blue flame grew brighter, the temperature skyrocketing.


    In just the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, it surpassed Xu Hei''s previous peak.


    Moreover, it consumed very little true Qi; Xu Hei''s black true Qi merely served as a catalyst, most of it was consuming the spiritual vein.


    Seeing this, Xu Hei couldn''t help but sigh inwardly; having a sect as a backing was indeed an advantage over being a rogue cultivator.


    Demonic beasts, without a sect or teacher, could only explore on their own.


    Xu Hei gradually realized how monstrous Xu Bai was!


    "By the way, Xiao Chou, there might be changes in the Mountain Movers Sect at the third watch tonight," Xu Hei suddenly said.


    "What do you mean?" Xiao Chou was taken aback.


    Xu Hei briefly recounted the events that had occurred.


    He then took out Li Yang''s puppet and placed it in front.


    Xiao Chou stared at Li Yang, muttering, "I think I''ve seen this person before; he used to be with the Astrology Bureau, but later practiced evil arts and was expelled."


    "Astrology Bureau¡­"


    Xu Hei fell into deep thought, vague suspicions forming in his mind.


    Xiao Chou took a deep breath and solemnly said, "Senior, no matter what changes occur, I will guard the door and not let anyone step inside until you finish refining!"


    Xu Hei said nothing, only increased his efforts, true Qi surging forth, causing the temperature to soar once more.


    The underground spiritual vein was also drawn, spiritual Qi transforming into dragon-like streams, pouring into the formation, pushing the temperature to an unimaginable level.


    The blue light was dazzling, like a star, enveloping the pill furnace; both gravity and temperature were enough to shatter any third-tier magical treasure.


    Xu Hei continued to inject true Qi, and by nightfall, the pill furnace finally began to change.


    Starting from the outer shell, black liquid began to flow down, first from the three legs of the furnace, then from the corners.


    "It''s finally done!"


    Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief, the hardness of this was simply absurd.


    Xu Hei did not know that under the pull of his true Qi, a stream of dragon Qi from the underground spiritual vein flowed into the reactor.


    Dragon Qi is the foundation of the spiritual vein, a symbol of fortune.


    Once dragon Qi is lost, the spiritual vein will gradually wither, and the sect''s fortune will come to an end.


    Originally, dragon Qi could not be easily extracted, but since the Mountain-moving Patriarch''s fall, the dragon Qi had become unstable, growing worse over time, with the sect''s fortune declining year by year.


    After the Mountain Movers Sect defected from the Chu Kingdom and joined the Qin army, the dragon Qi and spiritual vein became severed.


    Tonight, at the third watch.


    Under Xu Hei''s guidance, the dragon Qi was officially extracted, leaving the spiritual vein, leaving the Mountain Movers Sect!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    It all seemed destined.


    At the same time.


    A group of black-clothed people silently appeared at various locations within the Mountain Movers Sect, each standing in a place, vaguely forming a mysterious formation. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    They made hand seals, took out formation flags, and at the stroke of the third watch, pressed them onto the ground simultaneously.


    "Seal!"


    With a single word, invisible seals spread from the formation flags, connecting with each other to construct a massive formation, enveloping the Mountain Movers Sect in the blink of an eye.


    This formation would isolate all external probing and prevent anyone inside from sending messages out.


    Tonight was destined to be a sleepless night.


    Deep within the Mountain Movers Sect, at the entrance of the refining chamber.


    The long-silent Elder Hai suddenly opened his eyes.


    He first looked at the sky, then at the earth, his cloudy eyes seeming to see the future.


    "The dragon Qi has vanished, the fortune of the Mountain Movers Sect has reached its end."

 Chapter 140: The first lamp of the spark of stars

    Chapter 140: The first lamp of the spark of starsThe massive formation took shape, forming a shell that enveloped the Mountain Movers Sect.


    All the black-clothed individuals removed their masks, revealing their true faces, and swiftly moved to the entrance of the Mountain Movers Sect.


    At this moment, the disciple guarding the mountain was muttering to himself.


    "Strange! I''ve already reported to the sect leader, so why hasn''t Xiao Chou been expelled?"


    "Something''s not right!"


    The disciple was pondering.


    Suddenly, countless dark shadows flew across the sky like meteors, unstoppable.


    The disciple''s face changed drastically. He quickly took out a jade slip, but before he could crush it, a silver-haired girl raised her hand and grasped.


    The disciple was flung away, caught by an immense force.


    "State your name," the silver-haired girl said coldly.


    The disciple''s eyes were blank as he stammered, "Fang Yu."


    "Boom!"


    As soon as he spoke his name, his body exploded into a mist of blood.


    A burly man with a bushy beard nearby laughed, "Little Silver, asking for names before killing, that''s a bad habit."


    This burly man was the one from the tavern.


    "He guarded the mountain for twenty years; he deserves a name."


    As the silver-haired girl spoke, a giant like an iron tower stomped the ground and charged like a meteor, crashing into the light barrier.


    His entire body was covered in runes that spread out and merged into the barrier. The Mountain Protection Array instantly became as fragile as paper, with a large gap smashed open.


    "Boom!!"


    The entire Mountain Movers Sect shook.


    All the sect''s disciples were alarmed.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    The elders of the Mountain Movers Sect all emerged from their secluded cultivation, riding flying swords, and hovered in mid-air, their expressions changing drastically as they looked at the crowd of black-clothed individuals ahead.


    "That man is... Shen Daozi, Xu Qingfeng, a wanted criminal with a bounty of 150,000 spirit stones!" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone stared at the burly man with expressions as if they''d seen a ghost.


    "That''s the Silver-haired Witch, with a bounty of 80,000!"


    "And there''s the Demon Monk Ku Xuan, the Demon Man Zhang Tie, the Little Overlord Xiang Fei, all notorious rebels!"


    At this moment, everyone''s hearts were in turmoil.


    After the Chu Kingdom''s defeat and the Astrology Bureau''s destruction, some Chu Kingdom cultivators couldn''t withstand the Qin army, so they formed bandit groups, causing chaos everywhere.


    They specifically targeted the Qin army and its allies, robbing and killing to seize treasures, earning themselves a fearsome reputation, each with a bounty of over ten thousand spirit stones.


    These rebels and bandits were either survivors of the Astrology Bureau, elites among the Chu army, or like-minded individuals.


    With the Chu Kingdom fallen, some harbored hopes of restoring the kingdom.


    Some were simply bandits by nature.


    In any case, for various reasons, they came together, forming a sizable group and becoming nationally wanted criminals.


    Yet today, these rats who had been hiding everywhere dared to invade the Mountain Movers Sect, attacking a major sect for the first time in history!


    The burly man Xu Qingfeng stepped forward and shouted, "Mountain Movers Sect, colluding with foreign enemies, plotting rebellion, unforgivable crimes! Today, I, Xu Qingfeng of the Astrology Bureau, will act on behalf of heaven and eliminate these lackeys!"


    Xu Qingfeng''s voice, filled with boundless righteousness, echoed throughout the mountain gate.


    In an instant, the word "guilty" appeared above everyone''s heads in the Mountain Movers Sect!


    This was the mark of a criminal. Xu Qingfeng, as the Astrology Bureau''s law enforcement elder, was skilled in the art of words, capable of killing with words alone!


    At this moment, many disciples felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and self-reproach, even harboring suicidal thoughts.


    "Hmph! A bunch of bandit scoundrels, claiming to act on behalf of heaven? Ridiculous!"


    An elderly man with white hair stepped out from the deep mountains, covering a thousand feet in a single step, surrounded by surging heat waves, his entire being like a furnace.


    The Mountain Movers Sect''s ancestor, the fifth-generation sect leader, Shi Xuan.


    He was also the only Core Formation cultivator in the sect.


    With a wave of Shi Xuan''s hand, the "guilty" words immediately dissipated.


    At this moment, the current sect leader Shi Lin, core elders Shi Longzi, Shi Fengzi, and others appeared one after another, staring at the intruders with extremely grave expressions.


    "The sect is sealed; we can''t call for help or retreat. We can only fight," Shi Lin said solemnly.


    Everyone''s expressions changed.


    The enemy had set up such a grand scheme; today, it was destined to be a battle to the death!


    "Then let''s fight! Just these bandits think they can destroy our Mountain Movers Sect? What a joke!"


    Shi Xuan took the initiative to move forward, his withered body rapidly expanding, flesh growing, bones crackling, his hunched body straightening and rising, white hair turning black, his emaciated form regaining its luster.


    In the blink of an eye, he transformed from an old man into a robust middle-aged man.


    Xu Qingfeng scanned the crowd and coldly shouted, "Thinking of escaping before the battle, seeking help? Truly a bunch of cowards. You knelt before the Qin army back then, and today, you can kneel before us!"


    As he finished speaking, the word "kneel" appeared above everyone''s heads.


    At this moment, everyone in the Mountain Movers Sect felt their bones soften, involuntarily wanting to surrender, to kneel and beg for mercy.


    "Silence!!"


    Shi Xuan went completely berserk, roaring in anger, his voice spreading out, shattering all the "kneel" words.


    He clearly understood Xu Qingfeng''s verbal attacks, extremely insidious, capable of damaging one''s Dao heart. The best way to counter it was to silence him through force.


    Shi Xuan''s body expanded, rapidly growing into a stone giant, charging at Xu Qingfeng with earth-shaking momentum, waves of energy surging.


    "Everyone, attack!"


    Zhang Tie, who had broken through the formation, shouted, his arm swelling, sweeping out like a giant, the fierce energy instantly hitting two elders, their bodies exploding into pulp.


    The others also charged into the sect, unleashing their magical treasures and skills, attacking the Mountain Movers Sect members.


    "Fight! Defend the sect!"


    "Kill these rebels!"


    The elders and disciples of the Mountain Movers Sect also rushed out, clashing with the invaders.


    Sect leader Shi Lin sat in the square, activating the sect''s protective array.


    A phantom stone figure emerged from the ground, the third-tier array spirit, the Stone Daoist, guarding the sect for generations.


    Without a word, Zhang Tie''s body swelled to match the Stone Daoist''s size, punching out like a warrior, causing a massive wave of energy. The Stone Daoist also punched, the two engaging in pure physical combat, creating earth-shattering booms!


    "Sin, sin! Namo Amitabha..."


    The demon monk Ku Xuan closed his eyes, sitting cross-legged, holding a string of Buddhist beads, chanting the Rebirth Mantra, transcending the souls of the dead, and also the living.


    "What''s your name? Yan Lei? Die!"


    The silver-haired girl, calm as water, asked each person''s name before instantly erasing them.


    "All troops, form up, charge!"


    Xiang Fei led a five-man team, charging into the enemy ranks. This team, all at the Foundation Establishment Stage, wielded shields and spears, forming a battle formation, flawless in both offense and defense.


    There was also a young man with purple hair, not fighting but specializing in stealing storage bags and magical treasures. Many elders'' treasures were snatched away before they could even use them.


    This group, composed of the Astrology Bureau, orthodox army, evil cultivators, witches, and bandits, stormed a major sect, like a spark igniting the first flame!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the Mountain Movers Sect, in the artifact refining room.


    Outside, the battle raged, but inside the refining room, it was quiet. The formation here isolated all disturbances.


    Xu Hei looked at the jade disk, seeing four large red dots, his heart heavy.


    "Four Core Formation Stage..."


    Xu Hei had severely underestimated the danger of this mission.


    However, he had plenty of Small Teleportation Talismans. If push came to shove, he could ensure his survival.


    Moreover, these four Core Formation Stage individuals weren''t all from the same faction.


    Xu Hei noticed that three of the red dots came from outside, meaning among the attackers, there were three Core Formation Stage cultivators, quite a grand scheme!


    The Mountain Movers Sect had only one Nascent Soul ancestor, plus the Mountain Protection Array, making two at most. Who knew how long they could hold out?

 Chapter 141: Silver-haired Witch, Bounty Hunter

    Chapter 141: Silver-haired Witch, Bounty Hunter"Need to speed up."


    Xu Hei glanced at the reactor.


    At this moment, most of the three legs of the alchemy furnace had melted, with some edges turning to liquid, but the main structure remained intact.


    At this rate, it would take two or three days to completely melt, and Xu Hei couldn''t afford to wait.


    Immediately, he summoned the Moon-supporting Pagoda and tossed it into the reactor.


    "Merge!"


    Xu Hei activated the Gravity Technique, causing the black liquid on the ground to rise and attach to the Moon-supporting Pagoda, quickly integrating with it.


    Under Xu Hei''s control, the damaged pagoda began to repair itself at a slow pace.


    The pagoda''s core functions were intact, requiring no re-refinement, only structural repairs. This simple task was within Xu Hei''s capability.


    As for how much it could be repaired, that was up to fate. Xu Hei couldn''t wait, so he had to use this clumsy method for now.


    Xu Hei kept an eye on the monitoring jade disk, where red dots were rapidly disappearing, indicating the death of Mountain Movers Sect members.


    The invaders numbered only fifty, but each was an elite.


    The weakest among them had reached the Great Perfection of the Qi Refining Stage, with more than half at the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    The Mountain Movers Sect had more than ten times their numbers, yet they were like clay chickens and pottery dogs, unable to withstand the assault.


    Ordinary disciples fell like ants, dying in droves, and even elders could only hold on for a short time, their strength not on the same level, unable to match even those of the same realm.


    Xiao Chou seemed to realize something, pacing back and forth in front, restless.


    At this moment, a large red dot on the jade disk entered the mountain''s interior, rushing towards them.


    "A Core Formation Stage cultivator is coming!" Xu Hei''s gaze turned serious.


    He released the Li Yang puppet and took out the Soul-absorbing Flag, ready to act at any moment.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the Mountain Movers Sect''s plaza.


    Blades and swords clashed, shouts of battle shook the heavens, bodies fell one after another, flying swords shattered, and blood flowed like rivers, resembling a hell on earth.


    Ordinary disciples faced a one-sided massacre, and the high-ranking elders were retreating step by step.


    The strongest, Patriarch Shi Xuan, was being beaten by Xu Qingfeng, spitting blood, barely holding on.


    Even the third-tier formation spirit was being suppressed by Demon Man Zhang Tie, each punch making it more illusory.


    These bandits were all top talents of the same realm, each one a Chosen!


    The purple-haired youth, who specialized in stealing magical treasures, wore a cold smile as he rushed towards the mountain cave, snatching several elders'' storage bags along the way.


    "Keep up, don''t let him loot the treasury alone, we want a share too!" Xiang Fei cursed.


    The group exchanged glances, and several Foundation Establishment cultivators immediately followed.


    "Little Silver, you keep an eye on him too," Xu Qingfeng urged.


    The silver-haired girl frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, then reluctantly followed into the mountain.


    Inside the mountain was the inner sect of the Mountain Movers Sect, with countless cave dwellings.


    Every time the purple-haired youth passed a cave dwelling, he rushed in and looted it clean.


    "Young friend, I''m only after wealth, not lives, so don''t act rashly!"


    Inside a cave dwelling, the purple-haired youth waved his hand, taking everything, even stripping the disciple of his clothes, leaving nothing behind.


    He looted all the way, nothing valuable escaped his eyes, even scraping a layer off the metal floor.


    The followers behind him were all dumbfounded.


    The purple-haired youth acted with extreme caution, avoiding any place that might have traps or dangers, only targeting easy cave dwellings.


    When encountering members of the Mountain Movers Sect, even if they were weaker than him, he never attacked, as if he truly was only after wealth.


    Before long, he reached the most central area, the entrance to the Artifact Refining Room.


    "This is the Mountain Movers Sect''s Artifact Refining Room. It''s said to contain relics left by the Mountain-moving Patriarch, sure to be worth a lot," the purple-haired youth''s eyes gleamed with excitement.


    He looked around and immediately headed for the stone door.


    Suddenly, a palm imprint silently struck from behind, emerging from the mountain wall.


    "Bang!"


    The force penetrated, hitting his back hard, yet it felt like hitting cotton. The purple-haired youth let out a cry and was sent flying, landing beside the passage.


    Behind him, an elder in a yellow robe emerged from the mountain wall, his gaze cold, his aura like waves. It was the gatekeeper patriarch, Elder Hai.


    "Core Formation Stage? Who are you?"


    Elder Hai''s expression was heavy. This person appeared to be at the late Foundation Establishment Stage, but that palm strike clearly contained true essence.


    This could only mean the person was hiding his cultivation!


    The purple-haired youth cupped his hands, "I am Li Feiyu."


    "Li Feiyu..."


    Elder Hai frowned, having never heard of such a person.


    "Han Te, keep this person occupied, I''ll enter the Artifact Refining Room!"


    The silver-haired girl appeared in the distance, her voice calm, followed by a group of Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    Han Te scratched his head, spreading his hands, "Boss, this person is a False Core cultivator, not within my job scope unless... uh, you pay more!"


    "You''ve taken so many storage bags, isn''t that enough?" The silver-haired girl frowned. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Han Te became anxious, "Those have to be shared, I can only keep thirty percent for myself! Look, the contract is right here, you think I''d cheat?"


    Han Te took out a contract, clearly stating: Han Te assists in dealing with Foundation Establishment cultivators, entitled to thirty percent of personal gains as compensation.


    Note: Medical expenses are self-funded in case of injury.


    At the end was Xu Qingfeng''s enforcement seal and Han Te''s signature.


    "As a bounty hunter, I have a sense of contract spirit. Thirty percent means thirty percent, I won''t covet your things!"


    Han Te was indignant, feeling insulted, with a group sent to supervise him.


    Elder Hai, hearing their conversation, his eyes flashed, "You''re Han Te? The Han Te who does anything for money?"


    At this moment, Han Te stopped pretending, tearing off the human skin mask on his face, revealing his unruly middle-aged appearance, with messy purple hair and weapons all over his body.


    "What do you mean by that? Trying to buy me off? I have a sense of contract spirit!"


    Elder Hai was taken aback, then said in a deep voice, "How much?"


    "Well..." Han Te rubbed his chin, pondering, when suddenly, a large palm imprint emerged from the stone wall behind him, pressing down on his back.


    This palm was different from before, with a blue lightning glow in the center, carrying a trace of true essence.


    "You old fox, playing tricks!"


    Han Te was furious, summoning a shield to block behind him. The palm imprint struck, shattering the shield with a loud bang, the remaining force hitting his back like a thunderclap.


    "Boom!"


    Han Te fell forward, crashing into the stone wall ahead. His back was charred, but a silver inner armor blocked the blow.


    Han Te''s face was ashen, looking at the shattered shield and charred inner armor, his heart ached as if bleeding.


    "Damn it! I''m not taking money anymore, this is personal now!"


    Han Te cursed, drawing all sorts of weapons from his body, charging at Elder Hai with unstoppable force.


    Elder Hai remained unfazed, his skin rapidly petrifying, his False Core continuously releasing true essence, summoning countless sharp stone spikes to attack.


    The distant crowd was speechless.


    The silver-haired girl showed no expression, calmly walking to the stone door, her jade finger pointing in the air, causing ripples in the void, releasing mysterious seals.


    With a "click," the stone door opened.


    Everyone''s eyes were fixed on it.


    "Whoosh!"


    As the stone door opened, a large phantom burst out from the gap, opening its bloody maw to bite the silver-haired girl. It was a Jiao Python spirit! At the same time, venom shot out, covering all possible escape routes.


    This was Xu Hei''s prepared killing blow, anyone opening the door would face a thunderous assault.


    Even a Core Formation Stage cultivator would fall victim to such a sudden chain attack!


    The silver-haired girl remained expressionless, her figure suddenly becoming ethereal, like an afterimage, the Jiao Python spirit passing through her, missing its target.


    All the venom fell on the ground, sizzling.


    "Hmm?"


    Xu Hei, controlling Li Yang, frowned. This technique was something he''d never seen before, resembling the afterimage left by the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon.


    The girl''s afterimage stared at him, suddenly asking, "What''s your name?"

 Chapter 142: Dragon energy emerges, the Pagoda undergoes dramatic changes

    Chapter 142: Dragon energy emerges, the Pagoda undergoes dramatic changes"What is your name?"


    She had short silver hair, pale skin, cold eyes, and a petite frame, resembling an emotionless puppet. Occasionally, her brow would furrow, but otherwise, her face showed no expression.


    Xu Hei immediately realized that this wasn''t an afterimage left by extreme speed, but a living person!


    For some unknown reason, she had become a phantom, unable to be attacked!


    Even his Divine Sense couldn''t detect her, as if she were just a mass of air.


    Xu Hei ignored her, shaking the Soul-absorbing Flag, summoning thirteen serpent spirits to attack the other Foundation Establishment cultivators outside.


    The girl''s phantom raised her hand and gently clenched it toward the serpent spirits. Instantly, an invisible force of confinement appeared in the space, immobilizing all the serpent spirits.


    At the moment she clenched her hand, her body briefly materialized!


    "Whoosh!"


    Xiao Chou suddenly emerged from the ground, delivering a powerful punch to her face.


    The serpent patterns on Xiao Chou''s arm lit up, his strength increasing several times over, causing the air to explode with a loud bang. This punch could shatter gold and split stone!


    "Boom!"


    With a dull thud, the silver-haired girl''s face took a heavy punch, sending her flying sideways. A rare look of shock appeared on her usually impassive face as she crashed into the stone wall, a few drops of blood falling to the ground.


    The bandit accomplices in the distance were all dumbfounded.


    It was the first time they had seen the Silver-haired Witch get hit by a punch. It was unprecedented! She had fought countless battles before and had never been injured!


    "Well done!"


    Xu Hei praised, noting that Xiao Chou, having experienced life-and-death battles, was indeed different, seizing the opportunity perfectly.


    Even he hadn''t realized that the opponent would briefly materialize when casting a spell, but Xiao Chou had keenly caught it and even prepared for a sneak attack in advance.


    "Senior, focus on artifact refining. Leave this to me!" Xiao Chou said in a deep voice.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, placed the serpent spirits at the stone gate, and issued a guarding command, then concentrated fully on artifact refining.


    Now, the artifact refining had reached the critical final stage, and he didn''t want to be distracted by fighting, lest all his efforts be in vain.


    In fact, the form of the Moon-supporting Pagoda was not complete; the ancient pill furnace had only melted some edges, with much room for improvement.


    But the enemy had already come knocking, and Xu Hei could only forcibly wrap up, interrupting the artifact refining.


    This was the most prudent course of action.


    "Roar!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei seemed to hear a sound, startling him, and he looked straight at the reactor.


    Beneath the earth, a faint, indescribable aura emerged, entering the reactor.


    This aura was undetectable by anyone.


    Xiao Chou at the door was completely unaware.


    But in Xu Hei''s eyes, it was faintly visible, swirling in the air like a dragon.


    "Dragon Qi?"


    Xu Hei''s heart trembled.


    In legend, Dragon Qi symbolizes the fortune of a place, a sign of great destiny.


    Such an ethereal thing is invisible to humans, but Xu Hei, who practiced the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, could vaguely capture a trace of it.


    Some experts in feng shui and divination could also vaguely discern the presence of Dragon Qi.


    Could it be that beneath the spiritual vein of the Mountain Movers Sect, there was a wisp of Dragon Qi hidden?


    "When did the Mountain Movers Sect harbor such great fortune?" Xu Hei was quite surprised.


    His understanding of Dragon Qi was limited, confined to folklore and a few jade slip records, without knowing its specific effects.


    At this moment, the Dragon Qi emitted a low roar, suddenly soaring into the sky, and entered the Moon-supporting Pagoda.


    This sudden change left Xu Hei momentarily stunned, and then the Moon-supporting Pagoda began to tremble violently, emitting cracking sounds, its surface instantly covered with cracks.


    "Damn it!"


    Xu Hei''s face changed dramatically, hurriedly focusing to suppress it, but the cracks on the Moon-supporting Pagoda multiplied, undergoing an earth-shattering transformation, seemingly about to be destroyed.


    "Damn it, why did this change occur!" Xu Hei''s expression was grim.


    Inside the reactor, the dazzling blue light grew more brilliant, the pill furnace melting faster, the liquid automatically flying into the Moon-supporting Pagoda, repairing the gaps, and altering the overall shape.


    "This..." Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    He didn''t know what had happened, but the Moon-supporting Pagoda seemed to have slipped out of his control.


    However, Xu Hei''s mind remained connected to it, and he could clearly sense that the tower was undergoing an astonishing transformation, with the wisp of Dragon Qi merging into it.


    ... sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After a short while, the silver-haired girl emerged from the stone wall, returning to the stone gate, her face showing no emotion.


    Xiao Chou''s body swelled, transforming into a red lava giant, his skin covered in serpent patterns, blocking the doorway with a stance that suggested he could hold off a thousand enemies, staring intently at the indifferent girl.


    She calmly said, "State your..."


    "I''m your father!"


    Xiao Chou cursed, simultaneously throwing a punch.


    The silver-haired girl''s eyes were cold, and with a flick of her finger, Xiao Chou suddenly felt an indescribable tearing force descend upon him.


    This power was irresistible, surpassing the limits of defense.


    An extreme pain instantly spread throughout his body, and Xiao Chou realized that death was near.


    "Stop!"


    Suddenly, a communication jade slip flew out from the silver-haired girl''s sleeve.


    A figure floated out from the surface of the jade slip, identical to the one from Li Yang''s jade slip, urgently shouting.


    "Crack, crack, crack..."


    At this moment, all the defensive Magical Treasures on Xiao Chou shattered, whether it was the thick earth armor or the Earth Shield, splitting from the middle simultaneously, providing no defense at all.


    A crack appeared out of thin air on his chest, only three inches long, the break very smooth, as if it was the space itself that had split, not his flesh.


    Xiao Chou retreated in time, breaking out in a cold sweat.


    The silver-haired girl stopped her actions just in time, not continuing.


    "Why?" she asked, puzzled, looking at the figure.


    "He is..." the figure whispered, saying something unknown.


    The silver-haired girl nodded, said nothing, and turned to leave.


    Xiao Chou''s face was pale, his heart filled with lingering fear, having just brushed past death''s door.


    What kind of spell could ignore all defenses and attacks with such tearing and phasing?


    Xiao Chou had thought he could at least hold his own, but he was defeated in one move, unable to retaliate, leaving him with a strong sense of frustration.


    The woman seemed to be only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, so why was she so strange?


    The Silver-haired Witch, with a bounty of eighty thousand Spirit Stones, comparable to the Core Formation Stage, was not without reason.


    "Boom, boom, boom..."


    Suddenly, the entire mountain began to shake, growing more intense, as if the sky were about to collapse.


    In the distance, Han Te and Elder Hai, who were entangled in battle, also stopped, staring at the sky.


    The ceiling above was covered with countless cracks, spreading across all areas, as if the entire mountain was about to be overturned.


    "The Mountain Protection Array... is about to collapse!"


    Elder Hai''s face was filled with despair.


    When the mountain was no longer stable, it meant the destruction of the Mountain Protection Array.


    With the array gone, any casual exchange would bring catastrophic disaster to the mountain; a Core Formation Stage cultivator could move mountains with a mere gesture.


    In fact, that was exactly the case.


    On the plaza outside, the third-tier array spirit had weakened to the extreme, almost completely transparent.


    As Zhang Tieshou wielded a giant hammer, smashing it heavily on the array spirit''s head, the array spirit, which had protected the sect for hundreds of years, finally let out a mournful cry, its body shattering and dissolving into nothingness, returning to the depths of the earth.


    With the array spirit''s dissolution, the Mountain Movers Sect''s Mountain Protection Array completely collapsed, and the sect master spat blood and fell to the ground.


    The fifth-generation sect master, Patriarch Shi Xuan, was also at the end of his strength, on the brink of demise.

 Chapter 143: Bow to neither heaven nor earth, only to the revered master

    Chapter 143: Bow to neither heaven nor earth, only to the revered master"Back in the day, when the Mountain-moving Patriarch was still around, your glory was unmatched! If he were here, you wouldn''t have become the Qin army''s lackeys!"


    Xu Qingfeng stood high in the sky, his voice booming and echoing throughout the entire sect.


    "You have exhausted the fortune left by the Mountain-moving Patriarch. Mountain Movers Sect is doomed!"


    As his words fell, a character for "doom" appeared above the heads of the remaining core elders.


    Even Patriarch Shi Xuan had the character for "doom" above his head, and this time, it could not be erased.


    A cloud of deathly aura appeared at their brows, signaling that their fate was sealed and irreversible.


    "Move mountains, fill seas!"


    Zhang Tie gathered his strength, embraced the mountain, and lifted its cover, revealing the environment inside.


    Inside the mountain, there was a hidden world, with countless cave dwellings exposed. Inside, numerous terrified disciples huddled in corners, trembling in fear.


    Like ants hiding in their burrows, their refuge was laid bare, leaving them nowhere to escape.


    The mountain cover that had been lifted was thrown into the sky by Zhang Tie, shattering into countless fragments and raining down as a shower of stones.


    Such a display of moving mountains and filling seas left everyone in shock.


    This was the power of the Core Formation Stage!


    Now, only one place remained unexposed¡ªthe Artifact Refining Room.


    This place was connected to a spiritual vein, a unique location. Even without the Mountain Protection Array, it still had an independent formation inside.


    Xiao Chou stood before the stone door, gazing at the already transparent ceiling, looking up at the star-filled night sky.


    At this moment, Patriarch Shi Xuan was covered in blood, with the last thread of life about to fade away.


    His master, Shi Longzi, Grand Elder Shi Fengzi, Sect Leader Shi Lin, and those who were once his uncles, were all gravely injured and on the brink of death, surrounded by a deathly aura.


    The Mountain Movers Sect''s fortune had run out, and the life of this sect had come to an end.


    Do they regret it?


    No one regrets it. If they hadn''t joined the Qin army back then, they would have died even sooner.


    In this world, there''s no such thing as right or wrong, only eternal strength!


    "Little ants, get out of here!"


    Zhang Tie grabbed through the air, activating the Gravity Technique, and all the hiding disciples of the Mountain Movers Sect were caught by an invisible hand, lifted like little chicks, and thrown outside the sect''s plaza.


    They had no power to resist! The gap was too vast!


    Only one person remained, his legs seemingly welded to the ground, his body bleeding, teeth clenched, refusing to be pulled out.


    That person was Xiao Chou!


    "I have failed my ancestors, failed my sect!"


    Shi Lin cried out in anguish to the sky, charging at Zhang Tie, his body exploding into countless fragments.


    The current sect leader of the Mountain Movers Sect had fallen.


    Zhang Tie stepped back a few paces, swatting the fragments away like flies, without a scratch on him.


    Only then did he turn his gaze to the one disciple who hadn''t been lifted.


    Xiao Chou stood upright, his eyes bloodshot, staring back at him.


    This piqued Zhang Tie''s interest; there was still such a disciple in the Mountain Movers Sect.


    Shi Longzi glanced back at the mountain''s interior, his face changing drastically, shouting angrily, "Xiao Chou, didn''t I expel you from the sect? How dare you return?!"


    His words seemed to reprimand Xiao Chou, but in truth, he was conveying a message to everyone.


    Xiao Chou was no longer a disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect and should not be implicated.


    "Xiao Chou? Sounds familiar."


    Xu Qingfeng smiled faintly upon hearing this and said, "Shi Longzi, rest assured, we won''t kill him. He''s a hero who slew five Qin army Foundation Establishment cultivators. Why would we trouble him?"


    These words caused everyone''s expressions to change.


    Zhang Tie rubbed his stubbly chin, his eyes flashing, muttering to himself, "I see, no wonder he stands so straight! Not bad!"


    Zhang Tie rarely gave such praise.


    This allowed Shi Longzi to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Xu Qingfeng got straight to the point, "Xiao Chou, I''ll give you a chance to join us. I know we share the same aspirations..."


    "I refuse!"


    Before anyone could express surprise, Xiao Chou gave an even more shocking reply.


    Everyone was stunned, including Xu Qingfeng.


    "You destroy my sect and then ask me to join you? Do you think I''m such a heartless person?" Xiao Chou said coldly.


    "Silence!" Shi Longzi''s face turned ashen, angrily rebuking, "The Mountain Movers Sect is no longer your sect. Our life or death is none of your concern. Don''t make a mistake!"


    "Master..."


    "Don''t call me Master. I expelled you from the sect!"


    Shi Longzi glared at him, but due to his agitation, he spat out a mouthful of blood. The deathly aura at his brow spread instantly, his body withered, almost turning into a mummy.


    Xiao Chou stood frozen, unmoving.


    Shi Longzi took a few deep breaths and said no more.


    He sat cross-legged on the ground, all his vitality dissipating, sinking into the earth. The deathly aura at his brow spread throughout his body, and his life came to an end. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Shi Long opened his eyes, looking at Xiao Chou, and that kind smile from years ago reappeared.


    Five years ago, at the Xiao family''s pharmacy.


    A kind old man looked at Xiao Chou and spoke words that changed his life:


    "Young one, you have good potential. Would you like to become my disciple?"


    Five years later, on the Mountain Movers Sect''s plaza.


    The kind old man sat cross-legged on the ground, still wearing that smile from years ago.


    "Young one, you''ve grown up. Congratulations on completing your training!"


    After saying these words, the old man closed his eyes forever, his body gradually turning to stone, becoming a statue, his soul returning to the earth.


    Born of the mountains, died in the mountains.


    He cultivated relying on the mountains all his life, and now, he became part of the mountains.


    All sounds fell silent.


    Xiao Chou said nothing, only knelt on the ground, and kowtowed three times heavily to Shi Longzi''s statue.


    The mighty Qin army did not make him bow.


    The enemies before him did not make him yield.


    Xiao Chou bowed to neither heaven nor earth, only to his parents and his revered master.


    His head struck the ground, and two streams of hot tears silently slid down from the corners of his eyes.


    Inside the Artifact Refining Room.


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense witnessed all of this, and a realization rose within him, indescribable, a new understanding.


    What is integrity?


    People have unyielding integrity, bending but not breaking, preferring death to submission!


    Without integrity, one loses all fortune and heads towards inevitable decline! Even Dragon Qi cannot hold it back!


    Xu Hei, who rose from adversity, understood the meaning of integrity, but he had no master, nor parents to nurture him, so he did not comprehend the weight of gratitude.


    "Bow to neither heaven nor earth, only to the revered master..."


    "What I witnessed and understood today is worth ten years of cultivation!"


    Xu Hei closed his eyes.


    In an instant, the second dragon bone at his tail was rapidly transforming, faster than ever before.


    A dark golden hue emanated from it, one bone, two bones...


    In just a brief moment, three dragon bones appeared at Xu Hei''s tail.


    At the same time, Xu Hei''s cultivation rapidly ascended, his entire body''s meridians automatically absorbing Spiritual Qi, drawing it in from the underground spiritual vein.


    The Spirit Platform within the Demon God Cauldron was rapidly expanding.


    "Roar!"


    From the Moon-supporting Pagoda before him, a loud dragon''s roar echoed.

 Chapter 144: Spiritual vein exhausted, Black Dragon Tower appears

    Chapter 144: Spiritual vein exhausted, Black Dragon Tower appearsThe Dragon Qi seemed to sense Xu Hei''s transformation, and the entire Moon-supporting Pagoda began to change along with it.


    "Boom!"


    An ocean of Spiritual Qi was drawn from the spiritual vein and injected into the pagoda. The sheer volume was so immense that even half of the spiritual vein began to wither.


    The pill furnace melted faster, its three legs completely gone, and the lid disappeared.


    The shape of the Moon-supporting Pagoda gradually transformed into that of a dragon, resembling a coiling Flood Dragon ascending to the sky, gazing at the stars, and staring into the heavens.


    At this moment, it was no longer the Moon-supporting Pagoda but had become a Flood Dragon Pagoda.


    Xu Hei''s cultivation surged rapidly, climbing to sixty percent of the early stage before gradually slowing down, edging closer to the mid-stage.


    "I finally understand why that True Dragon senior said my path would be a hundred times more difficult than others..."


    Xu Hei recalled the events of the Mountain Movers Sect and couldn''t help but sigh.


    If they had dared to stand firm, they would have perished under the iron hooves of the Qin army long ago.


    But without the courage to stand firm, they couldn''t preserve the Dragon Qi within the spiritual vein.


    If one day Xu Hei faced a situation where he would surely die unless he bowed his head, what should he do?


    The path of transforming into a dragon is by no means a simple one.


    It''s like the rare sword cultivators among humans, who must either bow their heads and die or refuse and never become sword cultivators. It''s the same principle.


    This is destined to be a path of nine deaths and one life.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside, in the sect''s plaza.


    The elders and disciples of the Mountain Movers Sect were reaching the end of their lives one after another.


    Some sat in place and turned into stone statues, while others fled desperately, but the outcome was the same.


    "Sin, sin!"


    The Demon Monk Ku Xuan clasped his hands together, reciting a chant for the deceased, scattering paper money to send off the souls.


    For each person who died, he performed a ritual, treating everyone equally regardless of their cultivation level.


    The only Core Formation Stage patriarch eventually gave up resisting, choosing to sit and pass away, his soul returning to the mountains, ending his life.


    "Xiao Chou, go with them. This is your master''s last wish, and also the last wish of the Mountain Movers Sect!"


    Shi Xuan looked at Xiao Chou and spoke softly, "As long as you remember that you were once a disciple of the Mountain Movers Sect, that''s enough."


    "Everyone, give up resisting. Let us return our lives to this mountain!"


    Shi Xuan''s voice rang out clearly as his body turned to stone, becoming a statue that merged into the mountain.


    The remaining elders also sat down, offering their physical bodies and souls to the mountain.


    "Xiao Chou, there''s no need to hate anyone. We died as early as last year."


    Elder Hai, who guarded the Artifact Refining Room, looked at him calmly and said, "Live well. Shi Longzi''s spirit in heaven will also find peace."


    He sat cross-legged at the entrance of the Artifact Refining Room, his body turning to stone, his soul returning to the earth.


    Just like the past two hundred years of guarding, his soul remained here forever.


    From this moment on.


    The Mountain Movers Sect was completely annihilated.


    Xiao Chou unclenched his fists and bowed deeply to the mountain before him.


    Now, he was the only survivor.


    Xu Qingfeng sighed and said, "I won''t force you. If you don''t want to join, I can decide to let you go."


    "Boss, but..." Zhang Tie wanted to say something, but Xu Qingfeng waved his hand, "My mind is made up."


    They had set up a massive formation to prevent anyone from escaping and leaking information.


    Their intelligence and individual abilities were invaluable, but Xu Qingfeng still took the risk and let Xiao Chou go.


    Xu Qingfeng left a token on the ground and said, "Once you''ve thought it over, you can use this token to contact me. I''ll send someone to pick you up. If you don''t want to, just destroy the token."


    With that, he no longer paid attention to Xiao Chou and headed towards the only remaining Artifact Refining Room.


    The others also gathered around.


    Xu Qingfeng was indifferent to the Mountain Movers Sect''s assets, but he was particularly interested in the Artifact Refining Room.


    To be precise, it was the spiritual vein beneath the Artifact Refining Room and the trace of Dragon Qi hidden within it.


    This was their ultimate goal!


    The alliance wanted to grow and prosper, and the fortune brought by Dragon Qi was indispensable.


    They had previously captured a Dragon Qi and suppressed it beneath their headquarters, which made them invincible. The more Dragon Qi, the better.


    Xiao Chou was about to intervene, but Zhang Tie grabbed him from a distance and flung him away.


    "Did you really think I couldn''t handle you?" Zhang Tie''s eyes were filled with mockery.


    The gap in cultivation was too great, not something personal will could overcome.


    Xu Qingfeng stood in front of the stone door, observing for a while before his brow furrowed slightly.


    He vaguely noticed that the underground spiritual vein was depleting at an alarming rate, and the concentration of Spiritual Qi here was about a third of what it should be!


    "Break it for me!"


    Zhang Tie charged forward, and cracks spread across the walls of the Artifact Refining Room, the formation shaking violently.


    "Something''s wrong!"


    Xu Qingfeng''s expression darkened. This was the formation left by the Mountain-moving Patriarch two hundred years ago, and it shouldn''t be so easily broken. How could it be so simple today...


    "Boom, boom, boom..."


    Suddenly, the earth emitted a deafening roar, shaking violently, as indescribable waves of terror surged from the Artifact Refining Room.


    The next moment.


    "Roar!"


    A resounding dragon roar echoed through the heavens, shaking the universe.


    "This is Dragon Qi!"


    Xu Qingfeng''s face lit up with joy.


    "Open!"


    He no longer hesitated, shouting loudly. Zhang Tie also used all his strength, crashing into the stone wall. With the combined efforts of the two Core Formation Stage cultivators, the defenses of the Artifact Refining Room were completely breached, the formation collapsed, and all the walls turned to dust!


    In fact, the formation left by the Mountain Movers Sect''s patriarch was not so easily broken.


    However, the half spiritual vein maintaining the formation had been drained, unable to keep the formation at its peak.


    ¡­¡­


    Inside the Artifact Refining Room, the evolution of the pagoda reached its final stage, and the Dragon Qi completely fused!


    Even Xu Hei, without hesitation, dove into the pagoda.


    "Bang!"


    The Artifact Refining Room shattered, and a blinding golden light illuminated the world.


    Then, the golden light rapidly dimmed, gradually turning into black light, and beneath that black light stood a pagoda three meters tall.


    This pagoda resembled the legendary Flood Dragon, its dragon head pointing upward, piercing the heavens, its entire body as black as ink, with layers of black-gold dragon scales on its surface, extremely eerie.


    "Where''s the Dragon Qi?"


    Xu Qingfeng took out a compass, searched around, and locked his gaze on the strange Black Dragon Pagoda before him.


    Everyone could see that this pagoda was extraordinary!


    "Fellow Daoist, could you show yourself? We mean no harm!"


    Xu Qingfeng clasped his hands and said, knowing that someone was hiding in the Artifact Refining Room and vaguely guessing their identity. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His goal was only the Dragon Qi and the spiritual vein.


    "Whoosh!"


    The Black Dragon Pagoda suddenly rose from the ground, a terrifying gust of wind blowing everyone away. Even Xu Qingfeng and Zhang Tie were forced back ten meters, their faces filled with shock.


    "What kind of magical treasure is this?"


    Xu Qingfeng''s mind was shaken. He raised his hand and shouted, "Fellow Daoist, we can discuss matters. Why remain silent? Stop!"


    A giant "Stop" character appeared above the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    But as soon as the "Stop" character appeared, it was shattered by an indescribable force, and that force rushed straight at Xu Qingfeng.


    "Poof!"


    Xu Qingfeng''s expression changed as he took a heavy blow to the chest, spitting blood and flying backward.

 Chapter 145: Pagoda out of control, no one can stop it

    Chapter 145: Pagoda out of control, no one can stop it"What?"


    Everyone was taken aback.


    Zhang Tie immediately stood up, his body swelling into a giant iron-skinned figure thirty meters tall. The iron hammer in his hand also expanded rapidly, resembling a small mountain.


    He swung the massive hammer towards the Black Dragon Pagoda. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Boom!!!"


    A deafening sound echoed through the heavens and earth.


    The moment his hammer touched the Black Dragon Pagoda, an immense force seeped out from within the tower, striking the hammer.


    "Watch out!" Xu Qingfeng shouted.


    Zhang Tie''s hand exploded instantly, shattering into pieces.


    The giant hammer showed cracks and flew back, crashing into the mountain with a thunderous noise, causing many to be injured, bleeding from their heads.


    "How is this possible?"


    "What kind of Magical Treasure is this?"


    Everyone was in disbelief.


    That was a third-tier Spiritual Treasure, the Star-shattering Hammer, a treasure Zhang Tie had refined for a lifetime, nearly reaching mid-tier third grade, yet it was so easily repelled!


    "So... so powerful!" Xiao Chou was stunned.


    Everyone was breathing heavily; this was undoubtedly a supreme treasure, ranking among the top in the entire Qin Kingdom.


    Zhang Tie waved his hand, and the Star-shattering Hammer returned to him. Looking at the cracks, his heart ached as if bleeding, but his face grew darker.


    At this moment, the Black Dragon Pagoda whirled and charged towards the crowd.


    "Retreat quickly!" Xu Qingfeng shouted.


    A "retreat" character appeared above everyone''s heads, and they uncontrollably flew back, avoiding the direct attack, though many were still crushed by the edge of the aura, spitting blood and severely injured.


    Xu Qingfeng''s face was ashen. He took out an ancient scroll, unfurled it, and it emitted a terrifying wave, but his expression suddenly froze, and he put the scroll away.


    "Boom!"


    The Black Dragon Pagoda soared into the sky, colliding with the firmament, blocked by an invisible light screen, causing ripples.


    The Silver-haired Witch flew into the air, gazed at the Black Dragon Pagoda, and raised her slender jade finger to point down.


    The space around the Black Dragon Pagoda began to warp.


    "Forget it!"


    Xu Qingfeng raised his hand, pressing down the Silver-haired Witch''s arm, and the spatial distortion disappeared.


    The Silver-haired Witch looked at him in confusion.


    "Withdraw the formation and let it leave," Xu Qingfeng said solemnly.


    Everyone was stunned.


    "Why? The Dragon Qi is clearly inside the tower, and it has harmed so many of us!"


    Zhang Tie was unwilling. They had fought their way into the Mountain Movers Sect, risking so much and sacrificing so many brothers, only to retreat now?


    The Silver-haired Witch calmly said, "I can..."


    "No, you can''t."


    Xu Qingfeng shook his head and explained, "This is the leader''s decision."


    Upon hearing this, everyone fell silent.


    The leader was the mastermind behind the scenes, and every action they took was under the leader''s guidance, helping them avoid crisis after crisis.


    This attack on the Mountain Movers Sect was also arranged by the leader.


    The leader''s weight in their hearts was unmatched, and they obeyed unconditionally.


    "Since it''s the leader''s decision, I, Zhang Tie, have no objections."


    Zhang Tie sighed, his giant body quickly shrinking back to normal size.


    Everyone simultaneously formed hand seals, and the formation barrier trapping the area dissipated immediately.


    The Black Dragon Pagoda ascended into the sky, flying towards the horizon at an incredible speed, transforming into a black streak of light, disappearing into the night.


    Xiao Chou also used the Earth Escape Technique to leave the area.


    Everyone immediately began healing.


    Xu Qingfeng landed on the ground, probing deep into the earth''s veins, discovering that the half spiritual vein had indeed withered.


    "It seems we''ve made wedding clothes for others, losing the two biggest gains," Xu Qingfeng said bitterly.


    "Damn it, who on earth is inside that tower?"


    Zhang Tie was still indignant.


    He absolutely obeyed the leader''s orders, just didn''t understand.


    "Perhaps, it''s not a person," Xu Qingfeng said.


    "Not a person?"


    Everyone looked over, full of doubt.


    "I''m just guessing; ask the leader for specifics," Xu Qingfeng said helplessly.


    "Amitabha! The leader''s judgment has never been wrong, we just follow," Ku Xuan chanted with hands clasped.


    After all, they didn''t leave empty-handed; the Mountain Movers Sect''s accumulated wealth over countless years was no small amount.


    Xiang Fei smiled and said, "No matter what, we gained a lot this time; after all, it''s a major sect... huh, where''s Han Te?"


    Xiang Fei looked around but couldn''t see Han Te.


    "Could it be, he ran off when the formation opened?" Zhang Tie''s eyes widened.


    While they were fighting, Han Te was busy collecting Magical Treasures, stealing Storage Bags, and looting various treasure vaults, and then just slipped away?


    Most of the Mountain Movers Sect''s treasures were with him.


    Xu Qingfeng said nothing, just squeezed a "corpse" on the ground hard.


    "Ouch!"


    The corpse suddenly screamed and was lifted up.


    From the voice, it was Han Te.


    Han Te shrank his neck, looked around, and quickly defended himself against the unfriendly gazes, "Hey, I didn''t run away, I have professional ethics, I said I''d only take thirty percent, and that''s all I took!"


    As he spoke, he took out his previous gains and placed them on the ground.


    For such a shameless person, Zhang Tie was so angry he wanted to punch his face.


    Xu Qingfeng remained expressionless, just took out the contract, pointed a finger, and a dignified light enveloped Han Te.


    Xu Qingfeng said loudly, "By the vow of the Dao heart, take out seventy percent."


    Han Te''s face stiffened but he was very straightforward, taking out seventy percent of his previous gains, filling the ground with Storage Bags.


    The contract''s light disappeared, confirming the seventy percent was correct.


    "I need to explain, I was just playing dead earlier to avoid being discovered by that monster, I didn''t run away with the money!" Han Te added.


    "Monster?" Zhang Tie was puzzled.


    At this point, Han Te stopped talking, coughed twice, and put on a mysterious air.


    "Damn, this money-grubber! Obsessed with money!" Zhang Tie cursed, throwing a thousand Spirit Stones over.


    Han Te took the Spirit Stones and naturally put them into his Storage Bag.


    "Actually, your leader''s decision was very wise. If you had intercepted it, your fate might have been the same as Xuan Yangzi''s," Han Te said meaningfully.


    Xu Qingfeng was startled and asked, "Why do you say that?"


    Han Te said nothing, just patted his Storage Bag, causing everyone''s faces to twitch.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the sky, the Black Dragon Pagoda was flying rapidly, as fast as a shooting star, faster than anyone Xu Hei had ever seen.


    "Damn it! I can''t stop it at all, where is this tower going?"


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    After entering the Black Dragon Pagoda, his body uncontrollably merged into it. The tower not only absorbed Dragon Qi, a spiritual vein, and half an ancient pill furnace, but seemed to want to absorb him too.


    It was as if he had become part of the Magical Treasure.


    At this moment, it wasn''t him controlling the Magical Treasure, but the Magical Treasure controlling him.


    Xu Hei had never heard of such a situation.


    The Moon-supporting Pagoda itself was a mid-tier third-tier Spiritual Treasure, the material of the ancient pill furnace was unknown, and it also contained Dragon Qi.


    The grade of the Black Dragon Pagoda had reached an astonishing level, even Xu Hei didn''t know the specifics.


    What was certain was that with Xu Hei''s weak cultivation, he couldn''t possibly control it freely.


    The Black Dragon Pagoda was moving on its own.


    "This direction seems to be Myriad Serpent Valley?"


    Xu Hei was stunned.


    But he didn''t have the energy to think; the tower was indeed refined by him, connected to his mind, but he had to take the initiative to control it.

 Chapter 146: Perfect score in one strike, Xuan Yangzi falls

    Chapter 146: Perfect score in one strike, Xuan Yangzi falls"Stop right there!"


    Xu Hei willed it.


    In that instant, the speed of the Black Dragon Pagoda gradually slowed down, but at the same time, Xu Hei''s True Qi was disappearing at an alarming rate.


    This made Xu Hei''s face change drastically.


    He could indeed control the Black Dragon Pagoda, but the consumption was terrifying. Just a single thought could drain him dry.


    But if he stopped controlling it, the Black Dragon Pagoda would continue to accelerate, speeding towards the horizon.


    Xu Hei tried to change direction, directing the Black Dragon Pagoda downward. It immediately dove and crashed into the ground, creating a massive crater.


    "Boom rumble..."


    It was as if an earth dragon was rolling underground, causing mountains to crumble and the earth to collapse, with tremors spreading for miles around.


    Fearing he might alert others, Xu Hei had no choice but to let it ascend again.


    "No, I need to find a way. I can''t let a pagoda take the upper hand," Xu Hei thought to himself. S§×arch* The N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He had indeed crafted a great treasure. This pagoda, by a stroke of luck, absorbed Dragon Qi, devoured spiritual veins, and consumed alchemical furnaces, its power beyond imagination. But if he couldn''t control it, what use was it?


    "Black Dragon Pagoda, you''re alive, aren''t you? I''m your master, you must obey me. Stop immediately!" Xu Hei shouted.


    However, the Black Dragon Pagoda gave no response.


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth and attempted to break free from the pagoda with his physical body, but the more he struggled, the more fiercely the pagoda absorbed.


    "How dare you resist!"


    Xu Hei''s expression turned grim. With a thought, the Demon God Cauldron within him began to spin, unleashing an infinite devouring force.


    "Boom!!"


    Vast amounts of Spiritual Qi were sucked into the Demon God Cauldron. This was Spiritual Qi from the spiritual veins, devoured by the Black Dragon Pagoda, now falling into Xu Hei''s hands.


    During this process, Xu Hei indeed sensed a slight loosening, as if he could break free from the pagoda.


    The Black Dragon Pagoda also trembled slightly, but its speed did not decrease, continuing its rapid flight with even more violent force.


    Everything within a ten-mile radius was destroyed, all living creatures turned to ash, as if a Flood Dragon was raging.


    "Hmph, let''s see how long you can last."


    Xu Hei continuously activated the Demon God Cauldron to absorb the Spiritual Qi, testing whether the Black Dragon Pagoda was more formidable or the Demon God Cauldron superior.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside Myriad Serpent Valley.


    The figure of a middle-aged scholar appeared fifty miles away, standing atop the clouds, his gaze penetrating the void, looking towards Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Inside Myriad Serpent Valley, every snake''s form and every movement were easily captured by him, as if he were searching for something.


    If Xu Hei were here, he would surely recognize this middle-aged scholar.


    He was Xuan Yangzi, who had disappeared for a year after fleeing.


    Xuan Yangzi hadn''t returned to the Snake Catchers Sect, nor had he seen anyone. He had secluded himself in his hidden cave dwelling, healing and crafting the strongest Wooden Puppet Clone.


    After some investigation, he learned that the Snake Catchers Sect had no interest in avenging him and even seemed to resist provoking Myriad Serpent Valley.


    At this, Xuan Yangzi was completely disappointed.


    His lineage, over a hundred people wiped out, five direct disciples without a single survivor, was a lifelong pain etched into his bones! How could he not seek revenge?


    He didn''t care if the other party was secretly nurtured by the Heavenly Puppet Sect or had a powerful backing.


    He, Xuan Yangzi, would stop at nothing, even if it meant betraying his sect, to annihilate the enemy!


    However, Xuan Yangzi was not foolish. The mirror from last time had caused him great suffering. If he rushed in recklessly, he might fall into the same trap and be forced to retreat in the same manner.


    "That thing, suspected to be an Inner Demon, left me severely injured for half a year, nearly costing me my life. Although it''s unlikely you''ll use it a second time, I must be cautious!" Xuan Yangzi''s gaze was cold and sinister.


    Now, after a full year of preparation, he was ninety-nine percent confident that he could completely eliminate the black snake once it appeared!


    He had been observing the area for half a month, yet he still hadn''t found any trace of the black snake.


    He wasn''t in a hurry; he had all the time in the world.


    As for being discovered early by the enemy, Xuan Yangzi wasn''t worried. His concealment techniques were such that even those at the Core Formation Stage couldn''t detect him.


    At this moment, he was like a cloud, difficult to notice even if someone passed by.


    "Bone-Corroding Nails, Ten Thousand Poison Demon Powder, Death Curse Technique, plus the Great Annihilation Talisman, Thunder Tribulation Pearl¡ªI could kill hundreds of Core Formation Stage great demons! Let''s see how you escape!"


    Xuan Yangzi was full of confidence. For this sure-kill strike, he had prepared for a year, spent his entire life''s savings, and expended more than half of his cultivation, all to kill the enemy.


    If he didn''t kill the enemy, he couldn''t cultivate in peace.


    "This is... a perfect strike!"


    Xuan Yangzi''s heart surged with excitement.


    Suddenly, a violent wave came roaring from behind, the wind howling, the clouds changing color, shaking the heavens. Xuan Yangzi glanced back, his pupils dilating, his eyes nearly popping out.


    At the horizon, a small black dot grew larger and thicker, accompanied by the sound of thunder, crushing the sky as it passed.


    It was a horizontally flying pagoda, dragon-shaped, its surface covered in dark golden dragon scales.


    That was the Black Dragon Pagoda!


    "Boom rumble rumble..."


    The Black Dragon Pagoda, like a war chariot rolling across the sky, caused the void to tremble, the sun and moon to lose their light, its unmatched might like an ancient beast capable of destroying the heavens and earth, even causing the world to collapse.


    "My... God..."


    Xuan Yangzi''s jaw dropped, his eyes filled with endless fear. Without hesitation, he turned and fled.


    But it was too slow!


    Or rather, the Black Dragon Pagoda was too fast! From the moment it appeared as a small black dot to being right in front of him, it was just a single breath.


    "Rumble rumble..."


    The roaring sound echoed in his ears, the earth trembled, and Xuan Yangzi had barely taken a few steps before the terrifying Black Dragon Pagoda crushed him.


    "Poof!"


    Xuan Yangzi didn''t even have time to grunt before his body exploded into a mist of blood.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A thousand miles away, in a hidden cave dwelling.


    The middle-aged scholar who had been sitting cross-legged on the ground suddenly opened his eyes, spitting out a mouthful of life essence blood.


    He stared blankly ahead, the scene of his clone''s death flashing before his eyes, his expression horrified.


    "What the hell was that thing?"


    Xuan Yangzi''s eyes were filled with deep fear.


    The one who had just died was his Wooden Puppet Clone, but unlike his previous clones, this one had been refined over half a year using life essence blood, at the cost of most of his cultivation, even causing his realm to regress.


    It was almost like his second life.


    Although it couldn''t compare to his peak self, it had seventy to eighty percent of his full strength, plus he had prepared ample killing magical treasures.


    Killing a Core Formation Stage opponent would have been more than enough.


    But no matter how hard he thought, he couldn''t fathom how he was crushed by something unknown before he even began, disappearing just like that.


    He had concealed himself extremely well, and that mysterious thing probably didn''t even know it had crushed someone.


    The more Xuan Yangzi thought about it, the angrier he became. This was a year''s worth of preparation, his life''s work, gone in such a bizarre manner!


    "Arghhh!!"


    Xuan Yangzi screamed to the sky, his anger overwhelming him, causing him to spit out another mouthful of blood, his aura now utterly depleted.

 Chapter 147: A thousand miles to deliver treasures, new gains

    Chapter 147: A thousand miles to deliver treasures, new gainsIn order to kill, he had only prepared things that would ensure mutual destruction, not anything to save his own life. As a result, he didn''t have time to dodge and was hit head-on.


    He carefully recalled the shape of that thing, and suddenly his eyes widened.


    "Right, the surface of that tower seemed to have some scales..."


    Xuan Yangzi thought of the Black Dragon Pagoda''s surface, covered in black-gold dragon scales, which were very similar to the scales of the snake he had seen.


    Could it be...


    The more Xuan Yangzi thought about it, the faster his heart raced, his face twisted, and his emotions gradually spiraled out of control. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ah!! I hate it!"


    Xuan Yangzi spat out a mouthful of blood towards the sky, his head tilted, and he fainted.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    Xu Hei could feel that he was about to break free from the control of the Black Dragon Pagoda, and when that happened, it would be his time to counterattack.


    As the Demon God Cauldron refined, the Black Dragon Pagoda was gradually losing its power to resist, the initial violent shaking becoming more and more subtle.


    It seemed that this seemingly powerful magical treasure was still a notch below the Demon God Cauldron.


    "Right, it seemed like I hit something just now."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed. He had been concentrating on activating the Demon God Cauldron and hadn''t paid attention to anything else.


    It was only because the fluctuation of spiritual qi just now was strong that he noticed it. It seemed that whatever he hit had a high level of cultivation.


    "Never mind, I''ll go back later and see if I can pick up any remains."


    Without thinking much, Xu Hei continued to counterattack with all his strength.


    Before long, the Black Dragon Pagoda arrived above the Myriad Serpent Valley and stopped.


    "It stopped?"


    Xu Hei was taken aback.


    A sudden suction force erupted from the Demon God Cauldron, finally breaking free from the slight control. Xu Hei''s body successfully detached from the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    Xu Hei quickly retreated several meters, checked his body, and found no damage, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.


    After Xu Hei detached, the appearance of the Black Dragon Pagoda rapidly changed. The scales on the surface disappeared, and the dragon shape gradually retracted, turning into an ordinary black pagoda about ten meters high, with only faint traces of a dragon''s shape remaining.


    Even the earth-shattering aura from before had mostly vanished.


    The power was still there, but it was definitely not as fierce and unmatched as before, where even a slight aftershock could kill someone.


    Xu Hei was secretly shocked.


    Once he left the pagoda, the Black Dragon Pagoda changed its appearance, which meant he was also part of the magical treasure?


    The magical treasure was actually himself?


    "Damn it..."


    Upon learning the truth, Xu Hei didn''t know what to say.


    In the process of refining this magical treasure, he had accidentally refined himself into it.


    It must be said, demonic beasts indeed have unique creativity in the six arts of cultivation.


    Xu Hei observed his surroundings for a moment and found that the Black Dragon Pagoda had stopped after reaching the Myriad Serpent Valley. Was there something here attracting it?


    Xu Hei immediately thought of the Dragon Qi hidden below the Myriad Serpent Valley.


    He had previously sensed a faint trace of Dragon Qi, but the Dragon Qi in the Myriad Serpent Valley was very stable, hidden very deep, and extremely difficult to detect.


    Unlike the Mountain Movers Sect, where the fate had ended, and the Dragon Qi had detached, making it easily detectable.


    "Can Dragon Qi attract each other?" Xu Hei wondered.


    Seeing that the Black Dragon Pagoda had lost its resistance, Xu Hei slightly controlled it, and the Black Dragon Pagoda immediately descended to the ground.


    But just this descent consumed thirty percent of Xu Hei''s True Qi.


    However, compared to the "Body Fusion" from before, it was much easier, at least not unbearable.


    "Collect!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei shrank the Black Dragon Pagoda and swallowed it into his abdomen for storage.


    "This Black Dragon Pagoda is strong, but the consumption is too severe, and it easily refines me into it. I must be cautious next time I use it."


    Xu Hei evaluated.


    This type of magical treasure that requires personal control often consumes a lot.


    In comparison, the Soul-absorbing Flag only required him to release and retrieve the spiritual body, without needing to manage anything else, as the snake spirits would automatically attack, making it much more convenient.


    This was thanks to the snake demon spirits, which had developed a trace of intelligence and could be willingly controlled.


    "Right, let''s see what I hit just now."


    Xu Hei retraced his steps, following the route in his memory, and arrived fifty miles away.


    Indeed, there were some lingering spiritual qi fluctuations in the air here. Xu Hei carefully sensed it and found that the deceased''s cultivation seemed to be at the Core Formation Stage. However, it didn''t seem like a true Core Formation, which puzzled Xu Hei.


    "Someone was hiding here, what were they trying to do? Monitor me? Or attempt to assassinate me?"


    Xu Hei frowned, spreading his Divine Sense to search every inch of the area. Soon, he found a storage bag.


    The storage bag was reinforced with a strong seal, but it had been somewhat broken by the collision.


    In addition, there were some scattered fragments of magical treasures on the ground, likely shattered by the impact.


    Xu Hei used the Gravity Technique to carefully pick up the fragments. From these remnants, he could sense some sinister energy, clearly intended for killing.


    "Someone indeed wants to harm me."


    Xu Hei''s expression darkened as he released the spirit of the Jiao Python to tear apart the seal on the storage bag and probed inside with his Divine Sense.


    In an instant, Xu Hei''s expression changed.


    Inside the storage bag were two items.


    The first was a blue pearl, filled with violent lightning, possessing the power to destroy the heavens and earth, with arcs of electricity scattering around. It was clearly a Thunder Tribulation Pearl.


    However, this Thunder Tribulation Pearl was entirely blue, likely a normal Thunder Tribulation Pearl, much weaker than his purple one.


    The other item was a piece of gray talisman paper, seemingly ordinary and unknown in use.


    But being stored together with the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, it was certainly also a lethal item.


    Even the storage bag was reinforced with a seal, indicating that its owner was also afraid of accidentally breaking it and being affected.


    "What a grand scheme, who wants to harm me? Who could it be?"


    Xu Hei was furious.


    A killer, carrying two deadly weapons, lurking just fifty miles away, would make anyone uneasy once they knew.


    Even without considering what was shattered, just these two treasures were enough to cause significant trouble.


    Xu Hei spread his Divine Sense, continuing to search for any clues.


    Moments later, he discovered some wood fragments filled with spiritual power and traces of blood scattered around.


    Xu Hei recalled in his mind anyone who might seek revenge on him and was associated with wood.


    "A Wooden Puppet Clone, this person is Xuan Yangzi!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened.


    When he was in human cities, he had inquired about Xuan Yangzi''s whereabouts, and it was said that he had been missing for a year, whereabouts unknown.


    Xu Hei had thought the man was dead and didn''t pay attention, but unexpectedly, he wasn''t dead at all and was planning revenge.


    Such a menace cannot be left alive!


    Otherwise, if the opponent occasionally sent a Wooden Puppet Clone to harass him, what would he do?


    "Since the opponent lost a clone, they should be quiet for a while. I need to come up with a plan!"


    Xu Hei thought of Han Te, who might have information on Xuan Yangzi. But Han Te was elusive and skilled in disguise, making him hard to find.


    Even if he were found, dealing with a Core Formation Stage cultivator wouldn''t be easy.


    Xu Hei sighed, placing the Thunder Tribulation Pearl and the gray talisman into separate storage bags, sealing them, and then storing the bags in Void Stones.


    He burned all traces at the site with a single breath of fire and then returned to the Myriad Serpent Valley.

 Chapter 148: Xu Bai establishes her foundation, the Pill is renewed

    Chapter 148: Xu Bai establishes her foundation, the Pill is renewedBefore anyone realized it, winter had passed, and the temperature began to rise.


    This winter, there was no snow, and since Xu Hei had already reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, his body temperature remained constant, so he didn''t even notice winter''s arrival.


    In the Myriad Serpent Valley, the snakes that had been hibernating began to awaken and gradually went out to hunt.


    The grass and trees sprouted new buds, and at the burial site of the Old Snake King, a man-high Serpent Fruit tree was quietly growing. This tree had been transplanted several times and had now returned to its original spot.


    At this moment, two Serpent Fruits were growing on the tree, and in another year, it would reach the three-year maturity cycle.


    However, now the Serpent Fruit held little value for Xu Hei. On his recent trip to the human city, he had purchased enough resources, any one of which far exceeded the value of the Serpent Fruit tree.


    This tree was just a memento.


    "Xu Bai''s cave dwelling even has a shielding formation. Let''s see what she''s up to."


    Xu Hei''s figure flickered as he dove underground, arriving at the entrance of Xu Bai''s cave dwelling, and knocked on the door with his tail.


    Based on his guess, Xu Bai should have reached the Foundation Establishment Stage. He wondered what kind of pills she would refine after reaching this stage.


    "Come in."


    Xu Bai''s response came from inside.


    Xu Hei entered, and the space suddenly opened up.


    The area was vast, equivalent to an underground plaza, with bottles and jars lined up on both sides, along with some large transparent containers.


    The first container in front of him was filled with liquid, soaking a cat.


    However, this cat looked very strange; its back half was actually a dog.


    A dog''s head!


    The front was a cat''s head, the back a dog''s head, with no rear, as if the front halves of two animals were joined together.


    The second container held a snake.


    However, the snake''s face was a woman''s ghastly white face.


    The third container contained a dog with a woman''s long hair.


    Further back, there was a black cat covered in eyes, and as Xu Hei passed by, all the eyes looked over.


    "What on earth is this?"


    Xu Hei was startled. This was definitely not a normal mutation after a beast became demonic; this was extremely abnormal!


    These strange beasts, soaking in the liquid, were motionless, seemingly lifeless, yet there was a faint trace of vitality.


    Looking around, there were dozens of such monsters, each more terrifying than the last.


    "I''m researching the Transformation Pill. These are the results after taking the pill," Xu Bai explained.


    "Transformation Pill?"


    Xu Hei was taken aback.


    The Transformation Pill, as the name suggests, is a pill that allows one to transform into a human form after consumption, but this thing only exists in legends.


    For a demonic beast to transform, it must cultivate for a thousand years, attain profound Dao, and use great divine abilities to transform.


    Xu Hei''s Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, when mastered, could also transform into a human, but that was merely a visual illusion, not real.


    "I''ve only had some preliminary success. It''s still far from transforming into a human," Xu Bai said with a bitter smile.


    "Preliminary success..."


    Xu Hei swallowed. Observing these beasts, they were far from transforming into humans! They were evolving into monsters.


    This wasn''t a beast transforming into a human, but a human transforming into a beast, a beast into a monster.


    To dare to research the Transformation Pill right after reaching the Foundation Establishment Stage, she might just ascend to the heavens!


    "Xu Bai, I think you could change your research direction. There''s no need to be fixated on the Transformation Pill," Xu Hei said with an awkward smile.


    "But humans are the spirits of all things, controlling most of the resources in this world. If demonic beasts want to obtain them, they can only transform into humans. For example, in the art of pill refining, humans are the best," Xu Bai replied.


    Xu Hei really didn''t know how to explain.


    Saying too much might discourage her, but saying nothing might lead to an uncontrollable situation.


    Not to mention, just one of these monsters in the container would be deemed a demonic creature by cultivators, who would surely come to punish the one who created it.


    As expected of the Heavenly Demon Technique.


    He had thought Xu Bai''s pills were safe and harmless, but that was before she broke through. Now that she had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, her pills had also leveled up.


    "Actually, the Transformation Pill is quite complex. It''s not too late to research it after you reach the Qi Condensation stage," Xu Hei said with a bitter smile, using a delaying tactic.


    Xu Bai nodded thoughtfully, "Makes sense. So what should I research now?"


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment and then said seriously, "A healer, with a heart to save the world and benefit all living beings."


    The reason he said this wasn''t because he thought saving people was particularly good. S§×ar?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was just that this seemed to be the best choice for Xu Bai.


    As long as the general direction was right, no matter how off it went, it wouldn''t go too far astray.


    "Benefit all living beings..."


    Xu Bai''s eyes lit up as she stared at the creatures in the containers excitedly, "Then let''s save them first; they might survive."


    "Forget it, forget it, pretend I didn''t say anything."


    Xu Hei was completely speechless, no longer trying to persuade her, and crawled away.


    There''s no saving her, absolutely no saving her. He could only find a time to destroy these monsters so they wouldn''t be discovered.


    "By the way, where did you catch these experimental subjects?"


    Xu Hei glanced around and asked curiously. There were quite a few demonic beasts here, and there were over three hundred that hadn''t even been experimented on, kept in a separate room.


    "I caught them from the Purple Mist Sect. The spirit beasts there were unguarded and had become a disaster, eating several mountains bare, so I caught them all," Xu Bai replied.


    "......"


    Xu Hei was silent.


    No wonder these cats and dogs looked so familiar; they were raised by the Purple Mist Sect.


    He suddenly felt that Xu Bai creating these monsters wasn''t such a big deal. In comparison, humans allowing these spirit beasts to run rampant and destroy the ecosystem was the real disaster.


    He had been too harsh on Xu Bai.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, then took out a storage bag full of medicinal herbs and placed it on the ground.


    These were specially bought for Xu Bai.


    Then he took out an iron pot and placed it beside her.


    This was the remnant of an ancient pill furnace.


    The pill furnace had mostly melted, leaving only a base resembling an iron pot, which should still have some use.


    "Xu Bai, no matter what you research, I support you," Xu Hei said seriously.


    "Really?"


    Xu Bai''s eyes lit up.


    "Of course!" Xu Hei nodded.


    "Great! These are my latest pills, labeled with their names. Help me test their effects; I need someone at the Foundation Establishment Stage... Hey? Where are you going? Don''t leave!"


    Xu Bai called out excitedly, but Xu Hei slipped away without looking back.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A moment later.


    Xu Hei still ended up with some bottles and jars on him.


    These were forcibly given to him by Xu Bai when she caught up.


    Among them was the infamous Transformation Pill.


    "Xu Hei, don''t underestimate the snake. I''ve improved this Transformation Pill. No matter what you turn into, you''ll return to normal once the time is up, with no side effects!" Xu Bai said confidently. "Those spirit beasts can''t recover because their cultivation is too low to expel the drug''s power. You can definitely do it."


    Xu Hei felt quite helpless.


    He definitely wouldn''t dare to take it himself, so he could only find someone else to try it.


    He planned to visit the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, deliver the food he promised before, and see if any brave souls were willing to volunteer to test the pill.

 Chapter 149: Wu Mountain Incident, Great Tomb Emerges

    Chapter 149: Wu Mountain Incident, Great Tomb EmergesMyriad Serpent Valley, inside the underground cave dwelling.


    The white serpent gazed at the group of experimental subjects before her, murmuring, "To save all beings... I really should study this carefully."


    The spirit beasts she had captured were well-fed and healthy, with the only potential cause of death being their lifespan.


    Some of these old cats and dogs had lived for over a decade, looking withered and frail, clearly at the end of their life span.


    So the first issue to tackle was the problem of longevity.


    "Lifespan... The lifespan of demonic beasts and humans is not long. Even at the Foundation Establishment stage, they can only live for a little over two hundred years."


    "How can one achieve longevity?"


    Xu Bai took out a book that recorded all things and began to study it carefully.


    She found some long-lived creatures.


    "The longest-lived animals are turtles, which can live for several hundred years."


    "There are also some marine creatures that can live for over a hundred years, but that''s still not enough..."


    Xu Bai remained silent for a long time. What she wanted to research was a pill that could break the limits of life. A few hundred years was not enough. If she was going to do it, she had to do it to the best.


    Countless thoughts flashed through her mind, and Xu Bai seemed to have thought of something, her eyes suddenly brightening.


    "No, the longest-lived beings are not animals, but plants! Any large tree, as long as it has ample spiritual qi, can live for thousands of years. That is true longevity."


    Xu Bai seemed to have found the right direction, her eyes sparkling with excitement as she thought more about it.


    "Yes, I should combine living creatures with trees, let them live like trees, with long lifespans. That way, I can save all beings!"


    Xu Bai immediately spat out a small emerald-green cauldron, directly absorbing the "iron pot" left by Xu Hei into it.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the other side.


    After leaving Myriad Serpent Valley, Xu Hei headed straight for the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe.


    Along the way, he felt a bit uneasy. Was it good or bad to let Xu Bai research how to save people?


    "Letting her save lives shouldn''t be a bad thing. No matter how twisted it gets, it shouldn''t harm anyone," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He couldn''t think of a better path.


    This girl had just reached the Foundation Establishment stage and had already created such monsters. If he didn''t correct her immediately, who knows what trouble she might cause in the future. He needed to set the right tone early on.


    With the overarching goal of saving lives, it should develop in a positive direction.


    A night passed.


    By the time Xu Hei arrived at the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe''s settlement, it was already noon the next day.


    It was a vast, open grassland, dotted with hot springs, but Xu Hei didn''t see a single elephant, nor were there any signs of battle.


    All the elephant herds had disappeared without a trace.


    "Where have they gone?"


    Xu Hei was puzzled. Although elephant herds were migratory, some members should have stayed behind.


    "Are you... Uncle Xu?"


    At this moment, a small elephant emerged from a hidden underground hole, curiously looking at him.


    Xu Hei turned to look. This small elephant was gray and only half the height of a person. He had seen it before; it was Man Jin''s child.


    The entrance to the hidden underground hole was protected by a third-grade shielding formation, preventing Core Formation stage cultivators from spying. Inside, many small elephants were hiding.


    "That''s right, what''s your name?" Xu Hei nodded and asked.


    "I''m Man Yin."


    Upon recognizing Xu Hei, Man Yin immediately ran out, looking a bit excited.


    "Where are your tribe''s elders?" Xu Hei asked curiously.


    Man Yin quickly replied, "Dad and the others went to the Wu Mountain Range. Recently, many humans have invaded Wu Mountain, as if they''ve found a treasure, and they want to clear out the surrounding demonic beast groups. Dad is very righteous and led the tribe over there."


    "Wu Mountain Range..."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and he instinctively thought of that ancient tomb.


    According to the ancient map, that tomb was within the Wu Mountain area.


    "Could it be? That map cost me five thousand spirit stones!"


    Xu Hei''s face turned grim as he looked at the small elephants, seriously saying, "Go back inside, and don''t come out for anyone, not even me."


    Man Yin''s earlier actions were actually quite dangerous. If someone had impersonated him and brought a similar snake, Man Yin would have been in trouble.


    "Okay, I understand."


    Man Yin nodded and quickly retreated into the underground hole.


    "Here, take these."


    Xu Hei took out a storage bag and tossed it into the hole.


    Man Yin''s trunk reached into the bag and pulled out a bunch of crystal-clear bananas, immediately overjoyed.


    "Wow, it''s fruit!"


    "We have fruit to eat!"


    "Great, it''s been so long since we''ve had such fresh fruit."


    Many small elephants gathered around, pulling out watermelons, grapes, mangoes, and other foods from the storage bag, all preserved with spiritual qi, fresh and unspoiled.


    They ate quickly, their faces filled with happiness.


    "Thank you, Uncle Xu!" Man Yin gratefully bowed his head.


    "Thank you, senior!" The other small elephants also thanked Xu Hei from outside.


    Xu Hei felt a sense of emotion. In this world, it was rare to find such a simple and honest group of elephants.


    Humans had invaded Wu Mountain, far from this place, yet Man Jin still led the entire tribe over there.


    If it were Xu Hei, without any benefit, he would definitely not do it.


    Xu Hei took out two more storage bags filled with food and tossed them into the hole, advising, "Remember, don''t come out for any creature, not even your elders! Humans are very cunning!"


    Man Yin seemed thoughtful and nodded, "Got it, Uncle Xu. Even if you come next time, I won''t come out!"


    "Yes, we won''t come out at all!" The small elephants said in unison.


    Xu Hei didn''t linger any longer and quickly left the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe''s settlement.


    Man Jin''s simple and honest nature, his righteousness, also influenced his descendants.


    Such a character could be considered noble in peaceful times, but in chaotic times, it was easy to be exploited and naturally eliminated.


    There wasn''t much Xu Hei could do, except warn them.


    After searching the area to confirm no one was around, Xu Hei quickly left the place.


    His target was the Wu Mountain Range.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Wu Mountain.


    As the largest mountain range in the southwest of the Chu Kingdom and now in the western Qin Kingdom, it was shrouded in mist all year round, with overcast clouds and a harsh internal environment, inhabited by many great demons.


    Golden Core great demons, rare in the outside world, were not uncommon in Wu Mountain, each occupying a territory and ruling over it.


    Normally, the great demons wouldn''t interfere with each other, but now, they had all united.


    This was because a large group of humans had entered the deep mountains, forcing them to leave.


    At this moment, in a sunken area of Wu Mountain, a group of people stood, floating high in the sky, standing on flying swords, holding various magical treasures, all exuding an imposing aura, clearly experts.


    "From this place as the center, within a radius of ten thousand miles, it will be considered a forbidden zone. No demonic beast is allowed to enter!"


    An old man with a menacing aura swept the area with his pressure, reaching the mid-stage of Core Formation, the highest cultivation level present.


    Beside him were other Core Formation stage experts and a large number of Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    They wore various robes, including members of the Snake Catchers Sect, Carefree Sect, Tai Xuan Sect, and Purple Mist Sect. Even some Nascent Soul ancestors from cultivation families had arrived at the scene.


    The old man with the highest cultivation, the menacing elder, was the Grand Elder of the Snake Catchers Sect, Yin Mingzi.


    This gathering almost represented the most elite forces of the Southern Region.


    "A radius of ten thousand miles? Our territories are all nearby. Are you trying to exterminate us?"


    "Snake Catchers Sect, such arrogance, do you really think we''re afraid of you!" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    On the other side of the sky, a group of demon king-level experts faced off from a distance.


    The eagle tribe, snake tribe, ape tribe, lion tribe of Wu Mountain, and even the elephant tribe from a bit further away had all gathered. No matter how much enmity they had in the past, they united against the human invasion.


    Together they rise, together they fall.

 Chapter 150: Two sides in battle, Xu Hei launches a sneak attack

    Chapter 150: Two sides in battle, Xu Hei launches a sneak attackThe number of these demon kings was not less than the human Core Formation cultivators on the other side, and they also had an old demon at the mid-Golden Core stage leading them.


    In terms of Foundation Establishment, the demonic beasts had twenty more.


    Yin Mingzi said coldly, "Don''t blame me for not warning you. This is a place the Heavenly Puppet Sect has designated for clearing. If you don''t leave, when Qin Xuanji arrives in person, you won''t be able to leave even if you want to!"


    With these words, the demonic beasts looked at each other in dismay.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect was a powerful sect that had wiped out the entire Chu Kingdom, and its Grand Elder had the cultivation of Great Perfection in the Core Formation Stage, capable of defeating ten thousand troops alone. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    As long as he took action, no demonic beast in this area could withstand him.


    At this moment, the old demon at the mid-Golden Core stage stepped forward and snorted coldly, "Don''t think I don''t know. There are certain restrictions here for the people of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, am I right?"


    Yin Mingzi''s eyes flashed upon hearing this, and he said, "Restrictions, are you sure?"


    "Hmph, my Stone Ape lineage has lived and thrived here for over ten thousand years. How could we not know some secrets?"


    This old demon was an old monkey, so old that its skin was almost bald, its body hunched, yet its eyes were full of vigor and wisdom.


    In truth, his words had no basis and were purely a guess based on past experiences.


    In the Wu Mountain Range, all kinds of people had come, except for the experts of the Heavenly Puppet Sect. Even if they did come, it was just some juniors passing by.


    He didn''t believe in such a coincidence.


    Especially this time, Qin Xuanji didn''t come in person but sent another sect, without even a single elder from his own, which deepened his suspicion.


    "Secrets? I''d like to know, what secrets?" Yin Mingzi was half-believing, half-doubting.


    "No comment," the old monkey demon sneered.


    This left Yin Mingzi in hesitation. He was here on orders, and if he didn''t achieve something, it would be difficult for the Snake Catchers Sect to establish a foothold in the Qin Kingdom.


    He also had his doubts about why Qin Xuanji didn''t come personally.


    He initially thought it was a test for the Snake Catchers Sect, but now it seemed not so simple.


    "No need to waste words with these humans, just charge and kill them."


    The Purple Lightning Lion King shouted coldly.


    "No matter what sect, driving us out for thousands of miles is intolerable!"


    "Kill! Kill all the humans."


    "The territory is inviolable!"


    The demonic beasts were not like humans who wanted to think things through; most of them had fiery tempers and could start a fight at the slightest disagreement.


    Seeing that the old monkey demon did not stop them, a horned eagle flapped its wings, sending countless wind blades forward. The other great demons roared in anger, charging forward with overwhelming momentum.


    Yin Mingzi''s face turned ashen. Fighting was not impossible, but they were missing a team. The Mountain Movers Sect had some unknown incident and not a single person showed up, with no response to their communication talisman.


    With the Mountain Movers Sect, their defensive capabilities would be greatly enhanced.


    Seeing the other side charging, Yin Mingzi took out a large flag, which grew longer in the wind.


    With a wave of his hand, countless snake demons were released from the flag, pouncing towards the demonic beast horde.


    "Kill!"


    With an order, everyone charged towards the demonic beast army, and the two sides quickly became entangled in a chaotic battle.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the outskirts of Wu Mountain.


    Xu Hei used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, moving swiftly and leaving behind afterimages.


    He practiced his body technique while traveling, and unknowingly, the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon showed signs of advancing to the third level.


    At the second level, his speed greatly increased, allowing him to create afterimages.


    At the third level, the afterimages could multiply into thousands, making the true body hard to find.


    Currently, Xu Hei couldn''t create thousands of afterimages, but making a dozen or so was no problem.


    His speed was nearly invincible within the Foundation Establishment Stage, approaching that of a False Core cultivator using true essence. This was the domineering aspect of the dragon clan''s body technique.


    Of course, he couldn''t use this body technique for long while traveling, as it consumed too much true qi.


    After absorbing a large amount of spiritual vein energy, Xu Hei''s cultivation reached eighty percent of the initial stage, very close to the middle stage.


    With three dragon bones, Xu Hei''s strength had increased tremendously, capable of easily shattering a top-tier second-grade magical treasure.


    Unknowingly, Xu Hei had touched upon a legendary realm¡ª


    The Extreme Realm!


    The Extreme Realm does not refer to a cultivation realm but a realm of strength.


    The gap between the Foundation Establishment Stage and the Core Formation Stage was too large to cross, as it was the difference between true qi and true essence, which couldn''t be bridged by mere techniques.


    However, within the Foundation Establishment Stage, one could continuously enhance their strength until they could defeat those at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage, achieving invincibility within the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    And then surpass invincibility!


    At that point, although still unable to contend with the Core Formation Stage, one would be infinitely close, reaching an extreme value.


    Extreme represents the limit, beyond which there is no further enhancement.


    This is the meaning of the Extreme Realm!


    Throughout history, those who could reach the limit of strength within the Foundation Establishment Stage were few and far between. In ancient times, only a few with perfect Foundation Establishment, through great fortune, might achieve it.


    In the context of history, to touch the Extreme Realm at the initial stage of Foundation Establishment, Xu Hei was not unique but certainly among the top.


    In this era of scarce spiritual qi, where even perfect Foundation Establishment was rare, he was enough to dominate an era.


    Before long, Xu Hei arrived at his destination.


    Before even reaching the location indicated on the map, Xu Hei sensed various battle fluctuations coming from all directions.


    Fights were happening everywhere.


    "Sure enough, they''ve started fighting."


    Xu Hei stopped using the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique and instead applied the Invisibility Talisman, using the Earth Escape Technique to burrow underground and advance stealthily.


    As Man Yin had said, the demonic beast clans had united to resist the humans, and the area was divided into several battle zones.


    The Ape Tribe and Eagle Tribe were fighting the Snake Catchers Sect.


    The Elephant Tribe was battling the Carefree Sect.


    The Lion Tribe was confronting the Tai Xuan Sect.


    The Snake Tribe was fighting some ancient cultivation families.


    Besides these five main forces, there were also some other minor demon clans participating in the battle.


    Xu Hei roughly observed that the demonic beast side seemed to have the upper hand, with two more Golden Core great demons and twenty more Foundation Establishment great demons.


    However, the humans had numerous magical treasures, endless techniques, and pills, talismans, and formations, which the demonic beasts lacked.


    Additionally, the humans coordinated more seamlessly, supporting each other to achieve a synergy greater than the sum of their parts, while the demonic beasts fought individually.


    Moreover, the humans were not fighting desperately, holding back in their attacks.


    For the time being, the situation was at a stalemate.


    "The Five Great Sects of the Southern Region are all here, except for the Mountain Movers Sect."


    Xu Hei speculated that the Mountain Movers Sect had been annihilated two days ago, and these people probably didn''t know yet.


    Judging by their complaints, they were indeed unaware of the annihilation.


    Xu Hei''s figure flickered as he moved towards the battlefield between the Elephant Tribe and the Carefree Sect.


    The Elephant Tribe excelled in strength, nearly invincible in frontal combat, but the Carefree Sect members all had Swift Wind Talismans, using agile body techniques and long-range spells to maneuver.


    The Carefree Sect was the one from whom he had stolen the Spirit-Tail Chicken.


    That day, Elder Zhou, who had chased the old dog all the way, was also present and had broken through to the middle stage of Foundation Establishment, proving to be quite talented.


    "Let''s start with you!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed as he burrowed to the rear of the crowd, targeting his objective, and with a thought.


    "Mountain Embrace Seal!"


    Through visualization, a grand mountain quickly formed above Elder Zhou, crashing down with immense force.


    The current Mountain Embrace Seal was countless times stronger than when Xu Hei had first used it!


    "Watch out!"


    "We''re under attack!"


    The crowd shouted from behind, and Zhou Xu''s expression changed as he rapidly retreated, only to see the mountain crashing down onto a giant light formation, causing it to shake and crack.


    This was a defensive formation set up by the Tai Xuan Sect.


    The Tai Xuan Sect excelled in formations, providing each team with one for protection, crucial for survival, showcasing the coordination among humans.

 Chapter 151: Pill shows its power, unexpected person

    Chapter 151: Pill shows its power, unexpected personIn the Southern Region, the Five Great Sects each have their own specialties.


    The Purple Mist Sect excels in Pill Refining, the Mountain Movers Sect in Artifact Refining, the Tai Xuan Sect in Formations, the Carefree Sect in Talisman Crafting, and the Snake Catchers Sect in Beast Taming.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect specializes in puppets.


    When these skills are combined and coordinated, they can achieve the effect of defeating many with few, and the weak overcoming the strong.


    Xu Hei had anticipated this scene long ago. The Mountain Embrace Seal just now was merely a feint. Almost simultaneously, a white lightning flashed by like a startling swan, precisely the Spirit-Breaking Sword.


    This sword pierced through the cracked light formation without any hindrance, making a turn in front of Zhou Xu''s neck.


    "Slash!"


    His head soared into the sky, and the defensive magical treasures on his body didn''t even have time to activate before he fell to the ground, dead and gone.


    His storage bag also disappeared, taken away by the Spirit-Breaking Sword, which burrowed underground.


    "Zhou Xu is dead?"


    "What was that just now? Such speed!"


    "Damn it! Who did this?"


    The members of the Carefree Sect were furious and shocked, but they had no time to investigate further, as the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe was already approaching.


    Taking advantage of the broken defensive light formation, they stepped into the sky, crushing forward like war chariots that could shatter mountains and rivers.


    "All members, perform the Elephant Roar!"


    Man Jin led the charge, raising his long trunk, spewing hot air towards the crowd.


    "Roar!"


    The elephant herd also performed the Elephant Roar in unison, sound waves sweeping across the sky, stirring up a violent storm, causing the heavens and earth to tremble.


    The people of the Carefree Sect were blown about, losing their formation. In previous battles, they relied on their agility, fighting while retreating, never engaging head-on. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even when attacked by sound waves, they could use formations to block them.


    But once the formation was gone, their formation was immediately scattered, plunging from a stalemate into an abyss, utterly defeated.


    Xu Hei remained hidden underground, not taking further action.


    There were too many people here, and he had just killed someone and shattered the Tai Xuan Sect''s formation, which was already his limit.


    If he revealed the Soul-absorbing Flag and exposed his true identity, being seen by those Snake Catchers could lead to unforeseen trouble.


    Xu Hei was not familiar with the current situation and didn''t want to draw too much attention to himself, becoming a target.


    This battlefield had caught the attention of the Grand Elder, Yin Mingzi, who occasionally glanced over, a strange expression on his face.


    "Slash!"


    Before long, another elder of the Carefree Sect was pierced through the chest by an ivory tusk, falling lifeless.


    "Heh, humans, it seems your side will be the first to lose!"


    The old demon monkey laughed sinisterly.


    Yin Mingzi''s expression remained unchanged, outwardly still engaged with the old monkey, but in reality, he was paying more attention to the Carefree Sect''s side.


    "This old bastard is indeed watching me!"


    Xu Hei''s gaze was cold, his intuition sharp. He could tell at a glance if someone was looking for him.


    Xu Hei surveyed the surroundings, comparing them to a map. The ancient tomb was nearby.


    The humans'' motive was clear: to seize the tomb, which is why they were fighting the demonic beasts.


    However, there was one thing he couldn''t understand.


    The humans had no reinforcements. With so few people, how did they dare to engage in a great battle with the demonic beasts?


    Isn''t this seeking annihilation?


    Though people die for wealth, you are cultivators. Knowing you can''t win, why throw your lives away? It''s incomprehensible.


    Xu Hei thought it over and realized something was wrong.


    He furrowed his brows and retreated a thousand meters away.


    "The defeat of the Carefree Sect is only a matter of time. Let''s see what changes occur."


    Xu Hei took out a pill, held it in his mouth, and focused his mind, ready to summon a magical treasure at any moment to guard against unexpected changes.


    As time passed, more and more members of the Carefree Sect fell, their bodies plummeting from the sky.


    The Carefree Sect was anxious, but Yin Mingzi remained calm as ever.


    "I won''t play with you anymore!"


    The Carefree Sect''s ancestor, Li Yao, his face ashen, took out a talisman and burned it, preparing to flee.


    Suddenly, Man Jin flung countless ivory tusks into the sky, crisscrossing and spreading cold, forming a frozen zone in the air.


    "All members, take the pills!" Man Jin shouted.


    In an instant, all the Foundation Establishment Stage elephants of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe took out milky white pills and swallowed them.


    Demonic beasts taking pills was unexpected for everyone.


    They didn''t think much of it, as pills were crafted by humans for themselves, having little effect on demonic beasts, especially such large creatures like elephants, where the efficacy would be diluted to the extreme.


    However, Xu Hei, hidden underground, had his pupils contract.


    This milky white pill looked somewhat familiar.


    Xu Hei quickly took out a jade bottle with the words "Bone Strengthening Pills" written on it, containing the same milky white pills.


    "No way?"


    Xu Hei swallowed hard.


    Were these pills refined by Xu Bai?


    At this moment, after taking the Bone Strengthening Pills, the elephant herd erupted with dazzling white light, a strange energy emerging within them.


    Their tusks grew at a terrifying speed, shooting out like winding dragons, stabbing towards Li Yao, the ancestor.


    One zhang, two zhang, three zhang... ten zhang, twenty zhang...


    "What kind of monster is this?!"


    Everyone was horrified.


    Xu Hei was also dumbfounded.


    Their expressions were as if witnessing a miracle, eyes wide, almost popping out, even the distant battle paused, all eyes turning here.


    "Haotian Divine Shield!"


    Li Yao took out a golden shield, quickly forming an eggshell, enveloping himself. Man Jin''s tusks grew to thirty zhang, wrapping around Li Yao''s eggshell layer by layer, with countless tusks stabbing from behind.


    "Boom boom boom..."


    The shield trembled incessantly, and with a loud crash, it shattered into pieces. Li Yao''s form changed rapidly, slipping through the gaps in the tusks, but Man Jin was prepared, letting out a roar, causing him to momentarily freeze.


    "Slash!"


    Li Yao''s back was pierced by a tusk, blood gushing, as more tusks stabbed him, turning him into a sieve.


    "Ancestor!"


    The Carefree Sect''s crowd screamed in horror.


    "......"


    Xu Hei was completely stunned.


    Not only him, everyone was stunned, caught off guard by the sudden change.


    Xu Hei instantly understood. Xu Bai had not only tested the pills on him but also on Man Jin. The effect was so shocking, he didn''t know what to say.


    Bone Strengthening Pills, damn Bone Strengthening Pills!


    Yin Mingzi''s face alternated between green and red. He no longer hesitated, directly taking out a token and activating it.


    This matter was too bizarre. Initially planning to wait, but now he couldn''t delay any longer.


    "Buzz!"


    The token in Yin Mingzi''s hand floated up, rising into the sky, emitting a white light.


    Within it, an immense divine sense pressure was born, growing stronger, sweeping out like a storm in all directions.


    This divine sense''s strength far exceeded everyone present, both humans and demonic beasts.


    It was like ants facing a mountain, a tsunami, causing all beings to tremble, feeling an irresistible force.


    "What powerful cultivation, who is this?"


    The old demon monkey''s face changed dramatically, retreating hastily.

 Chapter 152: Strong enemies approach, driving them out for thousands of miles

    Chapter 152: Strong enemies approach, driving them out for thousands of milesThe expressions of Man Jin and the other elephants changed dramatically. They quickly retracted their tusks and retreated. At the same time, a fire ignited within them, expelling traces of medicinal residue from their bodies.


    As the residue was expelled, their tusks slowly retracted.


    The pressure was too overwhelming, beyond what mere willpower could overcome. They could fight those of the same realm, but facing someone a level higher meant death if they didn''t retreat.


    As the beasts retreated, Xu Hei had already used all his strength to flee into the distance.


    At this moment, a phantom image of a middle-aged man emerged from the token, gradually becoming solid.


    This man was dressed in white, holding a cup of tea in one hand while the other was behind his back. His eyes were deep, like the sun, moon, and stars, as if he had experienced the vicissitudes of life, yet his face showed no signs of aging.


    The moment they saw him, the demon kings felt their scalps tingle, their expressions horrified, as if facing a formidable enemy.


    Qin Xuanji, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, stood as one of the strongest figures at the pinnacle between the two nations.


    He alone could rival ten thousand troops!


    The demonic beasts instantly lost their will to fight and retreated, forming a group.


    The old monkey king had thought that elders of the Heavenly Puppet Sect couldn''t come here, but this shattered his perception.


    Though he didn''t know if it was an avatar or some other method, the pressure was something they couldn''t withstand.


    After Qin Xuanji appeared, he didn''t take any action, merely releasing his divine sense, sweeping it underground.


    The range of this divine sense was vast, far exceeding any Core Formation Stage cultivator; no one could escape its search.


    At this moment, Xu Hei, who was fleeing, could clearly feel a strong sense of being watched rapidly approaching from behind.


    "That divine sense seems to be targeting me!"


    "The range is too large; I can''t escape!"


    In a split second, many thoughts flashed through Xu Hei''s mind, and he made a decisive decision.


    Xu Hei made a bold move, taking out a Transformation Pill and swallowing it in one gulp, quickly refining it with the Demon God Cauldron.


    At the same time, he didn''t stop, fully activating the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, sprinting toward the distance.


    Facing such an unknown powerhouse, the Invisibility Talisman was definitely ineffective. Xu Hei didn''t expect Hei Huang''s talisman to protect him from anyone.


    But if he wanted to avoid being discovered, he had to disguise himself.


    Ordinary disguises wouldn''t work; he had to rely on unconventional methods.


    Thus, Xu Hei took a huge risk by swallowing the Transformation Pill.


    After being refined by the Demon God Cauldron, the Transformation Pill quickly took effect.


    Xu Hei''s body rapidly shrank, changing from slender to short and stout. His bones and flesh made crackling sounds as his appearance altered.


    "Pop!"


    Next, two legs grew from the front of Xu Hei''s abdomen, one on each side.


    Xu Hei didn''t know what creature he would become, but the creatures Xu Bai created were always random. He could only hope he wouldn''t turn into something too bizarre.


    "Pop!"


    In the next moment, two more legs grew from the back of Xu Hei''s abdomen.


    A total of four legs sprawled around his short, stout body. His neck also shrank, and his body became smooth and rounded, with his black-gold dragon scales turning pitch black.


    In just a brief moment, Xu Hei transformed into a four-legged lizard.


    A four-legged lizard is a lizard, also known as Shi Longzi.


    Realizing he wasn''t changing anymore, Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief. At least he had become a normal beast, not something grotesque.


    According to Xu Bai, he should be able to revert back afterward.


    Soon, the divine sense swept over, and Xu Hei removed the Invisibility Talisman to avoid suspicion.


    He lay on the ground, breathing steadily, pretending to be a normal hibernating lizard, as the divine sense passed over him.


    The divine sense didn''t pause and continued forward after passing over Xu Hei, retracting only at its limit.


    In the distance, at the center of the battlefield.


    Qin Xuanji''s expression remained calm, showing no emotion, but a trace of confusion flashed in his eyes.


    Earlier, his divine sense had swept across a thousand-mile radius, discovering a vast number of creatures underground, numbering in the millions, with cultivation levels ranging from high to low.


    The strongest were at the Core Formation Stage, while the weakest were mere mortals.


    But he found no trace of the suspected Flood Dragon.


    Now, with the Chu Kingdom fallen, Qin Xuanji''s focus returned to these trivial matters. Besides tracking down rebels and bandits, the Flood Dragon intrigued him greatly.


    He looked at the barely alive Carefree Sect ancestor, Li Yao, and calmly asked, "What happened just now? Tell me in detail."


    Li Yao dared not delay and quickly recounted the events.


    However, Xu Hei acted too swiftly for him to notice any details, and Zhou Xu was already dead.


    Afterward, Xu Hei made no further moves.


    After talking for a long time, it amounted to nothing. Sear?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmph, forget it."


    Qin Xuanji shook his head, no longer concerned.


    In fact, he had a more important matter to attend to here, one that surpassed everything else, even his attack on the Chu Kingdom was to pave the way for it.


    Compared to that, rebels, bandits, and the Flood Dragon were insignificant.


    He looked at the demon kings in the distance and spoke loudly, "Esteemed demon kings, my Heavenly Puppet Sect has important matters to attend to here."


    "Our sect''s third-generation ancestor had ties with your demon lord. Today, we won''t make things difficult for you. You only need to retreat ten thousand miles and find another place to reside. Once the matter is settled, this area will be returned."


    Qin Xuanji''s voice was calm and unruffled.


    The demonic beasts exchanged glances, falling into a deathly silence.


    The old monkey king remained silent for a long time before speaking in a deep voice, "How long?"


    "A year at the shortest, three to five years at the longest," Qin Xuanji replied flatly.


    The old demon monkey fell silent.


    A year was manageable, but if it dragged on, how would they survive? Moreover, the other party hadn''t specified a concrete timeframe. What if it exceeded five years?


    "What?"


    Qin Xuanji''s gaze flickered as he looked at the old monkey king, "Do you have any objections?"


    Just a look made the old monkey king''s heart tremble, forcing him to retreat several steps, spitting blood.


    The difference in realms was terrifying!


    This left the demon kings horrified. The old monkey king was at least mid-Golden Core, yet he couldn''t withstand even a glance.


    "We have no choice but to yield. Qin Xuanji didn''t go for the kill, so we shouldn''t be ungrateful," the old monkey king said faintly.


    "We have no other option," the Purple Lightning Lion King muttered bitterly.


    "The territories deep within Wu Mountain are already occupied by other demon kings. We either fight for them or develop on the outskirts."


    "Damn humans, they all deserve to die!"


    Despite their unwillingness and anger, the demon kings were helpless.


    The opponent''s strength was too overwhelming for them to contend with.


    As long as someone stronger could drive you out of your territory, saying they''ll borrow it for three to five years without outright seizing it was already courteous.


    Of course, Qin Xuanji might have his own concerns, preventing him from acting recklessly.


    However, the demon kings didn''t dare to gamble, nor did they see the need to take such a huge risk to offend the immensely powerful Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    "Let''s hope you keep your word," the old monkey king said, staring at Qin Xuanji.


    "As long as you don''t cause trouble, I''ll naturally keep my promise," Qin Xuanji replied.


    After exchanging a few words, the demon kings had no choice but to abandon the area and leave.


    Man Jin''s territory seemed to be right at the edge of the ten thousand miles, uncertain if they needed to relocate.


    Just then, Qin Xuanji''s gaze subtly glanced at him, causing Man Jin to shiver internally and hastily speed up his departure.

 Chapter 153: Elephant Tribe Crisis, Shameless Humanity

    Chapter 153: Elephant Tribe Crisis, Shameless HumanityYin Mingzi hesitated for a moment and tentatively asked, "Senior, that Snake Demon, what exactly is it..."


    "This is a matter of our sect, you need not concern yourself," Qin Xuanji said indifferently.


    "Yes!"


    Yin Mingzi felt a shock in his heart and quickly nodded.


    He had always been speculating whether that Snake Demon was secretly nurtured by the Heavenly Puppet Sect or was wild, and he had been feeling somewhat dissatisfied.


    Now, hearing Qin Xuanji''s words, his heart was greatly shaken, and he no longer had any stray thoughts.


    In fact, Qin Xuanji had always intended to suppress the Snake Catchers Sect; it was just that the appearance of the Snake Demon was perfectly timed, causing chaos in the Snake Catchers Sect, and it just so happened to practice puppet techniques.


    Qin Xuanji simply let things take their course, allowing others to speculate.


    "Additionally, the Mountain Movers Sect has been annihilated. I have arranged for the Iron Mountain Sect to take its place. From now on, the Five Great Sects of the Southern Region will be the Iron Mountain Sect, Snake Catchers Sect, Tai Xuan Sect, Carefree Sect, and Purple Mist Sect."


    Qin Xuanji spoke slowly.


    These seemingly calm words stirred up a storm in everyone''s hearts, leaving them all in shock and disbelief.


    The Mountain Movers Sect, a great sect that had stood for five hundred years, was just gone like that!


    Gone without a trace, and Qin Xuanji didn''t even explain how it happened.


    As for the Iron Mountain Sect, it was a sect they had never even heard of, but it was undoubtedly a subordinate of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Everyone''s expressions changed dramatically, and a terrifying thought arose in their hearts¡ªcould they also be wiped out at any time and replaced?


    When Qin Xuanji mentioned the Five Great Sects, he placed the Iron Mountain Sect first, even before the Snake Catchers Sect. Wasn''t this hint obvious enough?


    "This ancient relic is entrusted to you Five Great Sects to explore together. If there are any gains, I will reward you handsomely."


    At this point, Qin Xuanji''s gaze turned cold, and he said chillingly, "If anyone dares to hide anything, the Mountain Movers Sect will be your warning!"


    After speaking, Qin Xuanji''s figure quickly faded and completely disappeared, and the token shattered into two halves.


    The people present were already chilled to the bone, a sense of fear and... powerlessness rising in their hearts.


    Beside Yin Mingzi, an old man trembled and said, "Grand Elder, could it be that the Mountain Movers Sect was destroyed by Qin Xuanji..."


    "Silence!" Yin Mingzi reprimanded sternly.


    The old man immediately fell silent.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Deep underground in Wu Mountain.


    Xu Hei remained motionless until the faint sense of crisis completely disappeared. After another night, he finally opened his eyes and burrowed underground.


    Xu Hei reached a very deep place and examined himself.


    At this moment, he had completely transformed into a four-legged lizard, both inside and out.


    But Xu Hei knew that only his form had changed, not his essence.


    "The Transformation Pill seems to contain an extremely special power that can change the body''s structure but cannot alter bloodline and race."


    Xu Hei could feel the presence of that power.


    With a thought, steam began to rise from his body, and that invisible power was slowly expelled, turning into a stream of air and disappearing.


    As the medicinal power dissipated, Xu Hei''s body slowly returned to its original form, bones extending, limbs retracting.


    This change in body structure was reversible.


    However, the process was somewhat lengthy, and Xu Hei spent a full two hours expelling that power completely, reverting to his original snake form.


    "Phew!" Xu Hei let out a sigh of relief.


    Recalling the scene of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe consuming Bone Strengthening Pills, Xu Bai''s pills weren''t entirely useless.


    The Transformation Pill, for him, could be used for disguise.


    However, taking other pills still required utmost caution.


    "The ancient tomb, better not go there for now. Let''s see what Man Jin and the others have to say."


    After a brief contemplation, Xu Hei left the place and headed straight for the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe''s settlement.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, a group of uninvited guests appeared in the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe''s settlement, erupting into a fierce battle.


    The members of the Elephant Tribe were unprecedentedly furious, risking their lives, each one burning their blood and energy, pursuing the humans with reckless speed.


    Because this group of humans had targeted their children.


    For the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, this was an unforgivable crime, more infuriating than killing them!


    Fortunately, Xu Hei had warned them, and the children didn''t fall for it; otherwise, the consequences would have been unimaginable!


    "None of you will escape!"


    Man Jin''s Ice Soul Tusk flew out, transforming into a prison of ice and snow, trapping the crowd.


    The elephant herd trampled the sky, charging forward with overwhelming momentum.


    But these human cultivators were not easy to deal with either. Each one had bodies like iron, absurdly tough, all having practiced body-tempering techniques, capable of contending with demonic beasts in physical combat.


    Although they couldn''t compare to the Elephant Tribe, being hit wouldn''t be fatal. sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a combat style they had never seen before.


    Moreover, among this group of people, there were actually two Core Formation Stage cultivators, who joined forces to fight Man Jin, battling back and forth.


    "Leader of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, this is just a misunderstanding. How about we call it quits?"


    One tall and strong man took out a chain, whipping it while sneering.


    "That''s right, we just came to visit, bringing some food for the children, with no ill intentions."


    Another short and stout man also sneered, wielding a steel fork, stabbing continuously from a distance.


    Man Jin, fighting two against one, showed no signs of falling behind, growing braver as the battle went on. He was willing to burn his life to bring these two thieves to justice.


    At the same time, he was puzzled.


    The strong ones of the Southern Region were mostly concentrated deep in Wu Mountain. Where did this sect come from, with a combat style they had never seen before?


    This didn''t seem like people from the Chu Kingdom.


    "No matter who you are, today you will die!"


    Man Jin''s tusks charged forward, colliding with a large shield.


    Suddenly, the large shield turned into a pool of sludge, quickly surging out, wrapping around Man Jin''s tusks. The sludge continued to expand, growing larger and heavier.


    Man Jin felt as if he were bearing the weight of a mountain, his speed drastically reduced.


    "Today marks the founding of our Iron Mountain Sect. We must make a name for ourselves!"


    The tall and strong man sneered, his eyes filled with cruel bloodlust, staring at Man Jin and the other beasts.


    "We originally planned to capture your children as hostages to make things easier, but since they didn''t take the bait, using force isn''t out of the question."


    The short iron man also revealed his true intentions, knowing that Man Jin was about to unleash a deadly move, and he retreated in advance, as if everything was within their calculations.


    "Iron Mountain Sect..."


    The sludge on Man Jin''s tusks grew larger, becoming a mountain. No matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t shake it off. His body grew heavier, the sludge covering his nose and eyes, gradually spreading to his entire head.


    "Heh, this is a third-grade mid-tier magical treasure, the Mountain-Covering Mud. Unless you break your tusks, it will only grow larger until it buries your entire body."


    The tall and strong man sneered. This magical treasure was specifically designed to counter beasts like the Elephant Tribe that relied purely on strength, a perfect counter for elephants, leaving them utterly helpless.


    In fact, even breaking the tusks wouldn''t help. Once it stuck, it couldn''t be shaken off, only spreading over the entire body.


    "Step back a few paces, this beast is about to go berserk, don''t get hurt!"


    The short man quickly retreated, knowing that Man Jin was about to unleash a deadly move, avoiding it in advance, as if everything was within their calculations.

 Chapter 154: Unrestrained, true dragons power

    Chapter 154: Unrestrained, true dragon''s powerThe short man was named Tie Xiong, and the tall, strong man was named Tie Niu.


    The two were brothers and founders of the Iron Mountain Gang, a faction in the Qin Kingdom.


    The reason it was called the Iron Mountain Gang was that the Qin Kingdom only allowed one sect, the Heavenly Puppet Sect, while others could only be called gangs.


    Just a week ago, they were informed that they were allowed to rename themselves as the Iron Mountain Sect and expand into the Chu Kingdom, with a large amount of resources provided, which delighted the two brothers.


    Without hesitation, they led their gang members to the Southern Region of the Chu Kingdom.


    The third-tier magical treasure before them, Mountain-Covering Mud, was one of the resources they received.


    This item was highly effective against clumsy, strength-type demonic beasts, specifically designed to kill the Elephant Tribe.


    "Roar!!"


    Man Jin let out an earth-shattering roar, terrifying sound waves swept through, causing the Mountain-Covering Mud to tremble continuously. Instead of being shaken off, it spread rapidly, growing even larger.


    "Hahaha, useless, useless, useless!"


    Tie Niu laughed heartily, never feeling so exhilarated.


    Just arriving in the Southern Region, they were about to kill a Golden Core giant elephant, an unprecedented sense of achievement.


    At this moment, it seemed that Man Jin swallowed something.


    "Whoosh! Whoosh!!"


    From within the Mountain-Covering Mud, two tusks suddenly shot up, piercing through with terrifying speed.


    "What kind of move is this?"


    Tie Niu''s eyes widened as he retreated rapidly. Fortunately, they were prepared and kept a safe distance, easily avoiding the tusks that grew explosively.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Deep in Wu Mountain.


    There was a huge pool, nestled in a valley, its surface calm as a mirror, with no visible bottom.


    No matter if a breeze blew or a stone was thrown in, the water''s surface wouldn''t ripple even slightly. The area was desolate, with not a single bird or beast in sight.


    Who knows how much time passed.


    A vulture landed on a crooked tree by the pool and said, "Master Demon Lord, after ten thousand years, the Divine Puppet Sect has returned."


    The voice echoed.


    After a long while, the pool, calm for ten thousand years, finally rippled slightly.


    "Divine Puppet Sect... such distant memories."


    An ancient voice slowly emerged, as if traversing the river of time, coming from the depths of history.


    The vulture chuckled, "They want to retrieve the third-generation ancestor''s belongings. What do you think?"


    At that moment, a water column shot out from the pool, gradually condensing into a small humanoid form.


    It was a baby, slowly growing into a child, then into a young man.


    The young man opened his eyes, walked out of the pool naked, and his cultivation rapidly ascended from a mortal to the Qi Refining Stage, then to the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Soon, his dantian''s spiritual foundation compressed, true qi transformed into true essence, forming a Golden Core, reaching the Core Formation Stage.


    Then, the Golden Core transformed into an infant form, the Elemental Infant stage!


    But it wasn''t over; the Elemental Infant rushed towards the young man''s crown, seemingly to merge with his divine sense.


    "Master Demon Lord, enough, enough! It''s just a branch of the Divine Puppet Sect, the Heavenly Puppet Sect!"


    The vulture hurriedly shouted.


    "You should have said so earlier!"


    The young man complained, and the Elemental Infant immediately shrank back, as if time reversed, turning back into a Golden Core, stopping at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation Stage.


    The young man took out a green robe and put it on, saying, "It''s been a long time since I went out. How do I look?"


    The vulture scrutinized him for a moment and said, "Master Demon Lord, your form is fine, but you look too young."


    "What, should I become an old man?" the young man frowned, displeased.


    The vulture trembled and quickly corrected, "No, no! You are still young, this is just right."


    The green-robed young man nodded in satisfaction.


    He pondered for a moment and quickly asked, "By the way, I haven''t been out for ten thousand years. Will I be out of touch with the world? What if people say I''m inexperienced?"


    "Also, what spells are modern people good at? Are there still many body cultivators?"


    "What should I do to act like a senior expert?"


    The young man continued to speak tirelessly.


    The vulture smiled wryly, "Just say less."


    "Sigh! Going out is such a hassle, sleeping is better."


    The young man sighed, reluctantly walking into the distance.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the edge of the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe''s territory.


    Xu Hei rushed over from mid-air, seeing the battle ahead from afar.


    "Humans again?"


    Xu Hei''s face darkened, and without hesitation, he used the jade slip left by the Purple Lightning Thunder Lion.


    No matter what happened, calling for help was never wrong.


    He used his divine sense to scan the area, finding two Core Formation stage cultivators and about twenty Foundation Establishment stage cultivators, with no one else nearby, not even the Snake Catchers Sect.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered; these two Core Formation stage individuals were strangers to him, not recognizing him.


    This meant Xu Hei could act swiftly, cooperating with Man Jin to take down these two.


    "Wait! Don''t be impulsive!"


    Xu Hei frowned, sensing something was off.


    Previously, when he, Man Jin, and the Purple Lightning Thunder Lion attacked Rock Serpent City, it was surely known that he was associated with the Elephant Tribe.


    So, could this attack on the Elephant Tribe be a trap to lure him out?


    The Purple Lightning Thunder Lion hadn''t appeared; could it have been attacked too?


    Ever since Qin Xuanji appeared, Xu Hei had been uneasy, feeling watched. During the previous war between the two kingdoms, they had no time for him, but now, they were clearly devoting some effort to searching for him.


    From the moment Qin Xuanji appeared, his divine sense targeted him, and Xu Hei noticed.


    Humans are cunning, and as a key figure in the Qin Kingdom''s forces, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Qin Xuanji was no simple character.


    Such an existence, any move could be a trap.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, calmly considering his options. He couldn''t just watch Man Jin be killed; he had to do something while ensuring he wasn''t exposed.


    Should he take the Transformation Pill and charge in?


    No, impossible!


    Xu Hei highly suspected that at this moment, anyone appearing to help Man Jin would prompt Qin Xuanji to emerge.


    What should he do?


    Qin Xuanji clearly wanted to capture him; it was an open scheme!


    If he didn''t show up, Man Jin would die!


    Xu Hei felt unprecedented pressure, taking out the jade disk Hei Huang gave him. As expected, there was only this group of red dots in front of him, the enemy hidden well.


    At this moment, Man Jin was under increasing pressure, the Mountain-Covering Mud already enveloping him entirely, trapping him, allowing only slow movement.


    "Just wait for death!" Tie Niu sneered.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, a cold gleam shot from the shadows.


    A figure burst out from hiding, revealing itself, a sword gleaming as it slashed at Tie Niu''s back, only to spark slightly.


    Tie Niu glanced back, seeing an unremarkable young man, only at the early Foundation Establishment stage, unable to break his defense.


    This person had been lurking nearby, unnoticed.


    "Die!"


    Tie Niu hesitated for just a second before swinging a palm to crush Xiao Chou''s head.


    "Boom!!"


    A deafening collision echoed. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, it wasn''t Xiao Chou''s head that was hit, but Tie Niu''s head.


    A long black shadow appeared instantly before Tie Niu, almost simultaneously with Xiao Chou.


    It was a big black snake.


    However, this snake''s movement was so stealthy that he only saw Xiao Chou, not Xu Hei!


    Without giving him any chance to react, a thick, scale-covered tail whipped fiercely at Tie Niu''s face.


    "Smack!!!"


    The power of dragon bones and dragon scales combined erupted completely, smashing Tie Niu''s face, blood splattering, teeth shattering. With a loud bang, Tie Niu spun in the air, flying back, crashing into a mountain rock.


    The scene drew everyone''s attention, faces aghast.


    "Big brother!" the short Tie Xiong exclaimed.


    "Boom!"


    Tie Niu quickly burst out from the rock, his expression terrifying.


    At this moment, his face was no longer recognizable, eyes, nose, and features all smashed, bones exposed.


    Thanks to his cultivation of the Iron Mountain Sect''s special technique, his physical body was extremely tough, preventing his head from being blown apart. Otherwise, anyone else might have lost their head from such a blow.


    He was careless! He never expected the snake to be so fast, its physical attack so terrifying!


    Tie Xiong''s eyes flickered slightly as he took out a token.


    "Wait!"


    Suddenly, Tie Niu stopped him, coldly saying, "Don''t rush, let me deal with this snake!"


    Tie Xiong nodded, putting the token away.


    He knew his big brother was truly enraged.

 Chapter 155: Step on it to death, the Demon Lord appears

    Chapter 155: Step on it to death, the Demon Lord appearsXu Hei''s eyes flickered. The token just now was meant to summon Qin Xuanji. The other party showed it to him briefly before putting it away again. What did that mean?


    Looking down on him?


    As for the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, he had to save them, no matter what schemes the other side might have, whether it was a trap or not, he had to act!


    Man Jin had helped him more than once or twice, even saving his life in the Myriad Serpent Valley.


    The old Xu Hei might have run away.


    But the Xu Hei now was no longer someone who wouldn''t act without a ten percent chance of success.


    Some things, you do knowing they''re impossible!


    The only thing he didn''t expect was that Xiao Chou had also come, using an Invisibility Talisman to lurk nearby, and even he hadn''t noticed.


    The two of them acted almost simultaneously, without any prior communication, purely by coincidence.


    "What were you doing up there just now, offering yourself up?" Xu Hei transmitted his voice.


    "The Chu Tian Alliance gave me a protective jade pendant that only activates when I''m near death," Xiao Chou replied.


    "..." Xu Hei was speechless.


    Xiao Chou paused and continued, "The Mountain Movers Sect was annihilated, not a single survivor left. I found out that the Heavenly Puppet Sect orchestrated this in secret, recalling their disciples to the sect and deliberately gathering all the experts from other sects to the Wu Mountain Range, leaving no support!"


    Xiao Chou''s voice was calm, but anyone could hear the fire in his heart.


    "So, the Heavenly Puppet Sect is an accomplice?" Xu Hei asked in surprise.


    "Not an accomplice, the mastermind! They are the root of all this!" Xiao Chou said.


    Xu Hei was silent for a moment and then said, "Isn''t the root of the problem being too weak?"


    Xiao Chou was left speechless.


    Their exchange was completed in an instant. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Tie Niu swallowed a pill, and the wounds on his face slowly healed. He took out a chain, his gaze icy, and flicked his wrist.


    "Whoosh!"


    The chain unfurled, rushing forward like a long snake. Xu Hei summoned the Soul-absorbing Flag, and the spirit of the Jiao Python appeared instantly, biting onto the chain.


    At the same time, the Black Dragon Pagoda appeared, consuming thirty percent of his True Qi, and crashed towards Man Jin.


    This was Xu Hei''s plan all along, to first help Man Jin break free.


    Otherwise, for someone at the early Foundation Establishment Stage to go against a Core Formation Stage, a sneak attack might work, but if the opponent reacted, he would definitely not be a match.


    "Boom!!!"


    The Black Dragon Pagoda collided with the Mountain-Covering Mud. The mountain above Man Jin''s head, rapidly expanding, was shattered like it had been struck by a meteor, with many pieces being sucked into the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    "How can this thing swallow everything?" Xu Hei was astonished.


    Such a scene was like a tidal wave in Tie Xiong''s eyes.


    "Impossible?"


    Tie Xiong''s face changed dramatically. He never expected the Mountain-Covering Mud to be shattered; it was a third-grade mid-tier Spiritual Treasure.


    What exactly was that black pagoda?


    "Roar!!"


    Man Jin roared to the sky, and after breaking the seal, the fury in his chest erupted completely. Only the death of the opponent could vent his anger.


    Tie Niu grabbed the spirit of the Jiao Python, smashed it with his fist, causing its body to dent. The Jiao Python''s venom sprayed out, corroding a wisp of green smoke on him, but leaving him unharmed.


    A third-grade array spirit was, after all, a defective product. It was fine against the Foundation Establishment Stage, but against a true Core Formation Stage, it would be defeated in one round.


    "Big brother, sorry, if we keep playing, we''ll lose."


    Seeing Man Jin break free, Tie Xiong immediately took out the token to summon Qin Xuanji and activated it.


    However, unexpectedly, the token had no response!


    "This..."


    Tie Xiong was dumbfounded again.


    "Human! You must die!"


    Man Jin''s fury reached its peak. He leaped up, and his giant elephant leg, like a pillar supporting the sky, stomped towards Tie Xiong''s head with unstoppable force, shaking the heavens and the void.


    Xu Hei once again activated the Black Dragon Pagoda, spinning it to completely block Tie Xiong''s retreat.


    Tie Xiong had just turned his head when he crashed into the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    In a battle between Core Formation cultivators, life and death were decided in an instant. With just this moment of obstruction, death was imminent!


    "No!!"


    With a miserable scream, Man Jin''s elephant hoof stomped fiercely on Tie Xiong''s head.


    With a "splat," his body was crushed into a pulp.


    Originally, with Tie Xiong''s physical body, it was impossible to be stomped to death in one blow, but Man Jin''s fury was overwhelming. This stomp was the most powerful in his history, unleashing his strength to the limit!


    From head to toe, he was crushed into a mass of flesh, stomped deep into the ground, breaking through the abyss.


    Even Man Jin''s four legs were burning fiercely, igniting golden flames.


    The flames gradually spread across his body, turning him into a burning giant elephant.


    Tie Niu, seeing his brother fall, didn''t have time to grieve before he saw the fiery body charging at him, rapidly enlarging in his pupils.


    A question floated in his mind.


    "What kind of demonic beast is this?"


    Tie Niu''s eyes were filled with terror. This feeling was completely different from facing Man Jin before, as if it were a different demonic beast.


    This time, Xu Hei''s True Qi was down to twenty percent, unable to use the Black Dragon Pagoda to block.


    But Man Jin''s stomp still landed solidly. Although Tie Niu dodged most of it, he was hit by the aftermath, losing half of his body.


    Such terrifying power was truly frightening.


    Tie Niu suppressed his injuries, flashed to Tie Xiong''s corpse, and with a grasp, pulled the token into his hand.


    "Senior, save me! Why don''t you come out?"


    Tie Niu screamed miserably.


    But the token remained motionless, with no response.


    Man Jin roared and charged again, clearly in a desperate stance.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, the token flew out, into the sky, and was caught by a figure.


    At this moment, the world fell silent.


    All humans and demonic beasts stopped, countless eyes all looking towards the sky, at the figure that had appeared unnoticed.


    It was an ordinary-looking youth, wearing a green robe, with slightly rough skin.


    He looked just like a mortal, with no detectable presence.


    But this eerie scene sent chills down everyone''s spine.


    This was definitely a peerless powerhouse!


    Xu Hei instinctively wanted to use the Small Teleportation Talisman to escape or immediately merge with the Black Dragon Pagoda, but his instincts sensed no danger.


    At this moment, the green-robed youth stared at the token in his hand and said calmly, "Will you come out yourself, or shall I find you?"


    The ancient voice coming from a youth''s mouth was extremely bizarre.


    As the words fell.


    A middle-aged phantom floated out from the token, clasped his hands, and quickly solidified.


    This scene was just like when Yin Mingzi took out the token and Qin Xuanji appeared.


    Xu Hei had seen similar situations before. The communication jade slip in Li Yang''s storage bag worked like this, seemingly using a method to attach Divine Sense to the jade slip, turning it into a physical form.


    But this Qin Xuanji was clearly more advanced, almost equivalent to an External Incarnation.


    Such a method couldn''t even be detected by a jade disk, making it impossible to guard against.


    "Junior Qin Xuanji, greets the Demon Lord!"


    Facing this youth, Qin Xuanji, the Grand Elder of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, bowed deeply, performing the courtesy of a junior.


    As this scene unfolded, the entire place fell into a deathly silence, where even a pin drop could be heard.

 Chapter 156: Ancient cultivator, practicing in secrecy

    Chapter 156: Ancient cultivator, practicing in secrecy"Who is the Demon Lord?"


    "What kind of cultivation does this person have to make Qin Xuanji address him as a junior?"


    Everyone''s minds buzzed, their hearts stirred by waves of shock.


    Qin Xuanji, the most talented individual of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, an unparalleled Chosen not seen in a millennium, invincible within the Core Formation Stage.


    Even the Elemental Infant ancestor of the Chu Kingdom couldn''t kill him and had to retreat.


    For someone to make Qin Xuanji pay respects, what level of cultivation does this youth possess?!


    "Back then, the Divine Puppet Sect made a vow with me to never set foot here again. Have you forgotten?" The Demon Lord looked at the person before him, seemingly assessing.


    Qin Xuanji slightly bowed, neither humble nor arrogant, "I respect the ancestors and seniors, hence my true self did not come. But as a cultivator, we go against the heavens, how could we be bound by some old rules?"


    His words were not arrogant but heartfelt.


    In the entire Heavenly Puppet Sect, only he dared to face the Demon Lord''s reputation and come to this place.


    The Demon Lord remained expressionless, coldly saying, "Sounds nice, but aren''t you just testing my limits?"


    "Let me make it clear to you now, I don''t care what kind of avatars, puppets, or external incarnations you use, as long as they belong to the Divine Puppet Sect, they should not appear within the Wu Mountain range. Today, consider this a lesson."


    He opened his mouth and sucked in, pulling Qin Xuanji''s figure towards him.


    Suddenly, Qin Xuanji''s eyes flared with ghostly fire, breaking free from the constraints, his body igniting and quickly dissipating into smoke.


    "Extreme Realm?"


    The Demon Lord''s eyes flashed with a hint of surprise, murmuring, "This person is indeed extraordinary, no wonder he has such confidence."


    Extreme Realm represents the ultimate power within a certain realm.


    For example, Xu Hei possesses the Extreme Realm of the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    The Demon Lord thought that in this era of thin Spiritual Qi, the Extreme Realm would be very rare, yet he encountered one as soon as he emerged.


    The Demon Lord picked up the token and coldly spoke into it, "Defying the heavens? You were hiding from me just now, which shows fear and trepidation, yet you talk about defying the heavens!"


    These words, transmitted through Qin Xuanji''s token, crossed an endless distance and echoed in Qin Xuanji''s mind.


    This would become Qin Xuanji''s inner demon.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Jiangling, the capital city of the Chu Kingdom.


    In a quiet room, Qin Xuanji sat on a prayer mat, suddenly opening his eyes, the voice from earlier reverberating in his mind.


    "Good, this tribulation comes at the right time!"


    Qin Xuanji was not panicked; instead, he was very calm, "As long as I overcome this tribulation, I can form my Elemental Infant!"


    He, the strongest Core Formation in the history of the Qin Kingdom, and also the youngest.


    He respects neither heaven nor earth, neither ghosts nor gods, nor ancestors. Even when facing the Elemental Infant ancestor of the Chu Kingdom, he is fearless.


    But the moment the Demon Lord appeared, he felt a deep sense of powerlessness, like an ant.


    ¡ªDivine Transformation Stage!


    This was the first time in Qin Xuanji''s life facing the Divine Transformation Stage, and also the first time he felt fear. However, as long as he crossed this hurdle, the world would be wide open.


    "You''ve seen the Demon Lord, how did it go?"


    A voice came from the void ahead, belonging to the Elemental Infant ancestor of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    "The Demon Lord is not dead, and now appears in a youthful form."


    Qin Xuanji spoke to the void ahead.


    The voice was silent for a long time before asking, "Qin Xuanji, do you believe anyone or any demonic beast could survive from ancient times to the present?"


    Qin Xuanji shook his head, "I don''t believe it."


    Elemental Infant cultivators have a lifespan of over a thousand years.


    The Divine Transformation Stage can reach up to three thousand years.


    Even so, it''s still too far from ancient times.


    "Then what do you think the Demon Lord is?" the old voice asked again.


    Qin Xuanji was silent for a moment before decisively saying, "He is practicing in a way that deceives the heavens."


    A cultivator''s lifespan is limited by the laws of the heavens, and they cannot live indefinitely. Even defying the heavens won''t work; only by deceiving the heavens can they avoid its scrutiny.


    "That''s a good guess."


    A figure appeared, the Elemental Infant ancestor walked up to him, solemnly saying, "The day you unravel the mystery of the Demon Lord will be the day you form your Elemental Infant."


    "By then, no matter how the Demon Lord deceives the heavens, he won''t be able to hide."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Wild Giant Elephant Tribe.


    With Qin Xuanji''s disappearance, the Iron Mountain Sect''s momentum was gone.


    The Demon Lord didn''t even glance at them, leaving directly.


    It was as if his appearance was merely to counterbalance the Heavenly Puppet Sect, indifferent to everything else.


    Xu Hei let out a sigh of relief, truly afraid that the Demon Lord would notice him, as he had too many secrets.


    Tie Niu''s eyes flickered, trying to slip away, but Man Jin gave him no chance, crushing him like a mountain, completely obliterating him.


    The remaining members of the Iron Mountain Sect were swiftly defeated by the combined efforts of Xu Hei, Xiao Chou, and the elephant herd, leaving none alive.


    Xu Hei wasted no time, using the Soul-absorbing Flag to draw in all their souls, allowing the snake spirit to devour them.


    Thus, the Iron Mountain Sect, which was supposed to replace the Mountain Movers Sect, perished halfway before it even began.


    Man Jin''s burning flames extinguished as he walked up to Xu Hei, weakly saying, "Brother Xu, I owe you a great favor again, I..."


    Before he could finish, his body swayed and fell to the ground.


    Man Jin''s body rapidly shrank, the massive mountain-like figure deflating like a punctured balloon, visibly shrinking, even his life force rapidly waning.


    "Chieftain!"


    "Big brother!"


    Cries of alarm came from the surrounding elephants, who gathered around, extremely anxious.


    Without a word, Xu Hei immediately took out a pill and administered it to him, giving him three in succession before Man Jin''s aura stabilized, no longer declining.


    "He''s too severely injured, his life force greatly depleted, he needs rest," Xu Hei said solemnly.


    To kill two Core Formation cultivators, Man Jin had exerted all his strength, burning his life force at a heavy cost.


    The elephant herd fell into silence.


    This time, they suffered great losses, with their leader unconscious and many elite tribesmen dead or wounded.


    The silver lining was that their children were unharmed.


    Xu Hei''s warning was crucial for them.


    "We cannot repay Senior Xu''s kindness."


    An old elephant was moved to tears.


    All the elephants bowed to Xu Hei.


    Such kindness cannot be expressed in words; it''s no exaggeration to say that in the future, they would be willing to go through fire and water for Xu Hei.


    At this moment, the lion pack led by the Purple Lightning Lion King arrived belatedly.


    "Damn it! I was trapped by a formation, only just arriving now," the Purple Lightning Lion King cursed.


    Xu Hei was not surprised by this; Qin Xuanji''s arrangements would certainly have also stalled the Purple Lightning Lion King, otherwise, he wouldn''t have been lured in.


    Xu Hei held no grudge.


    Ultimately, it was about strength!


    If not for the Demon Lord''s sudden intervention, Xu Hei didn''t know what kind of situation he would have faced.


    Qin Xuanji was too powerful, the strongest Core Formation cultivator he had ever seen, capable of making a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator cough up blood with just a glance, terrifyingly strong.


    The only methods Xu Hei could think of were using eight Small Teleportation Talismans or merging with the Black Dragon Pagoda, and whether he could escape would purely depend on luck.


    "Lei Meng, you need not blame yourself; this was a conspiracy against me."


    Xu Hei briefly explained what had happened. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What do you mean against you? This was clearly against all of us demonic beasts!"


    The Purple Lightning Lion King was furious.


    With his fiery temper, he wished to destroy another city, but now he was powerless to do so. Impulsiveness does not mean courting death.


    "The Heavenly Puppet Sect being targeted by the Demon Lord likely means they won''t dare to come again. Do you still plan to move thousands of miles away?" Xu Hei asked.


    The Purple Lightning Lion King pondered for a long time before sighing.


    "The Heavenly Puppet Sect may not come, but they can send others. The major sects in the Qin Kingdom, like this Iron Mountain Sect, are as numerous as cattle, not to mention the super families like the Bai Family."


    "We are too weak to challenge them."


    The Purple Lightning Lion King looked at the unconscious Man Jin, thought of his own situation, and could only swallow this bitter pill.


    They couldn''t rely on the Demon Lord for everything. The Wu Mountain Range was vast and endless, with countless demon clans; the Demon Lord couldn''t possibly look after them individually.


    Frankly, they were insignificant among the demon clans.


    No one could fathom the Demon Lord''s intentions.


    "Senior Lei Meng, if you don''t mind, why not settle here? Our Wild Giant Elephant Tribe welcomes you," an old elephant suggested.

 Chapter 157: Excavation of the large tomb, split up and take action

    Chapter 157: Excavation of the large tomb, split up and take actionLei Meng was taken aback as he surveyed the surroundings.


    This place was situated on a plain, rich in vegetation and teeming with demonic beasts. With hot springs throughout the seasons, it was a rare treasure land; otherwise, the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe would not have chosen to reside here.


    "Our Lion Tribe are predators by nature, bloodthirsty and a threat to your offspring. Even if our Foundation Establishment Stage members can control themselves, the young cubs cannot be disciplined," Lei Meng said truthfully.


    Living together, the Elephant Tribe and the Lion Tribe would inevitably clash, even if the leaders did not. The younger generations were bound to fight, leading to conflicts sooner or later.


    They were not human and could not educate their offspring to be cultured and reasonable.


    Friendliness? Peace? Such traits, if cultivated among young lions, would eventually lead to their natural elimination.


    The elephants exchanged glances and could only sigh helplessly.


    "However, we can live nearby and help keep watch. If any human cultivators dare to come, I will intervene," Lei Meng added.


    "Thank you, Senior Lei Meng!" the elephants all bowed in gratitude.


    ...


    Xu Hei and Xiao Chou stayed here as well, choosing to settle down.


    For Xiao Chou, a human, the Elephant Tribe was reasonable, knowing he was Xu Hei''s friend and had helped them earlier. They treated him as an honored guest. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei carved out a cave dwelling and began to inventory the spoils from the recent battle.


    "Mountain-Covering Mud, a mid-grade third-tier Spiritual Treasure!"


    Xu Hei looked at the small, palm-sized lump of soft mud before him, highly malleable.


    Yet this unassuming item could expand a thousandfold, with its weight increasing infinitely.


    Xu Hei spent an hour refining it, understanding its effects and principles.


    "So that''s how it is. Once activated, this item can automatically absorb earth-element True Qi from the heavens and earth, gathering nearby sand and dust from the air, growing larger and increasing gravity. It''s truly the bane of large demonic beasts," Xu Hei mused.


    This lump of mud could also change shape at will, allowing him to mold it into a shield for disguise.


    Similarly, it could be used for defense, wrapping around oneself to reduce external damage.


    Xu Hei tried to activate it and found that while it consumed a lot of energy, it was much more economical than other third-tier magical treasures, likely due to his Earth Spiritual Roots.


    "An earth-element magical treasure, useful for me!"


    Xu Hei stored it in his Void Stone.


    Besides the Mountain-Covering Mud, there were some defensive magical treasures, but most had been crushed by Man Jin''s foot.


    The remaining treasures were few.


    He acquired the chains used by Tie Niu and the fork used by Tie Xiong, both low-grade third-tier Spiritual Treasures.


    These two weapons were of no use to Xu Hei, so he planned to sell them.


    What surprised Xu Hei the most was that the Iron Mountain Sect members collectively had about one hundred thousand Spirit Stones in reserve, including over forty high-grade Spirit Stones.


    "So many high-grade Spirit Stones!"


    Seeing so many high-grade Spirit Stones, Xu Hei''s heart burned with excitement.


    He took out all the square high-grade Spirit Stones, totaling sixty-seven pieces.


    "I wonder if I can obtain another dragon clan secret technique."


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei swallowed the high-grade Spirit Stones one by one, moving to the Demon God Cauldron, where they were absorbed by the true dragon statue.


    One, two, three... ten, twenty...


    Last time, it only took ten Spirit Stones to obtain the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique.


    This time, even after fifty pieces, nothing appeared.


    Soon, Xu Hei''s sixty-seven high-grade Spirit Stones were completely absorbed, and no secret technique emerged.


    "Still short by thirty-three; it seems I need to gather a hundred pieces!"


    Xu Hei had a strong premonition.


    He calculated the resources he currently had.


    Ordinary Spirit Stones totaled two hundred thousand.


    Usable third-tier magical treasures included the Black Dragon Pagoda, Mountain-Covering Mud, and the Soul-absorbing Flag.


    However, the Jiao Python within the Soul-absorbing Flag was severely injured. Xu Hei had absorbed many souls into it, allowing it to slowly devour and heal, but it would take some time.


    As consumables, he had eight Small Teleportation Talismans, an unknown gray talisman, and an ordinary Thunder Tribulation Pearl.


    For flying swords, he had the Spirit-Breaking Sword, Heaven-Burning Sword, and Ice Soul Sword, all made of ivory. Xu Hei could simultaneously wield three swords, wreaking havoc within the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    As for puppets, Xu Hei had used most of them. He had just collected a batch of corpses but hadn''t had time to refine them.


    "What if I refine these Iron Mountain Sect members into puppets?" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    The Iron Mountain Sect specialized in body refining techniques, with tough physical bodies covered in iron skin, making them excellent puppet materials.


    Even as corpses, they were extremely sturdy, resistant to ordinary blades and swords.


    "Let''s do it!"


    Xu Hei immediately took out the corpses and piled them together.


    He looked at the corpses, ready to refine one, when a brilliant idea struck him.


    "Why should I refine them one by one? Why not combine these corpses into a single flesh giant?" Xu Hei pondered.


    His Earth Puppet Art could only refine puppets up to the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Therefore, he couldn''t utilize the corpses of Tie Niu and Tie Xiong.


    But the other corpses could be combined and stitched into a super Foundation Establishment puppet.


    Its strength would be at the Foundation Establishment Stage, but it would be extremely durable, nearly indestructible, with enough flesh to take on a hundred foes. The scene would be spectacular.


    No sooner said than done!


    Xu Hei immediately piled all the corpses together, releasing the Spirit Body Thread to begin this grand project.


    ...


    While Xu Hei was in seclusion.


    The four major sects began their excavation of the ancient relic.


    It was a deep canyon, with the entrance to the relic in the middle, through a tunnel leading underground.


    The tunnel was bottomless, blocking all detection, with only visible black smoke wafting out.


    This was Yin Sha Qi, extremely dense yin energy.


    It indicated that countless corpses lay within!


    There were signs of previous excavation, suggesting others had been here before and retrieved some items.


    "According to that bounty hunter, their team had a Qi Condensation leader and thirteen members in total, but they were all wiped out, with only him surviving," Yin Mingzi said solemnly.


    "Everyone, should we enter together or split up?"


    He looked at the group behind him.


    Their team was naturally more luxurious than Han Te''s, capable of splitting into several groups for exploration.


    The Carefree Sect''s patriarch, Li Yao, was severely injured and had not yet recovered. After a moment of silence, he said, "Perhaps... we should split up."


    He no longer wished to explore any relics, only to preserve his life. His words were also an excuse.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, a stream of Yin Sha Qi shot out from the tunnel, and the patriarch''s head flew off.


    Everyone''s faces changed dramatically, summoning protective magical treasures as if facing a formidable enemy.


    However, nothing happened.


    The tunnel remained unfathomably deep, calm as usual, except for Li Yao''s missing head, with no other changes.


    "Hehehe..."


    At that moment, Li Yao''s head suddenly emitted a sinister laugh, with a strange smile, and flew into the tunnel, disappearing from sight.

 Chapter 158: Ruins appear in the world, gathering from all directions

    Chapter 158: Ruins appear in the world, gathering from all directionsThe crowd''s faces were pale, not daring to make a sound.


    They split up, truly split up.


    "Everyone, disperse!" Yin Mingzi shouted.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    Without hesitation, the crowd quickly scattered, spreading throughout the canyon.


    "That was an ancient vengeful spirit. As long as there are too many people and the Yang energy is strong, it will attract such entities. Plus, Li Yao was severely injured and weak, which allowed the spirit to succeed!"


    The cultivation technique Yin Mingzi practiced was the Yin Ming Art from the Snake Catchers Sect. This sinister art was extremely sensitive, and he immediately identified the problem.


    "We need to split into multiple small teams, each with no more than ten people," Yin Mingzi said solemnly.


    After arrangements were made, everyone gradually dispersed, forming small teams and entering the tunnels one by one.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Three days later, the people from the four major sects returned in disarray.


    Their numbers were halved, with two Core Formation Stage cultivators fallen.


    However, they did bring back some ancient relics according to Han Te''s map. Despite the heavy losses, it wasn''t a complete failure.


    At least they gained more understanding of the situation inside the relic, allowing them to avoid danger as much as possible next time.


    At the same time, the map of the ancient relic spread like a storm across the Southern Region.


    Not only in the Southern Region, but it also spread throughout the country, even reaching the southern bank of the Yanluo River, becoming widely circulated.


    This map, initially bought by Xu Hei for five thousand spirit stones, now seemed to be everywhere, almost everyone had a copy.


    For a time, the whole country was in an uproar.


    Countless people formed teams and rushed to the Wu Mountain Range to explore the relic.


    The four major sects did not stop the people coming from all over the country, nor could they. The danger level of that relic far exceeded their imagination.


    It wasn''t a treasure trove filled with riches, but a perilous place that devoured people!


    Rather than risking themselves, they let these passersby probe the area, possibly reducing some losses.


    However, while everyone was heading to the Wu Mountain Range, one sect remained indifferent.


    ¡ªThe Heavenly Puppet Sect!


    Whether disciples or elders, they were given strict orders not to approach the Wu Mountain area.


    They only sent some subordinate sects and families to investigate, but not a single person from their own sect went, causing experts from various factions to speculate on the reason.


    Over time, more and more human cultivators gathered in Wu Mountain.


    In the sky, Core Formation Stage cultivators could occasionally be seen leading teams, sweeping across from high above.


    Initially, the nearby Demon Clan was furious, but gradually, they became accustomed to it.


    Eventually, human cultivators even established a small base within Wu Mountain for information exchange and magical treasure trading.


    Everything was in service of exploring this relic.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time flew by.


    Unknowingly, a month had passed.


    In the Wild Giant Elephant Tribe, Xu Hei''s seclusion was finally nearing its end.


    This was the longest he had ever spent crafting a puppet.


    "Finally... it''s done!"


    Xu Hei let out a long breath.


    Before him stood a three-meter-tall giant puppet.


    Its bloated body, steel-like limbs, and that bizarrely large head provided a strong visual impact.


    On the head were ten human faces, with over twenty eyes scattered in various directions, facial features twisted together like an ancient demon.


    This was Xu Hei''s masterpiece after a month of work.


    He was certain that the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s puppet techniques did not include the method to create this, because it was Xu Hei''s own creation! It had drained all his creativity.


    He repeatedly disassembled and reassembled corpses, failing over a dozen times, even using Tie Xiong''s body, yet still failing.


    Finally, it was only after injecting a Transformation Pill into the body that he began to see results.


    This thing appeared to be a single person, but in reality, it was the amalgamation of thirty people.


    For instance, the arms appeared to be only two, but inside, there were dozens more, ready to grow back immediately if severed, and the body was covered in various twisted faces.


    Such a monster, just by its appearance, could scare a group of people to death!


    If the Heavenly Puppet Sect knew that someone had used puppet techniques to create such a thing, who knows what they would think.


    "Let''s test its strength." S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei willed it to move.


    The giant took a step forward, charging ahead like a cannonball, producing a booming sound as it swung its iron fist, striking the stone wall ahead.


    "Boom!!"


    The underground cave dwelling instantly collapsed, the tremor spreading for a thousand meters, like an earthquake.


    Xu Hei gasped.


    This physical body, this strength, this speed, it was the most perfect puppet Xu Hei had ever seen!


    Xu Hei used the Spirit Devouring Sword to cut the puppet, only managing to make small wounds that healed in seconds.


    It also had astonishing regenerative power!


    Even if its limbs were severed, they could grow back immediately.


    Xu Hei was certain that this thing wasn''t a match for a Core Formation Stage cultivator, but it wouldn''t be easy for a Core Formation Stage to deal with it either.


    Its size was somewhat large, even after he had compressed it as much as possible.


    "This puppet shall be called the Butcher, the butcher that slaughters people!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Inside the Butcher was a small space specifically for storing Xu Hei''s main body.


    Xu Hei immediately cut open a hole and climbed inside, the opening quickly sealing shut.


    The Butcher donned a sealed helmet, covering its face, and then put on a set of heavy knight armor, covering itself completely.


    This set of armor was also something Xu Hei crafted on a whim.


    He controlled the Butcher and walked out of the collapsed underground cave.


    At this moment, the entire Wild Giant Elephant Tribe was present.


    Due to the frequent human activity, the Elephant Tribe dared not venture out casually, lest they be targeted and killed by humans.


    The Lion Tribe was the same, staying close by to provide support at any time.


    Xu Hei walked around and was surprised to find that even the Snake Tribe had come nearby, seemingly intending to band together.


    "Senior, your body..."


    Xiao Chou was drawn by the commotion and, seeing Xu Hei''s massive form, looked astonished.


    Although he couldn''t see his appearance, the oppressive feeling from this body was stronger than ever, with a trace of Yin Sha Qi, like a fierce and evil demon, making Xiao Chou''s face turn pale.


    "This is my new identity. From now on, call me the Butcher."


    Xu Hei controlled the puppet, its mouth opening and closing, producing a muffled voice.


    "Yes!" Xiao Chou nodded.


    "By the way, tell me about the situation over the past month."


    Xu Hei sensed changes in the outside world and inquired.


    "It''s like this, deep in Wu Mountain, someone discovered an ancient relic..."


    Xiao Chou explained truthfully, "The map has spread everywhere, and people from all over the country have come, not just from the Southern Region. It''s said that people from the Eastern Region, Western Region, and even the Qin Kingdom have arrived."


    "So many people?" Xu Hei was stunned.


    Logically, Qin Xuanji had cleared the area for thousands of miles, intending to monopolize it, but it ended up attracting cultivators from all over.


    This situation was beyond Xu Hei''s expectations.


    "That relic was initially very dangerous, with people dying as soon as they entered, but over the past month, it''s been mostly cleared, and many treasures have been retrieved. Even the Chu Tian Alliance is interested in taking a look," Xiao Chou continued.

 Chapter 159: Cultivator Town, Professional Ethics

    Chapter 159: Cultivator Town, Professional EthicsThe Chu Tian Alliance, now considered a band of rebels and traitors, was responsible for the destruction of the Mountain Movers Sect.


    "Have you been to that relic?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Not yet," Xiao Chou shook his head, "but those who have been there have summarized a few ironclad rules."


    "First, you can''t gather too many people, or you''ll attract ancient vengeful spirits looking to snatch bodies."


    "Second, you can''t have too few people either. There''s an illusory forest inside that causes hallucinations at irregular intervals. You need companions to wake you up; you can''t get through alone."


    "Third, you need at least one Core Formation Stage leader. Their cultivation level shouldn''t be too high, or they''ll attract ancient corpse puppets, but they can''t be too weak either..."


    Xiao Chou went on to explain a host of precautions for the relic.


    Although Xu Hei hadn''t been there, he could sense the perilous nature of the relic just from Xiao Chou''s description.


    Moreover, he had a vague feeling that the relic didn''t seem naturally formed; there were traces of human arrangement.


    "There are eighteen known dangers in the relic, each potentially fatal, but there are also many treasures. It''s even rumored that there''s a Longevity Pill inside, which can extend life by sixty years with just one pill," Xiao Chou continued.


    "A Longevity Pill, sixty years..."


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted.


    It''s important to know that Foundation Establishment cultivators can only live for two hundred years, and those in the Core Formation Stage, five hundred years. An extra sixty years of life could rejuvenate an old monster at the end of their lifespan, making countless people willing to risk their lives.


    "Where did this information come from? Is it reliable?" Xu Hei asked urgently.


    Whether it was the risks in the relic or the Longevity Pill, the value of the information was beyond imagination, and he didn''t think Xiao Chou could have obtained it himself.


    "The information came from the Chu Tian Alliance. The dangers are absolutely true, but the Longevity Pill is just something someone claimed to have seen, not very certain," Xiao Chou replied.


    Xu Hei nodded heavily.


    No matter what, he had to go this time.


    He had the old ape''s key and that ancient token, both pointing to this relic, and he had various life-saving items. There was no reason not to take the risk.


    "Give me a day to prepare, and we''ll set off tomorrow," Xu Hei said.


    ...


    Next, Xu Hei went to check on Man Jin.


    A month had passed, and Man Jin had already awakened. Although his body was still weak and his Golden Core was only half its previous size, he was in much better shape than a month ago.


    "Brother Xu, you''ve helped me a lot this time, I..." Man Jin didn''t know what to say.


    "We''re brothers, no need to say such things," Xu Hei said with a faint smile.


    He took out a large number of pills, spiritual fruits, and spiritual herbs, placing them nearby, all beneficial to the Elephant Tribe.


    Then, Xu Hei took out a jade box and handed it over, "Take this, it should help you quickly recover your cultivation."


    Man Jin took it with his nose, opened the jade box, and inside was a fist-sized Golden Core, exuding a rich true essence.


    "This is..." Man Jin was stunned.


    "This is the Golden Core of that human cultivator," Xu Hei said.


    All the spoils of this battle were obtained by Xu Hei alone, and he felt uneasy not sharing any of it.


    Man Jin took a deep breath, didn''t refuse, and accepted the Golden Core, saying solemnly, "Brother Xu, I won''t say anything more. From now on, you''re my blood brother!"


    "I''ll be counting on you," Xu Hei replied with a smile.


    Afterward, Xu Hei made a trip to Myriad Serpent Valley.


    He went to the underground cave dwelling, intending to thank Xu Bai for her Transformation Pill.


    However, to his surprise, Xu Bai was not there.


    The spirit beasts she kept were still there, with plenty of food left, but Xu Bai had disappeared.


    On the ground was a jade slip, which Xu Hei picked up and probed with his Divine Sense.


    "Xu Hei, I''ve found a perfect place for pill refining. I''ve gone ahead. If there''s an emergency, just crush this jade slip."


    It was Xu Bai''s voice.


    Xu Hei shook his head, put the jade slip away, and left the cave dwelling.


    He took out the butcher puppet, entered it, and headed straight for the depths of Wu Mountain.


    ...


    Wu Mountain, shrouded in clouds and mist all year round, had a harsh environment and was rarely visited.


    But now, the place was unprecedentedly lively, with a large number of people coming and going, and a cultivator outpost had been established.


    The outpost was about the size of a small town, with some simple houses and a basic magical array, located a hundred miles from the relic.


    Xu Hei landed in the outpost, like a towering iron tower, causing the ground to shake slightly.


    Immediately, many cultivators looked over, their gazes wary. However, this place had all sorts of strange people, and Xu Hei''s appearance was not unusual.


    Inside the outpost, there were quite a few people, some trading magical treasures, others forming temporary teams, gathering in groups of three or five.


    "A newly released map of the ancient relic, including strategies for all dangerous areas, only five thousand Spirit Stones. You won''t be disappointed, and it''s worth every stone!"


    As soon as Xu Hei entered the outpost, he heard a shout coming from a stall.


    It was a bald old man, with a scraggly beard and only a few sparse purple hairs on the back of his head, his cultivation at the early Core Formation Stage.


    Xu Hei sniffed the air and immediately walked over to the stall.


    "Han Te!" Xu Hei squinted his eyes.


    The bald old man was momentarily stunned and shouted, "What Han Te? Don''t compare me to that shameless scoundrel; he''s just a fraud."


    Xu Hei was noncommittal and asked, "Do you know where Xuan Yangzi is hiding?" S~ea??h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The bald old man''s eyes flickered, and he quickly shook his head, "What Xuan Yangzi? I don''t know..."


    Before he could finish, his voice abruptly stopped.


    Xu Hei had taken out a storage bag and waved it in front of him, his Divine Sense clearly seeing ten thousand Spirit Stones inside.


    "Ahem!" The bald old man coughed twice and changed his tune, "Xuan Yangzi is a client of a friend of mine. A client is like a god, and how could my friend betray a god? He has professional ethics..."


    His voice stopped again.


    This time, Xu Hei took out a second storage bag, another ten thousand Spirit Stones, and waved both bags in front of him.


    The bald old man''s throat moved, and he reached out to grab the storage bag, but Xu Hei pulled it back.


    "Speak first," Xu Hei said coldly.


    Han Te scratched his bald head and slowly said, "I''ve already said, my friend won''t betray a client. No matter how much money you give, it''s useless. Besides, I''ve almost forgotten where Xuan Yangzi is hiding. I need to recall..."


    As he spoke, he turned his head and looked in a certain direction, staring intently without blinking.


    Xu Hei glanced in that direction, immediately understanding, and memorized the location.


    Professional ethics, huh.


    He had to eliminate Xuan Yangzi, but not now. He would wait until he truly had the strength to kill a Core Formation Stage cultivator, with a hundred percent certainty, before making his move.


    Xu Hei tossed a bag of Spirit Stones and said, "You only gave me the direction, not the distance, so I''m only giving you half."


    Han Te quickly grabbed the storage bag and put it away.


    "Dear customer, I didn''t say anything, don''t misunderstand," Han Te emphasized again.


    Xu Hei was speechless at this man''s shamelessness. He didn''t waste any more words and picked up the map from the stall.


    "These Spirit Stones are for buying this map, okay?"


    "Yes, absolutely!" Han Te nodded repeatedly.


    Xu Hei glanced at the map, which contained a lot of information, including the dangers and precautions within the relic, all clearly detailed, just as Xiao Chou had described.


    This reassured Xu Hei.


    It wasn''t that he didn''t trust Xiao Chou, but he didn''t know much about the Chu Tian Alliance, so he needed to gather information from multiple sources. Hence, the map was a must-buy.


    "Thank you, Daoist Han. I wish you prosperity and wealth."


    Xu Hei cupped his hands and turned to leave.


    "Hey! Wait a moment!"


    Han Te quickly stood up and handed over a token, "Dear customer, you''re practically an old client now. This is Han''s membership token. If you have any needs, just infuse your Divine Sense into it, and I''ll arrive as quickly as possible, come rain or shine."


    "Of course, there''s a delivery fee."

 Chapter 160: Ghost Cultivation Kills, Chu Alliance Arrives

    Chapter 160: Ghost Cultivation Kills, Chu Alliance Arrives"An old customer?"


    Xu Hei took the token, surprised, and asked, "Have we traded before?"


    Han Te was momentarily stunned, then chuckled awkwardly, "I was just guessing. You came in asking about Xuan Yangzi, so I thought maybe we knew each other. No offense."


    Xu Hei immediately realized that this person was probing his identity.


    Han Te, while appearing friendly, was actually quite cunning.


    At that moment, a commotion arose in the distance.


    A large group of dark figures rushed over from afar, numbering in the hundreds, moving swiftly with an imposing aura.


    "The people from the Four Great Sects have arrived."


    "And the Bai Family, the Zhou Family too."


    "So many have come!"


    Following the murmurs, familiar figures flew in from the horizon, sweeping across the sky.


    Most of them, Xu Hei had seen before, were those who had fought against the Demon Clan.


    There were also some who didn''t seem local, dressed oddly, likely from the Eastern or Western regions, and fewer in number.


    Xu Hei immediately followed.


    Han Te warned, "Fellow Daoist, following them won''t get you any benefits. Even if you find treasures, they''ll just be taken away. We lone cultivators have no support and can only eat dust."


    "What makes you think I''m a lone cultivator? Can''t I be one of them?" Xu Hei sneered.


    Han Te was momentarily speechless.


    Xu Hei said no more and quickly caught up, arriving at the entrance of the ruins with the crowd.


    Some lone cultivators also arrived, watching from a distance.


    This place was originally a canyon, but one side had been flattened, turning it into an isolated mountain.


    The entrance to the ruins was filled with a terrifying aura, ghostly and chilling, with black mist rising, making one''s skin crawl.


    It was Xu Hei''s first time here, and surprisingly, he didn''t feel much fear.


    Yet some bystanders were already pale, sweating on their foreheads.


    "So many have come this time, they must be planning to delve deep inside."


    "If we can get past the corpse puppet formation, we could make a fortune."


    The bystanders whispered, eyes flickering.


    "Let''s go!"


    At this moment, Yin Mingzi took the lead, heading into the tunnel with over fifty people.


    "With so many going in at once, aren''t they afraid of attracting vengeful spirits?" someone wondered.


    Xu Hei noticed a frail old man among them, his body withered, life hanging by a thread, like a dead man, yet his cultivation was unfathomable, beyond Xu Hei''s perception.


    The sense of danger from him was even stronger than from Yin Mingzi.


    At least at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation.


    Just then, a stream of Yin Sha Qi rushed out from the tunnel, heading straight for the frail old man.


    "Perfect timing!"


    The frail old man''s eyes suddenly snapped open, and he inhaled, sucking the Yin Sha Qi directly into his mouth. He tapped his forehead, and black smoke billowed from his seven orifices.


    "Swallowing vengeful spirits?!"


    The crowd exclaimed in shock.


    Daring to swallow such a sinister thing as a vengeful spirit, isn''t that courting death?


    But then someone realized that the old man was clearly a dying person.


    "I understand now, this person is a ghost cultivator, able to use his body as a vessel to absorb vengeful spirits," an old cultivator exclaimed.


    Ghost cultivators, rare and of the demonic path, live by devouring these sinister entities.


    However, ghost cultivators often suffer mental issues, easily going mad, and over time, they too become vengeful spirits.


    "Thirteenth Ancestor, how do you feel?" Yin Mingzi asked.


    "Excellent! These vengeful spirits are a great supplement for me, allowing me to make a few more moves," the Thirteenth Ancestor replied calmly, showing no discomfort.


    At this moment, deathly aura emanated from his seven orifices, making him neither human nor ghost, yet his presence was stronger than before. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No time to waste, let''s move!"


    Yin Mingzi led the way into the tunnel, followed by the crowd.


    First the Four Great Sects, then the Bai and Zhou Families of the Qin Kingdom, forming an alliance.


    Along the way, another vengeful spirit was devoured by the Thirteenth Ancestor, further boosting his aura.


    The Thirteenth Ancestor stood at the back, glanced at the hesitant lone cultivators, and smiled, "The vengeful spirits have been cleared by me. You may all enter and seek your fortunes as you wish."


    With that, he entered the tunnel, ignoring the crowd.


    The lone cultivators breathed a sigh of relief, forming small teams to enter the tunnel one after another.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, but he didn''t rush in, instead waiting at the entrance.


    The next moment, a sudden, piercing scream echoed from within.


    "Ahhh!!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor suddenly turned, spewing a thick black mist towards the lone cultivators.


    The two cultivators at the front were touched by the black mist, their flesh melting away, leaving only skeletons. One of them even had a False Core cultivation, but was gone in an instant, unable to even draw a magical treasure.


    "Not good, run!"


    "That old bastard tricked us!"


    The crowd was terrified, retreating in panic, but the black mist spread rapidly, engulfing several more, their flesh disappearing, leaving only bones.


    Xu Hei''s face changed drastically, and he hurriedly retreated.


    He had suspected that the Snake Catchers Sect''s grand setup, bringing out an old ancestor, was up to no good, and he was right.


    Soon, the tunnel was cleared, and all the lone cultivators who entered became skeletons, their souls sucked into the old man''s mouth.


    The crowd retreated outside, their faces grim, seething with anger.


    The Thirteenth Ancestor stood in the tunnel, eyes cold, a cruel smile on his lips, black mist swirling around him like a corpse.


    "You really came in when I let you!"


    "This place is reserved by my Snake Catchers Sect. If you know what''s good for you, leave now, or I''ll come out and start a massacre!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor took a probing step outside, and the crowd retreated in fear.


    Among the lone cultivators, a Core Formation stage cultivator wanted to speak, but seeing that gaze, he trembled and lowered his head, knowing that one more word might turn him into a skeleton too.


    Such dominance from the Snake Catchers Sect!


    But no one dared to stand up for justice, such was the intimidation brought by power.


    Xu Hei''s face was dark; with that old dog guarding the entrance, it was hard to get in.


    Earth Escape Technique?


    He had tried it before; the tunnel had a strong barrier, preventing spells and even divine sense from penetrating, leaving only walking as an option.


    "Hmph! Such arrogance, I want to see how your Snake Catchers Sect stops the world!"


    Suddenly, a figure swept in from afar, dressed in a scholar''s robe, but unkempt, with a face full of stubble.


    Everyone looked over.


    The newcomer was Xu Qingfeng, a Core Formation cultivator from the Chu Tian Alliance.


    The Thirteenth Ancestor squinted his eyes, slowly raising his withered hand.


    "You, a half-buried corpse, should be lying in a grave, yet you dare to wreak havoc in the world. Today, I shall vanquish evil and slay you, vile creature!"


    Xu Qingfeng took out a scroll, the one he hadn''t had a chance to open last time, exuding a powerful aura, a righteous energy that strongly suppressed evil.


    "Whoosh!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor vanished instantly, his whereabouts unknown.

 Chapter 161: Strange Puppet, Zhou Familys Legitimate Daughter

    Chapter 161: Strange Puppet, Zhou Family''s Legitimate Daughter"Vanished."


    Xu Hei was momentarily stunned. He had thought that old ghost was gearing up for a fight, but he fled so quickly.


    What kind of magical treasure was that scroll in Xu Qingfeng''s hand? Its deterrent power was immense.


    After Xu Qingfeng arrived, more familiar faces gradually appeared.


    Demon Monk Ku Xuan, Silver-haired Witch, Demon Man Zhang Tie.


    Little Overlord Xiang Fei didn''t come, but there was a young Taoist, with a tortoise shell and compass hanging from his waist, looking extremely familiar.


    Xu Hei stared for a long time and suddenly realized that this person was Zhao Wenzhuo!


    This disciple of the Snake Catchers Sect had joined the Chu Tian Alliance?


    Xiao Chou also came over but didn''t stand with them. Instead, he disguised himself as a rogue cultivator, mingling with the crowd.


    "Everyone, our Chu Tian Alliance promises that whatever you gain within the relics, we will not take a single thing by force! But when facing the Qin Kingdom''s lackeys, we hope you can lend a hand."


    Xu Qingfeng looked around, cupping his hands.


    The rogue cultivators exchanged glances and cupped their hands in succession: "Of course!"


    "Elder Xu, you''re too polite!"


    "I''ve been annoyed with them for a long time! Let''s take them down!"


    Each rogue cultivator expressed their support.


    At least on the surface, they had to support the Chu Tian Alliance, as it had helped them.


    Everyone knew Xu Qingfeng, the former enforcement elder of the Astrology Bureau, known for his integrity and uprightness, a breath of fresh air in the bureau.


    No one could match his standards, but no one looked down on him either.


    The only criticism was his tendency to label people, often with just a single word.


    "Let''s go!"


    Xu Qingfeng led the way, followed by the other four members of the Chu Tian Alliance.


    The rogue cultivators, no longer hesitant, filed in.


    Xu Hei chose a middle position, neither too far back nor too far forward.


    It was a narrow tunnel leading deep underground. Upon entering, a chill struck his chest, and his divine sense was compressed to a very small range.


    Xu Hei''s divine sense could only extend about a hundred meters, indicating how limited others would be.


    However, Xu Hei felt not discomfort but rather at ease in this environment.


    Snakes love the dark, and this was exactly to his liking.


    After traversing about a thousand feet, the space suddenly opened up, and they arrived at an underground circular plaza.


    This place was flat and spacious, with traces of battle, but these traces were slowly repairing themselves.


    "It can even self-repair."


    Xu Hei stared at a sword mark on the ground, lost in thought.


    Here, one had to be cautious, as corpse puppets could appear at any time, the stronger the cultivation, the stronger the corpse puppets attracted.


    This is why one''s cultivation shouldn''t be too low or too high.


    Vengeful spirits would also occasionally emerge, so gathering in one place was not advisable.


    In front of the circular plaza, there were three paths, all explored by others. Although the entrances were different, they all led to the same location. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first path was rich in magical treasures.


    The second path was abundant with pills.


    The third path had spiritual liquid pools, but the yin energy was so heavy that it was hard to absorb.


    Each path contained various dangers, such as the Illusionary Forest in the second path.


    Zhao Wenzhuo took out his compass, calculated with his fingers, and said, "They''ve split into three groups, with at least two Core Formation Stage cultivators on each path. The ghost cultivator and Yin Mingzi went to the third path."


    Zhang Tie thought for a moment and said, "Let''s go to the middle, the second path. It''s said someone saw a Longevity Pill there, and I want to try my luck."


    Everyone nodded in agreement and entered the second path.


    The rogue cultivators dispersed, heading to different paths. The second path attracted the most people, as pills were more enticing.


    Xu Hei pondered briefly and decided to explore each path, not wanting to miss any details.


    He immediately entered the first path.


    In an instant, his vision changed dramatically, and white light illuminated the path ahead. Xu Hei could see glowing metallic substances embedded in the stone walls on either side.


    There were also many fragments of magical treasures scattered around.


    "Are these remnants of ancient magical treasures?"


    Xu Hei picked up a fragment.


    He continued forward, the path seemingly endless, with some cave dwellings on either side, all looted, and remnants of battles.


    Xu Hei decided not to proceed further and planned to return to the second path.


    Suddenly, the sound of fierce fighting came from ahead, and two figures approached rapidly: a metal puppet was chasing a female human cultivator.


    The puppet and the woman were surprisingly evenly matched, both at the late Foundation Establishment stage.


    But the woman clearly didn''t want to waste her energy on the puppet, fleeing all the way. Upon seeing Xu Hei, she immediately ran towards him.


    "Fellow Daoist, please lend me a hand. I''ve discovered a place with a valuable treasure. If we deal with this puppet, we can share the treasure!"


    Without waiting for Xu Hei''s agreement, she moved closer to him.


    Xu Hei examined the charging puppet. It was unlike any he had seen before, entirely made of metal, with a serrated blade for an arm, continuously rotating and emitting a mechanical roar, seemingly capable of easily shredding flesh.


    "Amazing!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes lit up, admiring the puppet''s weapon like a piece of art.


    As for the woman, he completely ignored her.


    "Help me, Daoist!"


    The female cultivator leaped behind Xu Hei, using him as a shield, while the puppet charged straight at him, swinging its serrated blade to slice him.


    Xu Hei flicked his fingers, and eighteen threads shot out, striking the metal puppet''s joints.


    "Spirit Body Thread!"


    Xu Hei pulled with both hands.


    This move was the bane of puppets; once the threads penetrated the body, they would immediately render it immobile.


    Sure enough, the metal puppet froze instantly, its joints firmly controlled by the Spirit Body Thread, its weapon suspended in mid-air.


    Xu Hei could feel his Spirit Body Thread penetrating the puppet''s interior, connecting with its structure, showing signs of initial control.


    "It seems this ancient relic must be related to the Heavenly Puppet Sect!"


    Xu Hei was secretly convinced.


    The woman behind him reacted quickly. Seeing the puppet controlled, she immediately rushed out, throwing two golden flying swords at the puppet.


    "Get lost!"


    Xu Hei shouted lowly, and a surge of True Qi burst forth, sending the two golden flying swords flying and causing the female cultivator to turn pale and be thrown back, landing to the side.


    "You..."


    The woman was stunned.


    Xu Hei glanced at her, and that look made her shiver. She gritted her teeth and said, "I am Zhou Wenjun, the direct daughter of the Zhou Family from the Myriad Treasure Pavilion. If you follow my orders, I will give you plenty of benefits!"


    The Zhou Family, one of the powerholders of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, was the wealthiest family in the Qin Kingdom, even richer than the Bai Family to some extent.


    Zhou Wenjun was the pride of the Zhou Family, her talent second only to her sister, who had achieved perfect Foundation Establishment, ranking high within the family.


    But what she hadn''t expected was that a single shout from this tall man before her could make her blood boil, almost causing her to spit blood.


    However, she was absolutely confident that once she revealed her identity, the other party would obey her.


    Simply because she was from the Zhou Family.


    "Oh? Zhou Wenjun?"


    Xu Hei''s voice carried a hint of surprise.


    "That''s right! It''s me."


    Zhou Wenjun wasn''t surprised that this person had heard of her. More than eighty percent of the rogue cultivators who came here knew her.


    Xu Hei walked up to her and said, "So, you''re the direct daughter of the Zhou Family. Fine, I can listen to you."


    Zhou Wenjun was instantly delighted.


    "Bang!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei struck, slapping Zhou Wenjun on the head. A surging force penetrated her entire body, and a world-destroying power exploded from the top of her head.


    "Crack!"


    Her protective magical treasure automatically activated, shattering the light shield and sending Xu Hei''s arm flying, but still bursting out a massive blood light, with the faint sound of a skull cracking.

 Chapter 162: Strong hands split the skull, the path of the five elements

    Chapter 162: Strong hands split the skull, the path of the five elementsZhou Wenjun''s face still bore traces of terror and bewilderment, seemingly unable to believe that Xu Hei dared to strike suddenly.


    In the next second, a spatial ripple flashed, and Zhou Wenjun disappeared entirely, but her head was split open, leaving her fate uncertain.


    Xu Hei looked at the blood and bone fragments left on the ground, his brows furrowed.


    He had acted with the fastest speed possible, yet she still managed to escape.


    This Zhou Wenjun, he had never even heard of her, yet she seemed so self-assured, clearly the type who had been pampered and never experienced the treachery of the human heart.


    Xu Hei had simply copied the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect''s tactics, learning and applying them on the spot.


    Despite his poor acting skills and lack of sincerity, the other party still fell for it, showing how foolish she was.


    "My attack just now had some issues."


    "These pampered daughters of heaven have many means of self-preservation. Next time, I need to adopt different methods, like poisoning, so even if she escapes, she still dies."


    Xu Hei pondered, summarizing the lessons from earlier.


    He continued forward, arriving at the place where Han Te had once discovered the mechanism box, only to find it had been thoroughly looted, leaving nothing behind.


    "The first path ends here. Once I''ve refined the puppet, I''ll move on to the next path."


    Xu Hei sat cross-legged in the secret chamber, fully focused on refining the metal puppet.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the entrance of the three-pronged path, in the circular plaza.


    Zhou Wenjun''s figure appeared, her head shattered, body covered in blood, limbs unable to move.


    A jade stone on her chest automatically shattered, releasing a gentle medicinal power into her body, slowly healing her head wound.


    This was the first time she had suffered such severe trauma.


    Even her thoughts were scattered, and it took a long while before she remembered what had happened.


    "I''ll remember you, no matter who you are, today I must kill you!" Sear?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhou Wenjun gritted her teeth in hatred.


    She only acted alone to not fall behind her sister. If she had sought her family''s power, how could she have ended up so miserable? How could she have been severely injured by a nobody?


    "Liu Ruyan, come pick me up immediately!" Zhou Wenjun took out a communication token.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Two days passed.


    The complexity of the metal puppet far exceeded Xu Hei''s expectations. It took him two days to barely refine it.


    "What a complex structure, it''s almost as intricate as my Butcher!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Controlling a finished product was already so difficult; he couldn''t imagine how much time it would take to create one from scratch.


    Additionally, he made an unexpected discovery¡ª


    In the puppet''s abdomen, at the dantian position, there was an empty space, seemingly meant for storing something as an energy source.


    Based on Xu Hei''s knowledge, this led him to a bold hypothesis.


    "That empty space might be for storing a Golden Core. This is a Core Formation Stage puppet, but over time, the Golden Core dissipated, reducing its strength to the late Foundation Establishment Stage," Xu Hei speculated.


    He happened to have a Golden Core in his storage bag, belonging to Tie Xiong.


    If he placed the Golden Core inside, would the puppet''s strength suddenly surge?


    Xu Hei considered trying it but worried that once installed, he might lose control, causing the puppet to go berserk, so he dismissed the idea.


    He then dismantled the puppet''s weapon, spending an hour installing it on his left arm.


    "Activate!"


    With a thought, the saw blade began to spin, emitting the roaring sound of machinery, and he couldn''t help but think of the word "chainsaw," which seemed very fitting.


    "The exploration of the first path ends here, onto the second."


    Xu Hei left the secret chamber, retracing his steps back to the circular plaza, heading straight for the second path.


    Passing through a faint membrane, the space suddenly transformed into a lush green area.


    Ahead was a forest, the ground covered with green vegetation, some of which were medicinal herbs that had grown for countless years, but the area was heavily shrouded in yin energy, deterring ordinary people from picking them.


    This place was also the most frequented by people, with pills scattered everywhere, but the danger lay in the Bewildering Forest, which could randomly cause one to fall unconscious, requiring companions to pass through safely.


    Xu Hei observed briefly and then left.


    The third path was filled with spiritual pools and ponds, a watery area.


    As soon as Xu Hei entered, he saw the withered old man sitting in a pool, breathing in yin energy. His eyes suddenly opened, staring directly at Xu Hei¡ªit was the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    Xu Hei quickly retreated back to the plaza.


    He landed far away, waited for a moment, and seeing that the Thirteenth Ancestor did not pursue, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    That person was likely just cultivating and wouldn''t bother with others.


    "Strange, why do I feel like there aren''t only three paths here?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he carefully observed the positions of the three paths, two on the left and one in the middle, but none on the right, only a stone wall.


    He immediately moved to the stone wall on the right to explore.


    Moments later, he found a small hole, like a keyhole, located at the center of the stone wall.


    "A keyhole?"


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted as he recalled the key, which seemed to match this keyhole.


    Could there be such a coincidence?


    His key could open the mechanism box here, so could it also open this keyhole?


    Xu Hei''s heartbeat gradually quickened. If it could indeed be opened, would a fourth path appear?


    The benefits of the previous three paths had all been reaped, but if a fourth path appeared, what would it be like?


    Xu Hei glanced back; there were quite a few people in the plaza, mostly sitting cross-legged healing, paying no attention to Xu Hei''s actions, as many had explored like him and discovered the small hole.


    Their cultivation levels were all at the Foundation Establishment Stage, with over eighty percent of those entering the ruins being Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    "Hehe, has this fellow Taoist also discovered something? It seems there might be another path on this stone wall?"


    A white-bearded elder looked over, stroked his beard, and said with a smile.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and calmly replied, "What insights does this old gentleman have?"


    The elder''s aura was around the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage, yet he gave off an unfathomable feeling, making Xu Hei wary; this person might be concealing his true cultivation.


    The elder pointed to the first path and said with a smile, "Look at the first path, filled with magical treasures, mechanism puppets, and various metal hidden weapons, representing the metal element of the Five Elements."


    "The second path, covered in greenery and ancient pills, represents the wood element of the Five Elements."


    "And the third path, with many spiritual pools and ponds, represents the water element of the Five Elements."


    "Therefore, there must be paths for the fire and earth elements of the Five Elements, belonging to the other two undiscovered paths."


    Hearing the elder''s explanation, Xu Hei''s pupils contracted, feeling a sense of enlightenment.


    The other scattered cultivators in the plaza also looked over, their faces showing a strange light.


    "Hehe, this isn''t a secret; perhaps someone has already figured it out. I was just mentioning it casually, nothing worth noting," the old Taoist said with a smile.


    Xu Hei''s figure flashed as he continued to explore the stone wall, and indeed, he found a second keyhole in the distance.


    According to the position, this was the earth element of the Five Elements.


    "This elder is not simple, speaking such words openly, what is his intention?"


    Xu Hei remained highly vigilant internally.

 Chapter 163: The Gate of Earth, Zhou Family Pursuit

    Chapter 163: The Gate of Earth, Zhou Family PursuitXu Hei pondered for a moment, cupped his fists, and asked, "May I know your esteemed name, senior?"


    "Don''t call me senior, I''m just an old Taoist wandering the world. You can call me... Tianji Shangren," the old Taoist said with a smile.


    Xu Hei had never heard of this name before.


    However, many people in the square showed a change in expression.


    "Tianji Shangren, the Tianji Shangren from Penglai Island?"


    "I remember now. It''s said that this person is skilled in divination, and even the Qin Kingdom treats him with respect."


    Two cultivators whispered to each other.


    In the Southern Region, the Snake Catchers Sect leads, followed by the Four Great Sects.


    In the Eastern regions, Penglai Island stands alone in power, its mountain gate located on an overseas immortal island, far away and its strength unfathomable. Even the Qin Kingdom has never dared to offend Penglai Island.


    Penglai Island is countless miles away from here, yet someone has managed to come over.


    However, judging by Tianji Shangren''s tone, he seemed to be wandering and just happened to pass by, which is why he came to take a look.


    "So it''s Tianji Shangren, I''ve long admired your name."


    Xu Hei flattered on the surface, but was actually wary inside, trusting this person only three parts.


    "Haha, fellow Daoist, you''ve never heard of me, so how could you have long admired me?"


    Tianji Shangren chuckled, pointing at the keyhole and asked, "Fellow Daoist, do you have a way to open this earth-shaped path?"


    Xu Hei''s heart tightened, and he countered, "Why do you think I have that ability?"


    "I ask everyone who goes up to inspect, so there''s no need for you to worry," Tianji Shangren said with a smile, his gaze flickering imperceptibly.


    Xu Hei remained silent.


    With such a cunning old fox, it''s better to say less to avoid slipping up and revealing something to the other party.


    Xu Hei didn''t know if the key could open it, but he wanted to try. However, if it did open, it would inevitably cause trouble in front of so many people.


    Xu Hei scanned everyone present with his Divine Sense.


    There were thirteen cultivators in total, eleven at the Foundation Establishment Stage, one False Core cultivator, and Tianji Shangren.


    He calculated whether he could immediately take action and eliminate all these people.


    "No, the chance is too small, a few would definitely escape."


    "Not to mention Tianji Shangren, especially that False Core cultivator, I seem to have seen him before."


    Xu Hei glanced at the False Core cultivator.


    The man had a fierce look, very familiar. Xu Hei immediately remembered that this was the only False Core cultivator who escaped from Rock Serpent City, Liu Buqun.


    Xu Hei had experienced Liu Buqun''s escape skills firsthand.


    Now, Liu Buqun had become a rogue cultivator, likely due to having killed too many fellow disciples, leading to his expulsion from the Snake Catchers Sect.


    "Do you have something to say?" Liu Buqun suddenly spoke, his senses extremely sharp, clearly noticing Xu Hei observing him.


    Xu Hei remained silent, just calmly looking at him.


    Liu Buqun was taken aback, squinted his eyes, and quietly summoned a Magical Treasure.


    "You observed everyone just now and finally stopped your Divine Sense on me. What does that mean?"


    Liu Buqun didn''t say this out loud but transmitted it through Divine Sense.


    Xu Hei still said nothing.


    Liu Buqun''s gaze flickered, and he sneered, "You want to join forces with me to eliminate everyone else here because you have a way to open that fourth passage. Am I right?"


    One must admit, Liu Buqun indeed had an outstanding imagination in some aspects.


    Although he was guessing, he was about eighty to ninety percent correct about Xu Hei''s thoughts, and his logic was quite reasonable.


    The only mistake was that Xu Hei didn''t want to cooperate with him but wanted to eliminate everyone.


    However, Liu Buqun''s words did provide a new perspective. Xu Hei thought for a moment and transmitted, "What do you think?"


    "Heh, your idea is not bad, but you also need to win over Tianji Shangren. The others don''t matter," Liu Buqun sneered.


    Xu Hei glanced at Tianji Shangren and found that he was also observing him with a smile.


    Suddenly, a shadow rushed out from the second passage.


    This person was dressed in black, masked, wielding a long sword, and moved like a ghost with incredible speed.


    Behind him followed a beautiful and proud young woman, her eyes filled with hatred as she glared at Xu Hei. It was Zhou Wenjun.


    As soon as Zhou Wenjun appeared, she pointed at Xu Hei and angrily shouted, "It''s him!"


    "Whoosh!"


    The black-clad assassin charged at Xu Hei without a word, moving as fast as lightning, his sword like a bolt of electricity, his cultivation reaching the Core Formation Stage!


    "Do it."


    Xu Hei hurriedly transmitted to Liu Buqun, took out the key, and stabbed it into the keyhole.


    "Boom!"


    With a thunderous roar, the stone wall in front suddenly cracked open, revealing a deep passage.


    This was the fifth door, the Earth Path!


    The passage quickly opened, revealing an endless road inside.


    At this moment, the entire crowd was in an uproar! Even the black-clad assassin was stunned, clearly not expecting Xu Hei to open a brand new passage.


    What an astonishing event this was; besides the three paths, there was a fourth one!


    This was a path that had never been explored before.


    Zhou Wenjun and the black-clad assassin exchanged a glance. The former took out a communication talisman, while the latter paused for a moment before charging at Xu Hei again.


    But Xu Hei had already pulled out the key, leaped into the deep passage, and disappeared.


    "Ah!!"


    Screams echoed as Liu Buqun had already taken action, killing two people instantly with one strike each.


    Although a False Core cultivator was not as powerful as a Core Formation Stage cultivator, they could already use true essence, which was a qualitative change! S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hey? Why kill? The more people, the merrier!"


    Tianji Shangren chuckled, waved his sleeve, interrupting Liu Buqun, then leaped into the tunnel.


    Liu Buqun''s eyes flickered, and he followed into the passage.


    The remaining rogue cultivators looked at each other, but thinking of the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, they no longer hesitated and all gritted their teeth, rushing into the tunnel one after another.


    In an instant, the square was empty, with everyone without exception pouring into the newly opened fourth path.


    And those who came later would also unhesitatingly enter that fourth path.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The scenery before Xu Hei rapidly changed, and he arrived in a new world.


    This place was a vast desert, with an extremely dense earth-based Spiritual Qi, but the sky was black, filled with a chilling aura, like a desert of death.


    He glanced at the key in his hand, which had shortened after opening the door, indicating a limit to its usage.


    "Not eradicating the roots leads to this. Next time, I can''t act lightly; if I do, it must be a fatal strike!"


    Xu Hei harbored a deep resentment in his heart, remembering this lesson well.


    Fortunately, his pursuer was only at the early Core Formation Stage, not too strong, so Xu Hei should be able to handle it.


    However, in the ancient relic, one could face life-and-death crises at any moment, and Xu Hei didn''t want to be in a disadvantageous position. If he had to counterattack, he couldn''t let the opponent escape and had to ensure his absolute safety.


    "Earth Escape Technique."


    Xu Hei dove underground, speeding forward with all his might.

 Chapter 164: Ruthless in dealing with delicate matters, eradicate the roots of trouble

    Chapter 164: Ruthless in dealing with delicate matters, eradicate the roots of troubleAfter Xu Hei left, it wasn''t long before two figures appeared behind him.


    Without a word, the black-clad cultivator chased after Xu Hei, with Zhou Wenjun following closely.


    The black-clad assassin moved at full speed, his body like a phantom, closing the distance with Xu Hei rapidly, leaving Zhou Wenjun behind.


    With Xu Hei''s own speed, at full exertion of the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, he could barely shake them off, but the puppet couldn''t. No matter how many legs the butcher had, it couldn''t outrun a Core Formation Stage cultivator.


    The color of the desert ahead was gradually deepening, giving Xu Hei an uneasy feeling.


    "This place is undeveloped and unknown dangers may lurk. If I flee blindly, who knows what I might run into," Xu Hei thought warily.


    After pondering for a moment, he decided it was better to face the known threat than the unknown.


    At this moment, the black-clad assassin was drawing closer, forming a straight line, and Xu Hei could almost feel the cold gleam on his back.


    Xu Hei carefully sensed Zhou Wenjun''s position, his expression turning cold.


    "You like chasing, huh? I''ll let you chase to your heart''s content!"


    "Body Swap!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei swapped places with the metal puppet he had buried earlier.


    Xu Hei vanished from his spot, reappearing a thousand feet behind, carrying the butcher with him¡ªthis was the maximum range of the Body Swap technique!


    "Swish!"


    The flying sword struck, but only hit a metal puppet. The black-clad assassin paused, then his face changed dramatically.


    "Body Swap? Not good!"


    A storm of emotions surged in the black-clad assassin''s heart as she hurriedly turned around, chasing after Xu Hei a thousand feet away.


    With the speed of a Core Formation Stage cultivator, a thousand feet was a fleeting distance.


    But that brief moment was enough!


    At this moment, Zhou Wenjun was following behind the assassin with a cold smile, eager to see how that person would die!


    Suddenly, a strong wave of spiritual power erupted from the ground.


    A metal puppet disappeared, replaced by an iron-clad giant.


    It was the puppet butcher!


    "Let''s see how many times you can escape!"


    Xu Hei appeared and, without a word, fully unleashed the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique. Dozens of legs sprouted from his abdomen, striding towards Zhou Wenjun like a stampede, the ground roaring beneath him.


    Zhou Wenjun''s mind went blank, stunned by the scene before her.


    Dozens of legs? What kind of monster is this?


    "Run!" She quickly reacted, pulling out a feather fan and waving it behind her, conjuring a fierce wind that carried her swiftly backward.


    "Gravity Technique!"


    Xu Hei''s low shout echoed, and Zhou Wenjun''s body felt as if it was gripped by an invisible claw, halting her mid-air.


    Despite the raging wind, Xu Hei stood immovable as a mountain, holding her firmly in place from a distance.


    "How is this possible? I''m in the late Foundation Establishment stage, and he''s also in Foundation Establishment. How can he control me with just the Gravity Technique?"


    Zhou Wenjun couldn''t believe what was happening.


    The gap was too vast; the quality of True Qi was on a different level. Ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivators, relying on resources to advance, were no match for Xu Hei!


    She summoned a jade talisman again, crushing it directly. A phantom figure emerged from the talisman, drawing a sword to strike at Xu Hei.


    "Jiao Python, attack!"


    Xu Hei waved the Soul-absorbing Flag, and the spirit of the Jiao Python, leading thirteen snake spirits, lunged at the phantom figure comparable to the Core Formation Stage, engaging in a fierce battle.


    Both being third-tier spiritual entities, the phantom seemed stronger, suppressing all the snake spirits. But Xu Hei had the advantage in numbers, making it difficult for the opponent to break free.


    "Fellow cultivator, let''s talk this over. I am Zhou Qingxuan, the steward of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion. Do not harm this woman! I can offer you any benefit you desire!"


    The phantom figure, besieged by snake spirits, shouted anxiously as Xu Hei approached Zhou Wenjun.


    As the steward of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, he had access to countless resources, giving him the authority to make such an offer.


    Xu Hei ignored him, quickening his pace, his eyes filled with murderous intent.


    "Stop!"


    The black-clad assassin had also caught up, letting out a sharp cry, a voice that seemed familiar from before.


    But Xu Hei acted decisively, activating the chainsaw with a deafening roar, thrusting it down to shatter the defensive magical artifact, piercing through Zhou Wenjun''s abdomen and destroying her dantian.


    The weapon was coated with various toxic pills, all concocted by Xu Bai. Even if she were teleported away, the poison would take effect.


    "Ugh!!"


    Zhou Wenjun spat blood, yet was held firmly by the Gravity Technique, unable to fall backward.


    In fact, the teleportation earlier was triggered by a Small Teleportation Talisman, set by the Zhou Family''s elder, activating automatically in a life-threatening crisis, with instant effect.


    But such a method could only be set up once.


    Nevertheless, her life-saving measures were plentiful, including the third-tier spiritual entity that could contend with Core Formation Stage opponents, and her protective magical artifact was also a third-tier treasure.


    Yet under Xu Hei''s terrifying chainsaw, it was pierced with a single thrust, even Xu Hei was surprised by its power.


    Unfortunately, Zhou Wenjun wasn''t completely dead. A jade stone on her chest emitted a gentle spiritual qi, frantically healing her wounds, deepening Xu Hei''s grim expression.


    "You dare court death!!!"


    A furious roar erupted from the phantom figure, eyes wide with disbelief that Xu Hei wasn''t dead.


    The other scattered cultivators also looked on, eyes wide with shock.


    Xu Hei, having been struck by two Core Formation Stage attacks, was thrown forward, crashing into the sand, sending up a thousand-foot cloud of dust, mingled with a strong scent of blood.


    Xu Hei''s armor was gone, and half his body was missing.


    This was a life-for-life exchange, to take Zhou Wenjun''s life!


    She had plotted against him first, then showed no remorse, sending people to kill him again. Xu Hei had long resolved to pay any price to completely eliminate her. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After unleashing a powerful attack, the phantom figure grew even more indistinct, its eyes wide with disbelief that Xu Hei wasn''t dead.


    The other scattered cultivators also stared in shock, eyes fixed on the scene, filled with awe.

 Chapter 165: Ancient evil demon, ultimate malevolence

    Chapter 165: Ancient evil demon, ultimate malevolenceThe fierce wind blew, yet Xu Hei remained standing on the sandy ground. Half of his body was covered in shredded flesh, and as he straightened up, his appearance was fully exposed to everyone''s view.


    All eyes were vacant with shock.


    These cultivators, daring to venture deep into the ruins, were people of courage who had seen all kinds of corpse puppets, their minds far surpassing ordinary people''s resilience.


    Yet even so, upon witnessing Xu Hei''s appearance, they couldn''t help but gasp in horror.


    "What kind of monster is this?"


    "A demon cultivator! This is definitely a demon cultivator!"


    "Hiss!"


    A chill ran down everyone''s spine.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s enormous bald head was exposed, covered with various human faces, each with different expressions. Over twenty eyeballs adorned his head, and his body was full of bizarre lumps of flesh. From the exploded half of his body, countless writhing limbs were squeezed together.


    With a thought, Xu Hei''s exploded body regenerated, and his arm grew back.


    He looked at Zhou Wenjun in front of him, who was already semi-conscious, yet a continuous stream of vitality flowed into her, healing her wounds.


    "Can''t kill you, huh?"


    Xu Hei grabbed Zhou Wenjun, and a grotesque mouth split open on his head, swallowing her whole.


    "Crunch, crunch!"


    The chilling sound of chewing echoed.


    Zhou Wenjun was devoured in one bite, swallowed into the butcher''s body.


    Such a terrifying act left the black-clad assassins completely frozen, as if struck by lightning.


    In the next moment.


    A new face appeared on the butcher''s skullcap, Zhou Wenjun''s face, filled with fear, her eyes bulging as if she had endured immense torment before her death.


    "What the hell is this?"


    "This is terrifying! Could it be an ancient fiend?"


    "I can''t take it anymore!"


    Terrified cries erupted from the crowd, even among these carefully selected cultivators, none were weak-minded.


    This scene was too horrifying, something none had ever witnessed, even leaving a psychological scar!


    Liu Buqun swallowed hard; dealing with such a creature, was like negotiating with a tiger, a sure path to death!


    Even Tianji Shangren was stunned, disbelief flashing in his eyes.


    "Impossible, I calculated that there would be a child of destiny here, but how could it be so sinister? There must be someone else," Tianji Shangren muttered to himself.


    The phantom of Zhou Qingxuan could no longer suppress his murderous intent, igniting into a sword of light, shooting towards Xu Hei.


    "Demon, today I will kill you!"


    Zhou Qingxuan''s phantom unleashed unprecedented energy, burning his entire avatar for this strike, the strongest blow, reaching the Core Formation Stage.


    "Save... save me..."


    Suddenly, from the top of the butcher''s head, Zhou Wenjun''s face emitted a faint cry for help.


    Zhou Qingxuan felt a "boom" in his mind, his scalp tingling, and his forward momentum stalled.


    He quickly realized it was a trick!


    But it was too late!


    Xu Hei acted decisively, the Jiao Python lunged forward, self-destructing half its body, along with five snake spirits, further weakening Zhou Qingxuan.


    Then, with a wave of the Soul-absorbing Flag, Zhou Qingxuan was sucked in, along with all the snake spirits.


    The snake spirits pounced, devouring the phantom Zhou Qingxuan completely.


    This all happened in a flash, from Zhou Qingxuan''s attack to his being swallowed, in the blink of an eye.


    Life and death in an instant, hesitation leads to defeat!


    Zhou Wenjun had long been dead, the cry for help was Xu Hei''s deliberate manipulation, meant to disrupt the opponent''s mind.


    Zhou Qingxuan fell for it, hesitating for just a moment.


    But that moment was enough for Xu Hei to seize the opportunity, sacrificing half a Jiao Python and five snake spirits to capture him in the Soul-absorbing Flag, successfully eliminating this major threat.


    Xu Hei had to do this.


    If he fell behind or suffered even a slight setback, the others watching like hawks would immediately pounce, reducing this grotesque monster to dust.


    He needed to use thunderous means to perfectly kill Zhou Qingxuan to serve as a deterrent!


    Now, Xu Hei turned his gaze to the remaining dozen or so people.


    The twenty eyeballs on his head rotated in unison, each locking onto a person, sending a chill through their hearts.


    "Everyone, such an evil being must be eradicated! Let''s join forces and kill this demon!" the black-clad assassin shouted hoarsely.


    However, upon hearing this, the people on either side stepped back, distancing themselves from her.


    This was intimidation!


    Not just visual intimidation, but also intimidation through means. Xu Hei''s appearance was merely auxiliary; the real impact came from his devouring Zhou Wenjun and killing Zhou Qingxuan!


    Xu Hei looked at the black-clad assassin and said coldly, "Liu Ruyan, you''re quite lucky to still be alive."


    The black-clad assassin''s body stiffened instantly.


    "Liu Ruyan?"


    "That name sounds familiar."


    Liu Buqun''s mind raced, and he immediately remembered.


    In Chuyang City, the master of the Heavenly Dragon Casino was Liu Ruyan.


    Last year, due to poor management, Liu Ruyan provoked someone she shouldn''t have, detonating a Thunder Tribulation Pearl, blowing up the casino and destroying several shops in the commercial district, causing heavy losses and numerous casualties.


    The Myriad Treasure Pavilion couldn''t catch the culprit, so they pinned all the blame on Liu Ruyan.


    Liu Ruyan had to atone by becoming an assassin, protecting the Zhou Family disciples.


    It was the most degrading position.


    She was no longer the high-ranking manager but a lowly assassin, forced to risk her life at the Zhou Family''s command.


    "You''ve got the wrong person."


    Liu Ruyan stared at Xu Hei, her voice still hoarse.


    In truth, from the moment she witnessed the Body Swap and the spirit of the Jiao Python, she recognized him as the one who detonated the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, causing her downfall.


    That day, she was blasted to pieces, her Golden Core shattered, and was humiliated by two low-level cultivators, nearly expelled from the Myriad Treasure Pavilion afterward.


    It was the pain of her life!


    She had long vowed to grind the bones of the one who wronged her into dust, no matter the cost.


    Yet, when she finally faced the culprit, she felt no anger as she had imagined, but rather, fear.


    So much so that she dared not act.


    Fear stemmed from the unknown!


    Was this grotesque monster truly his true form?


    If so, it was terrifying!


    If not, it was even more terrifying! S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Why don''t you act? I destroyed your Heavenly Dragon Casino, reduced you to an assassin, why don''t you kill me? Are you afraid?"


    Xu Hei continued to taunt, attacking her mind with words.


    As Xu Hei advanced, his bloated body sprouted numerous arms, growing from his shoulders, abdomen, and chest.


    On his head, seven or eight more heads emerged, eyes covering his entire body, transforming into an indescribable ancient fiend in an instant!


    Liu Ruyan''s face turned pale, her legs weak, cold sweat dripping down her back, despite being at the Core Formation Stage, she was terrified.


    She struggled to stop trembling, but her body wouldn''t obey, her mind replaying the scene of Zhou Wenjun being swallowed, her face crying for help, causing her head to buzz.


    "Are you afraid?"


    All of Xu Hei''s eyes turned in unison, locking onto Liu Ruyan, all mouths speaking in unison.


    With those words.


    Liu Ruyan''s spirit completely collapsed.

 Chapter 166: The heart of the path collapses, my name is butcher

    Chapter 166: The heart of the path collapses, my name is butcher"Are you afraid?" "Are you afraid?" "..."


    Countless voices overlapped, echoing incessantly in Liu Ruyan''s mind, like an inner demon swirling around, pushing her fear to its limit.


    In front of her, she vaguely saw a scene¡ª


    On the butcher''s head, all the faces changed, turning into her own face, with bulging eyes staring straight at her.


    Those eyes, like those of a dead fish, conveyed an indescribable terror.


    "Come, become a part of me."


    Countless mouths opened and closed, emitting a demonic sound that echoed in her mind.


    Finally.


    "Ah!!!"


    Liu Ruyan clutched her head with both hands, letting out a piercing, high-pitched scream.


    She could no longer hold on, her mind completely collapsed, and she turned to flee.


    Using all her strength, she frantically fled backward, as if she had seen a ghost, stumbling and falling to the ground, then crawling away in a panic.


    "No! No!! I don''t want to become like that!"


    With a series of heart-wrenching screams, Liu Ruyan disappeared into the distance in the blink of an eye.


    The entire scene fell into a deathly silence.


    A Core Formation Stage cultivator fled without a fight, directly scared away.


    Tianji Shangren watched the disappearing figure, his expression heavy, and whispered, "She has bred an inner demon!"


    Earlier, when Xu Hei held the Thunder Tribulation Pearl and stormed into the gambling house, she dared not make a move!


    Now, she still dared not make a move!


    Xu Hei was destined to become her inner demon!


    In fact, after Liu Ruyan''s limbs were broken and she suffered a series of setbacks, her Dao heart was already damaged, with cracks forming. Seeing Xu Hei today and not daring to take revenge directly caused her Dao heart to collapse.


    From today onward, whenever she sees Xu Hei, she will think of her miserable experience in the gambling house and the terror she felt facing those countless heads.


    She wasn''t the only one frightened.


    The onlookers passing by were all scared, with many having already retreated, not daring to explore this land of earth movement any further.


    Seven people remained, all retreating to a far distance, nervously watching Xu Hei, their faces pale, their throats tight.


    One had to admit, this group was quite courageous, and their cultivation was not weak, at least at the late Foundation Establishment stage.


    They were unwilling to give up this hard-won opportunity, but with Xu Hei standing in front, blocking the only path, they dared not be the first to go forward.


    Finally, one of the sinister cultivators couldn''t hold back any longer and cupped his fists, saying, "This... fellow of the demonic path, I am Wu Chou of the Blood Robe Sect. May I ask which sect you belong to, senior? Could you grant us a favor?"


    The Blood Robe Sect, an evil sect from the Western regions.


    Originally not strong, but due to the war between two countries, with countless deaths and injuries, they had an abundance of blood corpses to feed on, leading to the growth and expansion of the Blood Robe Sect, almost gaining the prestige of a major sect.


    Of course, being an evil sect, they still remained hidden, not daring to be too conspicuous.


    "A favor? I''m not blocking you; you can go ahead." Xu Hei said calmly.


    Wu Chou''s face stiffened, yet he still dared not step forward.


    The intimidation of this demon was too strong; no one dared to approach within a thousand meters, only daring to watch from afar.


    Wu Chou, who had committed countless evil deeds and stained his hands with blood, usually made other cultivators tremble at the sight of him, but in front of this demon, he had no fierceness at all.


    "What, do you need me to step aside and invite you to pass?" Xu Hei said coldly.


    At this moment, all eyes were on Wu Chou, curious about what he would do.


    Wu Chou was so anxious that cold sweat broke out.


    He began to regret being the one to step forward.


    "Senior asked you to go up, so why don''t you hurry up and go?"


    Suddenly, a hand shot out, grabbing his throat. The oppressive true essence pressure descended, sealing Wu Chou''s entire body, rendering him immobile.


    It was Liu Buqun who acted.


    With a frosty expression, Liu Buqun grabbed Wu Chou, gave him a fierce slap, shattering his dantian, and then threw him forward with force.


    Wu Chou soared through the air, a pair of blood-red wings sprouting from his back, but Xu Hei, with a gravitational technique, instantly immobilized him.


    "Swish!" sea??h th§× N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An arm suddenly extended ten meters, grabbing Wu Chou and pulling him back.


    "No, no!! Spare me, senior... ah..."


    Wu Chou was stuffed into the butcher''s belly, becoming a part of the butcher.


    Everyone was shocked.


    Liu Buqun no longer held back, summoning a copper bell and striking it heavily, the sound waves sweeping in all directions, causing the heads of everyone present to buzz, blood to flow from their seven orifices, and their bodies to freeze.


    "Die!"


    Two flying swords were thrown out, slicing through two mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators, then turning towards the remaining two late Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    "Poof!!"


    Liu Buqun caught up with one, his evil sword slashing, sending the person''s head flying. The remaining person fled for their life, but within a dozen breaths, Liu Buqun caught up and swiftly killed them.


    Thus, of the seven remaining people, Liu Buqun killed four, Xu Hei devoured one, leaving only Liu Buqun and Tianji Shangren.


    And Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei hadn''t expected Liu Buqun to act so ruthlessly and decisively, killing without mercy, something even Xu Hei felt inferior to.


    The previous battle had consumed too much of his true qi; he only wanted to scare this group away, but Liu Buqun killed them all.


    From their encounter in Rock Serpent City, it was clear that this person was sharp-minded and decisive, able to escape in such a situation, definitely not an ordinary person.


    "Fellow Daoist, the matter is settled. How about the three of us join forces to explore this desert land?" Liu Buqun said, his face unchanged, but his heart was actually filled with anxiety.


    Tianji Shangren had lost interest initially, but since they had come all this way, they might as well explore, so he agreed.


    "Alright." Xu Hei nodded.


    Liu Buqun was pleased, but remained cautious; such a demon was unpredictable, and who knew which words were true and which were false.


    But outwardly, he maintained a friendly demeanor.


    "Haha, I am Liu Buqun. May I know your name, fellow Daoist?" Liu Buqun asked with a smile.


    "Butcher," Xu Hei replied indifferently.


    Butcher... Liu Buqun secretly thought the name was quite fitting.


    "I am Tianji Shangren. I will cooperate with you two for now."


    Tianji Shangren nodded.


    After speaking, he took out a brush and casually drew on the ground. In an instant, the void behind them twisted, forming a hazy area.


    "This formation can trap those who come after us, but it will only last for a day. I hope within this day, the three of us can gain something," Tianji Shangren said calmly.


    Xu Hei noticed that Tianji Shangren, who had been very interested in him before, now seemed to have lost all interest, not even wanting to look at him.


    This was a good thing.


    Xu Hei was very wary of this person, so it was best if he didn''t pay attention to him.


    "Let''s go."


    Xu Hei moved forward, retracting his limbs and head, returning to a slightly more normal form.


    Liu Buqun hesitated for a moment, then moved a little closer, entering Xu Hei''s thousand-meter range, his whole body tense.


    Seeing that Xu Hei didn''t make a move, he secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but he still kept his magical treasure in hand, not putting it away.


    Tianji Shangren walked unhurriedly at the back.


    Xu Hei had no intention of dealing with others; he just wanted to find a quiet place to rest, recover his strength, and also examine Zhou Wenjun''s storage bag.


    There was still a layer of restrictive seal on her storage bag, which piqued his curiosity.


    But for now, he couldn''t show any weakness or stop, lest someone notice his significant consumption.


    Xu Hei''s true self took a Rejuvenation Pill, refining it with the Demon God Cauldron, recovering as he walked.


    Unknowingly, the color of the desert deepened, and Xu Hei found himself in the black desert area again.


    Ahead lay an endless expanse, with open views on both sides, no longer a narrow place.


    Tianji Shangren leaped forward, standing beside Xu Hei, gazing at the black desert, a gleam in his eyes.

 Chapter 167: Black Desert, each displaying their Divine Ability

    Chapter 167: Black Desert, each displaying their Divine Ability"Tianji Shangren, what insights do you have?" S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Liu Buqun leaned in closer. Compared to Xu Hei, he preferred to be near this person.


    "The Yin Sha Qi is so intense here; many must have died in this place," Tianji Shangren muttered to himself.


    After observing for a moment, Tianji Shangren took out two sheets of paper and folded them into a paper man and a paper crane.


    "Go!"


    He pointed forward.


    The paper man and the paper crane, one burrowed underground, the other flew into the sky, both moving forward.


    After advancing about a thousand meters, a sudden sandstorm erupted in the sky, instantly tearing the paper crane to shreds, and the sandstorm vanished with it.


    "It seems we can''t fly above; we''ll have to use earth escape..."


    Tianji Shangren had just spoken.


    Suddenly, a quicksand vortex appeared underground, unleashing a terrifying suction that pulled the paper man deep below, shattering it as well.


    Tianji Shangren fell into deep thought.


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted. He had vaguely sensed danger ahead and knew he shouldn''t proceed further, and now it was confirmed.


    The suction that erupted just now¡ªif he encountered it, he definitely wouldn''t escape.


    "The Five Elements Path, none of them are safe. Since others have passed through the other three paths, there must be a way through this one too. Better let others try first," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He didn''t make a move, letting others explore first was the safest option, avoiding situations like the Illusionary Forest, where relying on teammates was crucial, and he had suffered greatly before.


    Then, Tianji Shangren took out several more paper men, advancing them from different directions and in various postures, but without exception, they were all attacked.


    Either by sandstorms, quicksand burial, emerging stone pillars, or flying stone blades.


    All sorts of dangers emerged one after another.


    Xu Hei vaguely sensed something unusual.


    These attacks were clearly the most basic earth-type spells!


    The other two also noticed this but remained silent, merely observing quietly, their eyes flickering with speculation.


    "There are no spells without a source. If there are spells, there must be a caster, either a person or a formation."


    Tianji Shangren, well-versed in formations, immediately saw through the mystery.


    With a serious expression, he took out a brush, waved it in the air, and scattered ink droplets, forming a massive formation base that encompassed the area ahead.


    "This formation is called the Spirit Ban Formation. Within its area, no spells can take effect, whether by humans or formations!"


    Tianji Shangren, full of confidence, set up the formation and stepped forward.


    Liu Buqun hesitated slightly, intending to follow, but seeing Xu Hei unmoved, he decided to stay put as well.


    Moments later.


    As Tianji Shangren walked further away, Xu Hei remained indifferent. Liu Buqun grew anxious and transmitted a message: "Fellow Daoist, Tianji Shangren has gone far. If we don''t follow, any treasures ahead might be lost to us."


    Xu Hei still didn''t move, sitting cross-legged and observing quietly.


    There was no other reason; he needed to restore his True Qi. Without ensuring his peak condition, Xu Hei wouldn''t take a single step forward.


    Otherwise, if there was any danger, how would Xu Hei cope?


    Even if there were opportunities ahead, they would have to be left for Tianji Shangren. There was no other way; being cautious first was a matter of principle.


    "Rest assured, fellow Daoists, with the Spirit Ban Formation in place, the crisis is resolved. No need to worry."


    Tianji Shangren''s voice came from afar.


    Liu Buqun glanced at Xu Hei again, frowning. He had seen the Spirit Ban Formation before and knew it effectively prohibited spells, just as he remembered.


    He tried casting some minor spells, and indeed, they couldn''t manifest, which reassured him. Without further hesitation, he moved forward.


    Three meters, six meters, nine meters... thirty meters...


    Suddenly!


    The sand on the ground rose into the air with lightning speed, engulfing Tianji Shangren. Liu Buqun''s hair stood on end, and he burned a talisman in his hand, returning to the starting point as if by teleportation.


    But he lost an arm.


    As for Tianji Shangren, he vanished without a trace, not even a bone fragment left.


    Liu Buqun was drenched in sweat from the pain. The sand came and went quickly, disappearing the moment it touched his arm, leaving Tianji Shangren with no remains.


    This terrified him; the danger here was more frightening than the other three paths!


    At least the other three paths had been explored, and their dangers were clear. This one was completely unknown.


    Xu Hei remained motionless, but a gleam flashed in his eyes as he vaguely discerned some clues.


    "Strange, why did spells appear despite the Spirit Ban Formation? And why didn''t they appear when Tianji Shangren first entered, but did immediately when I entered? Why is that?"


    Liu Buqun found it hard to believe and looked at Xu Hei, hoping to see his perspective.


    "Tianji Shangren, what do you think?"


    Xu Hei didn''t answer but turned his gaze to an empty spot nearby.


    There, a shadow gradually solidified into a figure in a robe¡ªit was Tianji Shangren.


    Earlier, he had left a paper man in place, and at the moment of death, he used it as a substitute, altering causality to escape the calamity.


    However, his face was slightly pale, indicating that the cost of this causality technique was not small.


    "This place is tricky. My Spirit Ban Formation is genuine, and I had no intention of deceiving you two, but it indeed couldn''t stop those bizarre spells," Tianji Shangren said solemnly.


    As he spoke, he took out a blood-red pill and tossed it to Liu Buqun.


    "The Blood Spirit Pill."


    Liu Buqun''s eyes flashed. This pill could regenerate flesh and bones, allowing a severed limb to regrow quickly, making it a holy healing pill.


    But he didn''t take it, instead storing it away and consuming a lesser Bone Regeneration Pill.


    This pill could also regrow limbs, albeit more slowly.


    The main reason was his deep suspicion, unable to fully trust others'' pills.


    "I''ve expended a lot of energy, so I''ll meditate for a while. Let''s discuss this in an hour," Tianji Shangren said, sitting down to perform breathing exercises.


    Liu Buqun quickly sat down to heal as well.


    Xu Hei stared at the black sand, lost in thought.


    He could tell that the Spirit Ban Formation indeed prohibited spells, preventing even Spiritual Qi from flowing, and Tianji Shangren hadn''t lied.


    So how did these deadly earth-type spells appear?


    Or perhaps, they weren''t spells at all?


    Sandstorm Technique, Earth Spike, Flying Stone Technique, Quicksand Technique... all familiar to Xu Hei, yet not spells. What were they then?


    After a long time, Xu Hei''s eyes suddenly lit up. He stood up and walked to the edge of the sand.


    He grabbed a handful of black sand, observing it closely as it slipped through his fingers.


    The two others watched Xu Hei, puzzled.


    Xu Hei remained silent for a long time, as if realizing something, his eyes flickering as he walked into the black desert.


    Tianji Shangren squinted his eyes and asked, "Butcher Daoist, have you discovered something?"


    Xu Hei didn''t respond, stepping onto the black sand and walking forward.


    He quickened his pace, continuing onward, and the earth-type spells never appeared.


    Tianji Shangren''s eyes flickered.


    Liu Buqun stared intently, curious about how the Butcher would handle a place even Tianji Shangren couldn''t cross.

 Chapter 168: Small Teleportation Talisman, Unknown Zone

    Chapter 168: Small Teleportation Talisman, Unknown ZoneNot long after, Xu Hei reached a distance of a thousand feet away.


    This was where Tianji Shangren was ambushed. At that time, the air was filled with dust and sand, and in an instant, nothing was left of him.


    Yet Xu Hei didn''t pause, continuing to move forward.


    "It''s coming," Tianji Shangren''s eyes narrowed, thinking to himself.


    Suddenly, a stalagmite shot up from the ground, aiming straight for Xu Hei''s crotch. It was a spell Xu Hei was familiar with, the Earth Spike.


    "Spirit Body Thread!"


    With a thought, countless invisible threads shot out, striking the stalagmite.


    In an instant, the stalagmite stopped moving.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    The wind howled, and sand filled the sky. The Sandstorm Technique appeared once more, but Xu Hei again used the Spirit Body Thread, and the sandstorm ceased immediately.


    Such a bizarre scene left the two people behind him dumbfounded.


    "What... what''s going on?"


    Tianji Shangren immediately stood up, instinctively wanting to investigate, but hesitated.


    He couldn''t understand the principle behind it, and going forward would be courting death.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s Spirit Body Thread spread out thousands of strands, precisely passing through each grain of sand.


    He suddenly realized that these grains of sand were not formed by any spell. It was nonsense to call it a spell; it was nothing of the sort.


    These were clearly puppets, puppets the size of grains of sand!


    This explained why "spells" appeared under the Spirit Ban Formation.


    Xu Hei didn''t know what kind of existence could create puppets as small as grains of sand, with such a complex internal structure in such a tiny body.


    But this was definitely beyond his understanding!


    "According to legend, there are Spirit-Eating Ants smaller than grains of sand. Although tiny, they can devour spirits and gold, possessing immense power. The puppets here are just like Spirit-Eating Ants!"


    Xu Hei marveled in his heart, becoming even more curious about the owner of these ruins.


    Xu Hei released the Spirit Body Thread, forming a continuous loop around him, creating a sphere that enveloped him tightly, providing absolute defense that no puppet could penetrate.


    As long as the Spirit Body Thread touched them, the sand would fall powerlessly.


    Xu Hei''s Spirit Body Thread had clearly formed a defensive light screen, blocking all attacks.


    "Boom!!"


    The next moment, the desert trembled, and a fierce wind arose. Black sand and dust surged into the sky in the distance, forming terrifying clouds that pressed down like a black cloud over a city, sweeping towards Xu Hei.


    The vast black cloud was unimaginably large in number.


    "This..." Xu Hei''s face changed dramatically.


    His Spirit Body Thread could indeed restrain the puppets, but with such numbers, how could he possibly restrain them?


    Even if he exhausted his True Qi, he couldn''t hold them back!


    Xu Hei knew that not all the black sand here were puppets; for instance, he had only found two or three among the sand he had picked up earlier.


    But there was simply too much sand here.


    Even if only one in ten thousand were puppets, the number was still terrifying.


    "Boom!!"


    The heavens and earth roared as the sandstorm approached, blotting out the sky like a giant hand reaching for Xu Hei.


    These puppets all had a sense of self-preservation and a hint of intelligence. Even after the Spirit Ban Formation was set up, they deliberately refrained from attacking, waiting for someone to delve deeper before devouring them in one fell swoop.


    Tianji Shangren had suffered greatly because of this.


    At this moment, they clearly realized that Xu Hei posed a great threat to them, so they all gathered and charged forward.


    Xu Hei turned and fled, while Tianji Shangren and Liu Buqun, their faces pale with fear, also ran without hesitation.


    What talk of opportunities or magical treasures? Their lives were the most important thing right now.


    Xu Hei had underestimated the difficulty of this journey. He had thought that since others had made it through the other three paths, this Earth path should be passable too.


    However, this path was sealed for a reason.


    "Boom!!"


    The black cloud moved incredibly fast, quickly spreading behind Xu Hei and colliding with the Spirit Body Thread. Countless grains of sand fell, but more came to replace them.


    Xu Hei could clearly feel his True Qi draining away like water, and in just a few breaths, it would be completely exhausted.


    "Should I use the Black Dragon Pagoda or the Small Teleportation Talisman?"


    After a moment of thought, Xu Hei made a quick decision, taking out the Small Teleportation Talisman and gripping it in front of him.


    "Whoosh!"


    A spatial ripple flashed, and Xu Hei vanished from the spot.


    The black cloud lost track of Xu Hei and turned towards the two men in the distance. They too didn''t hesitate, each taking out their life-saving items, whether for teleportation or shifting causality, and fled.


    Deep underground in the Earth path.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei''s figure slowly emerged.


    Since the Small Teleportation Talisman only worked on the original body, Xu Hei had put away the butcher puppet, and now it was his true self.


    "Huh, where is this?"


    Xu Hei looked around in confusion, finding himself beneath the desert, his body squeezed by sand and stone, creating a narrow space. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His Divine Sense spread out, still only covering a hundred meters, and all he saw was sand!


    Xu Hei''s body trembled; he had actually teleported beneath the desert.


    What kind of operation was this?


    "Strange, I clearly aimed for the direction behind me, so why did I end up here?"


    Xu Hei was puzzled and uncertain.


    The Small Teleportation Talisman was supposed to teleport him to a place he had been before, usually used for escaping.


    But this talisman had transported him to a strange place.


    He took out the remaining seven Small Teleportation Talismans, which he had personally crafted. They were black in color, different from ordinary ones.


    Xu Hei had thought they only looked different.


    However, the effect was different too, seemingly random teleportation?


    Xu Hei tried to move but was frustrated to find he couldn''t budge. The sand here was extremely heavy, indicating he was deep underground.


    The oppressive force made his dragon scales creak, and his body was on the verge of being crushed.


    "No, I need to teleport again."


    Xu Hei took out another Small Teleportation Talisman, thought for a moment, and activated it in the opposite direction of before.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei disappeared from the spot.


    When he reappeared, he was still beneath the desert, but the pressure had lessened somewhat, indicating he was in a more layered area.


    Yet moving was still incredibly difficult for Xu Hei.


    "Again!"


    Xu Hei used another Small Teleportation Talisman to teleport once more.


    This time, the space finally opened up, and he found himself in mid-air.


    Xu Hei looked up and saw he was above the desert. The sand was still black, and the sky was bleak, but the black cloud from before was gone.


    Xu Hei quickly descended to the ground, looking around to find himself in a place he hadn''t been before, and the environment was different from what he had seen earlier.


    He casually picked up a handful of sand and checked it one by one, surprisingly finding no puppets, just ordinary sand.


    "Could it be that I''ve passed through that extremely dangerous area and reached the depths of this Earth path?" Xu Hei''s expression changed.


    This was shocking to him. The Small Teleportation Talisman was supposed to be for escaping, only teleporting to places he had been before.


    But Xu Hei''s Small Teleportation Talisman seemed to teleport randomly.


    Of course, this kind of random teleportation was extremely risky. If he ended up in a place where death was certain, wouldn''t that be the end?


    For instance, earlier, Xu Hei had teleported underground. If he only had one Small Teleportation Talisman and no extras, he would have been trapped to death.

 Chapter 169: Devil Butcher, infamous far and wide

    Chapter 169: Devil Butcher, infamous far and wideAfter facing such a massive crisis, fortunately, Xu Hei emerged unscathed and arrived safely in the depths.


    Recalling the black storm from earlier, Xu Hei felt a shiver run down his spine.


    That thing, even if Qin Xuanji were to handle it, would probably struggle.


    "So much sand, probably millions of puppets. Who could control so many puppets at once, or is there some other technique?"


    Xu Hei racked his brain but couldn''t comprehend it.


    This bizarre puppet technique refreshed his understanding, making the inheritance from the Heavenly Puppet Sect seem like child''s play in comparison.


    He suddenly thought of the token in the Void Stone and the fragmented words from ancient times.


    "Descendant of Gongshu... Divine Puppet Sect..."


    Xu Hei pondered.


    For some reason, the Heavenly Puppet Sect was forbidden to enter, but the owner of this tomb was clearly related to the Heavenly Puppet Sect, perhaps even an ancient powerhouse from the sect.


    The Divine Puppet Sect should be the superior of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Xu Hei looked around, surrounded by a vast black desert, unsure of where to go. He decided to stay put and perform breathing exercises to recover his energy, while also attempting to unlock Zhou Wenjun''s storage bag.


    He dared not act recklessly before being fully prepared, lest he encounter more danger.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the entrance of the Earth Path.


    Two disheveled figures rushed out, covered in blood and gasping for breath, their True Qi nearly depleted. They were Liu Buqun and Tianji Shangren.


    These two had unique skills, managing to escape from such a vast expanse of sand, proving their considerable abilities.


    "This place is too dangerous. I should give up on this opportunity."


    Liu Buqun''s face was pale, still shaken. He craved opportunities, but he needed to survive to seize them.


    Tianji Shangren also sighed deeply, finding it difficult to proceed with his abilities.


    "That demon must be dead. I just misjudged."


    Tianji Shangren sighed inwardly, deciding not to dwell on it.


    They both sat cross-legged on the square, recovering their strength.


    At this moment, many people noticed the newly opened Earth Path. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The first batch of cultivators who entered had partially fled, each with a pale face and a look of terror, as if deeply traumatized.


    Upon inquiry, it was revealed that inside was a demonic cultivator who pieced together bodies from living people, covered in hundreds of eyeballs, described as terrifying as possible.


    A crazed woman in black also ran out, screaming madly about "demons" and "stay away," causing everyone to turn pale.


    Even Core Formation Stage cultivators were driven insane with fear. What kind of monster could it be?


    "What kind of demon could scare people like this? I don''t believe it!"


    A Core Formation Stage cultivator, skeptical, formed a small team to explore inside.


    But it wasn''t long before they fled back in panic. Out of more than ten people, only two returned alive, weak and severely injured.


    "It was terrifying. What kind of sand was that?"


    "It devours people without leaving a trace."


    The two were terrified. They hadn''t encountered the demon but faced even more terrifying sand.


    Later, more fearless cultivators formed groups to enter, but without exception, they all suffered heavy casualties, none making it through.


    This left everyone in despair.


    In other places, as long as one grasped the pattern and had a strong leader, one could still muddle through. Here, it was sheer suicide, without even a glimpse of treasure.


    In just half a day, this place was marked as forbidden by the rogue cultivators, with no one daring to enter again.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Deep within the ancient relic.


    This place was the forefront of relic exploration, where major families and forces of the Qin Kingdom had arrived, establishing strongholds, including the Zhou Family.


    The Zhou Family members wore uniform purple robes, adorned with jewels and magical treasures, always protected by a glow of treasure, making them immune to sneak attacks¡ªthe advantage of wealth.


    Leading the Zhou Family was a scholarly middle-aged man, none other than the illusory figure, Zhou Qingxuan.


    However, the Zhou Qingxuan here was his true self, with cultivation reaching the mid-stage of Qi Condensation.


    Among the Zhou Family crowd was a young girl, resembling Zhou Wenjun but slightly younger, with cold eyes and an innate arrogance in her every move, not feigned but inherent.


    The pride of the Zhou Family, Zhou Wendie.


    Compared to her sister, this girl''s reputation was much more prominent. She began Qi Refining at five, achieved perfect Foundation Establishment at ten, reached Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage at seventeen, possessed a Heavenly Spirit Root unseen in five hundred years, and was born with Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes, hailed as the most talented person in Zhou Family history.


    "Zhou Wenjun is confirmed dead. This is news from the rear."


    Zhou Qingxuan handed over a jade slip.


    Zhou Wendie took the jade slip and pressed it to her forehead, her expression still cold, though a tear streaked down her cheek.


    "Is the demon who killed her confirmed dead?"


    Her voice was calm, suppressing her emotions with effort.


    "According to Tianji Shangren, facing that sand, it''s impossible to survive," Zhou Qingxuan sighed.


    He was equally furious! To destroy his avatar and devour Zhou Wenjun in front of him, and the opponent was just a Foundation Establishment Stage demon, was an utter humiliation!


    The demon should feel fortunate to die under the relic''s dangers rather than being captured by them.


    At this moment, Zhou Wendie stood up, facing the rear, retracing her steps.


    "What are you doing..." Zhou Qingxuan''s face darkened.


    "Going to the Earth Path."


    Zhou Wendie said expressionlessly, "Wenjun''s storage bag is still there. I have something important in it that I need to retrieve."


    Zhou Qingxuan hesitated for a moment, sighed inwardly, and could only lead the others to follow.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Deep within the Earth Path.


    Xu Hei suddenly opened his eyes. At this moment, Zhou Wenjun''s storage bag had been forcibly unlocked by him. He had scraped it with dragon scales for a full hour before breaking it open.


    With a sweep of his Divine Sense, the treasures inside were laid bare.


    Spirit Stones, Talismans, Magical Treasures... everything was there.


    Even though Xu Hei was mentally prepared, he still gasped, stunned by her astonishing wealth.


    "Eight thousand Spirit Stones, richer than a Core Formation Stage cultivator!"


    Xu Hei marveled inwardly. The Iron Mountain Sect''s entire collection barely exceeded ten thousand. As expected of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion''s Zhou Family heiress, if nothing else, she had plenty of Spirit Stones.


    Additionally, there were twenty high-grade Spirit Stones.


    Combined with the five from Wu Chou''s storage bag, Xu Hei was only eight high-grade Spirit Stones short of acquiring a new dragon clan technique. Just gathering a few cultivators would suffice.


    Xu Hei also discovered many life-saving items that Zhou Wenjun hadn''t had the chance to use.


    "Ground Shrinking Talisman, Swift Talisman..."


    These two Talismans were for escaping, not as effective as the Small Teleportation Talisman, but each had its advantages.


    The Ground Shrinking Talisman could instantly shrink the ground to an inch, covering a thousand feet in one step. Liu Buqun used this Talisman to escape the sand''s pursuit.


    The Swift Talisman could increase speed fivefold.


    With so many life-saving items, yet being chased by a metal puppet and seeking help, Xu Hei found it utterly laughable.


    Xu Hei carefully stored these two Talismans. His Small Teleportation Talisman was highly unstable, so these could serve as substitutes.


    "Huh? Is this a mechanism box?"


    Xu Hei picked up two wooden boxes, covered in intricate patterns with powerful seals, impossible to force open. They were the mechanism boxes Xu Hei had seen before.


    But the boxes had a keyhole, meant to be opened with a key.

 Chapter 170: Unexpectedly obtaining a rare elixir, laying the foundation in the mid-stage

    Chapter 170: Unexpectedly obtaining a rare elixir, laying the foundation in the mid-stageThis must have been discovered by Zhou Wenjun within the ruins.


    Unlike the ones Han Te sold before, this is a wooden box, likely originating from the land of wood.


    Xu Hei glanced at the key, now two-tenths shorter, estimating it could still open eight more times.


    These mechanism boxes should be plentiful within the ruins, so he needed to use them cautiously.


    "Let''s try opening one first."


    Xu Hei inserted the key into the lock, and with a "click," the first wooden box opened.


    As soon as it opened, the box vanished automatically, and a strong medicinal fragrance wafted out. Xu Hei quickly sealed it to prevent the loss of its potency.


    Upon closer inspection, it was a pill the size of a dragon''s eye, lush green and fragrant.


    Xu Hei had never seen such a pill and didn''t know its name, but just a whiff made him feel his cultivation loosening.


    "Who knows how many millennia have passed, yet it retains such potent efficacy. Unbelievable!"


    Xu Hei thought to himself, deeply admiring the creator of this mechanism box.


    The medicinal herbs preserved in the Void Stones turned to dust over the ages, yet the box could preserve them for so long, still fragrant when opened.


    Unfortunately, the box was single-use; once opened, it disappeared, or else Xu Hei could have studied it further.


    Suddenly, the green pill before him began to wither at a visible rate.


    Even with Xu Hei''s seal, it continued to lose potency rapidly, as if it would vanish as soon as it saw the light of day.


    Xu Hei''s expression changed. Seeing the pill disappearing, he dared not hesitate and immediately opened his mouth to swallow it.


    "Gulp!"


    The pill melted as soon as it entered his mouth.


    Swallowing an ancient pill was a risky move. Xu Hei didn''t know its effects, but under these circumstances, he couldn''t afford to waste it.


    "Boom!!"


    In an instant, Xu Hei''s body trembled violently as the pill''s Spiritual Qi formed whirlwinds, rushing through his meridians.


    This Qi was vast and boundless, yet extremely pure, easily absorbed.


    It was Spiritual Qi from ancient times.


    In both quality and quantity, it far surpassed the modern era!


    The whirlwind grew stronger, turning into a gale, then a hurricane, raging within his body, causing his meridians intense pain, his flesh to swell, as if his body might burst.


    Blood seeped from his skin, dyeing his body red, even his bones resonated with a trembling sound. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Damn! This is definitely a third-grade pill, meant for those above the Core Formation Stage, and I actually swallowed it!"


    Xu Hei''s heart was heavy, and he exerted all his strength to activate the Demon God Cauldron, compressing the violent Spiritual Qi.


    "Suppress it for me!!"


    Xu Hei roared inwardly.


    The endless storm of Spiritual Qi was drawn into the Demon God Cauldron, yet the pain and swelling remained intense, his body echoing with booming sounds, like thunder, threatening to destroy his physical body.


    This pill was too powerful, definitely above third-grade.


    And this was after losing some potency and being preserved for so many years. If it were at full strength, Xu Hei had no doubt that even a tiny bit would cause him to explode instantly.


    This was a battle!


    A battle between Xu Hei and the pill.


    More and more Spiritual Qi emerged from the pill, and Xu Hei''s body expanded at a terrifying speed.


    He was only two and a half meters tall, yet within ten breaths, he swelled to ten meters, twenty meters...


    He had become a balloon with a diameter of twenty meters.


    This was Xu Hei''s reinforced body; anyone else would have perished long ago. He was on the verge of exploding, even the Demon God Cauldron was struggling to suppress it.


    "What the hell kind of pill is this, why is it so fierce?" Xu Hei''s heart trembled.


    Calling it a third-grade pill was an understatement.


    Xu Hei didn''t know its grade, but if this continued, he surely couldn''t withstand it, his body would explode, and the Spiritual Qi would be lost.


    "What should I do? What should I do?"


    Xu Hei was extremely anxious, then suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him.


    Xu Hei opened his mouth and spat out the Black Dragon Pagoda, entering it directly, channeling the vast ocean-like Spiritual Qi into the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    Previously, he had absorbed a lot from the Black Dragon Pagoda, now he returned it all.


    "Whoosh!"


    As if finding an outlet, Xu Hei''s body began to shrink slowly, his meridians retracting, and the Black Dragon Pagoda actively absorbed the Spiritual Qi, cooperating perfectly.


    Seeing the effect, Xu Hei continued to transfer the Spiritual Qi while striving to refine it.


    This was ancient Spiritual Qi; he couldn''t waste it and had to absorb as much as possible.


    Xu Hei''s cultivation rapidly soared, reaching a perfect state in mere moments.


    He decisively attempted to break through to the mid-stage of Qi Condensation.


    This was originally a long process, but the earlier Qi upheaval had widened Xu Hei''s meridians, and even the spiritual foundation within the Demon God Cauldron had expanded significantly.


    It all happened almost effortlessly.


    The next day.


    With a crisp "crack," his spiritual foundation split into two, marking Xu Hei''s official entry into the mid-stage of Qi Condensation.


    At this moment, his body had completely returned to normal, and the vast flow of Spiritual Qi had mostly been sent into the Black Dragon Pagoda, with a small portion absorbed by himself.


    Now, Xu Hei''s second spiritual foundation was initially formed, not only reaching the mid-stage but also accumulating a certain amount.


    After a long while, he examined his body internally and, finding no major issues, let out a long breath.


    Randomly consuming pills was too risky, leaving Xu Hei with lingering fear, but fortunately, the outcome was good.


    In one night, he surpassed the ten years of arduous cultivation that others would spend in seclusion, directly advancing to the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, a speed rarely seen in the world.


    However, he wouldn''t dare to consume another pill like that again.


    Now, with a second wooden box at hand, Xu Hei dared not open it recklessly. If another pill emerged, swallowing it would be dangerous, and not swallowing it would be a waste.


    The Black Dragon Pagoda, having absorbed a large amount of Spiritual Qi, seemed to have gained a hint of spiritual charm, showing signs of breaking through the void. Xu Hei quickly stored it away.


    Next, he checked Zhou Wenjun''s magical treasures, which were mostly ordinary items with little use.


    However, one eyeball caught his attention.


    Inside the eyeball, a flame burned, very eerie, and it could rotate, as if alive, resembling a magical treasure, yet not quite.


    When he probed it with his Divine Sense, he couldn''t see through it, nor did it reveal any information about a magical treasure.


    "What is this thing?" Xu Hei didn''t quite understand.


    He instinctively wanted to cut it open with dragon scales but feared damaging this mysterious object, so he decided to leave it for future study.


    With that, Zhou Wenjun''s storage bag was cleared.


    Xu Hei packed his belongings, observed his surroundings, and saw endless desert in every direction. After a brief contemplation, he decided to head towards the area with dense Yin Qi, which should be the deepest part.


    Meanwhile, he released many puppets to guard the surroundings, with the butcher leading the way.


    He had also quietly refined some sand puppets, only about a hundred, not very powerful, and wrapped them around his body to prevent accidents.


    The vast, endless desert seemed to have no end.


    Xu Hei continued forward, the Yin Qi growing heavier, and he had a feeling he was getting close.


    Half a day passed.


    At the edge of his vision, a small black dot appeared. Xu Hei didn''t dare to speed up, continuing at a steady pace as the black dot gradually enlarged.


    Moments later.


    Xu Hei gazed at the massive structure before him, his eyes gleaming with curiosity.


    The building was pyramid-shaped, a design Xu Hei had never seen before, about a hundred meters wide, entirely black, and he could only think of one word: pyramid.


    The source of the dense Yin Qi seemed to be this pyramid.


    "A desert pyramid, could it be another puppet?"


    Xu Hei instinctively became alert, now suffering from puppet paranoia, seeing everything as a puppet.


    He hoped the pyramid wouldn''t suddenly transform into a humanoid and charge at him; that would be absurd.

 Chapter 171: Top ten dangers, butcher makes the list

    Chapter 171: Top ten dangers, butcher makes the listIn this vast desert, it''s unclear where the end lies; this thing here clearly wants to lure people over.


    "This place is strange, better not get too close. Let''s check ahead first."


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, ignored the pyramid, and bypassed it, moving forward.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Just as Xu Hei was in seclusion, breaking through and advancing deeper.


    Outside, a series of events were unfolding.


    News of the opening of the Earth Path spread overnight across major sects and forces, with sects continuously sending people to explore and seek opportunities within the Earth Path.


    However, those sent returned empty-handed, and the dangers inside were unimaginably absurd.


    Rumors of ancient fierce demons, man-eating sand, terrifying spells, and more circulated, making it known as the most difficult path.


    The very first obstacle, the sand, stumped countless people.


    Even if someone managed to pass through with clever methods, their soul tablets would soon shatter, dying under unknown circumstances.


    This only deepened people''s fear.


    As casualties increased among the various groups, the exploration of the Earth Path was put on hold. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Some enthusiasts compiled a list of the top ten most dangerous ancient relics.


    "The latest top ten dangers of ancient relics, available for just five thousand spirit stones, fair to all, a purchase is a profit!"


    Outside the relic, an elderly man with purple hair was selling the list, attracting a crowd, but upon hearing the price of five thousand spirit stones, many hesitated.


    Such a price could bankrupt a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, the scroll on the stall was snatched away. Han Te was about to lose his temper but froze upon seeing the newcomer.


    The newcomer was a young man in a white robe, tall and handsome, with black hair like a waterfall, exuding an air of elegance and knowledge.


    Behind him stood a middle-aged warrior in silver armor, wielding a long spear, emanating an indescribable aura of slaughter, as if forged from a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, having killed countless people.


    Just one glance felt like entering a hellish realm.


    "Such a murderous aura, he must have killed no less than a hundred thousand!"


    "With such a terrifying expert as a protector, who is this young man in white?"


    Han Te, having met countless people, made a rough judgment and was about to observe secretly when he felt a chilling killing intent, quickly lowering his head, not daring to look further.


    The young man in white unfolded the scroll and read from top to bottom.


    "Second on the danger list: Black Sand, located at the entrance of the Earth Path, black sand fills the sky, sweeping across thousands of miles, contact means death, no one has entered so far..."


    "Third on the danger list: Historical Projection, located at the forefront of the relic, an ancient projection appearing randomly, containing great divine abilities, even a slight ripple can kill..."


    "Fourth on the danger list: Blood Corpse, a puppet targeting Core Formation Stage cultivators, the higher the cultivation, the stronger the blood corpse attracted..."


    "¡­"


    The young man in white scanned the list, his gaze falling to the end.


    "Ninth on the danger list: Demon Butcher, composed of countless corpse puppets, disguised as human cultivators, traveling with people, actually an ancient fierce creature, capable of driving Core Formation Stage cultivators insane."


    "Tenth on the danger list: Illusionary Forest, randomly induces sleep, originally could rank in the top five, but the pattern was cracked, hence ranked last."


    After reading the list, the young man in white smiled gently, "The ninth one is interesting, even corpse puppets can develop intelligence and disguise as humans."


    Then he asked, "Why isn''t the first on the danger list marked?"


    Han Te replied truthfully, "To be honest, for the first on the danger list, no one has survived to describe what it is."


    "But some speculate it''s a demon infant with Elemental Infant stage cultivation, encountering it means certain death."


    Han Te spoke convincingly.


    The young man in white nodded slightly, took out a storage bag containing five thousand spirit stones, placed it on the stall, and then turned to leave.


    "Thank you for your patronage, take care!"


    Han Te accepted the storage bag, his heart racing. He even considered throwing the bag away, not wanting any involvement, but he kept it.


    "That murderous aura, clearly from a great general of the Qin Kingdom, with such an expert as a protector, who could that young man be? Heavenly Puppet Sect? Impossible, right?"


    Han Te fell into thought, sensing something big was about to happen.


    ¡­¡­


    At this moment, in the deep entrance tunnel.


    Countless vengeful spirits hovered around, but with a surge of killing intent from Lei He, all the spirits retreated in fear.


    Soon, they arrived at the circular plaza.


    "The Demon Lord hasn''t appeared, it seems the plan succeeded," the young man in white smiled.


    Lei He replied indifferently, "The Demon Lord isn''t omniscient. Every rule has loopholes. Find the loophole, and success is inevitable."


    This man was Lei He, one of the top ten experts of the Qin Kingdom, a late Core Formation Stage cultivator.


    And the young man in white was Bai Luo, the current top Chosen of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    But through some method, he had changed his appearance and identity, even sealing his puppet techniques and altering his personality to become gentle and refined.


    "The legacy of the third-generation ancestor must belong to me. It''s my only chance to return to the headquarters!" Bai Luo''s heart was resolute.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect had dispatched various experts to help them compete for the relic, but not everything could be entrusted to outsiders.


    Bai Luo was the top Chosen of his generation, second only in talent to the already Golden Core Great Perfection Qin Xuanji, chosen as the best candidate.


    Three years ago, he could have formed his core, but he deliberately suppressed it, waiting for today''s grand plan.


    Though still at the Foundation Establishment Stage, in terms of strength and various extraordinary means, he could contend with ordinary Core Formation Stage cultivators.


    After glancing at the path of the Earth Path, the two entered without hesitation, moving in perfect harmony.


    Meanwhile, the Zhou family also rushed in.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Deep within the Earth Path, in front of the black pyramid.


    Xu Hei returned again, bouncing with determination.


    Because since entering the Earth Path, he had gained nothing, his only spoils coming from killing, unrelated to the opportunities here.


    Logically, every path should have great opportunities, Xu Hei couldn''t return empty-handed.


    Ahead was still the endless desert, repeating eternally, with the only thing present being this pyramid. Xu Hei had to give it a try.


    "Let''s see if there''s any danger first."


    Xu Hei released puppets, scattering them around, and summoned various magical treasures for protection, then cautiously approached.


    Under the pyramid, there was a dark entrance. Xu Hei pondered briefly and sent a sand puppet inside first.


    Once the sand puppet entered, it immediately lost contact with Xu Hei.


    It was as if there was a thin membrane at the entrance, isolating it from the outside world.


    Xu Hei sent in a scouting snake, with the same result.


    "I''ll have to try it myself."


    Taking a deep breath, Xu Hei activated various magical treasures, and with a flash, dashed into the pyramid''s entrance.

 Chapter 172: Inside the pyramid, the predecessors left messages

    Chapter 172: Inside the pyramid, the predecessors left messagesAfter entering the pyramid, Xu Hei felt as if he had stepped into a new realm.


    Ahead lay a tranquil passageway, with a lamp burning by the wall, casting a dim light that had likely been flickering for countless millennia.


    The passage was narrow, allowing only one person to pass through at a time. In front of him stood a stone tablet inscribed with some text.


    "There''s an inscription too!"


    Xu Hei''s spirits lifted as he focused on the ancient script, which was somewhat complex but decipherable to him.


    "This treasure was acquired by me during my travels in the Western regions. Its internal mechanisms are hidden and contain endless transformations and mysteries beyond words." sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The Puppet Mechanism Technique, which combines the strengths of many schools, though contrary to my sect''s philosophy, ultimately leads to the same path. I have summarized and incorporated it into our sect''s inheritance."


    "However, my heart was willing but my strength was insufficient. Though this item is excellent, it was abandoned by the sect. I have stored it here for future generations to explore. If they can grasp even a fraction, they can claim ownership of this treasure."


    The stone tablet bore three passages, still clearly visible after countless years.


    It wasn''t a Divine Sense imprint but rather carved text, which endures the longest.


    Clearly, the person who inscribed these words valued them greatly.


    Xu Hei carefully pondered the meaning of these passages. It seemed that after the pyramid was discovered, the author greatly admired it but, due to conflicting philosophies, it was abandoned by the sect.


    Thus, it was stored here for future generations to study. If they could uncover even a little, they could gain the pyramid''s recognition.


    Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief. If it was merely a test, he could accept it, as long as it wasn''t a trap.


    However, to be safe, Xu Hei decided to be cautious, in case someone had been here before and altered the inscription to deceive him.


    He took out a dragon scale and scratched the stone tablet, noting a clear difference between the new and old marks.


    "This place should be opening for the first time, and I am the first to enter here. It''s unlikely someone has beaten me to it," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    After checking thoroughly for a long time and confirming everything, he stepped into the passage.


    Behind the stone tablet, there was an additional piece of text¡ª


    "Remember, once you step in, there''s no turning back. Regardless of your cultivation level, the difficulty is the same. Choose wisely!"


    Xu Hei read this and felt reassured, entering without hesitation.


    Suddenly.


    Xu Hei sensed something, a slight vibration emanating from his Storage Bag.


    He stepped back a little, took out the butcher, and had it open the Storage Bag, retrieving an item to hold in his palm.


    It was that peculiar eyeball!


    At the center of the eyeball, a flame burned, and at this moment, it brightened as if an invisible gaze was scrutinizing him.


    The moment this sense of being watched appeared, Xu Hei quickly put the eyeball away.


    "What¡¯s going on? Why do I feel like I''m being watched? Is this eyeball alive? Or can someone observe me through it?"


    Xu Hei was shaken.


    At this moment, the eyeball''s abnormality ceased. Xu Hei thought for a moment and took it out again, applying countless seals to it.


    "Should I destroy it to be done with it?"


    Xu Hei hesitated. He had thought the eyeball was a treasure, not expecting such a hidden danger.


    It''s possible someone could locate it and come after him.


    However, if someone indeed came looking, wouldn''t that indicate the eyeball''s significant value?


    Xu Hei pondered briefly. Since he was already here, there was no reason to leave.


    He considered altering the inscription but realized he wasn''t skilled at deception and didn''t know what to write. So, he traced over the inscription, making the old marks new again.


    "I''m not deceiving you, but if you''re suspicious, that''s not my fault."


    Xu Hei smirked inwardly and crawled into the dark tunnel.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the entrance of the Earth Path.


    Two teams had just entered when they were assaulted by a storm of black sand. Bai Luo remained unfazed, summoning an ancient bell and flicking it with his finger, sending out a ripple.


    He had already investigated the situation inside before coming and knew that the sand was all puppets.


    As a disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, he had unique methods to counter puppets.


    This wasn''t a Spirit Body Thread but a wave of chaos that could cause puppets to become disoriented, especially effective against corpse puppets with some self-awareness.


    Once the ripple spread, the black sand in the sky lost its sense of direction, scattering wildly, even attacking and devouring each other, halting the assault.


    However, there were simply too many, and Bai Luo couldn''t deal with them all at once.


    Taking advantage of this opportunity, the two teams moved swiftly, bypassing the first wave of attacks. Lei He grabbed Bai Luo, burning the power of his Golden Core, and shot forward like a stream of light, racing ahead for a thousand miles.


    Zhou Qingxuan took out an Earth Boat, which sailed over the desert, cutting through the endless dust and soaring into the sky.


    Both teams were well-prepared, far beyond what Xu Hei and others could compare to on their first entry.


    On the Earth Boat.


    Zhou Wendie''s pupils changed, one eye turning golden, with a flame burning fiercely within, her aura rising.


    "I see him."


    Zhou Wendie said coldly.


    "Who?" Zhou Qingxuan asked.


    "The butcher." Zhou Wendie''s voice was icy, like a thousand-year frost. "He''s not dead."


    Zhou Qingxuan''s body trembled, his face darkening. "So he''s not dead. It seems the rumors are true. This person isn''t a cultivator but a demon from the ruins."


    To survive in such circumstances, what else could he be but a demon?


    "Whatever he is, I must retrieve my belongings." Zhou Wendie remained cold, her eyes unlike those of a young girl.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the pyramid.


    Xu Hei continued down the passage, soon arriving in a stone chamber.


    It was sealed on all sides, with no way out.


    Inside the chamber, there was only a coffin, nothing else.


    "A coffin?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered. He had heard that some places within ruins contained coffins, often with corpse puppets and burial items inside.


    Xu Hei first extended his Divine Sense, unsurprisingly finding it unable to probe.


    He released the butcher puppet, which walked forward and tapped the coffin lid, eliciting no response.


    "Meow!"


    Suddenly, a sharp, eerie cat cry echoed through the empty stone chamber.


    "Who?"


    Xu Hei looked around but couldn''t find the source of the sound.


    The cat''s cry was right by his ear. Xu Hei immediately scattered sand, sweeping it forward, and the sand wrapped around a cat-shaped outline, which lunged at him.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    Xu Hei left behind an afterimage, flicking his tail to instantly send the cat flying, crashing into the distance.


    The cat''s form was revealed¡ªa corpse puppet wrapped in white cloth, its bones shattered, lifeless, seemingly killed by Xu Hei''s strike.


    "This corpse puppet is quite weak. Could it be adjusted to my cultivation level?" Xu Hei wondered to himself.

 Chapter 173: Mechanism Formation, profound and myriad

    Chapter 173: Mechanism Formation, profound and myriadXu Hei cast the Spirit Body Thread, attempting to control the cat corpse, but unexpectedly discovered that his Spirit Body Thread would disintegrate upon contact.


    "Impossible to control!" Xu Hei was astonished.


    Every type of puppet he had encountered could be manipulated with the Spirit Body Thread, but this corpse puppet was an exception.


    Xu Hei probed it with his Divine Sense and found a black sphere in the dantian position of the cat corpse, resembling a Golden Core.


    "A Corpse Core?"


    Xu Hei''s heart skipped a beat.


    The Corpse Core, containing Yin Sha Qi, was the core of the corpse puppet.


    If a Corpse Core was cultivated, it meant the corpse puppet had developed intelligence, could cultivate on its own, and possessed at least the strength of the Core Formation Stage.


    However, the strength of the corpse puppet before him was clearly suppressed, maintained at about the late Foundation Establishment stage.


    "This must be the tomb owner''s deliberate doing, suppressing it to match my level," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    With this, the first challenge posed no pressure for Xu Hei, as his strength couldn''t be measured by his apparent cultivation level.


    Although the corpse puppet''s strength was suppressed, controlling it was still a futile dream for Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei manipulated the butcher to open the coffin lid, revealing a roll of white cloth inside, similar to what was on the cat corpse.


    This was a Magical Treasure.


    Xu Hei probed it with his Divine Sense but received no information, though he could sense a strong fluctuation of Spiritual Power.


    "Let''s test its effect."


    With a thought, Xu Hei wrapped the butcher with the shroud, and the butcher immediately entered an invisible state.


    "It can make one invisible, even undetectable by Divine Sense. How amazing!" Xu Hei marveled.


    He controlled the butcher to move back and forth without making any sound. The invisibility effect was no less impressive than Hei Huang''s Invisibility Talisman.


    However, he suddenly felt the Yin Qi within the butcher intensifying, with Yin Qi continuously rising from the ground, rushing into the butcher''s body, gathering at the center of the abdomen, seemingly about to condense into a point.


    "Is it going to..."


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted.


    But at that moment, the butcher''s body suddenly moved uncontrollably, crawling into the coffin.


    "Stop!"


    Xu Hei''s face changed drastically, exerting all his control, but the shroud''s power was too strong, directly pulling the butcher into the coffin, even closing the lid automatically.


    This sudden change left Xu Hei dumbfounded.


    He hurriedly tried to move the lid, using dragon scales to pry it open, but no matter what, he couldn''t budge it, as if it was locked.


    "Crack, crack, crack..."


    A door opened behind the stone wall, leading to the next challenge.


    Xu Hei stood there, staring at the immovable coffin lid, feeling both angry and embarrassed.


    "Boom!!"


    He slammed his tail hard on the coffin, but it only made a faint sound, to no avail.


    "Damn it! This Magical Treasure tricked me!" Xu Hei cursed.


    He had only used the butcher to test the Magical Treasure, yet such a change occurred.


    Fortunately, it was the butcher wrapped in it. If it had been his true self, Xu Hei couldn''t imagine the consequences.


    Now, he still had a faint connection with the butcher, but the coffin blocked him from controlling it further.


    This made Xu Hei extremely frustrated; not only did he fail to obtain the treasure, but he also lost a puppet.


    Xu Hei''s gaze shifted to the cat corpse on the ground.


    He hoisted the cat corpse onto his back and crawled toward the second challenge.


    He couldn''t abandon the butcher, but knowing nothing about this pyramid, he couldn''t just stand there foolishly; he had to move forward.


    After a while, Xu Hei crawled into a new passage, where another stone tablet stood ahead, with inscriptions that seemed to be from the same hand.


    "The first challenge requires defeating the Cat King and placing it in the coffin to pass."


    "I have modified the Cat King to suppress its strength to match the challenger''s. If you pass, you will be rewarded with a Magical Treasure scroll, which can enhance corpse puppets or render one invisible, but it has strong side effects. Prolonged use will lead to corpse Qi erosion, gradually losing one''s mind and becoming a true corpse."


    "For the subsequent challenges, this treasure might come in handy."


    After reading the inscription, Xu Hei realized that the Cat King didn''t enter the coffin, but the butcher did, which also worked. This rule had a loophole.


    Xu Hei could only shake his head and proceed to the second challenge, with the passage behind him automatically closing.


    The stone chamber of the second challenge was empty, with the floor composed of nine large squares, each ten zhang wide.


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment, then threw the Cat King onto one of the squares, but nothing happened.


    He climbed onto the first square himself.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, countless sharp wind blades whistled toward him, and Xu Hei immediately understood that this place was a killing formation, triggered by living beings.


    "Clang, clang, clang..."


    The dragon scales on Xu Hei were slashed, emitting crisp collision sounds. Xu Hei''s gaze turned cold, and he slammed a Mountain Embrace Seal onto the center of the square, but the blades only increased in number and power.


    Xu Hei used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon to dodge, but the blades continued to multiply. He took out a Magical Treasure to block them, but it was the same.


    After various attempts, he finally discovered that only by enduring them with his body would the power gradually weaken.


    "I understand now, this formation requires me to endure it head-on," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Xu Hei stopped dodging, using his dragon scales to block the falling blades. Each strike made his whole body tremble, but the power slowly diminished, and the frequency decreased.


    After a stick of incense''s time.


    The blades in this place completely subsided.


    Xu Hei endured a series of formation strikes, exhausted, but thanks to his dragon scale body, any other cultivator might not have lasted a few rounds.


    The difficulty of this second challenge was several times greater than the first, clearly designed for those with a perfect Foundation Establishment.


    Xu Hei looked ahead, seeing eight more squares. Did he have to step on each one?


    After the wind blades ended, the formation''s foundation was revealed, consisting of countless intersecting lines.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and he began to study it.


    "Since I''m here, I should gain something. I''ve never studied formations before, so I''ll use this one as my introduction."


    Xu Hei considered himself to have decent comprehension. With time and effort, he might unravel this formation.


    Although his talisman crafting and artifact refining left much to be desired.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time slowly passed.


    In the blink of an eye, three days later.


    Xu Hei suddenly opened his eyes, revealing a strange light.


    The first formation was a wind-based killing formation, enhancing the Wind Blade Technique within the formation, triggered by a medium. The principle was simple, but execution was extremely complex.


    Especially concerning the assessment, the formation''s power constantly changed, which was the challenging part.


    With a thought, Xu Hei uttered an incantation, instantly forming the formation''s foundation, and infused it with a destructive wave, with earth-element Spiritual Qi frantically gathering and merging into the formation.


    It was the earth-element spell, Falling Stars.


    "Success!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    After his modifications, the formation''s power greatly increased, incorporating Xu Hei''s own knowledge, transforming it from an assessment formation into a true killing formation.


    Being able to modify the formation indicated that Xu Hei''s understanding of it had reached a deep level.


    "Continue!"


    Xu Hei crawled into the second square.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    Countless earth spikes emerged from the ground, stabbing toward Xu Hei.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­ S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No one knew how much time passed.


    Outside the pyramid, three figures arrived at the location: Lei He, exuding a murderous aura; the elegant gentleman Bai Luo; and the cold-eyed Zhou Wendie.


    As for Zhou Qingxuan, he was nowhere to be found.


    The three appeared in poor condition, their faces pale, their auras weaker than before, and Lei He''s cultivation was unstable, showing signs of decline due to excessive Golden Core burning.


    It had taken them a week to reach this place, indicating the numerous life-and-death crises they had encountered.


    Bai Luo looked at the pyramid before them, his eyes brightening, and said, "According to the sect''s ancient records, this tower was obtained by the third-generation ancestor during his travels in the Western regions. I never expected it to be hidden in this Earth Path!"


    "Oh?" Lei He frowned and asked, "Is there any danger here?"


    He was only responsible for Bai Luo''s safety, nothing else concerned him.


    "The danger is determined by the intruder''s cultivation level. For me, the danger here is negligible."


    Bai Luo''s lips curled into a cold smile, his eyes radiating strong confidence.


    He had suppressed his cultivation for so long, still at the Foundation Establishment level, waiting for moments like this.

 Chapter 174: Improved Formation, Unlucky Bai Luo

    Chapter 174: Improved Formation, Unlucky Bai LuoBai Luo had done his homework thoroughly before entering the ruins, going through the sect''s history and ancient texts to learn everything about the third-generation ancestor.


    Despite many details being lost¡ªsuch as why the third-generation ancestor left the sect, why he came to Wu Mountain, and what he left behind¡ªthese remain mysteries.


    However, there are relatively detailed records about this tower.


    "Heaven is helping me; I will definitely conquer this tower!"


    Without hesitation, Bai Luo stood up and entered the tower.


    Zhou Wendie, however, was stopped by a single glance from Lei He.


    She said nothing, simply sitting cross-legged at the entrance.


    Upon entering the tunnel, Bai Luo immediately saw a stone tablet and the inscription on it.


    "Heh, just as the ancient texts described."


    Bai Luo''s eyes gleamed with excitement as he was about to step into the first challenge, but suddenly he paused.


    The inscription on the stone tablet seemed strange, as if it had been newly carved!


    He quickly went out and called Lei He to observe it together. Lei He shared the same opinion: the inscription was newly inscribed.


    "How could this be?" Bai Luo''s face darkened.


    There was only one explanation: someone had entered the pyramid before them.


    The inscription might be fake, altered by later generations to deceive people!


    He was certain that the stone tablet was left by the third-generation ancestor, but if a few words were altered, the meaning would be completely different.


    Bai Luo''s face turned ashen as he stared at the stone tablet, his eyes bloodshot, studying it carefully.


    In fact, Xu Hei hadn''t changed a single word of the inscription; he had merely copied it.


    This directly led to Bai Luo not daring to proceed until he restored the true inscription!


    ...


    At this moment, Xu Hei was already standing on the fifth square.


    He spent three days analyzing the first formation, only two days on the second.


    The next two took just one day each.


    In the six arts of cultivation, Xu Hei learned rapidly, often succeeding on his first attempt, showcasing his terrifying comprehension.


    Similarly, after passing each formation, Xu Hei would "improve" it, integrating his knowledge.


    If the previous formations were fraught with danger, now they were filled with lethal traps.


    "This formation is a water-based vortex formation, capable of trapping a person and draining their Spiritual Qi until it''s completely depleted."


    Xu Hei sat motionless on the ground.


    He didn''t break the formation but pondered its principles, trying to understand it from the designer''s perspective.


    Xu Hei discovered that the mechanisms within the pyramid, though seemingly complex and ever-changing, were essentially formations.


    For example, the walls that blocked Divine Sense and the coffin in the first challenge were all due to formations.


    In other words, if his formation skills were strong enough, he wouldn''t need to go through the challenges. He could take the pyramid directly and retrieve the butcher as well.


    This time, Xu Hei took only half a day to comprehend it.


    "I understand now. This formation tests the depth of one''s True Qi. As long as you keep taking pills and let your True Qi be drained ten times, you can pass," Xu Hei thought.


    But he didn''t plan to do that; he wanted to break the rules here.


    Why should everything be according to the opponent''s design?


    Xu Hei took out a large number of Spirit Stones, casting formation patterns across the ground, forming an inverse spiral formation in an instant.


    As Xu Hei deployed his formation, the speed of Spiritual Qi extraction gradually slowed.


    An hour later, it vanished completely.


    "Phew!" Xu Hei exhaled deeply.


    This was the first time he had broken a formation using his own formation skills instead of following the opponent''s rules!


    Although it cost him ten thousand Spirit Stones, it was worth it.


    Similarly, Xu Hei improved the water-based vortex formation, adding a layer of Heavenly Thunder formation on top, which not only drained True Qi but also infused it with thunder.


    Xu Hei pressed on without stopping.


    ...


    Meanwhile, at the entrance to the first challenge.


    Bai Luo and Lei He meticulously reviewed every detail, comparing it with ancient texts, and after a day and night of study, they finally restored the inscription.


    It was identical to the original!


    "What a brilliant trick; I can''t even tell what was altered!" Bai Luo''s face was stiff.


    If it were just alterations, it would be fine, but he seriously suspected that the opponent had erased crucial information.


    Without finding that information, rushing in would lead to a dead end.


    In desperation, Lei He took out a mirror of historical reflection.


    This mirror could replay historical projections, a sophisticated technique of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, inherited from ancient times, and one of their trump cards for this journey.


    Under the mirror''s reflection, the events on the stone tablet played out in reverse, replaying before their eyes.


    They saw a scale scraping across the stone tablet, copying all the inscriptions.


    After watching the replay, Lei He fell into silence.


    "Just... this?"


    Bai Luo was stunned for a few seconds, then his gentle face twisted rapidly, his chest heaving, almost exploding with rage.


    "Ah!! Despicable scoundrel!"


    Bai Luo roared to the sky, his handsome face turning maniacal, "I don''t care who you are, this time, I will tear you to pieces!"


    He had been played, and it was the first time he had been played like this.


    The opponent hadn''t changed anything, relying solely on his own imagination.


    If there had been changes, it would have been easier to find flaws by reasoning through inconsistencies, but the opponent hadn''t changed a thing, which was the cruelest. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    For the first time, Bai Luo felt how troublesome this predecessor was.


    "Since the content is correct, I need not worry. Based on my cultivation, I alone am enough to pass."


    Before long, Bai Luo regained his confidence, returning to his calm and composed demeanor.


    Lei He didn''t enter, standing guard at the entrance to prevent any disturbances.


    Bai Luo walked into the stone chamber of the first challenge.


    Upon entering, he saw a coffin, the place where Xu Hei had once been.


    However, the Cat King corpse puppet had become the butcher corpse puppet.


    Of course, Bai Luo knew nothing of this.


    "The first challenge should be a corpse puppet, though I''m not sure what kind of corpse puppet it is. As long as its cultivation hasn''t reached Qi Condensation, it won''t be my match..."


    Bai Luo saw the coffin and, after a brief analysis, understood the general process.


    However, just as the thought crossed his mind, he found all his protective Magical Treasures shattering.


    "Whoosh!"


    Bai Luo immediately retreated to the farthest point, taking out a handful of revealing dust and scattering it into the air, turning the area into a hazy dust field.


    Within the dust, a vague humanoid silhouette could be seen approaching him.


    "Invisibility? That''s a first."


    Bai Luo''s expression remained unchanged as he took out an ancient mirror, flicking his finger to send a wave of chaos spreading out. This move was naturally effective against puppets, especially corpse puppets that had developed intelligence.


    "Ugh..."


    The silhouette began to tremble, and after being hit by the wave of chaos, it sprouted numerous arms and legs, then started to split, with countless smaller silhouettes emerging from its body.


    It was as if this wasn''t a single corpse puppet but a conglomeration of many.


    "This..." Bai Luo was dumbfounded.

 Chapter 175: Heavenly net and earthly trap, five elements killing formation

    Chapter 175: Heavenly net and earthly trap, five elements killing formationBai Luo watched as the figure of the corpse puppet in front of him continuously split apart, countless smaller corpse puppets emerging from the "mother" body.


    Two, three... five... ten...


    Bai Luo felt a buzzing in his mind, his scalp tingling.


    What was even more terrifying was that all these corpse puppets had reached the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage, nearing the False Core, just like him.


    "What kind of monster is this?"


    Bai Luo''s face turned pale, his breath caught.


    Suddenly, he thought of the ninth-ranked evil entity on the danger list, the Butcher. The description of the Butcher seemed eerily similar to the monster before him.


    The many corpse puppets turned their gaze and charged at Bai Luo with bared fangs and claws.


    These newly born corpse puppets had no shrouds, revealing their true forms, with copper skin and iron bones, bodies like black iron. Each punch and claw emitted a thunderous roar, and corpse Qi permeated the air. A single hit would leave him severely injured, if not dead.


    "Chaos!"


    Bai Luo unleashed another wave of chaos, causing the corpse puppets to lose their sense of direction and move erratically.


    But the mother body seemed stimulated, its entire mass of tumors trembling violently, and more corpse puppets emerged from within it. The number exceeded twenty, and the stone chamber was filled with a thick corpse Qi.


    This made Bai Luo''s heart sink. He quickly put away the ancient mirror, not daring to use it recklessly again.


    As the corpse Qi spread, Bai Luo''s skin turned green, with blue and purple spots appearing¡ªsigns of corpse poison.


    "Damn it! This is trouble. The chaos wave can''t be used; it''s clearly countering me!"


    Bai Luo swallowed an antidote pill and erected a light shield to block the corpse Qi, only to see the mother body''s arm suddenly expand by several dozen meters, reaching for him.


    "Entangle!!"


    Bai Luo released a willow branch, which grew in the wind, wrapping around the arm. But from the Butcher''s hand, a serrated weapon emerged, spinning with a mechanical roar, slicing through all the willow branches.


    Bai Luo then summoned a copper bell, which was also slashed open by the weapon, the blade heading straight for his face.


    With no choice, Bai Luo used a teleportation talisman to instantly dodge the attack.


    ...


    In the second chamber.


    Xu Hei had reached the last three grids of the Nine Palaces Formation. These three formations were clearly different from the previous six, more than ten times as complex.


    Just a glance made Xu Hei feel dizzy.


    "Hmm?"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei felt a faint sensation from the first chamber.


    "Is the Butcher stirring?"


    Xu Hei frowned. He had always maintained a connection with the Butcher, and although it was blocked by distance and divine sense, the feeling was unmistakable.


    This led Xu Hei to suspect that someone had entered the first chamber, disturbing the Butcher.


    "Looks like I need to speed up."


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, swallowed an Awakening Pill, and focused all his efforts on studying the next formation.


    As soon as Xu Hei entered, flames erupted from the ground, raising the temperature and distorting the space. The fire released toxic gas, trying to invade his body.


    "A fire poison formation, containing two elements, cleverly combined. No wonder the complexity skyrockets," Xu Hei mused.


    ...


    In the blink of an eye, two more days passed.


    In the first chamber, about twenty corpse puppets wandered aimlessly in the empty stone room, while the Butcher''s mother body stood still, the dozen or so eyes on its head looking blank.


    Corpse Qi from the heavens and earth gathered, flowing into the Butcher''s body, where a corpse pill seemed to be forming in its dantian.


    Two stiff corpse puppets lay on the ground, having lost their spiritual power.


    As for Bai Luo, he was nowhere to be found.


    At this moment, an ancient painting was affixed to the ceiling of the stone chamber, depicting a courtyard.


    Inside the painting was a space filled with mist, lush green trees, and a quaint courtyard, like a paradise. Bai Luo sat cross-legged within, performing breathing exercises to recover from his injuries.


    It took him a full day to completely expel the corpse Qi from his body, and the corpse spots disappeared.


    "Thankfully, I had the paradise painting from my Grandmaster, or I wouldn''t have survived. The difficulty of this first chamber isn''t meant for someone like me; it requires Core Formation Stage cultivation to pass!"


    Bai Luo''s expression was grim. Although he could unleash all his abilities to fight against the Core Formation Stage, this was only the first chamber. If he used all his trump cards, what would he do for the later stages?


    Facing more troublesome dangers without those magical treasures might leave him without even a chance to escape.


    Therefore, he decided to act cautiously.


    Using the special space of the paradise painting, he would slowly wear down the corpse puppets, engaging in a war of attrition, taking out one or two at a time before retreating.


    Eventually, he would be able to eliminate all the corpse puppets here.


    Fortunately, these corpse puppets had not developed intelligence and acted only on instinct, unable to recognize the paradise painting, allowing him to use this tactic.


    "Is this Butcher really left by the third-generation ancestor? Why do I feel something is off?"


    The more Bai Luo thought about it, the stranger it seemed. Initially confident, he now had a sense of foreboding. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Fortunately, he was well-prepared. As long as nothing unexpected happened, there shouldn''t be any major issues.


    ...


    Xu Hei took three days to break the fire poison formation and another two days to dismantle the ice thunder killing formation.


    The final Five Elements Killing Formation was extremely tricky. The moment Xu Hei triggered it, he nearly lost his life.


    Luckily, he managed to hide inside the Black Dragon Pagoda just in time, barely surviving.


    From within the Black Dragon Pagoda, he observed the outside, where winds howled, thunder roared, earth fire surged, the ground froze, and sandstorms raged. The five elements converged, forming a cycle that seemed eternal.


    Xu Hei fell into deep thought.


    "The five elements rotate endlessly. I need to create a breach to disrupt the cycle," Xu Hei pondered.


    Ultimately, it took five days to fully analyze this formation.


    Xu Hei set up a force-dissipating formation, creating a gap in the five elements, stopping their cycle, and gradually weakening them until they dissipated.


    The door to the next chamber opened at this moment.


    Xu Hei let out a long breath, mentally exhausted.


    "This formation is too dangerous. To enhance it with my abilities would require at least fifty thousand spirit stones and might still fail, taking a minimum of three days. During that time, the opponent could enter at any moment..."


    After silently calculating, Xu Hei shook his head.


    "Better not, but..."


    Xu Hei''s eyes gleamed.


    He took out spirit stones, constructing bridges of spiritual Qi, embedding them into the formation base, linking this formation with the other eight, creating eight connections.


    Triggering the Five Elements Killing Formation would activate the other eight formations simultaneously, reactivating the previously solved formations.


    With all nine formations activated, even a Great Golden Immortal would meet their end!


    Xu Hei smirked coldly. This design was more reasonable and challenging; the tomb owner''s previous design was too simple.


    It was merely a test, giving people a chance to learn formations, which was quite dull. Now, it was a life-and-death trial at every step.


    "They should be coming soon; I need to leave."


    Xu Hei sensed the Butcher''s condition, glanced at the dark exit, hoisted the cat corpse, and with a flash, dashed inside.

 Chapter 176: Bai Luos Collapse, Land of Corpse Poison

    Chapter 176: Bai Luo''s Collapse, Land of Corpse PoisonAfter Xu Hei left, the back door closed shortly after.


    At this moment, inside the first stone chamber.


    Bai Luo was panting heavily, his True Qi exhausted, sitting on the ground with a pale face, unable to muster the strength to stand. He looked utterly drained.


    In his hand, he held a golden leaf, exuding an immense pressure. This was a decree left by the Elemental Infant ancestor of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, containing a trace of the profound meaning that only those at the Elemental Infant stage could comprehend. It was one of his strongest trump cards.


    It was with this item that he managed to suppress the butcher and seal him in the coffin.


    Originally, he intended to use force to eliminate the butcher, but that thing was simply unkillable. It could regrow a severed arm, with endless limbs, wounds healing frantically, and it could devour other corpse puppets to enhance its power, with the corpse Qi growing thicker.


    Forced into a corner, he had no choice but to switch to sealing, thus using this trump card.


    Bai Luo put away the golden leaf, his face flushed, and spat out another mouthful of blood, his breath weak.


    "This was supposed to be my last resort, and now I''ve used one up. What a huge loss this trip turned out to be!"


    Bai Luo began to deeply question whether the inheritance of this pyramid was worth it.


    He came to this ancient relic with a goal in mind, not just for the opportunity in this Earth Path, but for the greatest opportunity at the end.


    However, having passed the first challenge, there was no turning back now!


    He took a deep breath, adjusted his mindset, and walked into the passage leading to the next challenge.


    There was a stone tablet here, with inscriptions carved on it.


    Bai Luo glanced at the inscriptions.


    "Defeat the Cat King and place it in the coffin to pass..."


    "Cat King?"


    Bai Luo was stunned for a moment, then carefully read the inscription again.


    In an instant, he froze.


    Put the Cat King in the coffin?


    That wasn''t a Cat King at all; it was clearly the butcher!


    Though young, Bai Luo was not a fool. He immediately understood that the thing wasn''t an original corpse puppet of this place but was deliberately swapped by someone!


    Bai Luo clenched his fists, his delicate features twisted in extreme anger.


    So, the difficulty of his first challenge wasn''t supposed to be this high; it was only because of the trap set by the person before him that it became so difficult!


    It forced him to use the paradise painting, and in the end, to seal the butcher, he even used the golden leaf decree.


    "Argh!!! I will never forgive you in this life!!"


    Bai Luo roared to the sky in anger, almost spitting out another mouthful of blood.


    He had already suspected that the butcher was added later, but he was unwilling to believe that the other party had such capability. Yet the facts were right in front of him, leaving him no choice but to believe!


    Bai Luo sat cross-legged on the ground for a long time before slowly calming his inner rage. He took several pills to stabilize his True Qi and adjusted his mindset to its best.


    This trial was not only a test of strength but also of character.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect had specifically trained him for this relic, preparing him for various situations, including harsh environments and tormenting opponents.


    This had honed Bai Luo''s mindset far beyond that of ordinary cultivators. Although not yet at the level of some sect elders, among his peers, he was exceptional.


    An hour later, when Bai Luo opened his eyes again, he had regained his calm demeanor.


    "A small setback like this won''t defeat me."


    "Those who achieve great things don''t mind such minor troubles."


    Bai Luo exhaled and, with firm steps, walked into the second stone chamber.


    Inside the stone chamber was a formation test, a nine-square grid.


    Nine formations, first completing the outer eight, then stepping into the center.


    Bai Luo only needed a glance at the environment to understand the test''s content, and he inwardly sneered.


    However, he suddenly became alert. Since the person before liked to set traps, could there be traps left here as well?


    Bai Luo squinted his eyes.


    He decisively pressed a finger to his forehead, extracting a wisp of divine sense and cultivation, condensing it beside him.


    This time, he spared no expense in cultivation, spending a day to create an external incarnation identical to himself, with the same aura.


    "Go!"


    Bai Luo pointed forward, and the external incarnation stepped onto the first square.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    A fierce wind blade appeared, a wind-based killing formation, attacking the external incarnation.


    Bai Luo hadn''t even had time to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw a massive meteor appear above both his and the incarnation''s heads, falling down¡ªa large-scale group spell, Falling Stars.


    "Not good!"


    Bai Luo''s face changed dramatically, hurriedly raising a light shield. His incarnation was instantly crushed, and all the attacks came roaring towards him.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the passage, Xu Hei stood before a stone tablet, reading the inscription.


    "The second challenge is the nine-square grid formation I created in my youth, consisting of the most basic nine killing formations. Simply break them one by one to pass."


    "There are three methods to break it: first, follow the formation rules and meet the requirements to break it. Second, break it with brute force. Third, analyze the formation structure and break it with another formation."


    "Among them, the third method is the best. Those who pass using this method can comprehend the mysteries of the nine formations and benefit for life. This is the reward for the second challenge." S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei thought he had found a loophole, not realizing that the tomb owner had deliberately designed it this way to allow him to comprehend formations and break formations with formations.


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly, adjusted his state to the best, and proceeded to the third challenge.


    The third stone chamber.


    As soon as Xu Hei entered, he felt an overwhelming corpse Qi filling the chamber. Inside, there were no less than a hundred coffins, with a large amount of gas emanating from them, turning the air a purplish-black, easily causing poisoning.


    Xu Hei sniffed. Although he disliked the smell emanating from the corpses, he did not reject it, nor would he be poisoned by it.


    This seemed to be a natural advantage.


    Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief. With coffins placed everywhere, he followed the narrow path towards the end.


    "Crack!"


    Suddenly, the first coffin opened, and a withered claw reached out, emitting a terrifying fluctuation, definitely a powerful corpse puppet close to the False Core.


    The lid was lifted, and a pair of glowing green eyes looked over.


    Meanwhile, countless coffins behind him began to stir, making cracking sounds as if they were about to open.


    "Could it be that this challenge requires me to deal with so many corpse puppets?"


    Xu Hei looked at the coffins behind him, his heart alert, instinctively retreating.


    As Xu Hei retreated to the Cat King''s side, those green eyes turned, staring straight at the Cat King.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, hoisted the Cat King onto his back, and continued crawling forward.


    As Xu Hei advanced, the lids of the coffins behind him opened one after another, with countless eyes peering out, seemingly ready to rise from their coffins. But upon seeing the Cat King, they all stopped.


    "After passing the first challenge, there''s a reward of a shroud, meaning in this challenge, as long as I wear the shroud and disguise myself as one of them, I can pass?" Xu Hei calculated inwardly.


    The shroud was taken by the butcher, but having the Cat King seemed to work as well.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei felt dizzy and nauseous, as if he wanted to vomit.


    It was the first time he had encountered such a situation.

 Chapter 177: Corpse Puppet System, Final Level

    Chapter 177: Corpse Puppet System, Final LevelXu Hei realized that he might have absorbed too much corpse Qi.


    He took out an antidote pill and swallowed it, expelling the corpse poison from his body.


    But just then, as the corpse Qi dissipated, all the coffins began to make noises, and pairs of claws reached out.


    The lid of the nearest coffin was suddenly lifted, and a green-haired zombie wrapped in white cloth glanced at him and immediately charged forward.


    "Damn it!"


    Xu Hei''s expression changed, and in a flash of thought, he quickly took a deep breath, swallowing countless corpse Qi into his body, no longer suppressing it, letting it permeate throughout.


    With the corpse Qi entering his body, black Qi emanated from Xu Hei, and the green-haired zombie indeed stopped moving, merely staring at him quietly.


    Xu Hei secretly breathed a sigh of relief, but after inhaling the corpse Qi, the dizziness returned.


    He dared not use another antidote pill and could only endure the corpse poison, crawling forward.


    He wasn''t afraid of a single green-haired zombie; the problem was there were too many behind him. Xu Hei worried that once he started fighting, all the coffin lids would be lifted, and it would be uncontrollable.


    Xu Hei guessed that he was supposed to pretend to be a corpse puppet to get through this trial.


    He slightly increased his speed, but whenever he did, the coffin lids would tremble, forcing him to slow down.


    Xu Hei''s gaze swept over the coffins, discovering that the corpse puppets inside were all different.


    There were humans, demons, fat ones, thin ones, with yellow, green, purple hair, some with wings on their backs, some just skeletons, in all sorts of forms, like a treasure map of corpse puppets.


    "What does the tomb owner mean by this? Is it for me to observe the corpse puppets?"


    Xu Hei secretly speculated.


    The strength of these corpse puppets also varied, starting from the False Core Stage, with some even at the Core Formation Stage, each stronger than the last, their eyes like ghostly flames, their aura like Asura.


    Xu Hei dared not scrutinize them deeply, only sensing them slightly.


    Moreover, he discovered a pattern.


    "The cultivation of the corpse puppets seems to correlate with their hair color: hairless is the weakest, green hair is slightly stronger, purple hair even stronger, followed by yellow and red hair."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered.


    After walking for a while, he also noticed that the bottom of these coffins seemed to have the names of the corpse puppets engraved on them.


    "Hairless Hopping Zombie, Green-haired Flying Zombie, Purple-haired Yaksha..."


    Xu Hei scanned the names of the corpse puppets.


    The Hairless Hopping Zombie was roughly at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage, similar to what he could refine.


    The Green-haired Flying Zombie was at the False Core Stage, having initially formed a corpse core.


    The Purple-haired Yaksha was clearly at the early stage of Core Formation.


    Further on, Xu Hei found two coffins engraved with "Yellow-haired Corpse Charm" and "Red-haired Corpse King."


    These two coffins undoubtedly represented the mid-stage and late-stage of Core Formation.


    "There are even late-stage Core Formation corpse puppets here..."


    Xu Hei''s heart raced, forcing himself to stay calm.


    This trial couldn''t be passed by brute force; it had to be done according to the rules! Otherwise, he wouldn''t even know how he died.


    As for any thoughts of trickery, Xu Hei temporarily dismissed them; that was only feasible within his capabilities.


    Trying to trick others here might just end up tricking himself first.


    Through observation, Xu Hei noted that among the hundreds of coffins here, most were between hairless and green-haired, with very few purple-haired ones above the Core Formation Stage.


    As for the Yellow-haired Corpse Charm and Red-haired Corpse King, Xu Hei only saw these two in front of him.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and crawled forward, passing by the coffin of the Yellow-haired Corpse Charm.


    "Crack!"


    A crack appeared in the coffin, and a surge of overwhelming corpse Qi emanated from it, spreading over Xu Hei.


    This was a mid-stage Core Formation corpse puppet!


    Xu Hei dared not hold his breath, allowing the corpse Qi to enter his body, making the dizziness even more intense, almost causing him to faint.


    "I can''t detoxify! This trial tests endurance against corpse puppets. If I can''t even withstand the corpse Qi, how can I accept this inheritance?"


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth, eyes firm, crawling forward.


    Moments later, he reached the coffin of the Red-haired Corpse King.


    This was the strongest corpse puppet here, at the late stage of Core Formation.


    "Crack!"


    The coffin lid opened, revealing a red-haired arm, human-like yet ape-like, with long nails, and in the darkness, a pair of eyes seemed to be watching him.


    Xu Hei dared not look back, continuously reminding himself that he was a true dragon, and these corpse Qi were useless against him!


    At this moment, the corpse Qi within Xu Hei surged like a vast ocean, polluting his blood and meridians, even threatening to corrupt his Divine Sense, turning him into a true corpse puppet.


    But beneath his abdomen, within the range of the Demon God Cauldron, the corpse Qi could never enter.


    After a while, Xu Hei felt slightly better, not pausing for a moment, passing the strongest corpse puppet and reaching the distance.


    When he finally completed this path, all the coffin lids behind him closed again.


    Ahead, a door to the next trial opened.


    Xu Hei exhaled deeply.


    At this moment, he looked ghostly, devoid of any vitality, like a dead corpse.


    "Demon God Cauldron, refine!"


    Xu Hei shouted, and the Demon God Cauldron operated at full power.


    This time, it took him half a day to finally absorb all the corpse Qi, refining it into a black pill.


    Xu Hei spat it out, and the pill floated before him, a half-finished corpse core.


    "Is this the reward for this trial?" Xu Hei frowned.


    Glancing back at the room full of coffins, he thought it would be great if he could control them all. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, with his current strength, he couldn''t even withstand the corpse Qi, so it was best not to indulge in such fantasies.


    Xu Hei stepped through the exit, and the door behind him immediately closed. He arrived before a new stone tablet.


    The stone tablet was also inscribed with numerous inscriptions.


    "The third trial tests your affinity with corpse puppets."


    "These corpse puppets were personally refined by me in the past. If you can''t even withstand the corpse Qi, how can you receive my inheritance?"


    "This inheritance includes Hairless Hopping Zombie, Green-haired Flying Zombie, Purple-haired Yaksha, Yellow-haired Corpse Charm, Red-haired Corpse King, White-haired Corpse Infant, Blood-faced Corpse Ghoul, Black-haired Corpse Demon..."


    "The Divine Puppet Sect has refined countless puppets, yet little do they know, they themselves are the best puppets."


    "My inheritor, reaching here means you have passed the preliminary test. Next is the final trial, questioning your heart."


    "I will see if you truly wish to become my inheritor."


    "Now, there is still a chance to turn back."


    After reading this unexpectedly long passage, Xu Hei fell into silence, unlike before.


    Previously, it was all about summarizing the trials, with nothing amiss from start to finish.


    But upon reading this, Xu Hei felt an eerie vibe from the tomb owner.


    Especially the last sentence, questioning whether he truly wished to become the inheritor.


    Could it be that there are those who wouldn''t want to?


    "The Heavenly Puppet Sect doesn''t use corpse puppets. Could this person be a demonic cultivator for refining so many corpse puppets?" Xu Hei became vigilant.

 Chapter 178: The mirror of the heart, instinctive choice

    Chapter 178: The mirror of the heart, instinctive choiceXu Hei''s crafted puppets were neither human nor ghost, so he felt no aversion to corpse puppets; they were just another type of puppet to him and certainly not something demonic.


    However, in the eyes of humans, that might not be the case.


    "Is the owner of this tomb really an ancestor of the Divine Puppet Sect? And what is his relationship with the descendants of Gongshu?" Xu Hei pondered deeply.


    Xu Hei refrained from jumping to conclusions. He carefully analyzed the inscriptions on the stone tablet from beginning to end.


    Xu Hei had only been cultivating for three years, but he already possessed an insight that ordinary people lacked.


    ¡ª"These inheritances include Hairless Hopping Zombie, Green-haired Flying Zombie, Purple-haired Yaksha..."


    ¡ª"The Divine Puppet Sect crafted countless puppets, yet little did they know, they themselves were the best puppets."


    Xu Hei scrutinized these two sentences and pondered for a long time, his pupils suddenly contracting.


    Individually, these sentences seemed harmless. But together, they were deeply unsettling.


    "Could it be that he refined the people of the Divine Puppet Sect?" Xu Hei was secretly alarmed.


    Typically, the patriarchs of sects would leave their inheritances within the sect before their death, like the Mountain-moving Patriarch.


    But this person had come to Wu Mountain, excavated a massive tomb, and left behind so many corpse puppets that attacked indiscriminately.


    This was indeed very peculiar.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the stone chamber of the second trial.


    A golden figure clad in armor appeared on Bai Luo''s body surface; this was the Golden Body Manifestation, his most powerful trump card.


    Although this move relied on external objects, it also came at the cost of his cultivation.


    Originally, he planned to use it only when obtaining the final inheritance, as the sect''s patriarch had envisioned. But now, if he didn''t use it, he feared he would die here.


    Once the Golden Body Manifestation appeared, the six formations ahead were all destroyed by brute force, unable to stop him in the slightest.


    However, he halted before the last three formations.


    These three formations were clearly a level more powerful!


    "If I force my way through, even if I succeed, my cultivation will plummet!" Bai Luo''s face was gloomy.


    At this moment, his hatred for the person in the shadows was beyond words.


    If that person appeared before him, he would surely devour their flesh and gnaw their bones to vent his anger.


    But he was also contemplating whether it was worth continuing.


    His trump cards were nearly exhausted. If he continued like this, what would he have left to compete for the final inheritance? He might end up losing the watermelon while picking up sesame seeds!


    "This is merely a magical treasure of the Earth Path, yet I''ve lost so much for this tower! Had I known, I wouldn''t have come in!"


    "But now, giving up is not something I''m willing to do. If I don''t capture and execute that despicable person, I won''t be at peace!"


    Bai Luo''s heart was filled with dark hatred, nearly losing his rationality.


    He took a deep breath to calm himself, took out a compass, and spat a mouthful of blood onto it.


    Outside the pyramid.


    Lei He seemed to sense something and took out a similar compass, which began to rotate automatically, seemingly transmitting some kind of message at a certain frequency.


    This pyramid isolated everything; communication talismans and Small Teleportation Talismans were unusable. Only this parent-child compass could function, allowing them to sense each other.


    "You, go in!"


    Lei He looked at Zhou Wendie and pointed to the pyramid entrance.


    "Me?"


    Zhou Wendie''s eyebrow arched, and she thought to herself, "Now they want me to go in, are they trying to use me as cannon fodder?"


    Zhou Wendie maintained a cold and calm demeanor throughout, never showing anger even when blocked outside, nor did she choose to leave.


    This showed that Zhou Wendie''s scheming was much deeper than Bai Luo''s.


    At this moment, she immediately saw that Bai Luo must have encountered trouble and had no choice but to ask for help.


    Letting Lei He in might trigger even more powerful mechanisms due to his high cultivation, making the situation uncontrollable, so they chose her.


    "That''s exactly what I intended."


    Zhou Wendie, her mind racing, nodded and walked into the entrance tunnel.


    She passed the stone tablet without stopping and directly entered the first trial.


    Upon entering the stone chamber of the first trial, she immediately leaped into the air, clinging to the ceiling like a spider, entering a stealth state.


    One of her eyes turned golden, with flames burning within, capable of seeing through all illusions.


    With one glance, Zhou Wendie saw the butcher below and also saw through the mechanism design here.


    At the same time, she saw the familiar face on top of the butcher''s head, seemingly staring straight at her.


    It was her sister, Zhou Wenjun.


    Zhou Wendie''s pupils instantly filled with blood, a wave of grief and anger surging in her chest.


    "Silence!"


    Suddenly, she uttered a cold command, suppressing that grief and anger.


    "With just this bit of emotion, you can''t control yourself. How can you achieve great things?"


    Zhou Wendie''s voice was icy, as if she had become a different person.


    She had no intention of helping immediately.


    She was waiting, waiting for Bai Luo to be unable to hold on and leave this place, before she would enter.


    What belonged to her, no one else could take, including Bai Luo!


    As for the one who took her other eye, she wouldn''t let them go either.


    Zhou Wendie flicked her finger, sending a butterfly blade flying out, instantly slicing off the face on the butcher''s head.


    Flames ignited in her eyes, burning the face to ashes.


    "Sister, rest in peace."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Half a day later.


    Xu Hei finally stepped through the gate to the next trial because he had no other path to take.


    Inside the stone chamber of the final trial, there was nothing but a solitary mirror.


    As usual, Xu Hei tossed the Cat King in front of the mirror. When nothing happened, he had no choice but to approach the mirror himself.


    At that moment, Xu Hei suddenly felt his consciousness fly out, entering the mirror as if his soul had left his body.


    "Buzz!"


    The scene before his eyes changed rapidly as Xu Hei plummeted at high speed.


    In the next moment, Xu Hei found himself in a strange world.


    It was a pitch-black realm, eerie with ghostly energy. The sky burned with demonic fire, and the land was scarred, with black lava bubbling up and countless spirits drifting by, resembling a hellish scene that would terrify anyone.


    However, Xu Hei was not just anyone.


    "Where is this, and what am I supposed to do?"


    Xu Hei looked around in confusion, realizing he had also become a spirit, but in the form of a snake.


    "It''s said this trial is called ''Heart Inquiry.'' Heart Inquiry? How does one inquire?"


    Recalling the inscriptions, Xu Hei was deep in thought when he suddenly noticed his thoughts slowing, unable to generate any additional ideas.


    He couldn''t even manage to think calmly!


    His rationality was fading, his thoughts rigidifying, leaving only instinct, pure instinct.


    His eyes turned vacant.


    "Fiend! You will die a horrible death!"


    "Help, save us!"


    Cries of murder and pleas for help echoed nearby.


    Xu Hei turned his head and saw a cultivator exuding evil energy, with blood-red eyes, slaughtering wantonly within a family. Numerous cultivators and mortals were being massacred.


    To his shock, Xu Hei recognized the blood-red-eyed evil cultivator as Wang Ding!


    Also known as Wang Xiaoniu after he changed his name.


    And the family being slaughtered was Wang Ding''s own Chen Family.


    At this moment, Wang Ding had lost all reason, wielding a flying sword and killing indiscriminately, regardless of whether they were bystanders or innocents, men or women, young or old.


    "How could Wang Ding..."


    Xu Hei wanted to think calmly, but no matter what, he couldn''t.


    He couldn''t even discern whether what he saw was real or not, leaving only his instinctive choice.


    "No need to pretend, make your choice." S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A voice echoed in his heart.

 Chapter 179: Demon Mirror emerges, devouring the Tower Spirit

    Chapter 179: Demon Mirror emerges, devouring the Tower SpiritAt this moment, whether it was the Wang Ding or the Chen Family, in front of Xu Hei, they were nothing but ants.


    With a single thought, Xu Hei could decide their life or death. He could kill Wang Ding, annihilate the Chen Family, ignore them, seal Wang Ding, or eliminate them all.


    This was clearly a test, a test of Xu Hei''s Dao heart, to see what kind it was.


    "Make a choice, follow your true self."


    A phantom voice drifted up, echoing in Xu Hei''s heart.


    However, as time passed, Xu Hei made no choice.


    In his eyes, a look of confusion flickered, his face showing struggle, as if resisting some kind of guidance.


    "Why don''t you make a choice quickly? Do you want to defy your true self?"


    The voice continued, echoing in Xu Hei''s ears, causing his clarity to fade, once again overtaken by instinct.


    What was Xu Hei''s instinct?


    In the stone chamber, Xu Hei stood before the mirror, his entire skeleton beginning to tremble, especially the three dragon bones at his tail, emitting a buzzing sound, very intense.


    "What is my instinct?"


    Xu Hei suddenly murmured to himself.


    Xu Hei closed his eyes, deciding to follow his instinct.


    "Ah!!"


    In the mirror world, Xu Hei''s spirit let out a sharp screech, a terrifying soul wave erupting from his sea of consciousness.


    Everything before him, all the illusions, began to collapse.


    Like a will-o''-the-wisp, everything was false, fabricated out of thin air.


    Wang Ding shattered inch by inch, the fleeing members of the Chen Family vanished, and the hellish scene disappeared as well.


    "How could this be?"


    A voice of astonishment sounded in the dark.


    Instinct is the true self.


    Since Xu Hei knew this was fake, his true self would only make one choice, to resist this illusion!


    "You wish to see through my heart, to read my memories, how could I, Xu Hei, fall for that?"


    "This inheritance, I don''t need it!"


    Xu Hei had never told anyone about his relationship with Wang Ding, yet this mirror could read it, which had already crossed his taboo.


    If it could read Wang Ding, could it also reveal the Demon God Cauldron, the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon?


    Xu Hei hated being manipulated, and he was already wary of this place, especially after learning that the tomb owner might be a demonic cultivator, he even considered escaping.


    If his retreat hadn''t been cut off, he wouldn''t have come to this heart-questioning trial.


    "Whether you want it or not is not up to you! Such an opportunity comes once every thirty thousand years, and since you''re here, how could I let you go?"


    The ethereal voice echoed once more.


    Xu Hei confirmed that the other party had always been present, watching him from the shadows.


    This made Xu Hei''s scalp tingle, his eyes turning fierce.


    "Crack!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s storage bag flew out on its own, a pale golden storage bag.


    The storage bag opened, and a mirror floated out, hovering in mid-air, its surface facing the heart-questioning mirror.


    This was the mysterious purple mirror left by Hei Huang. Since Xu Hei used it once, it had remained inactive, and now, it appeared on its own for the first time!


    "What is this..."


    The voice appeared astonished once again.


    A faint light emitted from the mirror, shining on the heart-questioning mirror, and a powerful attraction erupted.


    "Boom!!!"


    In an instant, the heavens and earth shook, the ground quaked, and mountains swayed.


    The mirror world, like an impending apocalypse, twisted, collapsed, and shattered, the void cracking in countless places, spreading to every corner, like a breaking mirror.


    The hellish ground, the burning sky, disappeared at a speed visible to the naked eye, this was the collapse of a world, akin to the end of days.


    "What kind of magical treasure is this?"


    The voice was filled with terror.


    At this moment, a sharp, eerie laugh emanated from the purple Demon Mirror.


    "Hehehe, there''s actually an artifact spirit here, what a rare and great supplement!"


    The attraction from the Demon Mirror''s surface grew stronger, twisting the space around the heart-questioning mirror, as if it would be pulled into the Demon Mirror.


    "No! I''m not an artifact spirit! I''m not!"


    The heart-questioning mirror let out a miserable cry.


    But the Demon Mirror did not argue, only continuing its eerie laughter. As the space twisted more, the heart-questioning mirror floated up, growing smaller.


    "Buzz!"


    Before Xu Hei''s spirit, the mirror world completely shattered, turning to nothingness, leaving nothing behind. His spirit returned, automatically merging back into his physical body.


    Xu Hei was dumbfounded by the scene before him.


    "Hehe, a little artifact spirit shouldn''t struggle, you impersonated the tomb owner and set up so many trials, just to find a suitable physical body to snatch and transform into a human, right?"


    The Demon Mirror continued its eerie laughter.


    Hearing this, the heart-questioning mirror went mad, roaring frantically: "No! I''m not an artifact spirit, I''m the third-generation ancestor of the Gongshu family!"


    Its voice was hysterical, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.


    "Hehehe, you can fool others, but don''t fool yourself."


    The Demon Mirror sneered, "I should thank you, otherwise, where would I find such a good supplement?"


    The Demon Mirror increased its power, the surface of the heart-questioning mirror cracking with countless fissures, about to shatter, its size shrinking, about to be absorbed.


    Xu Hei watched the struggle between the two magical treasures, utterly speechless.


    "Artifact spirit?"


    Xu Hei had heard the term before, but this was his first time seeing one.


    An artifact spirit is born when a magical treasure reaches a certain level of power and develops self-awareness.


    For example, the sword spirit of a flying sword is a type of artifact spirit.


    The Black Dragon Pagoda also had some self-awareness, with the potential to birth an artifact spirit.


    When Xu Hei first used the Demon Mirror last year, he saw something resembling an inner demon, which, after chasing Xuan Yangzi, returned and entered the Demon Mirror. Xu Hei had speculated whether that thing was an artifact spirit.


    Now it seemed, it was highly likely.


    Of course, Xu Hei wasn''t certain, perhaps it was a product of copying the other party''s artifact spirit.


    "Ahhh!! How could I, the third-generation ancestor, die at the hands of an artifact spirit? This is impossible!"


    At this moment, the heart-questioning mirror was close to being completely absorbed, letting out its final howl. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But the Demon Mirror froze, angrily cursing: "You''re the artifact spirit, your whole family are artifact spirits!"


    "Whoosh!"


    The attraction suddenly intensified, forming a vortex, completely swallowing the heart-questioning mirror, absorbing it into the Demon Mirror.


    At this moment, the Demon Mirror calmed down, landing on the ground, no longer moving.


    The Demon Mirror''s surface regained a hint of spiritual charm, returning to the state it was in when Xu Hei first took it out.


    Xu Hei stood there, stunned for a long time, before finally taking a deep breath, inexplicably shaken.


    "What on earth is this mirror?"


    Xu Hei crawled closer, hesitant to touch this treasure, but remembering it was left by Hei Huang, he used the Gravity Technique to pick it up, examining it from the side.


    Xu Hei dared not look too closely, lest he accidentally reflect himself, creating a duplicate to fight him, which would be truly unjust.


    He quickly stored it in the pale golden storage bag.


    This golden storage bag was specifically for storing this mirror, opening automatically at certain times.


    "Rumble..."


    Suddenly, the entire stone chamber shook, dust falling from above, as if this pyramid had lost some structure, on the verge of collapse.

 Chapter 180: Pagoda collapsed, Bai Luo retreated

    Chapter 180: Pagoda collapsed, Bai Luo retreated"Crack, crack, crack..."


    The stone walls in all directions began to crack and collapse, revealing door after door, with various passages leading in all directions, their destinations unknown.


    Although the Divine Sense was still being blocked, Xu Hei could already spread out a large amount of it, clearly seeing the direction of these passages.


    "What¡¯s going on? One artifact spirit dies, and this happens?"


    Xu Hei''s face showed a hint of surprise.


    "Boom!!"


    The ceiling suddenly collapsed, crashing down. Xu Hei quickly dodged and rushed into one of the passages, only to find that it was also collapsing, with cracks everywhere.


    "Could it be... that wasn''t the artifact spirit of the Heart-Mirror, but the tower spirit of the pyramid?"


    "The Heart-Mirror, just a product simulated by the tower spirit?"


    Xu Hei had a bold guess in his heart.


    His idea was not without reason. If this pyramid was a Magical Treasure, then the most likely place for an artifact spirit to be born would be this pyramid.


    And the only thing capable of setting up these checkpoints would be the pyramid.


    The Heart-Mirror was just the final test, with the tower spirit personally taking action, using its own Divine Ability to simulate it.


    This made sense.


    In this way, the content on those stone tablets before could all be disregarded; they were not left by the tomb owner at all, but were a disguise by the tower spirit!


    "If it really is the tower spirit, then with the tower spirit dead, the rules of the pyramid are broken. This is the best opportunity for excavation!"


    "I must quickly find the treasures here."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he spread out his Divine Sense, heading towards the general central area.


    Along the way, the tunnel walls were collapsing. Xu Hei relied on his memory to keep moving forward. Fortunately, his body was very small, allowing him to squeeze through even narrow gaps, an advantage humans did not have.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    One hour earlier.


    In the second chamber, Bai Luo had been waiting for half a day without seeing Zhou Wendie come in, his face turning grim with anger.


    "Is this Zhou Family''s proud daughter a waste? Can''t even pass the first test?"


    "Or is she deliberately stalling for time, waiting for me to leave so she can enjoy the inheritance alone?" S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Luo''s mind raced as he looked at the remaining three formations in front of him, unsure whether to advance or retreat.


    He was unwilling to leave without catching the person behind the scenes.


    But on second thought, the butcher in the first test was indeed strange, and he didn''t really understand Zhou Wendie''s true strength. Without the paradise painting, there was indeed a slight possibility of failure.


    "Truly a waste," Bai Luo cursed inwardly.


    Moments later, he activated his Golden Body Manifestation, enduring the fire poison formation and the ice thunder formation.


    Only the last Five Elements Killing Formation remained.


    After all this trouble, Bai Luo''s face was pale, and he spat blood. These two formations had directly caused his cultivation to plummet from the brink of Core Formation Stage to the late Foundation Establishment stage.


    It would take at least a year to recover to the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    This made Bai Luo so furious that he was almost smoking from his seven orifices, but he had to calm down and consider whether to continue.


    "The last formation must be a deadly trap. This Golden Body Manifestation might not withstand it, and even if it does, my cultivation might drop further."


    Bai Luo''s mind was active, his gaze fixed on the center of the nine-square grid.


    Suddenly, his eyes flashed, and he took out a conspicuous Talisman, striking it out. With a bang, the formation base appeared in the void, revealing faint bridges of spiritual Qi.


    Throughout this journey, Bai Luo hadn''t spent time studying the nine-square formation, focusing solely on speed.


    But with his insight, he still discerned some formation principles, at least not being completely in the dark near the final test.


    At this moment, he vaguely discovered that some bridges of spiritual Qi connected the other eight formations with this central final formation.


    Bai Luo was dumbfounded, gasping as if he''d seen a ghost.


    "That was close! Almost fell into the trap!"


    He was horrified to find that this final test, once entered, would simultaneously trigger the other eight formations, combining into one. Even if he survived, he would be severely injured.


    This would absolutely force him to use all his trump cards!


    Bai Luo breathed heavily, grateful that he hadn''t acted impulsively. If he had rushed in recklessly, even if he survived, he would have no chance with the final inheritance.


    The nine formations combined, a deadly trap. At this moment, his anger towards the person ahead was mixed with a hint of fear.


    This person was definitely not simple.


    "This place must be abandoned. This might be a warning from the other party. Continuing to pursue might lead to greater losses!"


    Bai Luo began to suspect whether this was a deliberate flaw exposed by the other party, but he didn''t think much about it. Whether it was or not, he didn''t want to continue.


    Bai Luo took out the child-mother compass, placed it on the ground, and stepped on it.


    At the same time, outside the pyramid, Lei He also took out the child-mother compass, placed it on the ground, and the two of them simultaneously cast a seal, causing the space to shake violently, about to teleport away.


    Suddenly, Bai Luo thought of Zhou Wendie, who might still be stalling in the first test.


    "Zhou Wendie, whether you''re dead or alive, don''t even think about entering here!"


    Bai Luo''s eyes flashed as he cast a concealment Talisman, hiding the bridges of spiritual Qi, and then used a secret technique to shield the danger of this place once more.


    Next, he released some flying sword fragments hidden in the dark and set up a mechanism at the entrance. If anyone came in, the flying swords would activate the entire formation.


    If he couldn''t have it, no one else would!


    "Go!"


    With a thought, the child-mother compass flickered with spatial fluctuations.


    The space twisted, and Bai Luo and the compass instantly disappeared from the original spot, appearing outside the pyramid.


    "How did it go?" Lei He quickly asked.


    Bai Luo picked up the compass and said calmly, "I lost half of my trump cards and only reached the second test. This place must be abandoned."


    Lei He''s eyes flashed coldly, "Someone set you up?"


    He knew Bai Luo''s background; he was someone heavily cultivated by the Heavenly Puppet Sect, armed with various Magical Treasures, someone even the Core Formation Stage couldn''t easily deal with, so it was impossible for him to be in such a sorry state.


    "This is a long story, I''ll explain later."


    Bai Luo seemed unwilling to mention the encounter inside the tower, walking straight ahead, but his fists were clenched tightly, his eyes flashing with ferocity.


    He knew nothing about the person ahead, only the dragon scales used to carve the stone tablets and the butcher.


    With these two clues, it was enough. He would eventually dig that person out.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Shortly after Bai Luo left, Zhou Wendie seemed to sense something and arrived in the second chamber.


    One of her eyes was burning with flames, able to see through everything. The moment Bai Luo left, she sensed it and immediately arrived.


    Suddenly, her pupils shrank as countless flying swords shot out from the dark, striking the nine squares of the grid.


    The formation activated!


    "Boom, boom, boom..."


    The nine formations launched simultaneously, with heavenly thunder and earth fire, quicksand burial, falling meteors, vortex suction, corpse dissolution... all kinds of destructive forces descended together, even more ruthless than Xu Hei''s, with the first wave being a super deadly calamity.

 Chapter 181: Black Water Corpse Bug, Harvest Spirit Beast

    Chapter 181: Black Water Corpse Bug, Harvest Spirit BeastThe killing formation activated, unleashing a barrage of deadly attacks. The entire stone chamber instantly transformed into a hellish purgatory, akin to an apocalyptic disaster. Even those at the Core Formation Stage would feel their scalps tingle upon witnessing it.


    Zhou Wendie''s face changed dramatically, and she was instantly swallowed by the terrifying calamity.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the collapsing pyramid.


    Xu Hei was carrying the Cat King, sprinting through the narrow space. All around him, tunnels were collapsing, bricks and stones falling from above, the ground cracking and shaking incessantly.


    This pagoda, which had stood for countless millennia, was now being destroyed from within.


    At this moment, Xu Hei felt a stir in his heart.


    He suddenly sensed that the killing calamity he had left behind had been triggered.


    The fact that he could sense this indicated that the Divine Sense isolation function of this place was gradually disappearing.


    Xu Hei didn''t know who had triggered it, but it certainly wasn''t an ally, which meant he still had competitors.


    "I must hurry!"


    Xu Hei quickened his pace, darting through one path after another. Moments later, the space opened up, and he officially reached the core area of the pyramid.


    Here was a massive altar with layers of steps ascending upward. At the top of the altar stood a stone tablet.


    The spatial pressure here was immense, making flight impossible.


    Xu Hei climbed the steps, and before long, he reached the top of the altar and stood before the stone tablet. He placed the Cat King aside and looked at the tablet.


    "To have reached here means you have passed the test and are qualified to become my successor!"


    "This tower, named the Xuan Yin Tower, can autonomously absorb the Yin Qi of heaven and earth, ensuring that corpse puppets remain uncorrupted for millennia. It is an excellent place for cultivating corpse puppets."


    "Additionally, it is equipped with hidden mechanisms and formations, capable of both offense and defense, able to withstand attacks from peak Elemental Infant cultivators. However, after tens of thousands of years, only a fraction of its former power remains."


    "This stone tablet is the core of the Xuan Yin Tower. Refining the tablet is equivalent to refining the entire tower."


    "I have also left behind a corpse beetle. With this insect, you can command the corpse puppets born within the tower to serve you."


    After reading the inscription, Xu Hei realized that this tower was actually a top-tier fourth-grade Magical Treasure, capable of withstanding peak Elemental Infant attacks!


    Unfortunately, after so many years, the tower spirit was gone, and the structure was collapsing, leaving only a fraction of its power.


    Fortunately, there were still many corpse puppets inside, and Xu Hei even saw the Red-haired Corpse King, a terrifying existence at the late Core Formation Stage.


    "Corpse beetle?"


    Xu Hei observed briefly and found a hidden compartment beneath the stone tablet.


    Opening the compartment, he found a mass of amber-like substance inside, and within the amber was a black insect.


    The insect was palm-sized, with a bizarre appearance, resembling a giant isopod, currently in a dormant state.


    "So this is the corpse beetle?"


    Xu Hei mused.


    Xu Hei first attempted to refine the stone tablet but found it vast and boundless. With his Divine Sense, it would take him a hundred and eighty years to refine it.


    He had to settle for controlling the corpse beetle instead.


    With a thought, Xu Hei''s Divine Sense pierced into the corpse beetle.


    The corpse beetle reacted, suddenly awakening within the amber, which immediately developed a web of cracks.


    Xu Hei accelerated his efforts, and just before the amber shattered, he successfully left a Divine Sense imprint within the corpse beetle.


    "Boom!"


    The amber shattered, and the corpse beetle crawled out.


    Having just awakened from its slumber, it merely lifted its head, its eyes blankly staring at Xu Hei.


    At the same time, fragmented information flowed into Xu Hei''s mind.


    "Blackwater Corpse Beetle, fond of consuming human brains, feeding it daily can enhance its intelligence."


    "It can control a human body by burrowing into the ear and consuming the brain, gradually refining the body into a corpse puppet."


    "This method is called the Corpse Beetle Puppet Technique."


    "It has a strong restraining effect on those heavily infused with Yin Qi and will often actively devour them."


    "Its reproduction method is parthenogenesis." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "¡­¡­"


    In no time, Xu Hei learned all the information about the corpse beetle.


    Xu Hei realized that the tower spirit intended to use the corpse beetle to snatch his body and refine him into a corpse puppet.


    No wonder the third trial required him to absorb so much Yin Qi.


    Fortunately, he had the Demon God Cauldron, which could expel the Yin Qi from his body. Otherwise, for others, the Yin Sha Qi would remain within, and the corpse beetle would detect it at a glance.


    As for its reproduction method, it was the extremely rare parthenogenesis.


    This reproductive method only appears in marine life and some insects and ants.


    "Shrink!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei commanded.


    The corpse beetle''s body instantly shrank to the size of a fingernail.


    "Go!"


    Xu Hei pointed forward.


    The corpse beetle transformed into a streak of lightning, shooting out instantly, leaving an afterimage in the air.


    "What speed! This rivals my Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!" Xu Hei marveled.


    And this was just its inherent speed. If combined with the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, it would be even faster.


    After circling around, the corpse beetle flew back, landing in front of Xu Hei, still staring at him with blank eyes.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and said, "From today on, your name is Ji Ying, and you are my first Spirit Beast."


    A flicker of understanding, albeit faint, passed through Ji Ying''s bewildered eyes.


    Demonic Beasts of this level would usually gain intelligence, but insects were an exception.


    Xu Hei intended to take out a corpse to nourish its brain, but all the corpses had been absorbed by the butcher, leaving none behind.


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly, deciding to find more later.


    With a thought, Ji Ying''s body shrank, hiding in the gap of one of Xu Hei''s dragon scales.


    This was a queen insect capable of parthenogenesis, but it was not yet mature.


    Reproduction consumed a lot of resources, requiring numerous extremely Yin items as bait, the needed resources unimaginable.


    Xu Hei glanced at the stone tablet, planning to refine a portion of it first.


    He closed his eyes, letting his vast Divine Sense power surge into the stone tablet, gradually spreading from one corner.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside the Xuan Yin Tower.


    "Whoosh!"


    A bloodied and battered figure fell from the void, crashing onto the pitch-black sand. She spat blood, her breath weak and listless, her body covered in wounds.


    Lightning burns, scorch marks, sword and blade wounds¡­ all kinds of injuries, and most of her True Qi had been drained, nearly causing her to fall on the spot.


    It was fortunate that the pyramid had experienced a disturbance, causing the seal to become unstable, allowing her to escape.


    "Bai Luo!"


    Zhou Wendie''s eyes were filled with malice. She immediately recognized that it was Bai Luo''s Flying Sword that had triggered all the formations, leading to her current plight.


    The hatred in her heart was indescribable, but she could only take a deep breath, suppress her anger, and return to her usual indifference.


    At this moment, the space in the distance trembled, and a white-haired, middle-aged cultivator flew over, stopping in front of her.


    This person was Zhou Qingxuan, though his hair was now white, and he appeared much older.


    "What happened?"


    Zhou Qingxuan''s expression changed slightly as he looked at the wounded Zhou Wendie, asking in a deep voice.


    "Nothing, just fell victim to a villain''s plot."


    Zhou Wendie''s voice was cold as she sat cross-legged, swallowing a pill to heal her injuries, offering no further explanation.


    Zhou Qingxuan seemed to perceive something and asked, "Was it Bai Luo?"


    Zhou Wendie was silent for a moment before shaking her head, "No."

 Chapter 182: Thunder tribulation opens the way, psychological shadow

    Chapter 182: Thunder tribulation opens the way, psychological shadowAt this moment, figures appeared in the distance once more, shrouded in fierce flames and clad in iron armor and weapons¡ªit was Lei He.


    "It''s you? You''re not dead?"


    Lei He raised an eyebrow, looking at Zhou Qingxuan.


    While crossing the desert, they had witnessed Zhou Qingxuan being swallowed by quicksand, along with the Earth Boat.


    "I have the Elemental Infant decree left by the first ancestor. How could I die so easily?" Zhou Qingxuan responded calmly.


    Lei He squinted his eyes, not probing further, and said, "It''s good that you''re not dead. This black tower seems to have undergone some changes. Do you dare to enter with me for a look?"


    Zhou Qingxuan sneered, "No need. Our Zhou Family''s second ancestor is about to exit seclusion. His lifespan is nearing its end, and he wants to find a Longevity Pill in the ruins. I have to go assist him."


    "As for this black tower, I''ll leave it to your Heavenly Puppet Sect."


    Zhou Qingxuan grabbed Zhou Wendie, boarded the Earth Boat, and swiftly glided towards the horizon, disappearing at the edge of the desert.


    A serious expression flashed in Lei He''s eyes.


    "The second ancestor''s lifespan is nearing its end. The Zhou Family is protesting..."


    He wasn''t afraid of the second ancestor''s strength, but the words "lifespan nearing its end" were quite lethal.


    This indicated that the other party wasn''t afraid of death and could fight desperately!


    It seemed that Zhou Wendie''s status was more important than he had imagined, and he couldn''t afford to offend her lightly.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect and the Zhou Family were allies, and Lei He didn''t want to strain the relationship, so he sighed inwardly and followed.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Several days passed.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes and exhaled a turbid breath.


    Refining the Xuan Yin Tower was not something that could be accomplished overnight, nor was it something Xu Hei could achieve.


    So far, he had only refined about one-tenth of it, and the further he went, the slower it became. His cultivation was too low, and a fourth-tier Magical Treasure was still too early for him.


    At least he had to reach the Core Formation Stage, or even the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, to fully refine it.


    However, even with just ten percent, Xu Hei had already gained insight into the internal structure of the Xuan Yin Tower through the stone tablet.


    He knew the location of the butcher.


    He also knew the number of corpse puppets.


    "Inside the Xuan Yin Tower, there are a total of one hundred and twenty corpse puppets, including one corpse king at the late stage of Qi Condensation and one corpse charm at the mid-stage."


    "There are twelve nightshades at the early stage of Qi Condensation, and the rest are False Core and Foundation Establishment." S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The strength of this Cat King is still beyond my comprehension."


    Xu Hei pondered briefly, took the Cat King, and passed through several tunnels, reaching the destination in the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.


    This was the stone chamber of the first level, located at the entrance of the Xuan Yin Tower.


    The Formation here was still intact, but Xu Hei could now control it to some extent.


    With a thought, the coffin lid opened automatically. He placed the Cat King inside and took the butcher out.


    After several rounds of such maneuvers, the butcher, originally composed of more than thirty people, was reduced to twenty-five, causing Xu Hei some heartache.


    Xu Hei scanned with his Divine Sense and unexpectedly found a semi-finished corpse core in the butcher''s abdomen, showing signs of Qi Condensation!


    "The butcher actually broke through. This Xuan Yin Tower is indeed a holy land for corpse puppets."


    Xu Hei thought to himself, pleasantly surprised.


    He tried to control the butcher, whose dozens of arms quickly extended, punching the stone wall with a continuous rumble.


    Compared to before, the butcher''s speed and strength had significantly improved, capable of unleashing combat power at the False Core level.


    The only difference was that controlling it now consumed more mental energy.


    "This trip has been quite rewarding. I''ve learned about the corpse puppet system, mastered some Formation techniques, acquired Ji Ying, and even strengthened the butcher." Xu Hei was quite pleased.


    It was time to leave.


    He kept the entrance setup as intact as possible, ensuring that even if others broke in, they wouldn''t gain any advantage.


    Xu Hei put away the butcher, applied the Invisibility Talisman, and with a flash, rushed out from the entrance, returning to the desert area.


    He identified the direction and immediately used the Earth Escape Technique, speeding forward.


    The exit of the Earth Path wasn''t far, and Xu Hei reached it in just an hour.


    In front of him, in the Void, there was an illusory door with a vortex at its center, easily recognizable at a glance.


    "Could someone be waiting for me outside the exit?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and he made a quick decision, splitting a common passerby from the butcher''s body.


    Then, he had the passerby take out a blue bead, holding it in his palm¡ªit was the Thunder Tribulation Pearl!


    He controlled the person to crush a small part of the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, and with a burst of terrifying lightning, timed it perfectly, charging directly into the illusory door.


    "Buzz!"


    The vortex turned, and the passerby disappeared, passing through the space barrier and reaching the outside world.


    "Boom!"


    From afar, Xu Hei felt a spatial tremor, with energy waves penetrating from that side.


    "It exploded. I wonder if it killed anyone."


    Xu Hei thought to himself.


    This was a plan he had devised long ago. Regardless of whether someone was blocking him, he would use the Thunder Tribulation Pearl to clear the way.


    If the other party was cautious enough not to block him, that would be ideal.


    Although he lost a Thunder Tribulation Pearl, he ensured his safety.


    But if they dared to block him, it would catch them off guard.


    The power of this Thunder Tribulation Pearl wasn''t as strong as the one Xu Hei used in the Heavenly Dragon Casino, and the other party had countermeasures against it. Xu Hei wouldn''t hesitate to use it when necessary.


    Xu Hei estimated the time, and when the thunder tribulation was almost over, he flashed into the vortex door.


    "Buzz!!"


    The spatial ripples shook violently, and soon, Xu Hei disappeared from the Earth Path.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside the Earth Path was a pitch-black underground city, the endpoint of the Five Elements Path.


    This underground city, with its unknown long history, was already in ruins, with remnants and broken limbs everywhere. Only a few buildings remained intact.


    Suddenly, a thunderous roar echoed from the sky.


    Blue lightning illuminated half of the underground city, spreading for miles, shaking the heavens, and drawing everyone''s attention.


    Faintly, human screams could be heard, but they were quickly drowned out by the more terrifying thunder.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The scenery before Xu Hei twisted rapidly, and when it cleared again, he found himself in a desolate ruin.


    Lightning flickered around him, terrifying ripples spread out, and the heavens roared with the power of the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations, which even those at the Core Formation Stage dared not face directly.


    Around him, there were faint silhouettes turned to charcoal, mixed in the ruins, with heavy casualties. Whether they were targeting him or not, being here indicated something.


    Xu Hei felt the lingering power of the aftermath and dared not linger. Activating the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, he vanished, diving underground and fleeing at the fastest speed.


    Not long after Xu Hei left.


    A disheveled figure emerged from the ruins, clad in broken armor, eyes filled with terrifying killing intent¡ªit was Lei He.


    Behind him, Bai Luo, who had stayed far away, remained unscathed.


    However, most of the Zhou Family team assisting them had perished.


    "This person is ruthless, using a Thunder Tribulation Pearl to clear the way, and he escaped!"


    Lei He''s voice was extremely somber, showing that his anger had reached its limit.


    With his skills, if given even two breaths of time to prepare, he could have perfectly countered the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, rendering it powerless and preventing any harm.


    But the explosion occurred the moment the other party emerged, leaving him stunned in less than a breath.


    Such a ruthless tactic was unimaginable.


    "Fortunately, I stayed far away, or I would have been in trouble again."


    Bai Luo stood at a distance, still shaken. He had developed a psychological shadow from that mysterious person, with an ominous premonition that prompted him to retreat temporarily and stand far away.


    Who knew, he was right after all.

 Chapter 183: Underground city pool, green-haired zombie

    Chapter 183: Underground city pool, green-haired zombieBai Luo was both angry and apprehensive, wondering about the true identity of the person behind this.


    "The one who detonated the Thunder Tribulation Pearl earlier seemed to be a puppet..."


    Bai Luo''s pupils contracted as if he had realized something.


    For disciples of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Wu Mountain was an absolute forbidden zone. Even he had been forced to seal away his puppet techniques and switch to cultivating the Bai Family''s Azure Sky White Emperor Sutra to enter smoothly.


    If that person wasn''t a disciple of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, then who could it be?


    He immediately thought of someone.


    The person who once caused a sensation in Chuyang City!


    "Nephew Bai Luo, what happened here? Why was a Thunder Tribulation Pearl detonated?"


    A clear voice came from behind, and a handsome young man with a long sword at his waist, exuding an aloof aura, dressed in white, and at the late Foundation Establishment stage, walked over.


    It was none other than the young master of the Bai Family, Bai Qiushui.


    "Bai Qiushui!"


    Bai Luo''s expression stiffened.


    Although he was the top Chosen of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, his seniority in the Bai Family was a generation below Bai Qiushui.


    Bai Qiushui''s talent was also remarkable, but the Bai Family had an ancestral rule allowing only one person to join the Heavenly Puppet Sect every hundred years, so they chose the younger Bai Luo.


    "What¡¯s this? You don¡¯t seem happy to see your uncle?" Bai Qiushui said with a bright smile.


    Bai Luo''s mouth twitched. This person was only five years older than him, yet he had to call him uncle, which made him very uncomfortable.


    "Here''s what happened..."


    He didn''t hide anything and briefly recounted what had just occurred.


    As for his experiences inside the pyramid, he glossed over them, only mentioning that he had been tricked.


    "Puppet..."


    Bai Qiushui''s eyes flashed as he murmured, "This familiar method, it really is him!"


    "You know this person?" Bai Luo asked in surprise.


    "I''ve met him once," Bai Qiushui replied with a faint smile. "Uncle advises you not to provoke him, or you''ll only bring trouble upon yourself."


    As Bai Qiushui spoke, he stepped forward and patted Bai Luo on the shoulder. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Luo wanted to dodge, but the former''s hand was too quick, landing a pat on him, which made him show a look of disgust and quickly step back a few paces.


    "Oh? What''s with your cultivation? It seems to have fallen to the late Foundation Establishment stage?"


    Bai Qiushui withdrew his hand, carefully sensing, and feigned surprise.


    Earlier, he had taken the opportunity to probe with his True Qi, feeling that the other''s cultivation had clearly dropped from before.


    Bai Luo''s face was stiff, and he said coldly, "What does this have to do with you?"


    "What kind of talk is that? As your elder, can''t I show some concern? You must have been injured, how careless!"


    Bai Qiushui sighed, speaking earnestly, "But don''t be discouraged. I only broke through to the late Foundation Establishment stage last month. At your young age, having the same cultivation as me is already quite good."


    His words seemed to praise but were actually mocking.


    Bai Luo had reached the late Foundation Establishment stage five years ago, meaning he had been stagnant for five years.


    To ordinary people, it might be excellent, but for Bai Luo, who had consumed so many resources from the Heavenly Puppet Sect and remained unchanged, it was utterly disgraceful.


    "You..."


    Bai Luo''s face turned black with anger, unable to speak.


    "Don''t be angry, uncle is just looking out for you. You''re still young, and there will be plenty of days to be angry in the future," Bai Qiushui said with an increasingly bright smile.


    Seeing Bai Luo about to explode, Bai Qiushui laughed heartily and swaggered away.


    "Don''t get angry, don''t get angry, he''s just jealous of me."


    Bai Luo continued to take deep breaths to calm himself.


    He had been accustomed to smooth sailing, but since entering these ruins, he had suffered continuous setbacks, and even Bai Qiushui had come out to mock him. Yet, as the top Chosen of the Qin Kingdom, he couldn''t stoop to argue with such people.


    "Bai Luo, we¡¯ve found out who that person is. The one who once blew up the Heavenly Dragon Casino, using the alias Ma Teng, skilled in puppet techniques, even Elder Ding Quan suffered at his hands."


    Lei He appeared in time, speaking in a deep voice, "Later, he entered the ruins, used a puppet butcher to kill Zhou Wenjun, drove Liu Ruyan mad, and defeated Zhou Qingxuan''s External Incarnation. Now, one of Zhou Wendie''s eyeballs is still in his possession."


    Bai Luo gasped, "He''s offended so many people, and our Heavenly Puppet Sect hasn''t issued a warrant for him?"


    "Hmph! You should ask Qin Xuanji about that. He¡¯s been tight-lipped on the matter, saying he¡¯ll handle it, but what handling?" Lei He grumbled.


    He didn''t know that Qin Xuanji had tried to handle it but failed, even provoking the Demon Lord.


    "However, the butcher puppet he crafted is indeed quite sinister. I¡¯ve never seen such a puppet before," Lei He pondered.


    ...


    The ruins of the underground city marked the end of the Five Elements Path.


    Each path led to a different position, arranged in five directions but not far from each other.


    At this moment, Xu Hei found a dilapidated house to settle in.


    He initially wanted to dig a pit, but the soil here was black, hardened by millennia of yin energy, as hard and foul as a stone in a latrine.


    Only by using all his cultivation could he barely dig a hole, so Xu Hei had to give up. Fortunately, the house was sturdy enough.


    Xu Hei pondered briefly, scattering ten thousand Spirit Stones to set up a simple vortex spirit-devouring formation as a defensive measure, then went into seclusion to expel the thunder from his body.


    Earlier, he had withstood two strikes from the thunder tribulation to break through the encirclement.


    "This underground city is vast, and it hasn''t been fully explored yet. But in the depths, there are indeed some extremely terrifying dangers. That must be where the end lies," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    His knowledge of the underground city was limited to previous rumors.


    Now, having spent over half a month in the Earth Path, there might have been new developments.


    After half a day, Xu Hei finished adjusting his breath, dismantled the formation, and recovered eight thousand Spirit Stones.


    The nine-square grid formation allowed for partial recovery of Spirit Stones as long as it wasn''t triggered.


    Spirit Stones were not only used for daily cultivation but were also heavily consumed in formations.


    "Crack, crack, crack."


    Suddenly, the ground ahead trembled, and a spot began to bulge.


    Then, a withered claw emerged from the ground.


    "A wild corpse puppet?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed.


    "Boom!!"


    A ferocious green-haired zombie burst out from the ground, baring its fangs and claws, lunging at Xu Hei.


    Green-haired Flying Zombie, False Core Stage.


    This ruin was indeed fraught with danger, and Xu Hei encountered it just as he arrived.


    Xu Hei was about to act when a small black dot flew out from his scales, darting like lightning into the green-haired zombie''s ear, burrowing into its brain.


    The green-haired zombie immediately froze.


    Moments later, its ferocious eyes turned vacant, becoming bewildered.


    "Can it really control corpse puppets?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered. He hadn''t actively controlled it; Ji Ying had acted on its own.


    He pondered briefly and thought, "Return!"


    The green-haired zombie opened its mouth, and Ji Ying flew out, landing on Xu Hei''s head.


    "Roar!"


    The green-haired zombie roared again, raising its claw to strike Xu Hei.


    "Go!"


    Xu Hei released Ji Ying, which darted into its mouth, and the zombie froze once more.

 Chapter 184: Crisis arrives, death in a palm

    Chapter 184: Crisis arrives, death in a palmAfter repeated experiments, Xu Hei discovered that as long as Ji Ying entered the brain of the corpse puppet, it could be controlled. However, once it flew back, the corpse puppet would break free and attack again.


    This move was effective against the green-haired corpse puppet at the False Core Stage, but it hadn''t been tested on more powerful corpse puppets.


    "Rustle, rustle..."


    At this moment, Ji Ying''s wings began to tremble, conveying a certain emotion.


    Without any verbal communication, Xu Hei understood its meaning¡ªit was hungry.


    "Go," Xu Hei commanded.


    "Whoosh!"


    Ji Ying instantly darted forward, burrowing into the green-haired corpse puppet''s body and began devouring it from the inside.


    The corpse puppet remained motionless as its brain shriveled, followed by the rest of its body, emitting a grinding chewing sound.


    In just the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the corpse puppet was reduced to an empty shell. It appeared intact on the outside, but nothing remained inside.


    Xu Hei stepped forward and gave it a pat, causing the entire corpse puppet to collapse instantly, turning into a sheet of brittle paper.


    After consuming a corpse puppet, Ji Ying became more lively, flitting back and forth in front of Xu Hei, emitting a sound of joyous vibration.


    "Want to eat brains?" Xu Hei asked.


    Ji Ying bobbed up and down, signaling a nod.


    "There will be plenty of opportunities in the future."


    Xu Hei turned around, and Ji Ying voluntarily flew back, slipping into the dragon scales.


    Xu Hei oriented himself and headed towards the front lines of the underground city.


    The underground city was vast, and people had arrived long ago, but after several months, no one had explored its depths. Xu Hei didn''t know what the next destination was, so he could only venture deeper.


    Not long after.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s eyelid twitched, and he felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding.


    It was as if some danger was imminent, and he couldn''t avoid it.


    "What''s going on?"


    Xu Hei''s heart raced, his scalp tingled, and his thoughts spun rapidly. The next moment, as if realizing something, he decisively took out the Small Teleportation Talisman and activated it immediately.


    At times like this, any hesitation could mean the difference between life and death!


    "Whoosh!"


    Space warped, a ripple flashed, and Xu Hei vanished on the spot.


    "Boom!!!"


    At the same moment Xu Hei disappeared, a massive handprint descended from the sky, landing where Xu Hei had been. The terrifying shockwave surged skyward, sending countless bricks and stones flying, leveling the entire street.


    The ground collapsed, leaving a deep crater, shaking the area for miles!


    The handprint was a thousand feet wide and ten meters deep. To cause such destruction in such a sturdy place showed the immense power of the person who cast it!


    "A Small Teleportation Talisman? Hmph, quite alert."


    In the sky, an old man in a purple robe appeared, his expression stern, eyes like lightning, showing no trace of emotion.


    Behind the old man, on a rooftop, stood a young girl in purple, her face pale, her breath weak¡ªit was Zhou Wendie, severely injured but not dead.


    "Did he escape?" Zhou Wendie was surprised.


    "Indeed, he had a Small Teleportation Talisman and was quite alert. Even my sure-kill strike couldn''t hit him," the old man in purple said calmly.


    This old man''s aura was as powerful as Lei He''s, and he was the second ancestor of the Zhou Family, Zhou Qing, who had just emerged from seclusion.


    He was here for the Longevity Pill.


    Zhou Qing''s cultivation was the highest among those who entered the ruins, having reached Great Perfection of the Golden Core three hundred years ago.


    However, after countless years and repeated failures to break through, he had regressed to the late Qi Condensation stage, comparable to Lei He, but had accumulated considerable experience in breaking through.


    Zhou Qing was confident that if he found the Longevity Pill and extended his life by sixty years, he had a good chance of successfully forming a Nascent Soul.


    "Continue the pursuit," Zhou Qing said calmly.


    "Yes!"


    Zhou Wendie touched her forehead, and one of her eyes turned golden, flames burning as if sensing something.


    But after a moment, Zhou Wendie''s expression changed.


    "What is it?" Zhou Qing looked over.


    "He... seems to have teleported very far away. I can''t sense him at all," Zhou Wendie said in surprise.


    "How is that possible? A mere Small Teleportation Talisman, how far could it take him?" Zhou Qing was skeptical.


    Zhou Wendie sensed for a long time again, still to no avail, only pointing towards the depths of the underground city, saying, "Only a general direction, very far away."


    Zhou Qing squinted his eyes.


    In fact, the missed strike just now surprised Zhou Qing. Before he struck, he hadn''t even released his Divine Sense, nor locked onto the target, just slapped in a general direction to catch the opponent off guard.


    Even this was detected, proving the opponent was indeed skilled.


    This piqued his interest further.


    "Interesting," Zhou Qing murmured, his eyes flickering. "This ambush failed, the opponent should realize there''s something on him that can be tracked. He might destroy that eyeball or hide it in a dangerous place to lure us in. Next time, there won''t be such a good opportunity."


    "Then... what should we do?" Zhou Wendie asked hastily.


    "The Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes aren''t easy to destroy. Whether he''ll abandon it is uncertain, but this one is cunning, better not to act rashly," Zhou Qing said calmly.


    If the teleportation was close, he could chase and hunt him down, but teleporting so far in one go gave the opponent enough time to set traps.


    From previous understanding, the opponent was also ruthless, not a kind soul, and this place was fraught with danger. A single misstep could lead to disaster.


    He decided not to pursue, focusing on the Longevity Pill instead.


    "I agree," Zhou Wendie nodded.


    ...


    At this moment, deep within the underground city, an unknown distance away.


    Xu Hei''s figure suddenly appeared, falling from mid-air and crashing to the ground.


    He panted heavily, blood seeping from all his scales. That palm strike hadn''t even landed, but just a trace of its residual force had severely injured him.


    It showed the level of cultivation that person possessed!


    "Late Qi Condensation stage, and it was a full-force strike, leaving no room for error!"


    Xu Hei''s face was ashen.


    He was extremely sensitive to danger. If the opponent had used Divine Sense, he would have sensed it immediately and teleported away.


    But this time, he hadn''t felt a trace of Divine Sense or killing intent, just a palm strike that completely enveloped his area. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a dangerous enemy!


    Xu Hei was able to respond so quickly purely because he realized his oversight¡ªthe eyeball!


    This eyeball likely had a tracking function, and he could even feel a sense of being spied upon from it.


    It was greed and a fluke mentality that made him think it was a treasure he could use, almost leading to disaster.


    "I was careless! This thing can''t stay on me!"


    Xu Hei had underestimated the danger of the eyeball.


    He considered finding a dangerous place to hide the eyeball as bait to trap the opponent.


    But soon, Xu Hei dismissed this idea. Such a small trick might work on some juniors, but against such a formidable opponent, it was unlikely to succeed.


    "Cough, cough!"


    Xu Hei coughed up blood again and quickly took a Blood Replenishing Pill.


    Fortunately, it was just a superficial wound, not affecting his foundation.


    It was only because he reacted quickly enough. If he had been a moment slower in escaping, the outcome would have been different.


    "Ji Ying!"


    Xu Hei''s mind moved, and Ji Ying crawled out from the gaps in his dragon scales.

 Chapter 185: Outside Wuyou City, see Chu Tian Alliance

    Chapter 185: Outside Wuyou City, see Chu Tian AllianceJi Ying didn''t take flight but landed directly on the ground, looking rather deflated.


    The palm strike just now had affected Ji Ying as well.


    However, compared to Xu Hei, Ji Ying was much less injured thanks to the protection of dragon scales and could still move freely.


    Xu Hei, on the other hand, had fractures in all his bones except for the intact dragon bone in his tail.


    Xu Hei took out a storage bag containing an eyeball and placed it in front of Ji Ying. The eyeball was entirely golden, with flames swirling inside, looking extremely bizarre.


    "Eat."


    Xu Hei commanded.


    Ji Ying approached but recoiled as if electrocuted the moment it touched the eyeball, retreating far away, its body trembling with fear.


    "Afraid?"


    This left Xu Hei even more astonished.


    Ji Ying could even consume corpse puppets, yet it was afraid of this eyeball.


    This made Xu Hei''s heart grow heavier, with a strong sense of dread rising within him.


    This must be a treasure! Whether it was Ji Ying''s reaction or the relentless pursuit from the other side, everything highlighted the value of this eyeball!


    But no matter how valuable something is, you need to be alive to keep it. The other side had been chasing him non-stop, even deploying a late Qi Condensation stage elder who could track his location. Xu Hei couldn''t keep this item; he had to get rid of it!


    "Could it be the flames? Is it like the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, where piercing it would cause an explosion?"


    Xu Hei stared at the golden eyeball, his eyes flickering.


    After a brief contemplation, he put the golden eyeball away, planning to heal first and then find a suitable place to discard it.


    Xu Hei looked around. This was an unfamiliar place, devoid of the ruins of the underground city, with only some undulating black mountains.


    He had no idea where he had been teleported to.


    This was the downside of the Small Teleportation Talisman Xu Hei had crafted. The talisman teleported randomly and over long distances, easily sending him to strange places.


    "Ji Ying, check if there''s any danger nearby," Xu Hei ordered.


    "Buzz!"


    Ji Ying took flight and patrolled the surroundings. After a few simple circles, it returned and landed, conveying waves of dissatisfaction.


    Xu Hei helplessly realized that the Corpse Beetle was hungry again.


    Perhaps it was due to its injuries.


    With no other choice, Xu Hei chopped off a head from the butcher and tossed it over.


    "Buzz!"


    Ji Ying immediately became excited, rushing over and devouring the head in no time.


    After finishing the meal, it finally started working, wandering around the vicinity.


    Xu Hei also took the opportunity to focus on healing.


    After about the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.


    Suddenly, Ji Ying seemed to have discovered something, issuing a hostile warning and darting toward a mountain ridge. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Boom!"


    It seemed to have collided with a dull metallic object, causing Ji Ying to fly back and hover in front of Xu Hei, eyes filled with anger.


    "Someone''s here?"


    Xu Hei quickly hid his true body underground and brought out the butcher puppet, moving forward.


    His physical body was injured, but his Divine Sense was unaffected, making the puppet the best choice.


    From behind the mountain ridge, footsteps could be heard, and a monk wearing a kasaya walked over from the other side of the slope.


    The monk was tall and muscular, holding a crescent moon staff in his right hand, a broken bowl in his left, with large prayer beads hanging from his waist, yet his gaze was extremely gentle.


    Upon seeing the monk, Xu Hei''s pupils contracted.


    "Demon Monk Ku Xuan?"


    Xu Hei recognized him as one of the Chu Tian Alliance members who attacked the Mountain Movers Sect that day, Demon Monk Ku Xuan.


    Xu Hei hadn''t expected to encounter someone from the Chu Tian Alliance here.


    At this moment, the butcher glared with its dozen eyes, rotating on its head, its body swelling with countless pustules, staring at Ku Xuan with overwhelming murderous intent.


    A normal person, upon seeing the butcher, would either flee in terror or be too mentally overwhelmed to react.


    But Ku Xuan merely paused slightly, put away his staff and bowl, and clasped his hands together.


    "Amitabha."


    "Benefactor, it seems we have met before."


    Ku Xuan began with a Buddhist chant, then looked up with a gentle smile.


    Xu Hei just quietly watched him, saying nothing and making no move.


    "Benefactor, human faces are human faces, Buddha faces are Buddha faces, all beings have their own faces. I see the benefactor''s dignified appearance, a perfect forehead, a face like a Buddha, with pure six senses, surely someone destined for the Buddhist path."


    Ku Xuan looked at the butcher''s dozen ugly faces, not only unfazed but smiling as he spoke eloquently.


    "¡­¡­"


    Xu Hei was speechless.


    He recognized every word the monk said, but why couldn''t he understand them when strung together?


    How did he see that this butcher was destined for the Buddhist path?


    Xu Hei had heard from Xiao Chou that there were many strange people in the Chu Tian Alliance, and today he had witnessed it.


    "Why do you think we''ve met?"


    Xu Hei spoke with all the mouths, deciding to respond to Ku Xuan''s earlier statement.


    "Eyes are the windows to the soul. Even if I haven''t seen you, you must have seen me."


    Ku Xuan looked at Xu Hei''s eyes and smiled.


    Xu Hei was taken aback.


    He suddenly felt that this demon monk wasn''t speaking nonsense but had some insight.


    Xu Hei could roughly judge a person''s emotions and thoughts through their eyes, especially those with little experience, who were easier to read.


    This wasn''t even his own eyes but the butcher''s, yet Ku Xuan could tell they had met. It was indeed impressive.


    Xu Hei didn''t dwell on this and instead asked, "Where is this place?"


    "This place is outside Wuyou City, at the forefront of the ruins," Ku Xuan replied.


    "Wuyou City?" Xu Hei was puzzled.


    "Wuyou City means carefree and joyful, referring to that underground city," Ku Xuan continued.


    Xu Hei thought carefully. That city was full of corpse puppets and dangers, hardly carefree, likely named in ancient times.


    At this moment, another person arrived.


    This person was burly, with skin as dark as steel, wielding a Star-shattering Hammer, making loud noises as he walked, exuding a strong oppressive aura. It was Demon Man Zhang Tie.


    "Master Ku Xuan, who is this person..."


    Zhang Tie''s pupils contracted upon seeing the butcher, showing a wary expression.


    If it weren''t for Ku Xuan communicating with it, he would have smashed it with his hammer.


    "This is the rumored ninth danger in the world, Benefactor Butcher," Ku Xuan said with clasped hands.


    Zhang Tie stared at the butcher for a while, squinting his eyes, and said, "This is clearly a corpse puppet, and it''s being controlled by someone. Its true body should be behind it. Let the true body come out and speak!"


    Despite his rough appearance, Zhang Tie was actually sharp-minded, immediately seeing through Xu Hei''s nature.


    Having fought against the Qin Kingdom for years and countless battles with the Heavenly Puppet Sect, he had long developed the ability to see through puppets at a glance.


    "Amitabha! All forms are illusory, even what you see with your own eyes can be false. Whether it''s the true body controlling the puppet or the puppet controlling the true body, what difference does it make?" Ku Xuan said.


    Zhang Tie was left speechless.


    When this person appeared, Xu Hei felt like retreating. He didn''t want any interaction with someone at the Core Formation Stage, as it was too dangerous.


    His true body had already quietly retreated a thousand feet away.


    In these ruins, not only was the range of Divine Sense limited, but the control range of puppets was also restricted. However, with Xu Hei''s speed, escaping wouldn''t be an issue.


    But suddenly, Xu Hei thought of the golden eyeball.


    That mysterious eyeball, he didn''t know how to handle it, but if he gave it to the Chu Tian Alliance...

 Chapter 186: Weigh the pros and cons, trade for treasure

    Chapter 186: Weigh the pros and cons, trade for treasureXu Hei carefully weighed the pros and cons of handing over the item to the Chu Tian Alliance and made a decision on the spot.


    "Do you two have any business here?" Xu Hei controlled the butcher to ask, without revealing his own thoughts.


    "Not really, we just sensed some spatial fluctuations here, so Master Ku Xuan came to check it out, and we happened to run into you," Zhang Tie spoke bluntly, unlike Ku Xuan, who was more cryptic.


    "I entered by accident as well," Xu Hei replied.


    Zhang Tie found the butcher''s appearance unsettling and didn''t want to linger. He glanced at Ku Xuan and secretly transmitted a message, "Who is this butcher?"


    Such a malevolent presence, in the past, he would have killed on sight, but Zhang Tie refrained from acting and instead inquired.


    "He is fated with my Buddha," Ku Xuan replied.


    Zhang Tie immediately understood, clasped his hands together, glanced at the butcher, and said, "I won''t disturb you any longer, take your time."


    "Hold on."


    Xu Hei stopped him, took out a golden eyeball from his storage bag, and said, "Are you interested in this? Name your price."


    At this moment, both Ku Xuan and Zhang Tie turned their attention to the golden flame-like eyeball.


    "The Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes?"


    Zhang Tie observed it for a moment and clearly recognized it, gasping in surprise, "Wait here!"


    He turned and left.


    Before long, Zhang Tie returned from a distance, accompanied by a man in a scholar''s robe, none other than Xu Qingfeng, the leader of the Chu Tian Alliance.


    Additionally, a large bald eagle flew over and landed on Ku Xuan''s shoulder.


    Xu Hei immediately retreated.


    Xu Qingfeng waved his hand, and everyone stepped back, leaving him alone to approach, standing on the hillside at a safe distance.


    "It truly is the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes!"


    He stared at the golden eyeball, his divine sense scanning it, his eyes flickering, and said, "My friend, the butcher, what price do you have in mind?"


    At this moment, Xu Hei had adjusted his appearance to resemble a normal person, as he was conducting business with the other party. However, he still looked extremely ugly, covered in protruding lumps.


    Xu Qingfeng, not judging by appearances, remained composed.


    "Name your price, it depends on your Chu Tian Alliance''s sincerity," Xu Hei said.


    Zhang Tie exchanged a glance with him, whispered something, and Xu Qingfeng nodded slightly.


    After a moment of silence, Xu Qingfeng smiled and said, "Butcher friend, you must be trying to sell this because you''re being hunted by the Zhou Family''s patriarch, right?"


    Xu Hei didn''t hide it and nodded, "That''s right."


    "I won''t hide it either. The Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes are indeed invaluable, capable of transforming mediocrity into greatness, benefiting one for a lifetime. It''s not something that can be measured by value. However, taking this treasure means bearing the consequences with the Zhou Family." S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Although the Zhou Family is a major family in the Qin Kingdom, under the command of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, they''re already half an enemy of our Chu Tian Alliance. But offending them without reason carries certain risks."


    Xu Qingfeng spoke at length, and Xu Hei nodded in agreement.


    Dealing with someone like this, Xu Hei had no intention of hiding anything. After all, keeping this item was a burden, and he wouldn''t refuse to give it away.


    "Alright, I''ll take the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes, and in exchange, I''ll give you half of the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book," Xu Qingfeng said with a smile.


    "Boss, you mustn''t!" Zhang Tie quickly intervened.


    "Bookworm, are you crazy? You''re even giving that away?"


    The bald eagle also cried out, speaking human words.


    From their reactions, it was clear that the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book was an extremely precious item!


    Of course, it could also be a deliberate performance, but considering Xu Qingfeng''s character, it was unlikely to be an act.


    "No worries! The Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes are of great use to our Chu Tian Alliance, and it also forges a good relationship. Why not?"


    Xu Qingfeng smiled openly, took out a rolled-up scroll, cut it in half, and sent it to Xu Hei through the air.


    Xu Hei reached out to catch it, immediately feeling a heavy aura from the scroll, suppressing much of his hostility.


    Xu Hei also handed over the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes, which Xu Qingfeng accepted.


    "What is the use of this scroll?" Xu Hei asked.


    "The Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book is a relic left by my grandmaster, containing a vast amount of text. Each word holds immense power. You can think of it as a set of talismans crafted by our Confucian sect, with each word representing a talisman," Xu Qingfeng explained.


    Xu Hei unrolled the scroll and indeed found numerous words recorded inside.


    "Fix, Kill, Soldier, Move, Approach, Comprehend, Reverse..."


    There were also some verses, likely representing even more formidable spells.


    Although there was no description, Xu Hei could immediately understand the functions of these spells, some for killing, some for support, and some for enlightenment.


    However, despite being called the Ten Thousand Word Book, it only contained about a hundred words, the name was an exaggeration.


    "How powerful is this treasure?" Xu Hei asked.


    "The power depends on your own comprehension. If you can grasp the essence of the words, you can unleash incredible power."


    Xu Qingfeng added, "For example, if I use it, even if someone at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core attacks, I can escape unscathed."


    "Boss, you''ve said enough," Zhang Tie reminded with a stern face.


    Such confidential matters, if leaked, would be a great disaster for the Chu Tian Alliance, equivalent to exposing their trump card.


    Xu Qingfeng, however, shook his head, smiling, unconcerned.


    Zhang Tie looked at Ku Xuan, who also appeared calm, with no intention of stopping him, leaving Zhang Tie puzzled.


    "So powerful..."


    On the surface, Xu Hei remained calm, but inside, he was deeply shaken.


    Xu Qingfeng was only at the mid-stage of Qi Condensation, yet he could use this treasure to contend with someone at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, which spoke volumes about the power of the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.


    Moreover, as far as Xu Hei knew, Xu Qingfeng had an even stronger scroll that he hadn''t taken out.


    No wonder he inherited from the Astrology Bureau; he had a wealth of treasures.


    However, Xu Qingfeng didn''t explain how to grasp the essence of the words, and Xu Hei didn''t ask further.


    He put away the scroll, clasped his hands, and said, "Thank you, I hope this journey goes smoothly."


    "Butcher friend," Xu Qingfeng said in a deep voice, "Our Chu Tian Alliance, along with some rogue cultivators, is exploring a cave dwelling at the frontier. I wonder if you''re interested in joining us. Our Chu Tian Alliance guarantees that any treasures found will be contested based on individual abilities, and we will never resort to killing and robbing afterward."


    Zhang Tie added, "The boss speaks the truth. You can ask those rogue cultivators; they can vouch for it."


    Xu Hei remained silent for a moment and said, "I have other matters to attend to, so I won''t be going for now."


    It wasn''t that he didn''t want to go, but he was injured, and he was used to fighting alone, unwilling to cooperate with others.


    He also scoffed at the Chu Tian Alliance''s righteous conduct. If they didn''t kill and rob, why cultivate immortality at all?


    Xu Qingfeng didn''t insist, taking out a jade slip and saying, "If you change your mind, you can come anytime. According to our speculation, it should lead to the core of the ruins."


    The jade slip flew over and was caught by the butcher.


    "Farewell!"


    Xu Qingfeng and the others turned and left.


    Ku Xuan glanced at the butcher and the real Xu Hei in the distance, saying, "Fated one, the Buddhist sect is always open to you!"


    He chanted a Buddhist mantra, with the bald eagle on his shoulder, and drifted away.


    Xu Hei ignored those who didn''t speak plainly.


    "The people of the Chu Tian Alliance are all extraordinary."


    Earlier, Xu Hei had sensed the aura of everyone present.


    In summary, there were only three words: unfathomable, completely unfathomable.


    Ku Xuan was only at the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, and under normal circumstances, such a cultivator would be easily defeated by Xu Hei, but Xu Hei had no confidence in defeating him.


    The other two were even more formidable, both at the Qi Condensation stage.


    And that bald eagle, seemingly ordinary, but with an even more terrifying aura within, deterring Xu Hei from probing further.


    And then there was the silver-haired witch from before, also a formidable opponent.

 Chapter 187: Accelerate again, take stock of the cards

    Chapter 187: Accelerate again, take stock of the cardsAfter the members of the Chu Tian Alliance left, Xu Hei immediately appeared and checked the jade slip. Once he confirmed everything was correct, he infused his Divine Sense into it.


    Inside the jade slip was an enormous map, stretching from Wuyou City to this location, spanning thousands of miles.


    Under circumstances where Divine Sense and flight were restricted everywhere, this was an extremely long distance, even for someone in the Core Formation Stage.


    "This should be the latest version of the map."


    Xu Hei thought to himself, comparing it with the map he had purchased from Han Te, and found that it contained a lot of new information.


    Many red dots were specifically marked, indicating extreme danger.


    "Historical Projections, Red-Haired Corpses, Yellow-Haired Corpses, Yellow Spring Flowers..."


    Xu Hei had some understanding of the corpse puppet system; red hair indicated the late Qi Condensation stage, while yellow hair was the mid-stage.


    One of the Yellow-Haired Corpses was not far from here.


    Xu Hei was relieved that he hadn''t teleported near there; otherwise, he would have been in big trouble as soon as he landed.


    Regarding the Historical Projections, Xu Qingfeng had written a note. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Historical Projections appear without any pattern and can occur anywhere. I have only marked places where they have appeared before. Please be aware."


    Xu Hei was naturally very wary of these highly dangerous Historical Projections.


    Although most were harmless, some were extremely lethal, still carrying the Dao Rhythms of ancient times. Encountering one could lead to death on the spot, regardless of one''s cultivation level.


    Xu Hei had only been here for a short time, so he hadn''t encountered any yet.


    Following the map, Xu Hei left the area and found a safe, secluded place to heal and recuperate.


    This time, it was only a flesh wound, and Xu Hei recovered within half a day.


    Then, he took out the scroll of the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.


    His gaze focused on a single character, "Enlighten," which was used for comprehension. Xu Hei currently had few things he could comprehend, with the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon being one of them.


    "Enlighten!"


    With a low shout, a character flew out from the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book and appeared above Xu Hei''s head.


    In an instant, Xu Hei felt his mind become clear, as if he were soaking in an icy spring. Confusions and uncertainties were instantly resolved, and he was immersed in a peculiar state.


    "The key to the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon is not speed, but form!"


    "When speed reaches its peak, relying on the change of form can surpass the extreme..."


    Xu Hei closed his eyes, and insights appeared in his mind, continuously simulating and calculating, practicing until he reached the essence.


    It was unclear how much time had passed.


    Xu Hei''s eyes remained closed, but his body began to move.


    "Swish!"


    He vanished on the spot, his figure tracing a lightning bolt, executing the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, leaving behind a series of afterimages in mid-air.


    One, two, ten... fifty!


    On his first attempt, Xu Hei left fifty afterimages, five times more than before.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei disappeared again, this time the afterimages formed a continuous line, reaching eighty.


    Xu Hei kept shifting, leaving countless afterimages, repeatedly surpassing a hundred in no time.


    Time slowly passed.


    The "Enlighten" character above his head didn''t last long, dissipating after just an hour.


    But Xu Hei had no intention of stopping, continuing his relentless practice.


    He had a premonition that his movement technique would play a crucial role soon, potentially saving his life at a critical moment.


    Xu Hei took out the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book again and pointed at a "Learn" character.


    Learn, not for himself, but for Ji Ying.


    A "Learn" character appeared above Ji Ying''s head, and it began to mimic, flying through the air and leaving an afterimage, precisely the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon.


    "Even the Corpse Beetle can learn; this Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book is indeed extraordinary," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Ji Ying''s speed was already fast, and now, combined with the dragon clan''s movement technique, it was beyond description, even with lightning. Xu Hei had to concentrate to barely discern its technique.


    Ji Ying was learning, and Xu Hei was learning too, mimicking Ji Ying''s flying form, learning from each other.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    Xu Hei vanished, his afterimages quickly surpassing a hundred, instantly reaching two hundred, three hundred, and still climbing...


    In the end, as long as Xu Hei wished, he could leave any number of afterimages.


    Unknowingly, Xu Hei''s comprehension of the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon reached the third level of perfection.


    The third level: countless afterimages, the true body hard to find.


    The fourth level: afterimages become tangible, capable of creating an External Incarnation.


    Thus, the three levels were fully comprehended, yet Xu Hei was still some distance away from the fourth level''s tangible afterimages.


    He needed to thoroughly comprehend "form" to enter the next level.


    At this moment, Xu Hei and Ji Ying stopped, their True Qi exhausted, but his spirit was incredibly excited.


    "This Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book is worth it!"


    Xu Hei marveled in his heart, carefully storing the scroll.


    There were still many characters left on the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, of various types, which would become his trump cards in the future.


    Xu Hei didn''t know the value of the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes, but obtaining this treasure was definitely a gain for him! After all, the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes were a hot potato he couldn''t use.


    "My current spells include the third level of perfection in Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, Falling Stars, and Mountain Severing Abyss."


    "As for puppets, I have the butcher, metal puppet, and Ji Ying controlling corpse puppets."


    "My Magical Treasures include the Ice and Fire Flying Sword, Black Dragon Pagoda, and the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book."


    "Additionally, there''s a gray Talisman left by Xuan Yangzi."


    "With so many trump cards, I have the confidence to fight against someone in the early Qi Condensation stage."


    Xu Hei calculated his means.


    However, Xu Hei didn''t let his guard down. As a rogue cultivator, he had managed to acquire so many trump cards.


    How many trump cards would the Zhou Family, Heavenly Puppet Sect, Snake Catchers Sect, and other adversaries have?


    Like the young man who had chased him all the way, even after being tricked so many times, he still had the mind to ambush him at the exit, which spoke volumes.


    "Let''s take a look at the Chu Tian Alliance."


    Xu Hei took a Rejuvenation Pill, meditated for a moment, and adjusted his state to the best.


    He took out the butcher and split off a normal person from it, a nondescript member of the Iron Mountain Gang.


    But to be safe, Xu Hei removed its facial features, turning it into a faceless person.


    "This way, no one should be frightened."


    Xu Hei was worried that the butcher''s appearance was too terrifying and would cause alarm, so he came up with this plan.


    He stored the main body of the butcher, put a mask on the faceless person, dressed it in a black robe, and then leaped towards the location Xu Qingfeng had provided.


    Before long, Xu Hei arrived at the place.


    Ahead was a cave dwelling with a large entrance exuding eerie ghostly energy, and a large group of rogue cultivators gathered outside.


    The members of the Chu Tian Alliance were also among the crowd, seemingly discussing strategies.


    Xu Hei''s true body was hidden within the faceless person as he descended and approached.


    "Another rogue cultivator?"


    "Where are you from? State your name!"


    Seeing Xu Hei appear, a rogue cultivator stepped forward and shouted loudly.

 Chapter 188: Historical Projections, Ancient Alchemist

    Chapter 188: Historical Projections, Ancient Alchemist"Greetings, my surname is Xu."


    Xu Hei cupped his hands. After all, no one knew his name, so there was no need for an alias.


    "Xu... Are you planning to join us or act alone?"


    The cultivator with thick eyebrows and big eyes was very straightforward, speaking rapidly, "Let me make it clear first, our group is under the jurisdiction of the Chu Tian Alliance. We''ve all signed a series of peace agreements, which prohibit us from initiating harm, and we must unite against external threats. Treasures go to whoever gets them first. If you''re willing, you can join; if not, you can go to the other side."


    He pointed in another direction, where only a small group of people gathered in threes and fives, scattered around.


    Xu Hei glanced over and found that most of them were demonic cultivators, like Wu Chou from the Blood Robe Sect.


    Except for a few who were independent, almost all rogue cultivators had allied with the Chu Tian Alliance for added safety.


    No matter their conduct, righteous cultivators like Xu Qingfeng always gave a sense of security.


    Xu Hei pondered briefly and asked, "What kind of contract?"


    The cultivator in front of him directly took out a scroll of golden paper, which was filled with various rules.


    "Just infuse a trace of Divine Sense, and this contract will take effect. If you violate it, there''s no need for us to act; your Divine Sense will collapse on its own," the person said calmly.


    Xu Hei glanced at it; it was something left by Xu Qingfeng, with many rules written on it.


    Without saying more, Xu Hei retreated to the other side, standing with the demonic cultivators. He would never sign such a contract.


    Seeing Xu Hei refuse, the cultivator didn''t ask further, a hint of mockery flashing in his eyes as he returned to the crowd.


    As Xu Hei landed, the five nearby demonic cultivators quickly retreated, keeping their distance from him.


    "Blood Robe Sect?"


    To Xu Hei''s surprise, the aura and attire of these five were very similar to Wu Chou, whom he had killed, indicating they were from the Blood Robe Sect.


    In Wu Chou''s Storage Bag, there was a Blood Robe Token, suggesting he held a significant position in the sect.


    "What''s the situation here? Tell me."


    Xu Hei looked at a female cultivator who seemed easy to bully and asked.


    The female cultivator remained silent, continuously retreating with a wary expression.


    "Not talking?"


    Xu Hei raised his hand and used the Gravity Technique to pull her over, holding her in his grasp.


    "How dare you!"


    "Spare me, senior!"


    The other four wanted to shout, but the woman in his hand began to wail, leaving everyone stunned.


    "Senior, I''ll tell you. This is a Blood Corpse Cave. Inside the cave dwelling, there are many ancient pills preserved to this day, and an ancient medicinal garden. But the Chu Tian Alliance has tried several times and hasn''t cleared out the blood corpses, so they''re discussing strategies."


    The female cultivator in his hand spoke with a tearful face.


    Xu Hei nodded slightly and released her. She immediately retreated back to the other four, who dared not act rashly, only nervously stepping back.


    The strongest among them was only at the late Foundation Establishment stage, and Xu Hei''s earlier display had directly intimidated them.


    "Is this all that''s left of your Blood Robe Sect?"


    Xu Hei asked curiously. In his impression, such demonic sects should have been thriving.


    Recognized for their identity, the five weren''t surprised. They exchanged glances, a bitter look flashing in their eyes.


    Originally, they had twenty people enter, including two Nascent Soul ancestors, but they all died. One ancestor perished to a corpse puppet, and the other was drained dry by the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    The group remained silent, but Xu Hei could glean some information from their eyes. He asked again, "Why didn''t you join the Chu Tian Alliance?"


    "It''s not that we didn''t want to; the Chu Tian Alliance refused."


    The female cultivator from before explained.


    "Just because you''re demonic cultivators?" Xu Hei was surprised.


    "Exactly." The female cultivator nodded.


    "..." Xu Hei fell silent.


    At that moment, there was a commotion from the cave dwelling.


    Everyone looked over to see a ghostly, phantom-like girl with silver hair floating out from the eerie cave dwelling.


    The girl had silver hair, a petite figure, and looked like she was in her early teens. She was quite beautiful but exuded an extremely cold aura that warned others to keep their distance.


    "Silver-haired Witch," Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed.


    The Silver-haired Witch, in her translucent state, flew out from the cave dwelling and approached.


    "How is it?"


    "What''s the situation inside?"


    The core members of the Chu Tian Alliance quickly went up to inquire, with Xiao Chou among them.


    The Silver-haired Witch''s form gradually solidified as she said, "I saw the ancient medicinal garden. There are at least twenty plants with ten thousand years of age."


    "Ten thousand years!"


    Everyone gasped.


    In today''s world, even thousand-year-old medicinal herbs are rare, let alone ten thousand years old, which are priceless and of unimaginable quality.


    "Moreover, there''s a hundred-thousand-year-old Golden Thunder Bamboo."


    The Silver-haired Witch added.


    This left the entire Chu Tian Alliance stunned, with Zhang Tie''s eyes almost blazing with desire, itching to rush in and harvest it immediately.


    However, there were too many corpse puppets inside the cave dwelling, continuously emerging from the ground. After clearing wave after wave, he dared not venture in recklessly.


    Although others didn''t know what they were discussing, their expressions revealed that they must have discovered something extraordinary.


    And just then.


    A strong wind blew across the sky, with a hazy light shining down from beyond, appearing at the top of the cave dwelling, with a hint of Dao resonance emerging.


    "It''s a Historical Projection!"


    "Retreat quickly!"


    Everyone retreated, their eyes warily watching above the cave dwelling.


    Historical Projections appear without any pattern, possibly remnants of ancient Dao resonance or some kind of world rule at work.


    Most projections are harmless, but some contain the divine might of ancient cultivators, and just a trace can be deadly.


    It was Xu Hei''s first time seeing a Historical Projection.


    In the sky, blurred scenes appeared: caves, figures, houses, like a mirage in the desert.


    It was like a reflection of historical scenes, crossing the river of time, presented before their eyes.


    The scenes seemed to be inside the cave dwelling.


    In the images, a young, tall alchemist sat cross-legged, placing medicinal herbs into a pill furnace.


    Xu Hei''s pupils suddenly contracted when he saw the alchemist.


    He actually recognized this alchemist!


    It was the ancient cultivator''s corpse he had excavated from a stone at the stone gambling house!


    And that pill furnace was the very one Xu Hei had refined.


    "How could it be such a coincidence?"


    Xu Hei''s heart surged with waves of shock. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But he said nothing, his expression calm, watching coldly.


    The projection from ancient times seemed to accelerate, quickly playing out. The cultivator refined a large number of pills, placing them into pill bottles, one of which had the words "Longevity Pill" on it.


    Seeing the Longevity Pill, everyone''s eyes lit up with desire; it was a pill countless people dreamed of obtaining.


    But the most astonishing part was yet to come.


    Next to the Longevity Pill, there was another pill bottle labeled "Nascent Soul Pill."


    "My heavens!"


    "It''s actually a Nascent Soul Pill!"


    Seeing this, everyone''s eyes burned with fervor, almost going mad.


    The Nascent Soul Pill is taken by cultivators at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation Stage when forming a Nascent Soul, its value beyond description.


    If the Longevity Pill merely extends the life of a Nascent Soul ancestor by sixty years, the Nascent Soul Pill gives them hope of forming a Nascent Soul.

 Chapter 189: Enter the cave to seek treasure, the restless spirits linger

    Chapter 189: Enter the cave to seek treasure, the restless spirits lingerThis would drive any Core Formation cultivator mad!


    Of course, achieving Nascent Soul isn''t as simple as just taking a pill; it also requires comprehending the essence of the Dao. However, the Nascent Soul Pill can greatly increase the success rate.


    In addition, among those pill bottles, there are Divine Marrow Pills that can alter one''s Spiritual Root, Sky Blue Pills that clear the mind and eyes, and various other pills that have vanished from the world today.


    "I found a Sky Blue Pill in the cave dwelling."


    "And that Hao Yuan Pill, I think the one I found is that exact bottle."


    Zhang Tie quickly took out a pill bottle and compared it with the Historical Projections, finding it almost identical, indeed a bottle refined by ancient cultivators.


    "Does this mean that the Nascent Soul Pill and Longevity Pill can also be found in the cave dwelling?"


    Zhang Tie looked at Xu Qingfeng.


    At this moment, the Chu Tian Alliance could hardly sit still. If there really were Longevity Pills and Nascent Soul Pills here, they would spare no cost to obtain them!


    These are ancient pills, their quality and efficacy unmatched by anything today.


    However, the appearance of the Historical Projections was ill-timed, as almost everyone present had seen it.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered. If he were Xu Qingfeng, he would immediately act, killing everyone except those from the Chu Tian Alliance to prevent the news from leaking.


    But Xu Qingfeng clearly had no such intention, not even considering it.


    As the enforcement elder of the Astrology Bureau, he had adhered to Confucian principles for a hundred years. Even after joining the Chu Tian Alliance, he still upheld the old rules and his own bottom line.


    As an enforcement elder, if he were to trample the law and kill the innocent, what law would there be to enforce?


    Fairness and integrity are the bottom lines of an enforcer, and also Xu Qingfeng''s Dao.


    Xu Hei saw his inaction and sighed inwardly.


    At this moment, in the Historical Projections.


    The ancient alchemist organized all the pill bottles, sticking a talisman on each one.


    "These sealing talismans are enough to preserve the efficacy for ten thousand years. If future generations open them, remember to consume them quickly."


    The Historical Projections made no sound, but one could see his mouth moving, deducing what he was saying.


    These pills were left for future generations!


    At this moment, everyone was convinced that these pills were all hidden in the cave dwelling, waiting to be discovered.


    Xu Hei felt a sense of doubt. It was said that Historical Projections appeared randomly, but this scene didn''t seem random at all.


    It seemed like a deliberate design, triggered by certain conditions, intentionally shown to future generations.


    Before long, the Historical Projections faded away.


    "Everyone, gather!"


    Xu Qingfeng shouted, and the scattered cultivators affiliated with the Chu Tian Alliance all gathered, totaling fifty people.


    There were only seven members of the Chu Tian Alliance: Xu Qingfeng, Zhang Tie, the Silver-haired Witch, Ku Xuan, along with Xiao Chou, Zhao Wenzhuo, and even that vulture.


    The rest were all scattered cultivators.


    It was evident that the Chu Tian Alliance still had strong appeal, which was the advantage of being righteous.


    Of course, this harmony was only temporary.


    "We will sweep through this cave dwelling with all our might. As usual, if you find treasures like the Nascent Soul Pill or Longevity Pill, you can keep them or exchange them with me for items of equal value..."


    Xu Qingfeng briefly explained.


    All the scattered cultivators were invigorated.


    Originally, with their strength, they didn''t even qualify to break into the Blood Corpse Cave. Now, with strong leaders clearing the way, they could search for treasures for free, keeping whatever they found. Such a good deal was rare in the world.


    If not for this, they wouldn''t have willingly joined.


    "Move out!"


    Under the lead of the Chu Tian Alliance, everyone rushed into the cave dwelling.


    The evil cultivators at the back also followed suit, entering the cave dwelling.


    Xu Hei mingled among the evil cultivators, everyone wary of each other, keeping a distance.


    For some reason, the five members of the Blood Robe Sect followed behind Xu Hei, seemingly treating him as a pillar of support.


    Xu Hei ignored them. At this moment, a battle had already erupted ahead, with terrifying shockwaves rolling in. A Purple-haired Yaksha and Yellow-haired Corpse Charm leapt out, engaging in a fierce battle with the Chu Tian Alliance.


    As the battle continued, more and more corpse puppets crawled out from the ground, fiercely attacking the crowd. The scattered cultivators joined forces to fight back, gaining and losing ground.


    Fortunately, the cave dwelling was quite stable, not shaking too violently. Outside, it would have collapsed a hundred times over.


    The evil cultivators were surprisingly well-behaved, not daring to launch sneak attacks from behind, fearing retribution from the Chu Tian Alliance later.


    Xu Hei looked around, seeing the ground beneath him break open, a claw reaching out to grab him, followed by a head rising from the ground, revealing a green-haired zombie.


    "Whoosh!" Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A flash of black light came from Xu Hei''s sleeve.


    The green-haired zombie instantly froze.


    With a casual wave of his sleeve, Xu Hei turned the zombie''s body into flying ash, dispersing it completely.


    This move left the five people behind him dumbfounded.


    "So strong!"


    "What was that just now?"


    They hadn''t seen Ji Ying''s move clearly, only perceiving a black line flash by, and the corpse puppet was gone.


    After learning the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, Ji Ying''s speed could only be described as incredible. And this wasn''t even at full speed; at full speed, it was even more exaggerated.


    The five exchanged glances, seemingly deciding to stick close to Xu Hei, as it seemed the safest.


    Xu Hei extended his Divine Sense, searching inch by inch on a stone wall, seemingly looking for some kind of mechanism or secret door.


    Unfortunately, he found nothing.


    Xu Hei was completely clueless about treasure hunting, having no experience. He communicated with Ji Ying, "Ji Ying, where do you think there might be treasures?"


    Ji Ying also showed no reaction.


    "Useless thing, all you do is eat." Xu Hei muttered inwardly.


    "Buzz!"


    Ji Ying seemed to hear Xu Hei''s thoughts, sending back a dissatisfied emotion.


    At this moment, the battle ahead was nearing its end. With the full force of the Chu Tian Alliance, the emerging corpse puppets were suppressed one by one into the ground, letting out unwilling roars.


    Corpse puppets were hard to kill; not everyone had Xu Hei''s means to destroy them. They mainly focused on suppression and sealing.


    "Buzz!"


    Ji Ying suddenly sent a craving emotion, pointing at the suppressed corpse puppets ahead.


    "Eat, eat, eat until you die!" Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    Despite his words, Xu Hei flew forward. Since there were no benefits at the entrance, he could only search ahead.


    He arrived at a suppressed Purple-haired Yaksha, letting Ji Ying in to devour it.


    The Yaksha, with a sealing talisman on it, couldn''t move its body, but its hands could still move. It clawed at Ji Ying, sending it flying. Ji Ying was furious, charging again like lightning, biting off one of the Yaksha''s ears.


    At this moment, more and more cultivators were pouring in, the numbers increasing.


    After the news spread, everyone nearby had gathered, and it wouldn''t be long before the Zhou Family, Bai Family, and the four sects of the Southern Region would also arrive.


    "Whoosh! Whoosh!"


    Two figures flashed in, one of them an old Taoist whose eyes gleamed as he looked at Xu Hei''s back, quickly catching up and arriving behind him, smiling, "How should I address this fellow Taoist?"


    Xu Hei''s eyebrow twitched, calmly retracting Ji Ying, and looked at the old Taoist behind him.


    This person, with white hair and beard, holding a horsetail whisk, had a kind smile but shifty eyes, sizing up Xu Hei. It was none other than Tianji Shangren.


    And the other middle-aged cultivator was Liu Buqun.


    "Persistent old man."


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly, maintaining a calm demeanor, "I am Tianji Shangren, Tianji."


    He emphasized the last two words.


    "..." Tianji Shangren''s smile froze instantly.


    Liu Buqun was also taken aback, his expression rather peculiar.

 Chapter 190: Kill for treasure, a mob of the disorganized

    Chapter 190: Kill for treasure, a mob of the disorganizedBoth individuals realized that the masked cultivator was using a pun to insult them.


    "Heh, fellow Daoist, you really know how to joke."


    Tianji Shangren forced a smile, his expression not looking too pleased.


    Xu Hei ignored the two of them, stopped feeding the corpse puppet, and with a swift movement, dashed deeper into the cave dwelling.


    "Old Taoist, how many Children of Destiny is this now?" Liu Buqun asked sarcastically.


    "None of your business!"


    Tianji Shangren snapped, waving his horsetail whisk and stepping onto a cloud to follow.


    Liu Buqun pondered for a moment and said, "Old Taoist, how do you rate my aptitude?"


    "You''ll be like this for the rest of your life, just wait for death."


    Tianji Shangren mocked.


    Liu Buqun''s mouth twitched, and he said no more.


    Tianji Shangren''s speed gradually increased, but he found that Xu Hei ahead was even faster.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei stopped moving.


    Tianji Shangren caught up, only to see Xu Hei''s figure quickly blur and dissipate, leaving only an afterimage.


    As for Xu Hei himself, he was already nowhere to be found.


    "An afterimage?" Tianji Shangren''s face turned alternating shades of green and white.


    ...


    At this moment, Xu Hei left behind a series of afterimages, moving through the cave dwelling at an incredible speed.


    The appearance of these two made him feel a sense of crisis.


    With Tianji Shangren here, the Zhou Family, Bai Family, and some hostile forces were probably not far behind. Once they arrived, the Chu Tian Alliance would definitely be unable to maintain control.


    As for those fifty or so rogue cultivators, they were just a rabble.


    They were good at taking benefits, but if you asked them to fight the Heavenly Puppet Sect to the death, they''d run faster than anyone.


    Xu Hei needed to grab as many benefits as possible and then retreat completely, avoiding involvement in the high-level conflicts.


    Before long, Xu Hei reached the front line of the group.


    The space here was vast, with a dome reaching a thousand feet high, enough to accommodate tens of thousands of people without feeling crowded.


    The stone walls emitted a bright light, as if inlaid with Night Pearls, illuminating the cave dwelling brightly and clearly.


    The crowd resembled a swarm of flying insects, racing through the air, diving into beehive-like small rooms.


    There were many of these small rooms, presumably the residences of disciples from years past. People came and went, and occasionally the roar of corpse puppets and the sounds of fighting could be heard.


    The corpse puppets seemed endless, constantly emerging from the ground, requiring constant vigilance to avoid being ambushed.


    "Boom!!"


    Zhang Tie punched open a room door, and a rich medicinal fragrance wafted out. The remaining people surged in.


    Xu Hei casually found an open room to investigate, discovering it was an abandoned medicinal garden. The medicinal herbs had long been scavenged, and even most of the soil had been taken away.


    "The open ones have almost all been searched; I must find one that hasn''t been opened yet."


    Xu Hei quickly made up his mind.


    He left the room, setting his sights on a sealed door ahead.


    At this moment, five rogue cultivators were gathered there, attacking the door together.


    Xu Hei flew forward, arriving nearby.


    The group immediately stopped their actions, and a middle-aged cultivator looked over, saying coldly, "This fellow Daoist doesn''t seem to be under the Chu Tian Alliance, does he?"


    "That''s right," Xu Hei nodded.


    "Then get lost!" the middle-aged cultivator shouted coldly.


    The others also looked unfriendly, moving closer. Their rule was internal unity, but if outsiders dared to snatch treasures, they would kill without mercy.


    Xu Hei glanced around, noticing many people could see this place, and made a decision in his heart.


    "Alright."


    Xu Hei nodded and quickly backed away.


    "Hmph, doesn''t know what''s good for him," the middle-aged cultivator snorted coldly.


    "I know that guy. We asked him before if he wanted to join, and he actually refused. Never seen someone so stupid," a thick-browed, big-eyed cultivator sneered.


    "Not joining is good too, one less person to compete with," another laughed.


    At this moment, the group once again joined forces, striking the door.


    This time, the door instantly opened, shattered into pieces.


    The moment the door opened!


    A dark shadow darted inside at an incredibly fast speed, and they only felt a gust of wind pass by, not even knowing who it was.


    "Not good, someone got in first!"


    "Chase!"


    Everyone''s expressions changed, and they all rushed into the room.


    According to the original plan, someone should have stayed at the door to guard against corpse puppets appearing from behind, but now that someone had gotten ahead of them, they couldn''t care less and all surged forward.


    Inside the room was an untouched pill refining room.


    A thick layer of dust covered the floor, but the equipment was well-preserved, and an ancient seal still remained on one of the counters.


    They looked around but found no sign of anyone.


    Xu Hei was already standing behind them, blocking the exit.


    "It''s you!"


    The thick-browed, big-eyed cultivator''s pupils shrank.


    The middle-aged cultivator wasted no time, attacking the moment he saw Xu Hei, a large seal falling from above, smashing towards Xu Hei''s head.


    This situation was one he had encountered many times, always striking first. Whoever hesitated would suffer, clearly an experienced person.


    "Ji Ying, leave no one alive!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei said coldly, just a fraction slower than the man, as he needed to set the seal and block the exit.


    "Ah!!"


    The middle-aged cultivator screamed, clutching his head and falling to the ground, convulsing, foaming at the mouth, quickly having his brain devoured by Ji Ying, the large seal falling powerlessly.


    The remaining people were horrified, but their actions were not slow, launching various attacks at Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei''s figure instantly disintegrated, his physical body smashed to pieces, leaving nothing behind.


    But before they could celebrate, they saw Xu Hei appear once again.


    What had just disappeared was only an afterimage.


    "Falling Stars!"


    Xu Hei unleashed a spell at the peak of Foundation Establishment, meteors falling one by one, crashing onto their heads, but various magical treasures emerged, water rippling, light shields endlessly cycling.


    This spell, capable of killing at the peak of Foundation Establishment, didn''t kill a single person!


    Xu Hei gradually realized that the rogue cultivators who made it here were no ordinary people, each having some skills, their combat power not to be underestimated.


    Countless attacks came once again, but Xu Hei''s Ever-changing Fish and Dragon was masterful, leaving behind hundreds of afterimages, none of which were hit.


    "Kill!"


    Xu Hei''s figure flashed, charging at one person, simultaneously releasing three flying swords: Breaking Spirit, Burning Heaven, and Extreme Freeze.


    Even the Mountain-Covering Mud from before was thrown out by Xu Hei, flung towards a cultivator.


    After reaching the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment, Xu Hei''s True Qi had increased significantly, allowing him to use various magical treasures simultaneously.


    "Thud!"


    Three flying swords instantly pierced through one person, but Xu Hei himself missed, crashing into the wall, the opponent using some trick to disrupt Xu Hei''s movements.


    The remaining three, seeing Xu Hei was not easy to deal with, all ran towards the door at the same time, intending to escape.


    They were just a rabble, and when faced with a strong enemy, no one wanted to fight to the death; they all chose to flee.


    "Ji Ying, stop eating and kill them for me!" Xu Hei cursed angrily.


    At this moment, Ji Ying, still gnawing on the brain, reluctantly rushed out, once again drilling into someone''s ear, that person not even realizing what happened before convulsing and falling.


    The remaining two, the thick-browed, big-eyed cultivator was held back by the Mountain-Covering Mud, unable to advance.


    The last person finally reached the door, easily breaking the seal with a flying nail.


    At this moment, behind the seal, a tall, twisted figure rose from the ground, blocking the way¡ªit was the butcher!

 Chapter 191: Bell of Chaos, Unearth the Corpse Spirit

    Chapter 191: Bell of Chaos, Unearth the Corpse Spirit"Spare me, senior!"


    With a scream, the person was directly stuffed into the butcher''s body, merging into one.


    By now, of the five people who entered the room, only the thick-browed cultivator trapped by the Mountain-Covering Mud remained; the other four had all been dealt with.


    The process wasn''t complicated either; it took just two or three breaths for Xu Hei to swiftly settle the matter.


    The remaining person was the one responsible for recruiting rogue cultivators, with a cultivation level reaching the Great Perfection Foundation Establishment, the strongest among them.


    "Are you opposing the Chu Tian Alliance? I advise you to release me quickly, lest you bring trouble upon yourself!"


    Surprisingly, this thick-browed cultivator didn''t beg for mercy like those Xu Hei had encountered before but instead started to threaten. S§×arch* The nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When something is unusual, there must be something strange.


    This person was trapped, merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, and couldn''t possibly be a match for Xu Hei. Where did he get the courage?


    "How about we split the treasures here between us? I won''t tell anyone and will even help you cover it up, saying these people died at the hands of corpse puppets. How about it?"


    The thick-browed cultivator showed no fear in his eyes, looking at Xu Hei with a flicker in his gaze, speaking in a deep voice, "This is the best choice for you, but if you dare to kill me, I guarantee you will..."


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei couldn''t be bothered with nonsense. Three flying swords shot straight out, but they suddenly veered off course, striking the stone wall instead.


    "Hmm?"


    Xu Hei raised an eyebrow and charged forward, but something bizarre happened. His movements distorted, causing him to dash to the side, missing once again.


    "Indeed, I felt something was off earlier!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered. He tried to move left, but his body involuntarily went right.


    Not only was his puppet affected, but even his true self was influenced, though not as exaggerated as the puppet.


    The butcher stumbled slightly, almost tripping over his own feet.


    Xu Hei immediately stood still, maintaining his current state.


    "What kind of technique is this? It actually disrupts my sense of direction," Xu Hei thought warily.


    Once he lost his sense of direction, what use was speed? He would just crash around like a headless fly, perfectly countering his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique.


    "My friend, I advise you not to make things difficult for yourself. We are both smart people, and you don''t want to waste time, right?"


    At this moment, the Mountain-Covering Mud on the thick-browed cultivator was also falling off to the side. The man wore a cold smile, his eyes gleaming as he was about to break free.


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned icy. In the past, he would have studied such a strange method.


    But now, he didn''t plan to waste time. He directly took out the Black Dragon Pagoda, quickly enlarging it to fill the entire room, crushing down like a towering mountain.


    The man''s face changed dramatically, instantly smashed by the massive shadow, his body exploding into pieces with a "bang," not even having time to utter a sound, his form and spirit annihilated.


    The Black Dragon Pagoda''s attack direction deviated slightly, but its massive size crushed everything in all directions, rendering the small deviation useless.


    Even some equipment in the back was smashed to pieces, collapsing along the way.


    It was like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut!


    This cultivator never expected Xu Hei to have such a terrifying weapon.


    Xu Hei consumed thirty percent of his True Qi, quickly storing away the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    "Reaching the mid-stage is different. If it were the initial stage, that move just now would have consumed at least half of my True Qi," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    In fact, Xu Hei had other ways to deal with his opponent. Once he adapted to the disorienting feeling, he could have handled it with his true self.


    But time was pressing, and he worried that if this person delayed, something unexpected might happen.


    It was all for safety.


    After dealing with this person, the chaotic feeling disappeared, and Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief, collecting the Mountain-Covering Mud and retrieving the storage bags from all the corpses.


    The thick-browed cultivator''s storage bag was crushed by the Black Dragon Pagoda, but one item remained intact, catching Xu Hei''s attention.


    Xu Hei reached out and grabbed an ancient bell into his hand.


    The bell was bronze-colored, inscribed with countless spell imprints, impenetrable by Divine Sense.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, then flicked the ancient bell with his finger.


    The bell vibrated slightly, sending ripples throughout the room. Xu Hei immediately felt dizzy, and his puppet fell into a state of confusion, unable to distinguish left from right, up from down.


    "What a magical bell!"


    Xu Hei could tell that the bell was imbued with some strange spell, activated with a simple flick.


    Its effect was to make people lose their sense of direction, especially effective against puppets!


    Xu Hei probed it with his Divine Sense, but the imprints inside the bell were extremely strong, requiring at least a stick of incense''s time to erase.


    This puzzled Xu Hei. The bell''s owner was dead, so it shouldn''t be this strong.


    Could it be that the Divine Sense imprint belonged to someone else?


    "Roar!"


    A strange cry came from outside the door, and a green-haired zombie rushed in like a flash, baring its ferocious teeth.


    "Boom!"


    Seeing this, Xu Hei flicked the ancient bell, sending ripples that caused the green-haired zombie to change direction, crashing headfirst into the wall and embedding itself.


    Ji Ying flashed forward, instantly devouring the corpse puppet.


    "It seems effective against corpse puppets," Xu Hei thought.


    He had plenty of ways to deal with corpse puppets, so having another one wouldn''t hurt.


    However, he needed to quickly erase the Divine Sense imprint to avoid future trouble.


    Xu Hei split his attention, using his Divine Sense to erase the imprint while controlling the puppet to examine the surroundings.


    The room wasn''t large, with a giant pill furnace and two smaller ones, one of which was damaged in the collision.


    Nearby, a hidden compartment was sealed with talismans, containing jade bottles of pills and some ancient medicinal herbs preserved to this day.


    Xu Hei had experience with such things; once the ancient sealing talismans were removed, they would turn to dust.


    After a brief consideration, Xu Hei used dragon scales to carve out the hidden compartments, collecting them with the talismans into Void Stones.


    Each pill bottle was labeled with the name of the pill. Xu Hei glanced over them, finding them to be ordinary pills, mostly second-grade, with only two being third-grade beginners.


    Xu Hei accepted them all without hesitation.


    While Xu Hei was excavating, he suddenly uncovered an empty space.


    It was as if he had peeled away the outer shell, revealing another world inside.


    "Is there something inside?"


    Xu Hei stared at the stone wall before him, took two steps back, and probed with his Divine Sense, only to be blocked by a strong seal, unable to investigate further.


    This seal was far superior to the ancient sealing talismans.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he tore off more dragon scales, digging from various angles.


    Moments later.


    A small space of three cubic meters appeared before him. Inside, there was a giant jade bottle as tall as a person, resembling a pill bottle.


    However, the pill bottle had a human head on top.


    It was a woman''s head, already turned into a corpse puppet, covered in creepy yellow hair.


    Mid-stage Core Formation, Yellow-haired Corpse Charm!

 Chapter 192: Ancient prosperous era, humbly pleading

    Chapter 192: Ancient prosperous era, humbly pleading"I actually dug up a Corpse Charm!"


    Xu Hei''s face darkened as he quickly retreated to the doorway.


    The Corpse Charm was sealed within a jade bottle, surrounded by a powerful sealing light barrier. This was the only reason he didn''t immediately flee but instead watched intently.


    Upon spotting Xu Hei, the Corpse Charm''s eyes instantly filled with ferocity.


    The large jade bottle suddenly shot forward, attempting to crash into him, but it was repelled by the invisible seal and bounced back.


    "Roar!"


    She let out a heart-wrenching scream, glaring at Xu Hei as if she wanted to devour him.


    The overwhelming corpse Qi spread from the bottle but could not extend beyond the seal.


    Facing such a powerful corpse puppet, even Ji Ying dared not move, curling up within Xu Hei''s dragon scales, trembling.


    "Was this Corpse Charm sealed by someone? But clearly, no one has been here!" Xu Hei pondered.


    The seal here was left from ancient times, not by later generations.


    Xu Hei examined the pill bottle the Corpse Charm was "riding." It was also a sealing magical treasure, covered in patterns that seemed to depict a city.


    After waiting for a moment and seeing that the corpse puppet could not break free, Xu Hei felt reassured and continued to search the room.


    Every pill and medicinal herb he found was dug out and stored in his storage bag.


    He also took away two pill furnaces.


    There were some prayer mats on the ground for meditation; Xu Hei dusted them off and stored them in his storage bag as well. Anything he saw and could take, he left nothing behind.


    Xu Hei moved quickly and efficiently, finishing in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.


    Seeing that he had almost everything, Xu Hei was about to leave.


    Suddenly, his gaze fixed on the seal.


    He noticed a token partially exposed at the corner of the large jade bottle.


    "This is..."


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted.


    The design of the token was very similar to his "descendant of Gongshu" token, originating from the same source!


    However, the token before him was slightly smaller, seemingly a lower grade.


    Xu Hei glanced outside the door, using the butcher as a meat shield to block the entrance. Then, he took out that token.


    As soon as the token appeared, the ferocity in the Yellow-haired Corpse Charm''s eyes vanished, replaced by a moment of confusion.


    Her gaze fixed on the token in Xu Hei''s hand for a long time, her eyes trembling.


    "You recognize this?" Xu Hei hesitated.


    The Corpse Charm looked bewildered, and after a moment, her expression showed intense struggle, as if resisting something, causing the jade bottle to creak.


    Suddenly, a slender hand reached out from the bottle, grabbed the token on the ground, and tossed it to Xu Hei.


    The token penetrated the seal, and Xu Hei caught it in his hand.


    He didn''t rashly use his Divine Sense to probe it but observed the Corpse Charm''s expression. Seeing her look of anticipation and ensuring no one was approaching from behind, he then used his Divine Sense to explore it.


    "Buzz!"


    In an instant, Xu Hei''s consciousness saw a vast, boundless city.


    The city was grand and magnificent, with glazed tiles, bustling streets, and joyous laughter everywhere, a scene of peace and prosperity.


    "Wuyou City!"


    Xu Hei thought of the lifeless underground city. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This must be a scene from ancient times.


    Within this once-flourishing city, Xu Hei''s consciousness swiftly traversed, overlooking from above, seeing no negativity, only vibrant faces.


    The elderly were cared for, the young nurtured, coexisting harmoniously, a true era of peace.


    "Is there really such a peaceful place in the world, without even a hint of conflict?"


    Xu Hei found it hard to believe.


    Doors were left unlocked at night, and items were not picked up on the streets, with no authorities in sight, severely challenging Xu Hei''s worldview.


    Perhaps too much time had passed, the scenes became blurry, intermittent, with fragmented images flashing by.


    Xu Hei saw a stunning woman, her beauty beyond words.


    She sat cross-legged in a pill refining room, with three pill furnaces, the same setting as this place.


    However, her eyes held despair.


    "Wuyou City, our Wuyou City..."


    "I don''t want anyone to see what I look like after I die, I don''t want to!"


    Her desperate cries echoed, her eyes filled with sorrow.


    Then, Xu Hei saw the woman dig a hole in the stone wall, taking out a large pill bottle.


    She leaped into the bottle, sealing herself within the pit.


    "If someone from the future comes here, I have only one request¡ªkill me!"


    "I have sealed my cultivation; even if I turn into a corpse, I will only be at mid-stage Core Formation! Inside this pill bottle is my life''s wealth, as a reward for killing me!"


    Her faint words transmitted over.


    "If no one comes, so be it, let me be buried here forever, unseen by future generations."


    As her voice faded, the dust on the ground automatically filled in, burying the pit in the stone wall.


    ...


    Outside the Blood Corpse Cave.


    A large group of figures was rushing toward this place on various flying devices.


    On one of the underground ships sat two people, the Heavenly Puppet Sect duo, Lei He and Bai Luo.


    Beside them was a large group following the lead of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, including the Southern Region''s four sects, the Zhou Family, the Bai Family, and others, though they kept a distance.


    "Hmm?" Bai Luo frowned slightly, muttering, "The second pawn is dead."


    "Was it discovered by the Chu Tian Alliance?" Lei He raised an eyebrow.


    "It doesn''t matter if they found out; the key information has already been transmitted, that''s enough. It''s perfect timing to catch this group of rats in one fell swoop," the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect said coldly.


    This group''s scale was the strongest wave since entering the ruins. Core Formation cultivators were everywhere, and Foundation Establishment cultivators were as common as dogs.


    They had long laid a trap for the Chu Tian Alliance, and now was the time to close the net.


    Although the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s main goal was the final inheritance, taking down those rebels along the way was a bonus.


    Zhou Qing, the second ancestor of the Zhou Family, sat atop a mass of dark clouds, never revealing himself.


    His goal differed from the others; he had no intention of joining the battle. He was only after the Longevity Pill.


    As for the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes, though important, he could tell they had been handed over to the Chu Tian Alliance. He wouldn''t be foolish enough to fall into such a trap.


    "Myriad Treasure Pavilion may not have much else, but it has plenty of money. I can always buy it back from the Chu Tian Alliance. As for you..."


    Zhou Qing''s eyes flashed with a cold light, "The treasures on you are surely more valuable than the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes!"


    ...


    At this moment, Xu Hei stood before the Corpse Charm woman, having finished reading the contents of the token.


    The Corpse Charm in front of him also gazed at him, her hollow eyes no longer showing ferocity but confusion and a hint of... pleading.


    A humble plea.


    But only for a moment, her expression turned to struggle again.


    Alternating between confusion and viciousness, her face twisted in pain.


    She wanted to crawl back into the bottle, not wanting to be seen like this, but feared Xu Hei would leave.


    She looked at Xu Hei, her eyes full of supplication.


    Xu Hei sighed, shaking his head. It wasn''t that he didn''t want to help her find relief; he was also tempted by the treasures she left behind. But his abilities were limited. How could a weakling who hadn''t even reached Core Formation help a mid-stage Core Formation Corpse Charm find peace?


    That would be suicidal.


    Moreover, judging by her appearance, although she retained some sanity, she was oscillating between sanity and madness. Who knew when she might suddenly attack?


    The risk was too great, and Xu Hei was powerless.


    Xu Hei turned around, taking a deep look at the woman who had become a Corpse Charm. With a wave of his hand, he covered the dug-out wall, preserving a shred of her dignity, unseen by outsiders.


    Xu Hei could only wait until his cultivation was stronger, at least reaching the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage, before considering returning to try again.


    A mid-stage Core Formation, even self-sealed, was not something he could handle now. Xu Hei was very self-aware.


    "Senior... brother..."


    Suddenly, a hoarse voice came from the Corpse Charm''s mouth.


    Her eyes, bright and clear, looked at the token in Xu Hei''s hand, the madness in them gone, as if she had become more lucid.

 Chapter 193: Ancient Medicine Garden, Red-haired Corpse King

    Chapter 193: Ancient Medicine Garden, Red-haired Corpse KingXu Hei''s figure suddenly halted, turning back to look at the corpse enchantress.


    Only her head remained outside the jade bottle, her eyes clearer and brighter as she gazed at the token, seemingly recalling some memories. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Senior brother? Is this woman the junior sister of that descendant of Gongshu?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he carefully recalled the contents of the token once more.


    "I... descendant of Gongshu... to save my master..."


    "Great calamity... Yin Corpse Pill... sealed myself..."


    "Receive my inheritance... Divine Puppet Sect..."


    The words in the token were fragmented.


    Xu Hei quickly formed some conjectures.


    "The owner of this tomb is likely their master, let''s call him Ancestor Gongshu for now."


    "This person encountered a sudden disaster and needs healing!"


    "And that disaster led to the destruction of Wuyou City, the annihilation of the Gongshu lineage, turning everyone into corpse puppets!"


    Xu Hei''s thoughts raced.


    Undoubtedly, these corpse puppets were cultivators from this place or residents of Wuyou City. But what kind of upheaval caused the current scene remains unknown.


    Xu Hei was also curious about what kind of catastrophe could turn the once prosperous Wuyou City into its current state.


    What is the connection between these events and the Divine Puppet Sect?


    However, Xu Hei came here only to seek treasures and find an opportunity for a breakthrough.


    Such curiosity that kills the cat is best avoided.


    Time should not be wasted.


    Xu Hei glanced once more at the hopeful eyes of the corpse enchantress, took a deep breath, and quickly made up his mind.


    With a wave of his hand, he activated the Gravity Technique, causing a large amount of dust and sand to pile up, completely burying that area and restoring it to its original state.


    Although the corpse enchantress had regained a bit of clarity, even if she didn''t attack him, the overwhelming corpse Qi inside, once released, was not something Xu Hei could easily withstand.


    He couldn''t guarantee that he could retreat unscathed after breaking the seal.


    Moreover, to kill a mid-stage Core Formation corpse enchantress, Xu Hei couldn''t find any method other than exhausting his True Qi to drive the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    His True Qi was already running low, and whether he could succeed or not was uncertain.


    Even Xu Qingfeng and others hadn''t killed the corpse enchantress but chose to seal and suppress her, indicating that her vitality was extraordinarily strong.


    Xu Hei left the room, silently noting the location, and swiftly departed.


    Not long after Xu Hei left, scattered cultivators entered one after another, but they merely glanced around and left.


    Everyone''s time was precious, and no one would spend time in a room that had already been explored.


    At this moment, the Chu Tian Alliance had also finished searching two rooms and was heading forward together.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he followed behind.


    Before long, the group arrived at a wide passageway.


    Inside the passage, the air was thick with the scent of blood, corpse Qi surged, and in the darkness, pairs of green eyes flickered, emitting a ferocious light.


    The corpse puppets inside were at least at the False Core Stage, none easy to deal with.


    "This is the place," the Silver-haired Witch transmitted her voice.


    At this moment, besides the Chu Tian Alliance, most of the allied scattered cultivators had also followed.


    No one present was a fool; everyone knew there were benefits to be had by following the Chu Tian Alliance.


    Zhang Tie glanced at the crowd behind him, a look of impatience flashing in his eyes, but he didn''t drive them away.


    "Senior Zhang, although we can''t help much, we can still assist from the side."


    "Rest assured, leave your backs to us, no corpse puppet will sneak attack from behind!"


    The crowd stepped forward, speaking flatteringly, showing ingratiating expressions.


    Some others, however, glared coldly at Xu Hei and the other demonic cultivators, saying, "What are you following us for?"


    "Do you also want a share of the spoils?"


    "Courting death! Get lost!"


    The scattered cultivators were unceremonious with outsiders, stepping forward to drive them away, with two even drawing their flying swords to attack, pointing at the masked Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei stepped back a few paces, his gaze icy.


    Suddenly, a battle erupted at the front, with the Chu Tian Alliance decisively charging into the tunnel, engaging the corpse puppets inside.


    They knew time was of the essence, and Xu Qingfeng immediately used his strongest suppression technique.


    A giant character "Suppress" appeared above each corpse puppet''s head, instantly pressing them to the ground and sealing them, while the others rushed into the tunnel.


    Seeing this, the scattered cultivators no longer pressed forward, quickly changing direction and charging into the tunnel, fearing others would seize the opportunity first.


    "Hmph!"


    Xu Hei snorted coldly, Ji Ying shot out like lightning, piercing into the ear of the cultivator who had threatened him.


    "Thud!"


    The cultivator fell to the ground, convulsing to death.


    The other two companions were shocked, and before they could call for help, Xu Hei pointed forward, and three flying swords shot out, instantly beheading the two.


    Xu Hei''s formidable strength startled the others.


    But most cultivators rushed into the tunnel, fearing to be a step behind and have the treasures snatched by others, unwilling to turn back to deal with Xu Hei.


    As for the Chu Tian Alliance, they didn''t even spare a glance, pretending not to notice.


    "Impressive skills, fellow Daoist!"


    "I admire you, it''s right to kill those who bully the weak!"


    Two demonic cultivators nearby complimented, cupping their hands. No matter where, the strong are always respected.


    Xu Hei ignored everyone, his figure flashing as he activated Ever-changing Fish and Dragon at full speed, leaving a trail of afterimages as he dashed into the tunnel, his speed no less than that of a Core Formation Stage cultivator!


    "Whoosh¡ª"


    Countless cultivators were overtaken by him, and amidst the chaos, Xu Hei reached the forefront, standing alongside the core members of the Chu Tian Alliance.


    The corpse puppets in the passage were all suppressed, and Xu Hei, with a quick glance, realized the Chu Tian Alliance was even stronger than he had imagined.


    Two mid-stage Core Formation, three early-stage Core Formation, and a large group of False Core corpse puppets were all dealt with in an instant.


    Passing through the tunnel, a dim yellow light shone down from the sky, revealing a range of mountains ahead, lush with greenery, trees forming forests, and countless medicinal herbs growing on the mountains, their fragrance wafting through the air.


    This was a vast medicinal garden!


    Having grown for countless millennia, it had formed a grand scale.


    Even though everyone was prepared, they couldn''t help but be filled with awe at the sight of this medicinal garden.


    Various ten-thousand-year-old spirit medicines were everywhere, and thousand-year-old ones were countless, covering the mountains and fields.


    On a peak, there was a bamboo grove, with one particularly striking golden giant bamboo, the Ten-thousand-year Gold Thunder Bamboo.


    Without a word, Zhang Tie rushed over, only to collide with a light barrier, revealing a seal.


    This seal isolated the medicinal garden from the world, visible but not passable.


    "Leave this place!"


    Suddenly, a sinister voice came from within the medicinal garden.


    A figure covered in red hair emerged from a crack in the mountains ahead, its appearance unclear, but with a pair of glowing eyes watching the crowd.

 Chapter 194: Crazy Ancestor, Terrifying Massacre

    Chapter 194: Crazy Ancestor, Terrifying Massacre"Is this the Corpse King of this place?"


    Xu Qingfeng''s expression was grave as he quietly took out the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.


    A corpse puppet of this level not only had a formidable physical body but also terrifying spells, and even a hint of intelligence, making it ten times harder to deal with than ordinary mindless corpse puppets.


    "Leave, leave..."


    The Red-haired Corpse King murmured hoarsely, repeating the same two words over and over.


    At this moment, the rogue cultivators from behind also caught up.


    Seeing Xu Hei ahead, their expressions changed dramatically. One young cultivator pointed at him and said, "Seniors, it''s him, he killed Yu Hao and the others, please..."


    "Shut up!"


    A middle-aged man beside him immediately pulled the young man aside, covering his mouth.


    The young cultivator was puzzled and looked at his elder.


    "Fool! He just killed someone, do you think the Chu Tian Alliance wouldn''t know? And he''s standing at the forefront, walking alongside the Chu Tian Alliance, don''t you understand?" the middle-aged man said in a deep voice.


    The young cultivator suddenly realized, his face turning a mix of green and red, looking extremely embarrassed.


    The middle-aged man said no more, quickly retreating and pulling the young man away.


    As rogue cultivators, they weren''t foolish enough to truly consider themselves part of the Chu Tian Alliance. They were merely borrowing the name to intimidate some demonic path cultivators.


    Along the way, they had gained quite a few benefits, and their safety was assured. If they dared to push their luck, it would be courting death.


    After all, aside from Xu Qingfeng, the leader of the Chu Tian Alliance, the other members were not good people.


    "Amitabha!"


    Kuxuan started with a meaningless phrase, looking at Xu Hei with a smile, "Benefactor, your good deed just now, this humble monk saw it. Are you planning to take refuge in my Buddha?"


    Good deed... Xu Hei pursed his lips and said, "Let''s deal with this Corpse King first."


    Being recognized at a glance didn''t surprise Xu Hei. He just couldn''t tell if this Kuxuan was a Buddha or a demon.


    At this moment, the Corpse King''s gaze grew fiercer. Emerging from the ground, he walked out of the seal, murmuring "leave" repeatedly.


    His entire body was covered in red hair, towering like a giant. Even in ancient times, he would have been extremely rare. As he walked, a whirlwind of red hair swept through the heavens and earth.


    The sky darkened, a chilling wind howled, producing ghostly wails, and a powerful oppressive force swept out, sending shivers down everyone''s spine.


    Xu Qingfeng''s expression was heavy as he clasped his hands and said, "Senior, we only wish to use this place..."


    "Non-sect alchemists are forbidden to enter, leave! Leave..."


    The Red-haired Corpse King continued to murmur, stepping out of the seal, a torrent of corpse Qi surged forth, nauseating and maddening. Xu Qingfeng immediately raised an invisible wall to block the corpse Qi.


    "Non-sect alchemists..."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered imperceptibly.


    At this moment, a startled cry came from the side, murmuring, "Impossible! This is impossible!"


    Everyone looked over to see Zhao Wenzhuo holding a tortoiseshell, his eyes filled with shock, as if he had calculated something unbelievable.


    "What happened?" Xu Qingfeng asked.


    "Someone has been here before us!" Zhao Wenzhuo said gravely.


    At these words, everyone was stunned, unable to believe it.


    Zhang Tie quickly asked, "Are you sure?"


    "It can''t be false! But I''m not sure if it''s a person or something else," Zhao Wenzhuo said with a heavy expression.


    "Perhaps it''s just a corpse puppet."


    The vulture beside them interjected.


    Despite this, they didn''t plan to dawdle any longer. Someone had entered before them, and the situation could develop unpredictably, so they had to act quickly!


    "Take action!"


    Zhang Tie''s body transformed, swelling to ten meters tall, becoming a towering giant, wielding the Star-shattering Hammer, and smashed it towards the Corpse King''s forehead.


    "Clang!"


    The sound of metal clashing rang out as strands of red hair grew along the hammer, and red hair began to sprout on Zhang Tie''s hand.


    "Purify!"


    A "purify" character appeared above Zhang Tie''s head, dispersing the red hair, but he was sent flying, crashing into the stone wall, spitting blood.


    Xu Qingfeng unfolded the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, spat a bit of essence blood onto the scroll, and shouted:


    "Azure clouds and white robes, draw the long arrow and shoot the Sirius!"


    In an instant, azure light filled the sky, enveloping his body. On the scroll, a phantom of a bow-drawing archer appeared, shooting an arrow that hit the Red-haired Corpse King right between the eyes.


    "Roar!"


    The Corpse King let out a low roar, his body was shot and pinned to the stone wall, but the red hair whirlwind grew fiercer, forming a tornado storm, roaring forward, shaking the entire ground as if the sky was about to collapse.


    Everyone was horrified and retreated rapidly.


    Two slower rogue cultivators were merely grazed by the storm, and their bodies were immediately covered in red hair, turning into monstrous creatures, losing their sanity, and biting at others.


    Kuxuan flicked his finger, sending out a golden light, and the two were instantly reduced to ashes.


    Even a slight touch from the red hair whirlwind would spell doom!


    Xu Hei''s face was ashen as he retreated rapidly. Even among Core Formation stage cultivators, the gap between each small realm was like a chasm, insurmountable from early to mid-stage, and mid to late-stage.


    He originally thought of trying to use the female corpse''s token to sneak in, but decided against it, too dangerous!


    And at this moment.


    Xu Hei suddenly felt a chill, a strong sense of crisis coming from behind, making his scalp tingle. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a feeling from his true self, a cold stream rushing from his spine to his crown, causing his mind to buzz.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    Xu Hei instantly used his movement technique to dodge to the side.


    The next moment, a terrifying blood-colored handprint came crashing from behind, rumbling as it passed, turning people into blood mist, smashing them into meat paste.


    Even the narrow passage was widened by the impact.


    Although Xu Hei dodged in time, he was still affected, half of his puppet''s body was gone, and his true self spat blood, almost crashing into the rock wall.


    Taking advantage of the attack''s gap, Xu Hei saw the person approaching from behind.


    It was an old man wearing a straw hat, his face expressionless, with no detectable aura, completely concealing himself.


    If not for the lingering sense of crisis, Xu Hei might have mistaken him for an ordinary old man.


    "Late Core Formation stage!"


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted, a thought like lightning flashed through his mind, immediately recalling the person who had used a shocking handprint on him in Wuyou City.


    That handprint had appeared without warning, crashing down from the sky, covering all possible positions he could be in.


    If not for his innate sense of danger, that palm would have surely taken his life!


    Now, that person had appeared once again.


    "Hmph!"


    The straw hat elder remained expressionless, walking forward, raising his hand to unleash countless handprints, causing the rogue cultivators to explode into blood and flesh, shattering into pieces.


    This was indiscriminate killing.


    Zhou Qing, late Core Formation stage.


    He hadn''t followed the main group, but instead advanced at full speed, surpassing everyone, making him the first to arrive.


    Zhou Qing didn''t know who the target was, only guessing that the person might be seeking protection from the Chu Tian Alliance, hiding among the rogue cultivators.


    This made it simple, kill everyone, leave no one alive.


    It was an undeniably simple and effective method.


    Although it might offend some people, he was nearing the end of his lifespan, relying on the Longevity Pill to survive, so he wasn''t afraid. Moreover, he had hidden his identity.


    Along the way, countless rogue cultivators had died at his hands, but he hadn''t found the suspected target.


    "Poof!"


    Suddenly, his handprint struck something soft like cotton, losing most of its power.


    This made Zhou Qing pause, and he looked closely to see a white-bearded elder holding a horsetail whisk, squinting at him.


    "Zhou Family''s ancestor, don''t overdo it, beware of karmic retribution," Tianji Shangren said coldly.

 Chapter 195: The deity manifests, taking a daring gamble

    Chapter 195: The deity manifests, taking a daring gamble"Karma?"


    Zhou Qing smiled faintly; it was the first time he had heard such a term.


    The palm strike just now was merely a casual blow from him, easily blocked by Tianji Shangren, nothing surprising.


    If he wished, he could kill this person at any time, but considering the Penglai Island behind Tianji Shangren, even the Qin Kingdom hadn''t dared to invade, he dismissed the thought.


    "Every cause has an effect. The sins of today will be repaid in the future! If not in this life, then in the next; if not on oneself, then on one''s children. That''s all I''ll say. Whether you listen or not is up to you," Tianji Shangren said coldly.


    "Annoying!"


    Zhou Qing''s eyes turned icy as he raised his hand and sent a palm strike, sending Tianji Shangren flying into a corner, his face turning pale.


    This old Taoist didn''t know his place, daring to curse him. Did he really think Zhou Qing wouldn''t dare to kill him?


    "I heard you''re skilled in divination. Why don''t you calculate how long I have left to live?" Zhou Qing sneered, his eyes filled with murderous intent.


    Tianji Shangren snorted coldly, actually starting to calculate, but soon his expression changed to one of shock.


    "Oh? What''s the result?" Zhou Qing asked with a smile.


    Tianji Shangren remained silent, but his eyes were filled with unmistakable astonishment.


    "Hahaha!"


    Zhou Qing laughed heartily, not pressing further, and turned to walk deeper into the tunnel. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The ancestor of the Zhou Family, it really is the Zhou Family..."


    Xu Hei''s mind raced, his scalp tingling with fear.


    At this moment, Zhou Qing was approaching step by step, and two more rogue cultivators attempting to escape were killed with a single palm strike.


    If Xu Hei were to emerge from the stone wall now, he would surely be targeted on the spot.


    Should he use the Small Teleportation Talisman?


    Or the Black Dragon Pagoda?


    The Black Dragon Pagoda consumed too much energy and might not ensure escape. With this old undying one''s experience, he surely had a countermeasure.


    The Small Teleportation Talisman, who knows where it would transport him.


    Moreover, Zhou Qing had been holding something in his hand, hidden in his sleeve. Knowing Xu Hei had a Small Teleportation Talisman, he must have been prepared!


    As soon as there was a hint of spatial fluctuation, Zhou Qing would likely react instantly!


    Xu Hei could use the Small Teleportation Talisman to escape once, but how could the opponent not know he would try to escape a second time?


    Instead, it might expose him.


    Against such a cunning opponent, Xu Hei couldn''t afford a single mistake; a mistake meant death!


    "This is the only way!"


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and made up his mind.


    While Xu Hei was contemplating, Zhou Qing killed five more people, becoming even more reckless.


    Even when some rogue cultivators revealed their identities, they were mercilessly killed by Zhou Qing.


    At this rate, in just two breaths, Zhou Qing would be right in front of Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei quickly stored half of the puppet into his Storage Bag, swallowed an explosive essence pill, and his blood began to burn, focusing his mind to a single point.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    In this life-and-death crisis, Xu Hei unleashed unprecedented speed.


    He burst into flames, like a black lightning bolt, shooting out from the stone wall, racing towards the ancient medicinal garden ahead.


    His speed was indescribable, leaving countless afterimages in mid-air, appearing in all directions, filling the sky.


    This was the third layer of the perfected Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, with countless afterimages, making it impossible to find the true body!


    Xu Hei didn''t use an External Incarnation but relied on his true form, achieving his peak speed, faster than even the Core Formation Stage!


    The moment Xu Hei moved, Zhou Qing also acted.


    He flicked a Talisman of Forbidden Spirit, which shattered in mid-air, creating a space devoid of spirit, prohibiting all spells and talismans.


    Even the Small Teleportation Talisman could be forcibly interrupted, one of Zhou Qing''s trump cards.


    However, it was ineffective against the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon.


    "Hmm?"


    Zhou Qing was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting this, but he reacted swiftly, raising his hand to scatter all the afterimages in an instant.


    "Gravity Technique!"


    He seamlessly raised his hand, exerting a powerful gravitational force on the remaining Xu Hei, holding him firmly and pulling him back.


    In the blink of an eye, Xu Hei was pulled close.


    But then Zhou Qing''s expression froze.


    The Xu Hei he had caught was not the true body but an External Incarnation!


    "When did he create an incarnation? I didn''t notice at all!"


    Zhou Qing''s heart was shaken.


    An External Incarnation could only be created at the fourth layer of Ever-changing Fish and Dragon. In this life-and-death moment, Xu Hei naturally broke through under mental stimulation.


    Zhou Qing looked ahead, seeing Xu Hei''s true form already rushing into the whirlwind of red hair.


    At this moment, Xu Hei felt an unbearable itch all over his body, as strange energy drilled into him, as if trying to grow red hair. But he gritted his teeth, took out a Token from his Storage Bag, and sped up again, rushing towards the sealed area.


    The Red-haired Corpse King on the wall roared, about to raise a hand to stop him, but upon seeing the Token, its expression froze, and even the whirlwind of red hair around Xu Hei weakened slightly.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei slipped into the sealed light barrier without any obstruction, passing through and disappearing.


    At this moment.


    The outside world was in a daze.


    Not only Zhou Qing was stunned, but even the members of the Chu Tian Alliance were bewildered.


    No one expected a snake to rush into the light barrier first, without being stopped by the ancient seal.


    Seeing the Red-haired Corpse King''s expression and recalling Xu Hei''s previous actions, they immediately realized it must have been due to the Token.


    "Hmph! You won''t escape!"


    Zhou Qing stomped his foot, raising a golden light shield, and charged towards the seal. Any red hair that touched him ignited into flames, quickly burning away.


    He took out a golden seal, striking the formation with it, causing it to tremble and the world to crack.


    "A mere remnant of an ancient formation dares to stop me?"


    Zhou Qing''s eyes were cold as he smashed the seal again, the deafening roar causing cracks in the formation.


    The Red-haired Corpse King, like a mad demon, broke free from the arrows, its eyes flashing with lightning, roaring like thunder, charging at Zhou Qing.


    ...


    Meanwhile.


    As soon as Xu Hei entered the ancient medicinal garden, he was enveloped by a rich medicinal fragrance, and even the strange energy within him dissipated rapidly, with the corpse Qi being expelled from his body.


    Just by taking a breath, Xu Hei felt purified.


    Xu Hei let out a sigh of relief, collapsing to the ground.


    He had taken a huge risk earlier, testing with the Token. If it hadn''t worked, he would have had to use his trump card.


    Fortunately, he succeeded!


    The Red-haired Corpse King indeed recognized the Token.


    "This Zhou Family ancestor is a problem. I must find a way to eliminate him!" Xu Hei thought with resentment.


    Twice he had nearly been killed, all thanks to this person.


    Such an old undying one, who doesn''t play by the rules, must be killed to eliminate future troubles. Any talk of shifting hatred to the Chu Tian Alliance was nonsense! The opponent was targeting him!


    In fact, it was understandable. He had opened the Earth Path and emerged from the pyramid, surely possessing countless treasures. Not coveting him would be abnormal.


    Xu Hei exhaled, refocusing his thoughts, and looked around.


    This medicinal mountain was vast, filled with a dazzling array of medicinal herbs, most of which he didn''t recognize or had never heard of. Thousand-year-old herbs were everywhere, and there were quite a few ten-thousand-year-old ones.


    These relics from ancient times, even a single blade of grass, would be worth a fortune.


    Even the soil here had remarkable medicinal properties.


    This place was visible from the outside, yet no sound from outside could be heard. Xu Hei looked back, seeing the Corpse King and Zhou Qing locked in battle, fighting fiercely, blood and light filling the sky, shaking the surroundings, with the tunnel showing signs of collapse, but it didn''t affect the formation inside.


    This ancient formation isolated the area, like a paradise.


    Xu Hei glanced at the cracks in the formation, feeling cautious. This ancient formation wasn''t unbreakable, and he needed to scour the area as quickly as possible.


    Of course, he couldn''t take everything, or he''d become a target for everyone.

 Chapter 196: Spirit Medicine, Golden Cicada Shedding Its Shell

    Chapter 196: Spirit Medicine, Golden Cicada Shedding Its ShellXu Hei sprang into action, arriving in front of a millennia-old Purple Flame Vine. As the vine lashed out at him with a whistling sound, he exclaimed, "It''s sentient!"


    Startled, Xu Hei dodged and then bit down on the vine, pulling it from the ground and storing it in a Void Stone.


    It''s not uncommon for plants that have lived for thousands of years to become sentient. Just as humans and demonic beasts can cultivate, plants can naturally gain sentience after surviving for millennia, although the process is much more arduous.


    Xu Hei moved to another patch of grass, but before he could act, a carrot-shaped creature emerged from the ground and tried to flee. Its roots acted like human legs, propelling it swiftly, faster than most at the Foundation Establishment Stage could catch.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    Xu Hei moved like lightning, capturing the "carrot" in an instant. It was a thirty-thousand-year-old Earth Spirit Fruit, which began to wail like a baby once caught, its cries sharp and piercing.


    Xu Hei knocked it unconscious with a flick of his tail and stored it in a Void Stone. A plant of thirty thousand years is far more valuable than one of ten thousand years.


    Continuing his spree, Xu Hei collected several other millennia-old medicinal herbs, not sparing even those of a thousand years, gathering about ten in total.


    "I''m rich, I''m rich! Just selling these would be worth a fortune, beyond estimation!"


    Xu Hei''s heart raced with excitement, but he took a deep breath to calm himself. With so many eyes watching from outside, keeping his bounty was another matter entirely.


    Especially the Zhou Family''s patriarch, who, despite showing no expression, radiated a chilling killing intent that Xu Hei could sense even through the seal.


    ...


    Outside the passage.


    The surviving rogue cultivators, having narrowly escaped death, fled in panic, with only a few daring to linger at a distance, their eyes fixed on the ancient medicinal garden, flickering with greed.


    "Old Daoist, what did you see earlier?" Liu Buqun asked in a deep voice.


    Tianji Shangren replied, "For someone like the Zhou Family''s second patriarch, whose lifespan is at its end, there should be signs of death energy. I can recognize it at a glance, yet this person shows no such signs!"


    "As for what I''ve divined, I can''t tell you yet."


    Hearing this, Liu Buqun fell into deep thought, "Could it be that this person has some great fortune?"


    Tianji Shangren merely shook his head with a cold smile, "Great fortune wouldn''t belong to someone like him. It belongs to those destined by fate..."


    At this point, Tianji Shangren suddenly turned his head, his eyes shining with unprecedented brilliance.


    "Such strong luck, this time there''s no mistake!"


    He stood up and walked towards the cave''s entrance.


    Meanwhile, the main forces of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Bai Family, Zhou Family, and the four sects of the Southern Region had arrived at the entrance of the Blood Corpse Cave, advancing inside.


    ...


    After a thorough search, Xu Hei had taken most of the inconspicuous medicinal herbs. The garden looked much the same as before, but its scattered components had been cleaned out by Xu Hei.


    Most of the spirit medicines were a thousand years old, and he only took ten of the ten-thousand-year ones, with three being sentient, a low ratio.


    Additionally, Xu Hei noticed signs that some herbs had been previously harvested. Only a few low-grade thousand-year ones were taken, and if Xu Hei hadn''t been observant, he wouldn''t have noticed these details.


    "Zhao Wenzhuo mentioned someone had entered here earlier, and it seems true!"


    Xu Hei looked around. Besides the harvested herbs, the person left no other traces.


    Xu Hei didn''t dwell on it, just kept it in mind.


    At this moment, many precious spirit medicines remained in the garden.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed as he brought out a corpse puppet, placing it in front of a massive Rafflesia.


    He had never seen this flower before and didn''t know its species. Its pistil emitted a bloody scent, seemingly to lure creatures closer.


    Suddenly, the Rafflesia lunged, like a monstrous maw, swallowing the puppet whole in an instant.


    Its attack speed was comparable to the Core Formation Stage!


    In Xu Hei''s perception, the puppet was instantly digested, becoming nourishment for the giant flower.


    "This thing is indeed not to be trifled with!"


    Xu Hei had suspected the flower was unusual from the start, and testing it with a puppet confirmed it.


    Xu Hei glanced at the hundred-thousand-year-old Gold Thunder Bamboo atop the peak and the formation about to shatter behind him, quickly abandoning the idea of digging it up.


    Even if he succeeded, the group outside wouldn''t let him go.


    The risk was too great, so Xu Hei decisively gave up.


    He took out a Small Teleportation Talisman, ready to activate it, but suddenly felt a sense of foreboding.


    Instinctively, he felt this place was unsuitable for teleportation!


    Based on past experiences, using it here had a high chance of teleporting him into the mountains, requiring multiple uses to escape.


    Even if he luckily appeared on the surface, he could easily get lost or encounter danger.


    "Better to trust the known than gamble on the unknown," Xu Hei thought, putting away the Small Teleportation Talisman.


    The soil here had the same effect as the stone walls outside, blocking Divine Sense.


    Xu Hei made a quick decision, placing a puppet outside, then using an Invisibility Talisman to hide himself in a pit.


    This spot was originally where a spirit medicine grew, now occupied by Xu Hei.


    Using dragon scales to dig, he tunneled several hundred feet deep.


    His hiding place was absolutely undetectable.


    Of course, this wasn''t enough.


    Xu Hei continued digging, but soon hit something resembling an iron plate, blocking further progress.


    "What''s beneath here..."


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted.


    "Boom!!" S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A roar came from outside as the sealing formation was completely shattered, and everyone rushed into the medicinal garden.


    Zhou Qing wasted no time, heading straight for the back of the garden, his only target being Xu Hei.


    Not to mention the treasures Xu Hei carried, the herbs he dug up alone had to be seized!


    "Leave it to me!"


    Xu Qingfeng threw a "Stop" character above Zhou Qing''s head, momentarily freezing him.


    Xu Hei didn''t hesitate, controlling the puppet to activate a teleportation talisman.


    "Buzz!"


    A spatial ripple flashed, and the puppet was instantly teleported away.


    Xu Hei lost contact with the puppet, not knowing where it had been sent. If the distance was too great, this would happen.


    In the garden, Zhou Qing also sensed the strong spatial fluctuation. With a swift movement, he arrived at the spot where Xu Hei''s puppet had disappeared, his face darkening.


    "You escaped again!" Zhou Qing''s face turned ashen.


    As expected, if he were in the other¡¯s shoes, facing a late Core Formation Stage pursuer, he would do the same. It was the optimal solution.


    But he didn''t know that what had just been teleported wasn''t Xu Hei himself, but merely a puppet.


    However, Zhou Qing had no time to ponder further.


    At this moment, members of the Chu Tian Alliance began harvesting herbs, and a few fearless rogue cultivators also entered, digging up thousand-year spirit medicines.


    Zhou Qing sensed the approaching main forces, heading straight for this place.


    "Longevity Pill! Even without the Longevity Pill, there might be longevity spirit medicines!"


    Zhou Qing spread his Divine Sense, scanning the various herbs in the garden. Even with his knowledge, many were unfamiliar.


    He didn''t care, grabbing a handful of spirit medicines and stuffing them into his storage bag, then heading straight for the Gold Thunder Bamboo at the mountain''s peak.

 Chapter 197: Surrounded by life and death, the way to break the deadlock

    Chapter 197: Surrounded by life and death, the way to break the deadlockXu Hei was completely unaware of what was happening outside.


    At the moment, an iron plate blocked his path downward. Xu Hei pondered for a moment and began digging to the side along the edge of the iron plate.


    The iron plate didn''t extend infinitely and had bends. Xu Hei continued digging downward along the edges.


    It took Xu Hei a full half-hour of digging before he finally saw what it was.


    It was a massive square secret chamber, entirely made of metal, with only one entrance at the front, sealed off by iron plates everywhere else.


    "There''s a secret chamber beneath this herb garden. What''s it used for?"


    Xu Hei reached the entrance, staring at the dark doorway ahead, feeling a bit hesitant.


    At this moment, sounds of battle could be heard outside. Although his Divine Sense couldn''t probe out, the terrifying fluctuations of the battle kept resonating, with spells roaring¡ªdefinitely a clash between cultivators at the mid-stage Core Formation or higher!


    Xu Hei estimated the time; the people from the Heavenly Puppet Sect should be arriving soon. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He definitely didn''t dare to go out. Looking at the door in front of him, Xu Hei pondered briefly and then made a decision.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, External Incarnation!"


    Xu Hei''s figure became blurry, and shadows shot out from his body, overlapping infinitely beside him.


    When the number of shadows reached its limit, they solidified, turning into a real entity, transforming into a black snake identical to Xu Hei himself!


    This was the External Incarnation!


    External Incarnation was considered a relatively advanced secret technique in major sects, typically mastered only by those at the Core Formation stage or some prodigies.


    Xu Hei, in a moment of crisis, had a sudden inspiration, evolving the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon to the fourth level, naturally using the incarnation.


    One must admit, the growth speed in dangerous environments is always faster than in comfortable ones, which is an advantage.


    The downside is the risk of dying.


    Xu Hei wouldn''t deliberately put himself in danger just for growth; he was purely forced into it.


    At this moment, Xu Hei looked at the incarnation in front of him, and the incarnation looked back at him.


    This felt different from a puppet; both seemed like himself, able to be controlled at will, and casting spells felt more natural.


    He could even use the incarnation to control a puppet.


    Perhaps it was an illusion, but Xu Hei felt that the incarnation created by the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon was more advanced than others, almost indistinguishable from the real thing!


    Even Zhou Qing couldn''t tell at first glance, only realizing the truth when he caught it in his hand.


    Xu Hei took out the ancient bell he had snatched. He had already refined it, and it was called the Bell of Chaos.


    Inside the bell, a spell was engraved, named Chaos Wave, which had a strong restraining effect on corpse puppets. As long as it was struck, the Chaos Wave would automatically be released.


    Xu Hei had reason to suspect that this bell originated from the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Xu Hei sent out the incarnation, holding the Bell of Chaos, and crawled into the dark doorway.


    He didn''t know what was inside, so he used the incarnation to probe first.


    "Whoosh!"


    Passing through the door, Xu Hei didn''t feel any obstruction and entered the secret chamber.


    "This is..."


    In an instant, Xu Hei was stunned.


    Inside the chamber, a series of pills were neatly displayed on the counter, with remnants of medicinal herbs on the ground, very fresh, and various medicinal fragrances floating in the air.


    It showed that someone had been here not long ago.


    The pill bottles on the counter were all ancient, with the names of the pills written on them.


    Xu Hei glanced over and couldn''t help but widen his eyes, almost dropping his jaw in shock.


    "Longevity Pill, Longevity Pill, Longevity Pill..."


    There were many pills here, and surprisingly, half of them were Longevity Pills.


    The other half were pills that Xu Hei was familiar with.


    "Rejuvenation Pill, Blood Replenishing Pill, Awakening Pills..."


    Looking at these familiar pills, Xu Hei smiled bitterly inside. He activated his Gravity Technique and pulled two bottles of pills over.


    The pill bottles were ancient relics, but the pills inside were modern concoctions.


    Xu Hei already understood who had been here before.


    ¡ªXu Bai.


    Xu Bai had left a jade slip saying she had found a pill refining holy land. He didn''t expect it to be here.


    He just couldn''t figure out how Xu Bai had reached this place, which was fraught with danger, where a slight mistake could cost one''s life.


    Not to mention the Red-haired Corpse King and the various corpse puppets in the Blood Corpse Cave, just getting here without Core Formation cultivation and incredible luck would be nearly impossible.


    Xu Hei naturally knew that Xu Bai was researching the Longevity Pill.


    He casually pulled over a bottle of Longevity Pills. The pills inside were emerald green, full of vitality, yet for some reason, Xu Hei had a gut feeling that this pill should never be consumed!


    And on the surface of the Longevity Pill, there was a cross mark, which Xu Bai usually wouldn''t make.


    This only indicated that there was something wrong with this pill!


    Xu Hei pondered briefly, took away some Longevity Pills, and left only three bottles.


    He also took all the other pills, then took out some empty pill bottles he found in the corpse puppet''s room and placed them here.


    Afterward, he collected the fresh herb remnants on the ground, sprinkled some dust, and perfectly simulated the appearance of an ancient pill refining room.


    After some arrangements, Xu Hei couldn''t guarantee to fool everyone, but deceiving over ninety-nine percent was enough.


    "Where has Xu Bai gone?"


    Xu Hei took out the jade slip Xu Bai left behind, inserted his Divine Sense into it, and roughly sensed that the direction was towards Wuyou City.


    ...


    At this moment, the struggle in the herb garden had reached a fever pitch.


    The spirit medicines here were not defenseless; they all had strong offensive capabilities.


    A Rafflesia could swallow a Core Formation cultivator, and a bomb tree would throw explosive fruits when approached, easily injuring a Core Formation cultivator.


    There was also an eighty-thousand-year-old willow tree, with willow branches like flying swords, possessing strength comparable to mid-stage Core Formation.


    The hundred-thousand-year-old Gold Thunder Bamboo even had late Core Formation cultivation.


    However, plants were still plants; as long as they couldn''t move, humans had ways to deal with them.


    The premise was human unity.


    When Zhang Tie exhausted all his strength to cut a piece of Gold Thunder Bamboo, only to be ambushed by the Zhou Family''s ancestor, things took an unpredictable turn.


    Initially, both sides were harmoniously harvesting, taking what they needed, but now, a life-and-death battle had erupted.


    After a round of fighting, both sides were heavily injured and retreated.


    As the main forces of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Snake Catchers Sect, and others entered the scene, the Chu Tian Alliance immediately faced a life-and-death crisis, on the brink of annihilation.


    Lei He, Zhou Qingxuan, the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, and others¡ªten Core Formation cultivators in total¡ªwere completely unmatched against the two from the Chu Tian Alliance.


    The passage was blocked, and the perimeter of the Blood Corpse Cave was also sealed.


    There was no way to escape, no way to retreat; it was a certain death situation!


    However, in the face of such a desperate situation, the Chu Tian Alliance showed no sign of panic.


    "If you dare to make a move, I''ll destroy this herb garden, and no one will get any benefits!"


    Xu Qingfeng took out a scroll, ready to unfold it, releasing a world-destroying wave, causing even the space to tremble as if it would collapse.


    "And all the corpse puppets suppressed here, I''ll lift all the seals and see how you deal with the corpse puppet army!"


    Xu Qingfeng''s first statement only made everyone hesitate.


    The second statement made everyone''s faces change dramatically.


    As Xu Qingfeng raised his hand, the sealed Red-haired Corpse King outside let out a roar, a red-haired whirlwind rising, ready to crawl out from the ground.


    Everyone was shocked and could no longer remain calm.


    "Stop! We agree to a ceasefire!"


    Lei He hurriedly shouted, stopping Xu Qingfeng''s reckless actions.

 Chapter 198: Stealing beams and replacing pillars, Minor Teleportation Formation

    Chapter 198: Stealing beams and replacing pillars, Minor Teleportation FormationXu Qingfeng, as a leader of the Chu Tian Alliance, although upright in his conduct, often found himself at a disadvantage in the ruthless Cultivation World. However, he was far from foolish.


    He had long anticipated that among the rogue cultivators under the Chu Tian Alliance, there might be spies, leading enemies to surround this place.


    The corpse puppets outside were not something he couldn''t kill; rather, he intentionally suppressed and sealed them.


    This was his trump card, a bargaining chip for negotiations.


    With just a thought, the seal would break, and this place would be heavily surrounded by the army of corpse puppets, leaving no chance for escape.


    Even if a few managed to escape by luck, most would face a dead end.


    "No wonder you''re the leader of the rebels, such a clever tactic!" Lei He said, his face pale with anger.


    "You''re too kind! We''ve been developing this place for three days, and the suppressed corpse puppets number in the hundreds, if not thousands. If you give it your all, maybe two or three of you can survive," Xu Qingfeng sneered.


    Everyone fell silent.


    Even the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, who was exuding a sinister aura as if about to go berserk, remained silent. He wasn''t foolish enough to fight the corpse puppets head-on.


    "Have you found the Longevity Pill?" Zhou Qing asked.


    "I''ve only seen it in Historical Projections," Bai Luo replied.


    Everyone nodded in agreement.


    Zhou Qing sighed, feeling somewhat disappointed. He had come to the ancient relics to extend his life, how could he return empty-handed?


    Zhou Wendie, seeing that the ancestor had forgotten the main issue, hurriedly sent a voice transmission: "Ancestor, my Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes..."


    Hearing this, Zhou Qing finally looked at Xu Qingfeng and transmitted: "Name your price for the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes. Our Zhou Family runs the Myriad Treasure Pavilion; we can afford any price!"


    Xu Qingfeng did not immediately refuse. He smiled and said, "Let''s discuss this matter outside."


    Upon hearing this, everyone''s eyes flickered.


    The Zhou Family communicated through Divine Sense.


    But Xu Qingfeng spoke openly in front of everyone.


    Could it be that the Zhou Family had private dealings with the Chu Tian Alliance? This made those present suspicious.


    Zhou Qing immediately realized he had been set up. He wanted to explain, but as a second ancestor, he couldn''t bring himself to do so, so he just snorted coldly.


    Zhou Qingxuan quickly explained, "Wendie''s Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes were taken by that demon and handed over to the Chu Tian Alliance. Our Zhou Family is negotiating to buy them back."


    His explanation only made things worse, as everyone showed strange expressions.


    We weren''t suspecting you, so why explain?


    Is there no silver here?


    Moreover, Zhou Qing was the first to arrive here, bypassing everyone else to meet with the Chu Tian Alliance, which was quite intriguing.


    "Xu Qingfeng, there''s no need for such petty tricks to sow discord. Do you really think we''re fools?" Yin Mingzi spoke coldly.


    Smart people could naturally see through the ploy, but there was never a shortage of foolish teammates.


    They just didn''t show it.


    Moreover, there were some troublemakers within the coalition.


    "Qiushui, what do you think?"


    The Bai Family had also sent an elder named Bai Zhong to protect Bai Qiushui''s safety.


    "Our Bai Family should best avoid getting involved in such disputes and not be used as pawns," Bai Qiushui said calmly.


    "I agree! These rebels are not simple; let Qin Xuanji handle it. Isn''t he capable?" Another member of the Bai Family echoed.


    Unknowingly, different voices emerged within the coalition.


    Subsequently, the medicine garden fell into a brief peace. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone turned their attention back to the Spirit Medicines scattered across the mountains.


    They had attempted to attack the ten-thousand-year-old Gold Thunder Bamboo several times, only breaking a few branches, unable to shake the main trunk.


    Helpless, they turned their attention to other Spirit Medicines.


    Some had scouted the surroundings and discovered that the medicine garden had boundaries. Beyond the mountain, a protective layer appeared, and passing through it led to a void space, seemingly the end of the ancient relic.


    Others began digging downward, finding that the soil here was rich in Spiritual Qi, a rare spiritual soil.


    Even if they couldn''t find Spirit Medicines, taking some soil back would be beneficial.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, Xu Hei had searched the secret chamber thoroughly. Besides the Pills left by Xu Bai, he also found a decayed bamboo sword.


    The bamboo sword was pitch black and had been in the corner for an unknown number of years, yet it hadn''t completely rotted away.


    However, the Spiritual Power on it had long dissipated, turning it into a piece of decayed wood.


    Xu Hei didn''t let it go and carefully stored it away.


    At this time, his true self outside the secret chamber suddenly felt the ground shaking.


    "They''re digging down, as expected."


    Xu Hei''s heart tightened. He wasn''t surprised that the underground would be discovered.


    His avatar immediately left the secret chamber, digging in the opposite direction of the vibrations, using dragon scales to clear the way, while his true self followed behind, filling in the excavation traces.


    Before long, he reached a position only ten meters from the surface and stopped.


    At this distance, if he exerted all his strength, he could break through in an instant.


    Moments later.


    "Look! What have I found!"


    "There''s an underground cave dwelling here!"


    The two who first discovered the secret chamber rushed in, sweeping away all the Pills inside, without suspecting it was a setup.


    These two were elders from the Tai Xuan Sect in the Southern Region. They didn''t dare to snatch Spirit Medicines, so they could only dig for spiritual soil and pick up leftovers.


    Seeing such a great opportunity, they didn''t hesitate and rushed in.


    However, the news quickly leaked, and Lei He and Zhou Qing found their way there, taking all the gains from the two.


    Zhou Qing naturally ended up with a Longevity Pill.


    He looked at the pill bottle in his hand, hesitated for a while, and didn''t open the seal, carefully storing it away.


    Spreading his Divine Sense, he scanned the searched secret chamber, frowning as his thoughts raced.


    "If there were more Longevity Pills, I could let someone else try one first. Unfortunately, there are only three."


    Zhou Qing suspected that the Pills might have been swapped.


    Ancient Pills and modern Pills had very distinct differences, but the Longevity Pill in front of him was too rare, matching ancient records perfectly, not seeming fake.


    Moreover, the pill bottle was indeed from ancient times.


    Zhou Qing couldn''t make up his mind and decided to set it aside for now.


    "Buzz!"


    Suddenly, intense spatial fluctuations came from outside, causing terrifying ripples.


    "Not good, it''s the Minor Teleportation Formation!"


    "The Chu Tian Alliance is trying to escape!"


    Shouts of alarm came from outside.


    "Damn it!"


    Zhou Qing and Lei He exchanged glances and rushed towards the surface at the fastest speed.


    They had been careless! As late Core Formation stage cultivators, they had been so focused on the underground opportunity that they overlooked the Chu Tian Alliance''s small actions!


    They could accept the Chu Tian Alliance leaving, but they had to leave together!


    If the Chu Tian Alliance left first and released the corpse puppets, it would be a disaster! They would have played a time trick, slipping away first and leaving the others trapped by the corpse puppets, with dire consequences!


    "Boom!!"


    The surface exploded as Xu Hei''s figure shot into the sky.


    He had also heard the shouts from outside and made a decisive move, breaking through the surface, his gaze instantly locking onto a massive Formation in the distance.


    The Minor Teleportation Formation, once used by Hei Huang at the Purple Mist Sect, was something Xu Hei could recognize at a glance.

 Chapter 199: Yuan Yings artistic conception, ambush at the exit

    Chapter 199: Yuan Ying''s artistic conception, ambush at the exit"Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    Xu Hei''s speed reached its peak, entering the Minor Teleportation Formation almost the instant it activated, enveloped by spatial light.


    Inside the formation, several people appeared simultaneously, all members of the Chu Tian Alliance.


    Zhang Tie, Ku Xuan, the Silver-haired Witch, Xiao Chou, Zhao Wenzhuo, and the Vulture.


    A few rogue cultivators also rushed in.


    Seeing Xu Hei enter, everyone was slightly surprised.


    Ku Xuan nodded in greeting, Zhang Tie remained expressionless, Xiao Chou was full of excitement, Zhao Wenzhuo''s pupils contracted as he took out a tortoiseshell to calculate fortunes.


    The Silver-haired Witch stayed icy cold, not even glancing at him.


    The Vulture warily retreated a few steps, perching on Ku Xuan''s shoulder.


    Everyone''s expressions varied, but it was clear Xu Qingfeng had informed them not to stop Xu Hei.


    Xu Qingfeng did not enter; he stood outside the formation, holding the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, back to the crowd, protecting them.


    Zhou Qing burst from the ground, eyes locked, and charged toward the formation without a word.


    Upon seeing Xu Hei inside the formation, his pupils slightly contracted.


    "It''s you?"


    Zhou Qing was surprised, instantly realizing that the one who had been teleported earlier was just a substitute, not the true form of this snake.


    The snake''s real body was hidden somewhere, only emerging now!


    He had sensed something was amiss before; behind the medicine garden lay an endless void. Even if the snake teleported, where would it go? Entering the endless void was a dead end!


    Now, it dawned on him that he had been tricked again!


    In an instant, Zhou Qing''s eyes erupted with a murderous intent that could no longer be contained.


    He took out a gray talisman and crushed it, blood seeping from his palm as he activated a spell. Blood-red runes rapidly spread from the shattered talisman.


    Where the runes passed, even space trembled, forming a barrier as if to interrupt the teleportation waves.


    "A fourth-level talisman?!"


    The crowd behind exclaimed; the talisman Zhou Qing used was a fourth-level talisman, a Void Lock Talisman!


    The Void Lock Talisman could lock space, prohibiting teleportation, a divine ability only Elemental Infant stage cultivators could wield, beyond mere spells.


    Zhou Qing had prepared ample means for this expedition, and this was one of his trump cards. Without hesitation, he used it to trap the opponent.


    "The wind is cold at Yi River, the warrior goes never to return!"


    Xu Qingfeng, holding the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, recited loudly. From the book floated a long poem, coalescing into a black figure.


    This figure, holding a blade, exuded an extremely chilling killing intent, even hinting at the Elemental Infant stage''s aura.


    The aura of life and death, a thought of life, a thought of death!


    This was the insight of an Elemental Infant cultivator before bravely facing death, transformed into verses and integrated into the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.


    Words became poetry, infused with aura, presenting power far beyond ordinary single words!


    "Kill!"


    The black figure, like a blade, charged toward Zhou Qing''s area, the indescribable aura of life and death instantly invading Zhou Qing''s body.


    In a flash, Zhou Qing''s hair turned white, his eyebrows grayed, skin withered, as if on the brink of death in an instant.


    "Ah!!"


    Zhou Qing screamed and retreated, the Void Lock Talisman forcibly interrupted.


    "God of War Avatar!"


    Simultaneously, Lei He also acted.


    Holding a long spear, clad in battle armor, his whole body exuded fierce flames. Step by step, he advanced, a massive blood-colored figure appearing behind him, like a god of war on the battlefield, capable of slaughtering millions with a single thought!


    Similarly, an indescribable aura of slaughter swept from the avatar, shaking the heavens and earth.


    Another Elemental Infant cultivator''s aura, the aura of slaughter!


    In the past, the owner of this aura had slaughtered a million enemy troops, almost single-handedly conquering a nation. All captives were killed without mercy.


    Endless slaughter forged the myth of Qin Kingdom''s God of War, stepping into the Elemental Infant stage with the aura of slaughter!


    And this was merely a remnant of that aura, instantly boosting Lei He''s power, making him invincible within the Core Formation stage!


    "Kill!"


    Xu Qingfeng spat blood, marking the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.


    The black figure, like an assassin rushing toward death, charged unhesitatingly at the blood-flaming God of War Avatar, colliding with a thunderous crash.


    Heaven and earth shattered, the void broke, the great path roared!


    This was a clash of Elemental Infant auras.


    The aura of life and death against the aura of slaughter!


    Xu Hei, within the Minor Teleportation Formation, was utterly stunned, his mind buzzing, unable to utter a word.


    Everyone present was shocked, awed by the overwhelming aura.


    "I can''t calculate it!"


    Zhao Wenzhuo looked at the tortoiseshell in his hand, then at Xu Hei, his expression grave.


    In the blink of an eye!


    At the moment of the two auras'' collision, the Minor Teleportation Formation completed, activating immediately, spatial ripples enveloping everyone within.


    "Buzz!"


    The crowd within the formation vanished, transforming into streaks of light, traversing the void, teleporting outward.


    This was not a random teleportation.


    It had a direction, returning along the path they came, no different from an ordinary Small Teleportation Talisman. However, the talismans were limited, non-renewable, and due to war consumption, were scarce nationwide.


    Perhaps due to interference from the battle, this teleportation did not move them far, stopping just outside the Blood Corpse Cave.


    This place was familiar to everyone, not far from the exit, needing at most half an incense stick''s time to leave.


    Enough!


    "Go!"


    Everyone moved in unison, rushing toward the exit, aiming to escape as quickly as possible.


    No one cared about Xu Qingfeng''s fate; they had long reached an understanding. As rebels, no decision could afford a hint of hesitation.


    Xu Hei also used Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, about to rush out, but hadn''t gone far when a sense of dread washed over him.


    "Stay!"


    A sharp voice echoed nearby.


    Xu Hei hurriedly stopped, seeing a wall of golden flames rise before him, blocking his path, even warping the void with its heat.


    Being burned by it would be disastrous.


    Xu Hei squinted, looking to the side. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There stood a young girl in purple, graceful in figure, youthful in appearance, resembling Zhou Wenjun, but with golden flames flickering in her eyes, filled with fierce killing intent.


    "Zhou Wendie."


    A name suddenly surfaced in Xu Hei''s mind.


    "Swish, swish, swish..."


    From the shadows on both sides and the front, numerous figures emerged, armed with magical treasures and talismans, fully equipped, the Zhou Family and Snake Catchers Sect guards stationed here.


    They had set ambushes throughout the Blood Corpse Cave.


    Zhou Wendie had even taken it upon herself to dispatch an additional Zhou Family team to guard the cave entrance, preventing any escape.


    Zhou Qingxuan was among them, the strongest, having reached mid-stage Core Formation.


    At this moment, they stared at the scales on Xu Hei, precisely as Bai Luo had described, the scales of the culprit.

 Chapter 200: A moments difference can mean the difference between life and death

    Chapter 200: A moment''s difference can mean the difference between life and deathThey suffered a major setback with Bai Luo inside the pyramid, leading to mutual suspicion.


    However, afterward, Bai Luo took the initiative to visit and share intelligence about the pyramid, suggesting a reconciliation.


    Zhou Wendie naturally felt disdain; she almost died because of Bai Luo, so how could she just let it go lightly? On the surface, though, both sides had to maintain peace.


    "It seems the guess was correct; the other party is indeed a snake, the one the ancestor is looking for!"


    Zhou Qingxuan glanced at Xu Hei in the crowd. Such demonic beasts, more cunning than humans, were rare but not unheard of.


    The demonic beasts appearing in the ruins were mostly human spirit pets, collaborating with humans, never seen acting alone.


    Not to mention, this snake ventured into the pyramid alone, reaping various benefits.


    "Attack!"


    With a cold shout from Zhou Wendie, the ambushed army of cultivators surged forward, charging at the Chu Tian Alliance members. Various spells and magical treasures were unleashed, creating a spectacular scene.


    The Chu Tian Alliance, including two rogue cultivators, had only eight people, while they faced more than twenty, outnumbered by more than double.


    The Chu Tian Alliance members exchanged glances, with nothing more to say.


    Just fight!


    Demon Man Zhang Tie led the charge, his body swelling like a towering giant, swinging a massive hammer towards Zhou Qingxuan. Zhou Qingxuan dodged into the air to avoid the Core Formation stage battle affecting others.


    "Namo Amitabha..."


    Demon Monk Ku Xuan chanted the Rebirth Mantra, causing those casting spells to fall powerlessly from the sky as if losing their souls, their spells dissipating into nothingness.


    "Zhou Ping, Zhou Cang, Xie Yuyan..."


    The Silver-haired Witch maintained her habit of asking names before killing. Anyone she named froze involuntarily, their heads flying off, dying instantly.


    These two were the main force of the Chu Tian Alliance, invincible below the Core Formation stage.


    Xiao Chou and Zhao Wenzhuo, with slightly weaker cultivation, could only deal with some small fry.


    The other two rogue cultivators, having survived until now, were not mediocre, each picking a late Foundation Establishment stage cultivator to fight, taking advantage of the chaos.


    "Go, Baldy, kill them! Make us proud, Baldy!"


    The Vulture stood behind Ku Xuan, cheering, seemingly without any combat ability.


    Though the numbers seemed vastly different, after one round of confrontation, the other side instantly lost five people, while the Chu Tian Alliance remained unscathed.


    This clearly showed the true strength of both sides.


    Xu Hei was targeted by Zhou Wendie; he was her initial target.


    "You little beast, today is your death day! Watch me kill you with my own hands, avenging Wenjun!"


    Zhou Wendie''s eyes swirled with flames, and where her gaze landed, a raging fire ignited, forming a sea of fire, sweeping towards Xu Hei like a fiery storm.


    Xu Hei moved at full speed, leaving countless afterimages, but the flames were incredibly fast, burning all the afterimages. Wherever her gaze landed, even the void could catch fire.


    "What a strange fire, is this the power of the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered.


    At this moment, a False Core stage corpse puppet underground screamed, engulfed by the flames, burned to ashes. Xu Hei realized he must not let even a trace of this fire touch him.


    Even a False Core could be instantly annihilated; this was an opponent beyond the limits of the Foundation Establishment stage.


    Extreme Realm cultivators were all people with great opportunities and fortunes, possessing extraordinary talent and unique physiques, often with numerous magical treasures.


    Zhou Wendie was one of them.


    In fact, throughout the Qin Kingdom, only three people had reached the Extreme Realm of the Foundation Establishment stage.


    "Falling Stars, Earth Spike, Lightning Strike Technique!"


    Xu Hei instantly cast three spells, aiming at Zhou Wendie.


    From above, below, front, and back, various spells appeared, attacking Zhou Wendie from all directions, but before they could get close, they were burned to nothingness by the flames.


    Then, Xu Hei summoned the ivory flying sword, which melted upon contact with the flames.


    "Indeed, ordinary means are useless against her!"


    Xu Hei''s heart trembled, suddenly wondering if selling the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes was a loss.


    At this moment, Zhou Wendie''s face was pale, blood trickling from the corner of her eye, seemingly greatly exhausted.


    Xu Hei observed briefly and found that she was surrounded by flames, leaving no gaps.


    To deal with her, he would either need the Black Dragon Pagoda or the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.


    But since she hadn''t used any magical treasures, she must have a trump card of the same level!


    "Something''s wrong!"


    Xu Hei looked at the omnipresent flames, suddenly feeling a chill.


    The opponent''s flames seemed to be attacking but weren''t truly threatening; Xu Hei could easily avoid them each time they burned.


    And whenever Xu Hei tried to counterattack, the opponent could always predict his position and prepare defenses in advance.


    Xu Hei thought of a possibility.


    "This woman isn''t attacking; she''s defending with all her might, stalling for time!"


    The exchange just now seemed long but was only two or three breaths. Xu Hei had already analyzed the opponent''s intentions.


    Zhou Wendie never intended to kill Xu Hei!


    To verify his guess, Xu Hei deliberately left an opening while dodging.


    As a result, Zhou Wendie ignored the opening, not using the flames to attack, instead watching her surroundings, wary of possible ambushes.


    "Indeed! She''s stalling for time!"


    Xu Hei''s face darkened.


    Zhou Wendie had exceptional talent but was also very self-aware, knowing she couldn''t kill Xu Hei.


    Even Bai Luo was tricked repeatedly, and even the second ancestor failed multiple times; what did she have to kill him?


    From the start, Zhou Wendie acted fiercely, claiming she would kill him for revenge, but it was all an act!


    She hadn''t used all her trump cards, only using the known Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes for defense, so she had little consumption.


    However, the blood at her eye corner and her pale face weren''t fake; the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes were indeed used to their limit.


    But she hadn''t shown any other means, aiming to confuse her opponent.


    However, Xu Hei saw through her intentions at a glance.


    Xu Hei glanced at the sealed exit, calculating the probability of escape, and made a bold decision.


    Xu Hei turned and charged deeper into the Blood Corpse Cave.


    He chose to return!


    Zhou Wendie''s expression changed, immediately shouting, "You little beast, are you scared? Afraid to fight me?"


    Xu Hei ignored her, focusing on one direction, moving at full speed, leaving Zhou Wendie behind.


    His destination was clear.


    ¡ªThe cave dwelling where the corpse charm resided.


    At this moment, from the start of the battle until now, it seemed long, but only three breaths had passed. Xu Hei had already left the battle, choosing to escape.


    Zhou Wendie realized her plan was exposed, her expression changing drastically, gritting her teeth as she pursued.


    Butterfly wings appeared behind her, moving at full speed like a phantom, reaching speeds comparable to the Core Formation stage, yet she still couldn''t catch up to Xu Hei.


    His figure grew more distant, disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    "Buzz!" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, the space around Zhou Wendie distorted, and an old man, white-haired and withered, emerged from the space.


    It was the second ancestor of the Zhou Family, Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing, now emaciated, his flesh and blood withered, with most of his vitality gone, resembled a dying man.


    "Where''s that snake?"


    He glanced around, seeing Zhou Wendie''s pale face, chasing in one direction, and without further words, stepped forward like a shooting star, speeding towards where Xu Hei had disappeared.

 Chapter 201: After exhausting all schemes, a desperate fight to the death

    Chapter 201: After exhausting all schemes, a desperate fight to the deathIn the dimly lit Blood Corpse Cave, a streak of golden light pierced the sky like a meteor in the night, illuminating the surroundings.


    Xu Hei accelerated continuously, his body burning as dragon scales sparked against the air, with a large amount of True Qi jetting out from behind him.


    "Almost there, just ahead!" S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei could clearly sense the looming danger from behind.


    Without a doubt, that woman was stalling for time to wait for Zhou Qing. She couldn''t take him down herself, so she waited for reinforcements, putting on a show all the while.


    These cultivators never cared about honor or face, using any means necessary to kill their opponents.


    "This woman is deeply scheming and will be a great threat in the future. She must not be left alive!"


    Xu Hei''s expression was grim as he swallowed a pill and accelerated once more.


    Behind him, Zhou Qing pursued relentlessly, the distance between them closing rapidly, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.


    "What incredible speed! This snake truly holds many secrets and cannot be left alive!"


    Although Zhou Qing''s vitality was waning, his cultivation was still at the late Core Formation stage. Yet, chasing a Foundation Establishment great demon for so long was astonishing, and his fervor only grew stronger.


    His intuition was right; this snake was a priceless treasure in itself!


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei accelerated again, splitting into two as he charged into two beehive-like doors. Such rooms were common in the Blood Corpse Cave, all previously ransacked.


    "Hmph, playing hide and seek, are we?"


    Zhou Qing was not careless. With a raise of his hand, a blood-colored flying sword shot into the room, Sword Qi spreading everywhere, indiscriminately attacking everything in the cave dwelling, even scraping the walls down.


    Xu Hei was also slashed into nothingness; it was an external incarnation.


    Almost simultaneously as the incarnation was destroyed, Zhou Qing stood at the entrance of the second room.


    He punched into the dark entrance, and with a thunderous boom, the room collapsed, dust filling the air, the entire room destroyed by the violent punch.


    For such cunning individuals, Zhou Qing usually employed full-range attacks, blasting everything to ensure the opponent''s death before approaching.


    He wouldn''t even approach; he would only send an incarnation.


    For a Foundation Establishment "ant" that had survived multiple attacks, he was even more cautious.


    "No movement? Again!"


    Zhou Qing pointed forward once more, the blood-colored flying sword rushing into the room, Sword Qi crisscrossing, attacking indiscriminately, shaving ten meters off the walls.


    The Divine Sense isolation here was extremely severe, and even he could only vaguely sense a trace of movement inside the room.


    The snake seemed to have hidden inside a Magical Treasure, enduring his attacks, while inside the room, there was a faint presence of a corpse puppet, seemingly at the mid-stage Core Formation.


    This made Zhou Qing inwardly sneer.


    "This snake is indeed cunning. If I had rushed in, I might have been ambushed by the corpse puppet and let it escape."


    Zhou Qing felt assured.


    If Xu Hei had died easily, leaving only a snake corpse in the room, he wouldn''t dare enter.


    Now, seeing the opponent hiding in a Magical Treasure with a corpse puppet inside, Zhou Qing felt much more at ease.


    Knowing the opponent''s plan, he had all the time to slowly wear them down.


    He wouldn''t enter until the Magical Treasure was reduced to ashes and the opponent was completely annihilated.


    "Ugh!"


    Blood trickled from Zhou Qing''s mouth, aggravating his internal injuries, but the smile on his face grew brighter, as if he saw a chance to change his fate.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the room.


    Xu Hei hid within the Black Dragon Pagoda, being forcefully blasted into the depths of the wall by the relentless Sword Qi.


    The opponent hadn''t fallen for it, as Xu Hei had expected; it was a gamble from the start.


    At this moment, he had two options.


    First, use Body Swap to switch himself to the adjacent room, then escape with a Small Teleportation Talisman.


    Beforehand, Xu Hei had hidden a puppet in the next room for emergencies.


    Second, gamble again, taking a certain risk to lure the opponent in.


    As long as Zhou Qing dared to enter the room, Xu Hei had a sixty percent chance of severely injuring him, and combined with Zhou Qing''s injuries, a thirty percent chance of killing him on the spot!


    At this moment, Xu Hei looked at the sealed formation that was also being bombarded.


    Inside the formation, the corpse enchantress was also looking at him.


    The madness in her eyes had vanished, replaced by a hint of joy as she looked at the tower, her hoarse voice coming through: "Senior Brother... you''ve... returned..."


    From the moment Xu Hei entered, she showed no signs of going berserk, completely different from last time.


    It seemed that from the moment she saw that Token, she "awoke."


    Of course, there was still a hint of struggle in the corpse enchantress''s eyes, but it was not obvious.


    "Yes, I''m back," Xu Hei transmitted his voice. "Your Senior Brother is being hunted. Can you deal with the opponent?"


    The corpse enchantress''s gaze shifted to the door, a look of hatred in her eyes.


    She sprang up, crashing into the formation, only to be bounced back.


    Yes, just like that... Xu Hei nodded secretly and continued to transmit his voice: "The opponent won''t come in, and rushing out to kill him is too risky; he might escape."


    "Senior Brother wants you to help put on a show, lure him in, and then kill him. Can you do that?"


    Xu Hei tentatively asked.


    This time, the corpse enchantress was stunned for a few seconds, seemingly struggling with the complex logic.


    She retained only a shred of consciousness, lacking advanced intelligence, and merely nodded, "I''ll listen to you."


    "Good, here''s what we''ll do next... just follow my instructions!"


    Xu Hei briefly explained the plan.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside the room, Zhou Qing had already launched over a hundred attacks, his injuries causing a pallor to his face.


    However, he wasn''t going all out, just playing a war of attrition, and he had plenty of patience.


    This might be the greatest opportunity of his life, and he couldn''t afford to lose it.


    "Hmm?"


    Suddenly, Zhou Qing''s gaze sharpened.


    The snake seemed unable to withstand it, emerging from the Magical Treasure, its body immediately slashed by the sharp Sword Qi, bursting into blood, barely clinging to life.


    Meanwhile, the corpse puppet also broke free from the sealed formation, pouncing towards the snake demon, eyes full of greed, ready to devour it.


    "No!"


    Zhou Qing''s expression changed drastically; this was his prey, how could it be devoured by a corpse puppet?


    If it got tainted with corpse Qi, consuming it would be troublesome, not to mention the snake demon had numerous Spirit Medicines on it. One bite and it might evolve into another Red-haired Corpse King!


    By then, the Red-haired Corpse King would surely hunt him down, having been attacked by him for so long!


    "Damn it! I''ll risk it!"


    Without much thought, Zhou Qing made a decisive move, pulling out a handful of Talismans and sticking them on himself, while donning a straw hat, blood-colored armor covering his body, surrounded by eight blood swords, fully armed, he charged into the room.


    He had initially thought of using an incarnation, but the incarnation couldn''t compete with the corpse puppet, so he had to go in person.


    The moment he entered the room.


    "Now!"


    Xu Hei''s mind moved, and Mountain-Covering Mud descended from above, smashing onto Zhou Qing''s head.


    At the same time, the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book activated, a giant "Stop" character flying out, appearing on Zhou Qing''s forehead.


    Xu Hei ignored the corpse enchantress pretending to pounce; it was a huge risk, but Xu Hei chose to trust, he had to trust, this was the best chance to kill Zhou Qing, and he couldn''t let it slip away.

 Chapter 202: The path to longevity, fulfilling ones wishes

    Chapter 202: The path to longevity, fulfilling one''s wishesSure enough!


    As soon as the corpse puppet entered the room, it turned swiftly, charging out with the jade bottle. Two ferocious claws extended from the bottle, sprouting countless vine-like branches, sharp as blades, enveloping Zhou Qing like a storm.


    In life, this corpse puppet must have had a wood spiritual root and mastered some spells.


    Zhou Qing''s pupils contracted, and he seemed to breathe a sigh of relief. Unhurriedly, he drew another flying sword, making a total of nine blood-colored flying swords swirling around him, reaching the pinnacle of nine. The power of the sword qi surged, forming a blood-killing sword formation.


    The Mountain-Covering Mud falling from above just covered him when it was shredded by the sword formation, turning to nothingness. This third-grade middle-tier spiritual treasure was completely destroyed!


    Yet, the "Stop" character above his head remained.


    "So you still have tricks up your sleeve. I didn''t underestimate you after all!"


    Zhou Qing''s face darkened. As he broke through the Mountain-Covering Mud, the corpse puppet''s plant attack arrived, quickly piercing his blood-colored armor.


    These vines, like straws, pierced the armor, frantically absorbing the blood energy within. But Zhou Qing remained motionless, and the blood-killing sword formation slashed again, turning the vines to ashes.


    Xu Hei released the Black Dragon Pagoda and entered it, directly merging with it.


    "Boom!!"


    A thunderous roar echoed as the Black Dragon Pagoda expanded, like a towering giant peak, bearing down on Zhou Qing with overwhelming might.


    The void trembled, and the entire room collapsed, turning into a vast open space, as if to destroy everything.


    Zhou Qing''s heart was shaken, but the greed in his eyes grew stronger.


    The moment the "Stop" character above his head disappeared, Xu Hei''s Black Dragon Pagoda crashed into his back.


    "Poof!"


    The blood-colored armor shattered, and Zhou Qing spat blood, flying forward. Half of his body erupted with blood light, flesh scattered, and countless vines took the opportunity to burrow into his body again, frantically devouring what little life force he had left.


    "I''m at the late Core Formation stage. Do you think you can kill me with just this?"


    Zhou Qing was injured again, covered in blood, his life force waning, but madness surged in his eyes.


    A mid-stage Core Formation corpse puppet, dead for who knows how many years, plus a Foundation Establishment stage demonic beast using a high-level magical treasure.


    No matter how capable you are, what can you do to him?


    The difference between stages in Core Formation is vast! Besides, you have trump cards, and so does he!


    At this moment, the talisman on Zhou Qing''s body burst with brilliant blood-colored light, soaring into the sky, sweeping across a vast area. The surrounding rocky region instantly turned to dust, melting upon contact with the blood light, vaporizing without a trace.


    All the vines vanished without a trace, even the corpse puppet sensed a hint of danger, but she didn''t fear, instead charging forward, releasing more vines to slay Zhou Qing.


    "Futile resistance, useless!"


    Zhou Qing was slightly surprised by the corpse puppet''s advance, but he was already in a killing frenzy, the talisman on his body shining, unstoppable.


    "Poof!!"


    The corpse puppet''s arm turned to nothingness, her head like it was being roasted, skin cracking, bones exposed, and the bottle shattered.


    Even Xu Hei''s Black Dragon Pagoda, charging forward, was repelled by the blood light, landing in the distance.


    Xu Hei, having used the Black Dragon Pagoda repeatedly, was nearly out of true qi. He took out the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, releasing a "Seal" character and a "Weak" character, but it was just a drop in the bucket.


    Zhou Qing''s talisman was terrifying, destroying all nearby spells, almost entering an invincible state, a method he had never used before.


    This was the late Core Formation stage!


    Xu Hei''s trump cards were nearly exhausted, but it was still not enough to kill a late Core Formation stage cultivator!


    "Should I use Ji Ying? But sending Ji Ying up is surely a dead end!"


    Xu Hei was anxious, having exhausted all his means, set up layers of traps, seized every advantage, yet still couldn''t overcome the opponent.


    This was the gap in raw strength, no matter how many tricks you have, I can break them with sheer force! Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If it were a slightly weaker late Core Formation stage, he might have succeeded, but the opponent, being the second ancestor of the Zhou Family from the Myriad Treasure Pavilion, had not only formidable strength but also numerous magical treasures, not fearing him at all.


    For example, the blood-killing sword formation composed of nine blood-colored flying swords was a set of magical treasures not weaker than the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book!


    And the blood-colored armor on him, withstanding the corpse puppet''s attack without moving, making it impossible to kill him.


    The talisman he unleashed afterward was even more devastating.


    Zhou Qing had lived for five hundred years, with higher cultivation and deeper foundations than Xu Hei. How could Xu Hei outsmart him?


    Xu Hei was already in despair. Just as he was about to give up and choose Plan A, a sudden inspiration struck him, reminding him of the gray talisman left by Xuan Yangzi.


    This talisman, placed with the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, was still unknown, but it might be useful!


    However, facing such a powerful opponent, Xu Hei didn''t hold much hope. He took out the gray talisman, infused it with spiritual qi, and threw it towards Zhou Qing.


    Then, without looking back, he used his last bit of true qi to retrieve the Black Dragon Pagoda and turned to flee.


    Xu Hei had done his best. If he couldn''t win, he couldn''t win. There was nothing shameful about it. The opponent had lived a hundred times longer, with more experience, higher cultivation, and overwhelming in every aspect. Losing was not surprising.


    "What a pity, such a good opportunity, but even if he doesn''t die, he''ll be severely injured..." Xu Hei calculated his gains and losses in his mind.


    But at that moment.


    Zhou Qing, who had been arrogant and laughing wildly, suddenly fell silent as if his throat had been choked.


    He stared at the gray talisman flying towards him, his eyes nearly popping out, wondering if he was seeing things.


    But then, focusing his mind, he immediately cried out in horror.


    "The Minor Annihilation Talisman?!!"


    Zhou Qing''s voice was filled with unparalleled shock. Without hesitation, he abandoned the idea of killing the corpse puppet and turned to flee, rushing towards the shattered space behind him.


    All the blood light was retracted, gathering behind him, forming layer upon layer of protection, binding thickly.


    Even the blood-killing sword formation was retracted, forming a shield-like defensive posture.


    At this moment, the corpse puppet''s remaining body was almost gone. In her dying moments, she endured immense torment from the blood light, the bottle shattered, but there was a hint of relief in her eyes.


    Scenes from her life flashed before her eyes like a carousel, and as the Minor Annihilation Talisman drew closer, she smiled.


    "Senior Brother, thank you..."


    The corpse puppet lunged forward, her remaining body blooming with vibrant flowers, forming a floral barrier that bound Zhou Qing.


    Countless vines extended once more, wrapping Zhou Qing layer by layer, holding him firmly in place.


    Zhou Qing couldn''t move, his eyes filled with mad hatred and unwillingness.


    He was already at the end of his strength, his lifespan exhausted. Even if he escaped, he would soon die, but he couldn''t accept being outsmarted to death.


    "Damn it! Why does this corpse puppet obey you? I refuse to accept this! I refuse!"


    Zhou Qing stared at the approaching Minor Annihilation Talisman, his unwillingness turning to despair. He was about to destroy all his magical treasures, preferring death over leaving them for the opponent.


    Suddenly, as if finding a lifeline, he took out a jade-green pill and swallowed it without hesitation.


    It was the Longevity Pill!


    He had doubted its authenticity, but at this moment, if he didn''t take it, he''d never have the chance.


    As the pill entered his mouth, a surge of vitality spread, rejuvenating Zhou Qing''s withered life!


    Zhou Qing''s graying hair turned black again, his dry skin regained its luster, his flesh swelled, and his body was revitalized.


    "Hahaha, it''s the Longevity Pill, it really is the Longevity Pill! Hahaha, I''ve achieved immortality!"


    He laughed wildly to the sky.


    The Minor Annihilation Talisman exploded, a gray mist sea tearing the space apart, spreading towards Zhou Qing. Wherever it passed, the void crumbled, inch by inch, turning into a world of nothingness.


    But Zhou Qing was no longer afraid. His body rose, carrying the countless plant vines binding him, bursting out of the shattered world, landing outside the cave dwelling.


    When he wanted to pursue Xu Hei, he found himself unable to move.


    His feet took root, embedding into the soil, his legs turned to wood, unable to move, even his Golden Core left his body, becoming a fruit hanging at his waist.


    "No! How can this be? I want immortality, how can I become a tree?"


    Zhou Qing couldn''t believe it, trying to break free, but he couldn''t.


    Life force uncontrollably released, his legs, abdomen, torso, arms, all turned to wood in a few breaths, unable to move, his cultivation seemingly vanished, spells and magical treasures unusable, leaves sprouting from his head.


    "Ah!!!"


    Zhou Qing''s remaining head screamed to the sky, hoarse and desperate, unable to stop his transformation into a tree.


    Xu Hei stood not far away, eyes wide, silently watching the now-crazed Zhou Qing.


    Zhou Qing''s entire body turned into a tree-like form, his hysterical expression forever frozen.


    In an instant, he became a tree.


    "Crack, crack, crack..."


    A series of cracking sounds echoed in the empty Blood Corpse Cave.


    Under Xu Hei''s watchful eyes, Zhou Qing slowly grew, becoming a ten-meter-tall humanoid tree, standing majestically, awe-inspiring, and imposing.

 Chapter 203: Bluffing to intimidate the Chosen

    Chapter 203: Bluffing to intimidate the ChosenInside the Blood Corpse Cave, silence reigned.


    A large tree stood in the center, its branches full of leaves, and on its trunk hung a fruit resembling a Golden Core, shaped like a human with arms and legs, and a terrified human face on top.


    In just a few breaths, Zhou Qing had turned into a tree-man.


    "Clang, clang..."


    Nine blood-colored flying swords fell to the ground.


    If he were at his peak, he might have been able to expel the pill from his body. But now, with his life force nearly extinguished and a desperate desire for longevity, he didn''t consider the risks and instead absorbed the medicinal power with all his might.


    He had pursued immortality his entire life, taking great risks for the Longevity Pill, and now, he had finally achieved his wish!


    He had become a tree and no longer needed to worry about his lifespan.


    As long as no one cut him down, he could live as long as he wanted.


    Zhou Qing''s thoughts slowed down, as if moving at a snail''s pace, and he tried to analyze something, but no matter what, he couldn''t remember.


    Eventually, Zhou Qing stopped thinking altogether.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei hovered in front of Zhou Qing, his eyes wide, his mind buzzing, completely stunned.


    This late Core Formation ancestor had turned into a tree right before his eyes!


    Even witnessing it firsthand, Xu Hei still found it hard to believe.


    But now wasn''t the time to be in a daze. Xu Hei took out a thousand-year-old Spirit Medicine, bit off a corner of a leaf, swallowed it in one gulp, and used the Demon God Cauldron to refine it.


    The surging Spiritual Power quickly filled his body, allowing Xu Hei to recover at the fastest speed.


    This was a star-shaped leaf with eight corners, each capable of providing a massive amount of Spiritual Power, making it one of the relatively common Spirit Medicines Xu Hei had collected.


    Of course, "common" was relative here, as every Spirit Medicine he gathered was extremely rare and priceless. Xu Hei wouldn''t consume them unless it was a critical moment.


    "Refine!"


    A corner of the leaf entered the Demon God Cauldron, rapidly refining into pure Spiritual Qi, filling his body and restoring about thirty percent of his strength.


    In the perilous Blood Corpse Cave, Xu Hei couldn''t afford to let his True Qi run dry.


    "Even if you''ve turned into a tree, I must eradicate you completely!"


    Xu Hei summoned the Black Dragon Pagoda, and with a thought, he directed it to crash into the tree.


    "Boom!!"


    The earth and sky resounded with a thunderous noise as the pagoda''s tip struck the tree''s trunk.


    The tree that Zhou Qing had become shuddered violently, leaves rustling down, and the trunk was dented, with the Golden Core-like fruit knocked away.


    Xu Hei''s newly recovered True Qi was once again depleted.


    He stared intently, his eyes widening.


    "Unbelievable!"


    Xu Hei found it hard to believe. At this moment, the tree''s trunk had a dent and was slightly tilted, but overall, it wasn''t significantly damaged.


    At this rate, unless Xu Hei could continuously strike it a dozen times, he might not be able to break it completely.


    With Xu Hei''s current cultivation level, it was like a fool''s dream.


    "A late Core Formation cultivator is so difficult to deal with. Even standing still, I can''t do anything to him," Xu Hei''s face darkened as he had to admit the gap between them.


    He put away the Black Dragon Pagoda, his eyes flashing as he sent a puppet forward to retrieve the Storage Bag from the dent.


    It was Zhou Qing''s Storage Bag.


    He also picked up the nine blood-colored flying swords from the ground, storing them in the Void Stone.


    Each of these nine flying swords was extraordinary, at least top-tier third-grade Magical Treasures, and together they could form an extremely terrifying sword formation.


    The Mountain-Covering Mud was instantly obliterated, not even leaving a trace, showcasing its power.


    The blood-colored armor was still on him, but without Spiritual Power to activate it, it had lost its luster.


    Xu Hei didn''t let it go either, fiddling with it for a while before stripping it off. The armor shrank into a palm-sized bead, hovering in front of him.


    "Whoosh!"


    A sound of wind breaking came from afar.


    A woman with butterfly wings on her back flew swiftly, hovering in the air, staring blankly at Xu Hei in the distance, and... the tree that Zhou Qing had become.


    This woman was Zhou Wendie, who had rushed over.


    From afar, she had sensed the battle fluctuations from this side. To avoid being caught up in it or being captured by Xu Hei as a hostage, she deliberately waited for a while. Only when the battle''s aftermath completely dissipated did she come to investigate the situation.


    When Zhou Wendie''s gaze swept over the ten-meter-tall tree, her mind buzzed as if struck by lightning, leaving her dumbfounded.


    Especially at this moment, Xu Hei was manipulating a puppet, fiddling with the tree trunk, removing a blood-colored armor. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This scene was like a thunderbolt, shocking Zhou Wendie to her core, as if she had seen a ghost.


    Being a very intelligent person, the scene before her quickly played out in her mind, and she immediately pieced together most of the situation.


    "That''s the ancestor''s Blood God Armor, and that face is the ancestor''s face... This snake is still alive... Could it be..."


    Zhou Wendie felt her scalp tingle with just a bit of imagination.


    Had Xu Hei actually taken down the late Core Formation second ancestor?


    Although it seemed impossible for someone at the Foundation Establishment Stage to accomplish this, the evidence was right in front of her!


    The second ancestor, Zhou Qing, was dead, and Xu Hei was still alive and well!


    "How is this possible? How did this happen? How did he do it?"


    Zhou Wendie trembled violently.


    Seeing her appear, Xu Hei''s gaze turned cold, and he took out a Metal Puppet.


    Without a word, he casually inserted a Golden Core into the puppet''s abdominal cavity.


    This Golden Core belonged to Tie Xiong.


    With the Golden Core inside, the ancient Metal Puppet activated, its eyes glowing with a ghostly light. Xu Hei grabbed the puppet with his tail, swung it around twice, and hurled it with all his might toward Zhou Wendie.


    "Whoosh!"


    The puppet tore through the sky, its eyes shooting out cold beams, its fists raised, and its feet spewing a hot air stream, charging straight at Zhou Wendie.


    Zhou Wendie hesitated no longer, her wings fluttering as she fled at full speed. Being naturally cautious, she knew that facing such a strange demon, which had even taken down the second ancestor, would be suicidal.


    Initially, she had considered testing to see how much strength her opponent had left.


    But when the opponent casually sent a Core Formation stage puppet to attack, Zhou Wendie immediately abandoned the idea of testing. Who knew what other tricks the opponent had?


    At this moment, with the Golden Core installed, the Metal Puppet had lost control, but it instinctively pursued the nearest target, which was the woman before it.


    Flames spewed from its back, doubling its speed, just like when it had pursued Zhou Wenjun, now chasing after Zhou Wendie.


    Xu Hei pretended to chase for a while, shouting from behind, "Little wench, why are you running? If you have the guts, fight me!"


    These words only made Zhou Wendie run faster, as if she had activated some kind of Magical Artifact, turning into a purple meteor and disappearing without a trace.


    Seeing this, Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief and retraced his steps.


    He was already exhausted, and earlier he had just been putting on a show. The Metal Puppet was his last resort.


    If Zhou Wendie had decided to fight him to the death, Xu Hei wouldn''t have known what to do. Despite her being only at the Foundation Establishment Stage, such a Chosen had plenty of lethal moves.


    Xu Hei could only strike first, creating the illusion that he was unafraid, scaring her away.


    The opponent was also extremely cautious, unwilling to take any risks, which is why she fell into the trap.


    However, Xu Hei did have one more trump card he hadn''t used.


    It was the Demon Mirror left behind by Hei Huang.

 Chapter 204: Inventory gains, corpse puppet uprising

    Chapter 204: Inventory gains, corpse puppet uprisingAfter devouring the tower spirit, the mirror seemed to regain its spirituality, but Xu Hei wasn''t sure if it could be used a second time.


    Hei Huang had warned him it could only be used once, and given the mirror''s eerie nature, Xu Hei dared not take it out casually.


    Only when faced with a life-and-death situation, against an enemy he couldn''t defeat by any means, would Xu Hei consider using it.


    Xu Hei glanced back at the previous cave dwelling.


    At this moment, where the Minor Annihilation Talisman had been released, was a shattered void, like a broken mirror, pitch-black inside, slowly repairing itself.


    "Minor Annihilation Talisman?"


    Xu Hei recalled the person''s words and fell into deep thought.


    The function of this talisman seemed to be to destroy a space, annihilating all living beings within its range.


    An indiscriminate attack, dealing true damage, no matter your cultivation, if caught in the shattered space, you''d be destroyed along with it.


    Xu Hei couldn''t help but shiver.


    However, although the Minor Annihilation Talisman was powerful, it was slow to release. If the cultivation gap was too large, as soon as you took it out, the opponent would dodge immediately, making it impossible to hit.


    It was only by relying on the corpse puppet''s delay that the opponent was forced into a desperate situation.


    "Xuan Yangzi even managed to get his hands on this thing. How much does he hate me? If he threw this in my face, ten of me wouldn''t be enough to die!"


    Xu Hei couldn''t help but feel a bit of fear.


    Although his dragon scales were tough, whether they could withstand the Minor Annihilation Talisman, which could shatter space, was still unknown.


    He secretly decided that after leaving this place, the first thing he would do was to drag Xuan Yangzi out.


    Xu Hei glanced at Zhou Qing, who seemed to be looking at him too, though his expression remained unchanged.


    "I wanted to get rid of you, but I''m powerless. Rest in peace here, and when my cultivation advances greatly, I''ll come to free you!"


    In front of Zhou Qing, Xu Hei collected all his remaining belongings.


    A Golden Core fruit, a storage bag, nine blood-colored flying swords, and a set of Blood God Armor.


    Before dying, Zhou Qing seemed to want to throw these into the void to destroy them, but unfortunately, he changed his mind at the last moment, allowing Xu Hei to gain a great advantage.


    Xu Hei glanced at the shattered space, his eyes flickering, and sent a puppet over.


    There was still half a broken jade bottle on the ground, which was used to seal the corpse puppet. According to the corpse puppet, once freed, there would be pills left in the bottle as a thank-you gift.


    Xu Hei spread out his Divine Sense, searching carefully. There were many jade bottle fragments on the ground, but he couldn''t find the pills.


    "Could they have been destroyed by the Minor Annihilation Talisman?"


    Xu Hei considered this possibility and couldn''t help but feel regret. S§×arch* The n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    After looking around for a while and finding nothing, he shook his head, planning to leave.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei paused, rushed out, and at the edge of the shattered space, pulled in a ring-shaped black jade stone, grabbing it in his hand.


    "Void Stone!"


    Looking at the ring-shaped stone in his hand, Xu Hei''s eyes were filled with intense excitement.


    A Void Stone, indistinguishable from ordinary stone in appearance, could easily be overlooked if not carefully examined.


    This piece of Void Stone, shaped into a ring, should be an ancient storage ring.


    Xu Hei quickly took it, not opening the seal, and directly stored it away.


    "It''s getting late, time to retreat!"


    Xu Hei packed up his belongings, took a Rejuvenation Pill, activated Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, and dashed towards the exit.


    Shortly after Xu Hei set off.


    "Boom¡­"


    The entire Blood Corpse Cave began to shake violently.


    All the tremors originated from underground, and with a casual glance, Xu Hei saw corpse puppets reaching out from below, crawling up.


    Green-haired, purple-haired, yellow-haired, all sorts of corpse puppets emerged from the soil, all previously sealed by the Chu Tian Alliance.


    "Xu Qingfeng has broken the seal, planning to turn against us!" Xu Hei''s heart tightened.


    Fortunately, he wasn''t far from the exit, and in the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, he could reach it. As long as the corpse puppets at the entrance weren''t at the Core Formation Stage, Ji Ying could handle them.


    "Ji Ying!"


    With a low shout, Ji Ying swiftly emerged from the gaps in the dragon scales, circling around Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei swung his tail, accelerating to full speed, while a large bell appeared on his head, the Bell of Chaos, essential for restraining corpse puppets.


    "Dong!"


    Xu Hei struck it hard, sending bell waves rippling out, instantly disorienting two nearby corpse puppets.


    Ji Ying seized the opportunity, snatching away the heads of the two corpse puppets.


    With the Bell of Chaos and Ji Ying''s cooperation, Xu Hei was confident that even if he encountered a purple-haired yaksha at the early Core Formation stage, he could take it on.


    However, his True Qi was nearly depleted, so he decided not to take such a risk.


    "What''s going on? Why are all the corpse puppets coming out?"


    "This place is no longer safe, run!"


    Along the way, many rogue cultivators emerged from various directions, rushing towards the exit in a hurry.


    Xu Hei stuck an Invisibility Talisman on himself to avoid attracting attention. Except for the corpse puppets sensing his presence, passersby ignored him.


    The rest of the journey was smooth.


    Along the way, Xu Hei only encountered five corpse puppets, all below the Core Formation Stage, easily dealt with by Ji Ying, allowing Xu Hei to smoothly reach the entrance of the Blood Corpse Cave.


    The Chu Tian Alliance was nowhere to be seen, and the ambushing troops were gone too. The ground was littered with bodies, all from the Zhou Family and the Snake Catchers Sect, indicating the battle had ended.


    Xu Hei sensed the residual fluctuations and footprints on the ground, looking in one direction.


    "Wuyou City."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, but he didn''t move immediately. Instead, he flew thousands of miles in another direction, found a hidden cave, and slipped inside.


    He needed to heal as quickly as possible.


    "The core of this ancient relic should be Wuyou City," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    According to his speculation, this entire ancient relic wasn''t just buried underground but was located within a secret realm.


    A secret realm is not infinitely expansive!


    For instance, at the deepest part of the Blood Corpse Cave, beyond the ancient medicine garden, he saw an endless void, which was the edge of the secret realm, not to be ventured further.


    If he used the Small Teleportation Talisman there, he would be transported into the endless void, never to return!


    This was why Xu Hei felt a sense of dread.


    Xu Hei mentally mapped out the secret realm.


    Wuyou City was right at the core of the secret realm.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the Blood Corpse Cave, everyone was frantically fleeing to the outside, using all sorts of methods to escape the pursuit.


    After Xu Qingfeng broke the seal, not only did the sealed corpse puppets appear, but more hidden ones seemed to be summoned, triggering a chain reaction, continuously emerging and attacking the crowd.


    Bai Luo, Lei He, various sects and factions, rogue cultivators, both righteous and evil paths, all panicked, ignoring the treasures here, with only one thought: escape!


    At this moment, they rarely united, retreating while fighting, jointly resisting the corpse puppets.


    "That damn Xu Qingfeng, I wonder if he''s dead!"


    Bai Luo gritted his teeth in hatred.


    "With such severe injuries, if he''s not dead, he''s crippled! He still has the God of Death''s mark on him. Once I call on the Zhou Family''s ancestor, we''ll go straight to him and wipe him out. This ancient relic will be his burial ground!"


    Lei He''s eyes were cold, filled with killing intent.


    "While we''re at it, let''s wipe out the Chu Tian Alliance too. You promised me a Longevity Pill, don''t go back on your word!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect said with a sinister smile.


    He had just received a promise that if he assisted, he would get a Longevity Pill, which excited him greatly, as his lifespan was nearing its end.


    "Speaking of which, Zhou Qing should have dealt with that snake by now, so why hasn''t he shown up?"


    Lei He frowned.


    Bai Luo''s heart skipped a beat. He was particularly concerned about that snake, which almost gave him a psychological shadow. If it were dead, it would be for the best, and he wouldn''t have to recall those humiliating events.


    Logically, with Zhou Qing''s late Core Formation stage cultivation, he should have dealt with not just one snake, but a hundred by now.


    Unknowingly, they reached the outskirts of the Blood Corpse Cave.


    In the middle of the path ahead, a tree three meters high grew, standing out conspicuously.

 Chapter 205: History is hidden, and long-lasting joy is worry-free

    Chapter 205: History is hidden, and long-lasting joy is worry-free"Could something have happened to the Zhou Family''s ancestor?" Bai Luo asked, puzzled.


    "Impossible. He''s in the late Core Formation stage. How could anything unexpected happen to him?"


    Lei He didn''t doubt Zhou Qing''s abilities. At over five hundred years old, Zhou Qing possessed numerous magical treasures. Even if Lei He were to fight him, he''d have to endure some hardship.


    Even if Zhou Qing was injured by an aura of life and death at the Elemental Infant level, severely damaging his vitality, not just anyone could take advantage of him.


    However, Lei He did suspect that Zhou Qing, with his deep scheming, might have obtained some extraordinary benefit and simply fled.


    That snake was quite peculiar, possibly harboring some secret that Zhou Qing discovered and didn''t want to share. It was entirely possible.


    The more Lei He thought about it, the more his expression darkened.


    He had fought Xu Qingfeng fiercely, while Zhou Qing conveniently used the pretext of chasing the Snake Demon to escape, taking the benefits and disappearing. It was simply outrageous!


    "Hmph! Last time in the Earth Path, I offended the Zhou Family. Is this some kind of protest?" Lei He muttered to himself.


    "Look, what''s that?"


    Bai Luo suddenly pointed into the distance and shouted, "A tree? How could there be a tree inside the Blood Corpse Cave?"


    Without needing Bai Luo to say more, everyone turned to look as soon as the tree appeared.


    The tree stood ten meters tall, solitary in the middle of the Blood Corpse Cave, with lush branches and roots sprawling everywhere. In this deathly silent zombie cave, it was impossible not to draw attention.


    Even more bizarre was that the tree was shaped like a human, with two arms and two legs, distinctly outlined, as if its back was turned to them.


    Everyone immediately moved forward, arriving in front of the tree. As they focused their gaze, they were instantly dumbfounded.


    "That face is..."


    Everyone was stunned.


    That familiar face, with an expression of terror, who else could it be but the Zhou Family''s ancestor?


    Lei He''s eyes were vacant, staring at that hysterical face, and he couldn''t help but shiver.


    What had Zhou Qing encountered to end up like this?


    Or was this just a rare spirit wood, deliberately carved to look like him?


    The Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, however, had a glint in his eyes. He rushed forward, grabbed the tree, and pulled with all his might.


    "Rise for me!"


    With a loud shout from the Thirteenth Ancestor, Zhou Qing''s roots were so deeply embedded that only a small portion was uprooted, with countless roots snapping.


    Faintly, he heard a piercing scream, like a soul''s roar, emanating from within the tree, making the pained face twist even more.


    "What strong resilience! This divine sense fluctuation is indeed from the Zhou Family''s ancestor, it''s him!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor hastily retreated a few steps, speaking in a deep voice.


    The entire scene fell into a dead silence.


    What had he experienced in life to become a tree! Moreover, Zhou Qing seemed not to be completely dead, with a faint trace of divine sense still lingering. This was beyond comprehension.


    Zhou Qing had pursued immortality his entire life, and this was his immortality? S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Was it... that snake''s doing?"


    Bai Qiushui felt his mouth dry up. He had long thought that snake was not to be trifled with, but he hadn''t expected it to be this extreme.


    Bai Luo''s face turned pale, and he felt a wave of fear. If he had encountered it inside the pyramid, who knows what might have happened.


    There was no time for everyone to think deeply, as a red-haired whirlwind arose in the distance. The Corpse King, leading a large group of corpse puppets, charged in angrily, forcing everyone to flee, their hearts shaken to the core by the scene they had just witnessed.


    ...


    Outside the Blood Corpse Cave, in a distant underground cave dwelling.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes and exhaled a stream of air. After a long period of breathing exercises, he had mostly recovered.


    However, the injury from the flying sword was healing extremely slowly. He had deliberately allowed himself to be hit by the blood sword to lure Zhou Qing in.


    It was only because he had dragon scales and Zhou Qing had held back a bit that he hadn''t lost his life.


    "Let''s see what I''ve gained from this trip."


    Xu Hei took out a storage ring and removed the seal, revealing its contents.


    It was a massive space, a hundred meters in length, width, and height, totaling a million cubic meters. Xu Hei couldn''t help but gasp at the sight.


    It was the first time he had seen such a large Void Stone.


    Inside, it was piled high with spirit medicines and pill bottles, but as Xu Hei swept his divine sense over them, the spirit medicines turned to dust.


    Just like the last time, when he had cut open a Void Stone in the gambling stone workshop, the spirit medicines inside crumbled at a touch, having been stored for too long to be preserved.


    However, the jade bottles containing pills were still intact, each sealed, likely retaining some medicinal potency.


    In a corner, there were about thirty top-grade Spirit Stones piled together, which made Xu Hei''s eyes light up.


    In addition, there was one item that caught Xu Hei''s attention.


    It was a massive stone slab, inscribed with a large amount of text.


    The contents of a divine sense jade slip cannot be preserved for long unless by a great divine ability user.


    But inscribing on a stone tablet is the simplest and most enduring method of storage. Even after tens of thousands of years, or even a million years, as long as it''s not exposed to the elements, the carved text can still be seen.


    Xu Hei focused on the stone slab, examining it closely. The handwriting was elegant, clearly written by a woman.


    "I don''t know how many years it will be before this stone tablet is discovered, perhaps tens of thousands, perhaps a hundred thousand, perhaps a million, or perhaps never."


    This was the first sentence on the stone slab.


    "I, Gongshu Ruyi, a direct disciple of the third generation sect master of the Divine Puppet Sect, a member of the Pill Hall of Wuyou City."


    "I inscribe this text to reveal the truth of this history, so that future generations may remember."


    ...


    Xu Hei scanned the stone slab, reading it word by word from top to bottom.


    In ancient times, heroes rose, and the Hundred Schools of Thought contended.


    Confucianism, Daoism, the Buddhist sect, and the Demon Cult each occupied their own territories, with talented individuals emerging in great numbers, making it a golden era.


    Gongshu Zi, renowned for his art of mechanisms and puppets, founded the Divine Puppet Sect as the first Grandmaster. After breaking through to Divine Transformation, he wandered beyond the world and disappeared.


    Afterward, the second-generation sect master, Mo Ban, inherited the sect, continuing to promote the art of puppets and mechanisms, determined to change life through technology and create a perfect world.


    The third-generation sect master, Mo Wuyou, was even more so. He fulfilled Mo Ban''s wish and created the most perfect city in the world¡ª


    Wuyou City!


    Wuyou City, as the name suggests, is a place of long-lasting happiness without worries.


    The old have support, the young are cared for, no one picks up lost items on the road, and doors are not locked at night. Regardless of race, gender, or status, there is no sorrow or conflict, making it a paradise everyone yearns for.


    To fulfill the wish of Wuyou, he continuously improved Wuyou City, using the art of mechanisms to elevate the living standards of its inhabitants far beyond any place of the time.


    This was Mo Wuyou''s Dao, to protect this city without worries and break through to Divine Transformation!


    Regarding this, Xu Hei also had some understanding.


    It is said that at the Elemental Infant stage, it''s not just about cultivation but also about cultivating one''s aura and Dao heart.


    Using Wuyou City as his Dao heart to prove the Dao of Wuyou, this was what the third-generation ancestor Mo Wuyou did.


    During this period, Mo Wuyou''s identity was merely that of a mortal City Lord, without performing any immortal deeds. Yet, through some artisan techniques, he turned Wuyou City into a paradise.


    For ten consecutive years, there was not a single crime recorded.


    He fulfilled the lifelong pursuit of the second-generation ancestor, just half a step away from Divine Transformation!


    However, human desire is limitless.


    Every dynasty has the iron rule of peace lasting no more than a hundred years, let alone a single city.

 Chapter 206: Dragon Clans ultimate skill, Shattered Dragons Roar!

    Chapter 206: Dragon Clan''s ultimate skill, Shattered Dragon''s Roar!As time passed, a series of conflicts began to emerge within Wuyou City.


    Initially, they could be suppressed through law, but as desires continued to swell, order spiraled out of control.


    Once basic needs are met, people crave more; with peace comes the demand for fairness; with fairness, the desire to exploit arises.


    Ten years of peace is easy, twenty years is hard, and a hundred years is but a fool''s dream.


    At this moment, life in Wuyou City was like this: everyone had a wooden carriage, jade slips for real-time communication, and meals delivered to their doorsteps.


    While other places couldn''t even satisfy basic peace and sustenance.


    In Wuyou City, where everyone lived like immortals, an unprecedented internal strife broke out.


    Cultivators led the charge, mortals rushed forward, the Discipline Hall was razed to the ground, the Pill Hall was expelled from Wuyou City, with tens of thousands dead or injured. Helplessly, the Pill Hall had to establish a new cave dwelling outside the city.


    This is now known as the Blood Corpse Cave.


    "Why did it come to this?"


    Xu Hei couldn''t understand.


    To Xu Hei, peace was already a luxury, and having enough to eat and wear was a dream.


    Yet the people of Wuyou City, not only satisfied with these, even far exceeded them, were still not content!


    Of course, Xu Hei didn''t fully believe the contents of the stone tablet, as it was left by Gongshu Ruyi, surely carrying her subjective imagination, painting herself as a victim.


    Later, Mo Wuyou took a series of measures, but they only treated the symptoms, not the root cause.


    Eventually, everyone gave up, stopped competing, and just lay around, since they had no worries about food and clothing, they were even too lazy to work.


    The whole city was in a state of eating and waiting to die.


    "Now, it''s almost impossible for Master to reach Divine Transformation. Wuyou City has proven to be a failed creation; true worry-free living is impossible."


    "Master''s Dao heart was frustrated, his cultivation plummeted, but later, Master he..."


    At this point, Xu Hei''s pupils suddenly contracted, and he continued reading.


    "Master did something unknown and suddenly reached the Divine Transformation Stage."


    "The entire Divine Puppet Sect was mobilized to hunt down Master. The second, fourth, and fifth generation sect leaders joined forces to slay Master outside Wuyou City."


    Here, the text abruptly ended.


    Xu Hei furrowed his brows, deep in thought. He felt that a part of the content was missing, especially the last part, which was almost summarized in two sentences.


    He read it again from start to finish.


    The beginning seemed reasonable, the middle was mostly omitted, and the end was glossed over.


    There was no explanation for becoming a corpse puppet!


    Xu Hei squinted his eyes, seriously suspecting that the stone tablet had been tampered with, causing the content to be distorted.


    It likely involved some secrets that couldn''t be known, so they were blocked by a great divine ability.


    Thinking of this, Xu Hei shook his head. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Why did everyone become corpse puppets?


    Why was Mo Wuyou, as the third generation sect leader, hunted by the sect?


    Since Wuyou City was proven a failure, how did he achieve Divine Transformation?


    With so many mysteries, Xu Hei could only go to Wuyou City to find answers.


    "A Divine Transformation cultivator... I never thought I could come into contact with such secrets. It would be a pity to miss such an opportunity!"


    Xu Hei originally had no interest in history, but when it involved breaking through to Divine Transformation, he became curious.


    If someone as strong as Mo Wuyou found it so difficult to reach Divine Transformation, ending up hunted by the sect, would Xu Hei face even greater challenges in the future?


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, stored the stone tablet, and took out an ancient Essence Cultivation Pill.


    He unsealed the pill, and a rich medicinal fragrance wafted out. Without delay, Xu Hei opened his mouth and inhaled, consuming the rapidly withering Essence Cultivation Pill.


    An hour later.


    Xu Hei had fully recovered to his peak state, with his cultivation increased by about twenty percent.


    Next, Xu Hei attempted to open Zhou Qing''s storage bag.


    As expected, it was completely unopenable, the seal on it was unimaginably strong! Even using dragon scales had no effect.


    "That old bastard must have deliberately strengthened the seal before he died!"


    Xu Hei''s face turned grim.


    To be cautious, he decided to seek help from the Chu Tian Alliance.


    Xu Hei didn''t fully trust anyone, but based on Xu Qingfeng''s previous behavior, he seemed relatively trustworthy.


    Besides, Zhou Qing had already revealed his trump cards, so there shouldn''t be any unspeakable treasures in the storage bag.


    Afterward, Xu Hei tried to refine the nine blood swords, but still failed.


    At this point, Xu Hei had little hope left. He took out the Blood God Armor, now in the form of a blood bead, and probed it with his divine sense.


    Suddenly, the blood bead floated up automatically, adhering closely to Xu Hei''s body.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei instinctively retreated, keeping a distance, staring at the blood bead.


    "I can actually use it? Is this for real?"


    Xu Hei shook his head, his eyes serious, his heart vigilant.


    Zhou Qing''s magical treasure, at least third-tier top-grade, could it really be used so easily?


    Xu Hei didn''t believe it, suspecting a trap.


    He pondered for a moment, took out the butcher, approached the blood bead, and attached it, probing with his divine sense.


    "Clang!"


    The blood bead adhered to the butcher, immediately spreading out, transforming into a blood-red armor, forming on the butcher''s body surface.


    During this process, blood from the butcher''s body was continuously absorbed into it, albeit at a slow pace.


    Xu Hei stared at the armor for a long time, seemingly understanding, and nodded.


    "So that''s how it is!"


    This magical treasure wasn''t a simple one; it was a sentient item that required the owner''s blood and energy to activate automatically.


    The stronger the owner''s blood and energy, the higher the armor''s strength.


    Xu Hei tried attacking the armor, finding it impervious to his attacks, its strength at least reaching the Core Formation level, slightly higher than the butcher''s own cultivation.


    However, the butcher''s vitality was also being continuously drained.


    Xu Hei shuddered, shaking the armor off his body, where it reformed into a blood bead in mid-air, landing in his palm.


    "Blood God Armor, no True Qi needed, only consumes blood and energy, perfect for those with abundant vitality," Xu Hei mused.


    If he, in his true form, wore this armor, his defense would surely be astonishing.


    After checking it again to confirm, Xu Hei stored the blood bead.


    Then, he took out a handful of high-grade spirit stones from the storage ring, swallowing them, allowing the true dragon on the Demon God Cauldron to absorb them.


    One, two, three... eight.


    "Buzz!"


    An idea surged into Xu Hei''s mind.


    That familiar and profound voice echoed once more, the voice of the true dragon.


    "Dragon Shatter Roar, a mid-grade dragon clan supreme technique, a sonic spell..."


    "The dragon clan must not only conquer with virtue but also with reason! When reasoning, use Dragon Shatter Roar to ensure the other party listens obediently."


    "This technique consists of seven levels, each a realm of its own, divided into shattering stone, shattering soul, shattering star, shattering void, shattering the firmament, shattering sun and moon, shattering the great Dao."


    "......"


    Countless pieces of information, like a roaring sea, flooded into Xu Hei''s mind.


    Compared to the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, the information of Dragon Shatter Roar was even more vast, though it had only seven levels, it was ten times more complex.

 Chapter 207: Return to Wuyou City, Zhou Familys conspiracy

    Chapter 207: Return to Wuyou City, Zhou Family''s conspiracyAfter an unknown amount of time, Xu Hei opened his eyes, carefully recalling the content that had just flashed through his mind.


    Dragon Shatter Roar, a mid-tier dragon clan ultimate technique.


    Unlike traditional spells, it is a perfect fusion of True Qi and the physical body, not necessarily suitable for human cultivators, but extremely fitting for demonic beasts with powerful physical bodies.


    When used in conjunction with the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, it can unleash destructive power far beyond the current cultivation level.


    "Let''s give it a try."


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, rapidly compressing the True Qi within his body, concentrating it towards his tailbone.


    Using the bone to produce sound, this is the minimum requirement for the Dragon Shatter Roar.


    After a long while, Xu Hei felt the True Qi had compressed to its limit, and his bones began to tremble. He immediately took out a piece of reactor debris, placing it in front as a target.


    Xu Hei opened his mouth wide towards the debris, and the compressed True Qi within him roared out.


    "Dragon Shatter Roar!"


    A deafening explosion reverberated, sound waves swept through, and the soil in front was instantly blown away. The piece of reactor debris immediately cracked and within a breath, shattered into pieces.


    "So powerful!"


    Xu Hei was internally shocked.


    Although the reactor was scrapped, its material was still above third-tier, yet it was shattered by the Dragon Shatter Roar.


    This was his most powerful attack without relying on a magical treasure!


    "Crack... crack..."


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s bones emitted a faint cracking sound, showing signs of fractures. He quickly stopped the spell, letting the True Qi disperse, and his breath calmed down.


    At this moment, Xu Hei felt his whole body ache, utterly exhausted.


    In just that instant, he had consumed half of his True Qi.


    His entire skeleton was in piercing pain, with wear and tear everywhere except for the intact dragon bone at his tail.


    "The cost of this move is too great. It should be a spell aimed at the Core Formation Stage, requiring a full set of dragon bones, which I currently cannot handle," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    A low-tier dragon clan ultimate technique requires Foundation Establishment.


    A mid-tier dragon clan ultimate technique requires Core Formation.


    The true dragon statue probably didn''t expect Xu Hei to collect a hundred high-grade spirit stones before reaching Core Formation.


    "Dragon Shatter Roar is truly not something ordinary people can withstand; it can only be used as a trump card."


    Xu Hei took out a pill and consumed it for healing.


    This journey cost him quite a few trump cards, but he also gained a lot.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    South of the Blood Corpse Cave, Wuyou City.


    After recovering, Xu Hei headed straight for Wuyou City. After a long journey, he saw the massive city in the distance, coiled like a giant black dragon.


    The sky was dark, covered with clouds, and the underground world never saw the sun. The air was cold and damp, with corpse puppets scattered in every corner.


    Xu Hei found it hard to imagine that in ancient times, this place was prosperous, known as the most peaceful place in the world.


    Most of Wuyou City was shrouded in dark clouds, with only a few visible areas.


    At this moment, a crowd was gathered at the distant city gate.


    Some passing rogue cultivators were also heading there.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, took out a random passerby, removed the face, put on a helmet, and then separated an external incarnation to control the puppet, walking forward.


    The main body can only control the puppet within a thousand feet.


    But if the incarnation controls it, it can be far away; as long as the incarnation doesn''t die, even thousands of miles apart is fine.


    When Xuan Yangzi ambushed him, he sent an incarnation.


    Of course, the external incarnation Xu Hei created was done casually, with only thirty percent of the main body''s combat power, minimizing the cost.


    As the incarnation approached, Xu Hei discovered that the Zhou Family was recruiting soldiers on the city gate.


    "Everyone, join our Myriad Treasure Pavilion, and you can receive a large amount of spirit stones every day. If you perform well, you can also receive ancient spirit medicine rewards."


    "Once out of the relic, you can leave freely, with no constraints. Our cooperation is limited to within the relic."


    Zhou Qingxuan stood on the city gate, continuously giving speeches.


    The rogue cultivators looked at each other, some joining, some hesitating, and some discussing behind the scenes.


    Xu Hei sneered internally. The Zhou Family had suffered heavy losses, first being bombed by his Thunder Tribulation Pearl, then being killed by corpse puppets in the Blood Corpse Cave, and finally intercepting the Chu Tian Alliance, losing another large group.


    Even their strongest force, the two ancestors, were gone.


    If they didn''t recruit more, they probably couldn''t continue.


    The Myriad Treasure Pavilion, the wealthiest force in the Qin Kingdom. In fact, many of their previous teams were also hired mercenaries.


    However, those who have survived in the relic for so long are not fools. They won''t easily become cannon fodder and can somewhat see the Myriad Treasure Pavilion''s predicament, so the price they demand is naturally exorbitant.


    "Fifty thousand spirit stones, plus a thousand-year-old spirit medicine, and our five members of the Blood Robe Sect are at your service."


    The five members of the Blood Robe Sect stepped forward.


    In the past, hiring five Foundation Establishment cultivators only required ten thousand spirit stones, but now the price had quintupled.


    Zhou Qingxuan glanced over, using his divine sense to assess the five, frowning slightly.


    What he needed wasn''t this kind of Foundation Establishment cannon fodder, but Core Formation!


    For the upcoming actions, without Core Formation cultivation, nothing could be accomplished.


    However, to cover his intentions, Zhou Qingxuan still nodded, "Blood Robe Sect, accepted! But only half the deposit can be given, and the spirit medicine will be paid in a week. You should trust the reputation of our Myriad Treasure Pavilion."


    "No problem!"


    After some discussion, the Blood Robe Sect joined.


    The Myriad Treasure Pavilion''s reputation was trustworthy; as long as they didn''t die, the spirit medicine would surely be delivered.


    Zhou Qingxuan looked over the rogue cultivators who had joined, feeling quite heavy-hearted. They had been recruiting for two days and only one Core Formation had joined.


    As pioneers, they had the latest information regarding the greatest inheritance in the ancient relic. Without Core Formation, they couldn''t even qualify to participate.


    They wanted to request support from headquarters, but time was tight, and it would take several days for a round trip, with potential mishaps along the way, leaving them no choice but to take this approach.


    "Are there any more Core Formation cultivators willing to join? Our reward for Core Formation is higher than usual, with a thousand-year-old spirit medicine paid unconditionally."


    Zhou Qingxuan decided to go all out and said.


    "I don''t want spirit medicine; I want two hundred thousand spirit stones, paid upfront!"


    At this moment, a purple-haired youth walked over, weapons strapped all over, with a lazy expression.


    As he moved, his body exuded the aura of Core Formation, drawing everyone''s attention.


    "Bounty hunter Han Te?" S§×arch* The NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Zhou Qingxuan''s eyebrow twitched, a look of disdain flashing in his eyes.


    "What, don''t trust me? I, Han, may not have much else, but I have professional integrity. I do the job once paid, no ambiguity!" Han Te smiled brightly.


    The remaining members of the Zhou Family looked at each other.


    Han Te had long been notorious. Although he was Core Formation, he was known as the weakest Core Formation in history, even fleeing from False Core stage corpse puppets. Who would dare hire him?


    Xu Hei''s incarnation and puppet were not far away, quietly observing, with a hint of speculation in his heart.


    "The Myriad Treasure Pavilion, no matter how wealthy, can''t be spending like this! Hiring five Foundation Establishment for fifty thousand spirit stones? Spending two hundred thousand for an early Core Formation? The markup is through the roof."


    "Yet despite the high markup, many people are still hesitant."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, suspecting that the other party might have some secret and urgently needed manpower.


    The size of Wuyou City, compared to the outside world, isn''t large, but in this restricted underground city, there are still many unexplored areas, an unknown territory.


    Discovering opportunities in these unknown areas wouldn''t be surprising.


    Sure enough, after much hesitation, the Zhou Family still took out the spirit stones and recruited Han Te.


    "Hahaha, happy cooperation, big client!"


    Han Te cheerfully stored away the spirit stones, his eyes gleaming. He had never done such a big deal in his life.

 Chapter 208: Join the Chu Tian Alliance, join the Myriad Treasure Pavilion

    Chapter 208: Join the Chu Tian Alliance, join the Myriad Treasure PavilionSeeing that even someone like Han Te received two hundred thousand Spirit Stones, the eyes of the rogue cultivators in the distance lit up with greed.


    "I am at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage. How about a hundred thousand Spirit Stones?"


    A rogue cultivator mustered the courage to speak, but Zhou Qingxuan ignored him completely.


    "Ladies and gentlemen, we will depart in one hour. If anyone else wishes to join, do so quickly, or you''ll miss the opportunity," Zhou Qingxuan announced.


    Everyone exchanged glances and began to discuss among themselves.


    The people present were quick-witted, speculating whether the Zhou Family had stumbled upon some great fortune and needed people to act as cannon fodder.


    Some said that the Myriad Treasure Pavilion wouldn''t be so shameless, as they were businessmen, and a tarnished reputation would ruin them.


    Others guessed they were planning to attack the Chu Tian Alliance and needed manpower.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and sat cross-legged nearby, wanting to see what tricks the Zhou Family was up to.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei saw two familiar figures approaching Zhou Qingxuan.


    One was a white-bearded elder, holding a horsetail whisk and dressed in a Taoist robe adorned with the Eight Trigrams, exuding an aura of immortality.


    It was Tianji Shangren!


    Beside him was a masked man, following closely like a shadow, with sharp eyes. It was clearly Liu Buqun.


    "Why are these two together again? Are they glued to each other?" Xu Hei internally complained.


    As if sensing Xu Hei''s gaze, the white-bearded elder turned his head, smiled slightly, and nodded in acknowledgment.


    Xu Hei quickly averted his eyes.


    Tianji Shangren walked up to Zhou Qingxuan and said with a smile, "I, a humble Taoist, have observed that the Zhou Family has a lady of great fortune, so I have come to offer my assistance."


    "Great! How many Spirit Stones do you require, fellow Daoist?" Zhou Qingxuan immediately perked up, not daring to neglect him, and asked quickly.


    "I do not require Spirit Stones," Tianji Shangren unexpectedly shook his head, then transmitted a message, the contents of which were unknown.


    After some contemplation, Zhou Qingxuan nodded in agreement.


    "What is this old fox planning? Should I join as well?" Xu Hei hesitated, considering that with a clone and a puppet, he wasn''t afraid of being discovered.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the same time, Xu Hei''s true self was flying towards the interior of Wuyou City.


    Wuyou City, with its clusters of ancient buildings, mostly in a state of collapse, had its bricks and stones turned pitch black from years of accumulated yin energy, exuding an eerie aura.


    From beneath the surface, creaking sounds could be heard, made by corpse puppets.


    Looking around, one could vaguely see the shadows of its former grandeur.


    Xu Hei took out a communication jade slip left by Xiao Chou.


    "Head eighty miles east, Chu Tian Alliance..."


    Xu Hei read the message in the jade slip and flew eastward.


    Moments later, he arrived in front of a relatively well-preserved pavilion courtyard.


    Xu Hei pondered briefly, then sent a puppet ahead to enter the courtyard.


    In an instant, his vision cleared, and the light brightened, revealing a hidden world within the courtyard.


    Xu Hei focused his gaze, finding the seemingly small courtyard surprisingly vast inside.


    Members of the Chu Tian Alliance were present, but after a glance at Xu Hei, they ignored him and continued with their own tasks.


    The Silver-haired Witch was staring blankly at a wall.


    Ku Xuan was chanting scriptures to the Vulture.


    Zhang Tie was sharpening his hammer.


    Additionally, five rogue cultivators were meditating cross-legged, also ignoring Xu Hei.


    "You''ve arrived," Xu Qingfeng approached.


    "I have," Xu Hei replied, unsure of what else to say. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Have you made up your mind?" Xu Qingfeng asked.


    Xu Hei nodded and said, "I am willing to cooperate with you."


    This was a decision Xu Hei had reached after careful consideration.


    Since Xu Hei began cultivating, he had always fought alone, never joining any faction or power. At most, he would ask Man Jin or Lei Meng for help.


    This expedition to the relic made him deeply aware that individual strength is limited, and the omnipresent calamities and ever-looming enemies often put Xu Hei in danger.


    He had left the Blood Corpse Cave thanks to the Chu Tian Alliance''s Minor Teleportation Formation.


    At the exit, it was also the Chu Tian Alliance that blocked the ambush.


    This narrow escape led Xu Hei to decide that if he could rely on external forces, why not give it a try?


    He might have survived by luck once, but there might not be a next time.


    Enemies like the Zhou Family''s ancestor were not few. Whether it was the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect or Lei He, they would not hesitate to kill him on sight.


    The enemy of my enemy is my friend, and the Chu Tian Alliance had helped him once, proving their sincerity.


    "May our cooperation be successful," Xu Qingfeng smiled.


    "Successful cooperation!" Xu Hei nodded.


    At the same time, Xu Hei''s clone had also mingled with the Zhou Family''s rogue cultivator team, earning five thousand Spirit Stones as a reward.


    "Fellow Daoist, long time no see. I''ve missed you," Tianji Shangren beamed.


    Xu Hei ignored him, took two steps back, and tightened his helmet.


    "Fellow Daoist, no need to be nervous. I mean no harm. Though I cannot discern your identity, I can see that you are blessed with great fortune. I, a humble Taoist, love to make friends with those favored by fate," Tianji Shangren said with a smile.


    "Is he a child of fortune?" Xu Hei pointed at Liu Buqun.


    Tianji Shangren fell silent, and Liu Buqun''s expression turned awkward.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, within the Chu Tian Alliance''s stronghold.


    In a separate room, both Xu Hei''s true self and puppet had arrived.


    He took out a Storage Bag and asked, "Can you open this?"


    It was Zhou Qing''s Storage Bag.


    Xu Hei could have waited until his cultivation improved to open it himself, but time was of the essence, and his trump cards were far from sufficient. He needed to enhance his strength as quickly as possible.


    "The Zhou Family''s ancestor''s Storage Bag?"


    Xu Qingfeng took the Storage Bag, examined it carefully, then suddenly tossed it away and pointed at it.


    "Bang!"


    With a crisp sound, a golden flame burst out, twisting the Void with its heat.


    "This..." Xu Hei was stunned.


    "The Zhou Family''s ancestor had ill intentions. If you had carelessly unsealed it without any precautions, this soul fire would have burned you to ashes," Xu Qingfeng said solemnly.


    Xu Hei''s face darkened; it was his first time encountering such a trick.


    However, he had anticipated something like this, which was why he hadn''t fallen for it.


    At this moment, Xu Qingfeng stared at the flame for a while, then suddenly said, "Take out your Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book."


    Xu Hei immediately complied.


    Xu Qingfeng took the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, pointed at the Void, and the flame rapidly contracted, transforming into a gust of red wind that was absorbed into the book, forming the character on it.


    "This ''burn'' character can release the soul fire from earlier, dealing significant damage to Divine Sense, but it can only be used once," Xu Qingfeng handed the book back.


    "Thank you."


    Xu Hei accepted the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book.


    Now, he had another lethal move.


    At this moment, the Storage Bag had been charred black and shattered, scattering its contents on the ground.


    These were the Magical Treasures Zhou Qing hadn''t had time to destroy.


    Before his "death," he could only resort to such petty tricks.


    Although most of the treasures were destroyed in the fire, many remained intact, a dazzling array of various types, all unused by Zhou Qing.


    Xu Hei glanced at them and gasped.


    Only now did he realize how well-prepared the Zhou Family''s ancestor had been for the ancient relic.


    Xu Qingfeng was also stunned for a while before exclaiming, "As expected of the Myriad Treasure Pavilion''s ancestor, this wealth even makes me envious."


    Xu Hei knew he was just speaking casually and wouldn''t actually try to seize them.


    The main concern was that after the burning, many Magical Treasures had lost their effectiveness.

 Chapter 209: Put on the red nose, recognize yourself

    Chapter 209: Put on the red nose, recognize yourselfMagical treasures in the form of beads numbered more than ten, including Water Repelling Beads, Wind-Stabilizing Pearls, Fire Avoidance Beads, Blood Condensing Beads, Soul Locking Beads... Though their grades weren''t high, they were practical and could be used in various environments.


    There were also seven or eight sail-type magical treasures, along with bells, seals, fans, bowls, and more, totaling over a hundred items.


    Xu Hei even suspected that they might have emptied the treasury of some merchant guild.


    Xu Qingfeng picked up a banana leaf fan, scanned it with his Divine Sense, and shook his head, "What a pity, it''s too damaged."


    Xu Hei also picked up a magical treasure and inspected each one.


    After a long while, Xu Hei shook his head helplessly.


    Although there were many magical treasures, they were all damaged to varying degrees. Minor damage accounted for ten to twenty percent, while severe damage exceeded eighty percent, with some burned to ashes.


    Out of over a hundred magical treasures, only about twenty were barely usable.


    However, the high-grade magical treasures were all well-preserved.


    Xu Hei raised his hand and pulled over a straw hat. Zhou Qing had worn this hat before; it could conceal one''s aura and remained undamaged even after being burned by flames.


    He placed the hat on his head, and with a flash of light, it automatically shrank to fit his head, aligning perfectly with his snake head.


    Xu Hei''s aura vanished instantly, as if he were just a wisp of air, with no trace of a snake.


    "What a powerful effect, even stronger than an Invisibility Talisman!" Xu Hei marveled inwardly.


    Xu Hei then picked up a small boat, only the size of a palm. With a thought, the boat quickly expanded to ten meters, capable of accommodating about five people.


    "Earth Boat, able to traverse deserts and underground, faster than the Earth Escape Technique," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Next, he picked up a pair of radiant wings.


    "Heavenly Silkworm Wings, can increase flight speed..."


    "......"


    One magical treasure after another was collected by Xu Hei.


    Most of the magical treasures in the storage bag had auxiliary effects, with little enhancement for combat.


    But when facing treacherous environments, these magical treasures could be crucial!


    For instance, in the Earth Path before, Xu Hei had entered without any preparation, relying solely on luck and the Small Teleportation Talisman to get through.


    But with these magical treasures, Xu Hei was ninety percent confident he could make it through.


    And as for the yet-to-be-explored Fire Path, although Xu Hei hadn''t been there, he felt more confident.


    Xu Hei stored all the usable magical treasures and said to Xu Qingfeng, "Can you repair the remaining ones?"


    "Damage below fifty percent should be repairable, but beyond that, I''ll do my best," Xu Qingfeng replied.


    Xu Hei nodded, "Alright, if you succeed in repairing them, consider it your reward."


    The other party had helped so much, it wouldn''t be right to offer nothing in return.


    Though getting things for free was quite enjoyable.


    Xu Qingfeng didn''t stand on ceremony, storing the damaged magical treasures, and said, "Then I won''t refuse. Once I''ve repaired them all, I''ll show you to see if there''s anything you need."


    "Thank you."


    Xu Hei controlled the puppet to cup its fists in thanks.


    Xu Qingfeng smiled calmly and walked towards the door.


    Xu Hei remained outwardly calm, but his heart was turbulent.


    Throughout, the other party''s eyes never showed a hint of greed. Even if there had been a trace, Xu Hei would have immediately gone into battle mode, but there was none! Not even a little!


    In fact, Xu Hei suspected that if he hadn''t spoken up, the other party might have left without asking for any benefits.


    Xu Hei hesitated slightly and asked, "Are your injuries alright?"


    Xu Qingfeng appeared unscathed on the surface, but Xu Hei''s senses were sharp; the other party was definitely severely injured.


    In the clash of Elemental Infant realms, with Yin Mingzi, the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, and other powerful figures assisting at Lei He, it was almost impossible for him to escape unscathed.


    "Little friend, there''s no need to worry. It''s just a minor injury, nothing serious."


    Xu Qingfeng dismissed it lightly and walked out the door.


    Xu Hei said no more. He had intended to offer an ancient healing pill if the other party''s injuries were severe, but since it wasn''t needed, he wouldn''t take it out.


    He took out the jade slip left by Xu Bai and carefully sensed it for a moment, but found no clues.


    All he knew was that it was somewhere in Wuyou City, but there was no specific location.


    "Where is Xu Bai?" Xu Hei wondered.


    He left the room and entered the courtyard.


    Everyone was busy with their own tasks. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, Zhang Tie was sitting cross-legged on a prayer mat, facing Master Ku Xuan, with his eyes closed.


    "Focus on your nose, your nose on your mouth, your mouth on your heart, and with no distractions, you can suppress the demonic thoughts within," Ku Xuan recited a Buddhist mantra, holding a string of prayer beads.


    Zhang Tie silently recited the scriptures, and a wisp of black energy on his body dissipated, his skin color lightening.


    Before long, Zhang Tie opened his eyes, feeling refreshed and as if a great weight had been lifted.


    "Thank you, Master!"


    Zhang Tie stood up, clasped his hands, and bowed.


    Xu Hei watched from the side, feeling quite amazed.


    He had heard of Demon Man Zhang Tie, said to be a half-demon, prone to going berserk. Every few days, his demonic nature would flare up uncontrollably, and only Ku Xuan could calm it.


    Demon Monk Ku Xuan was a master in psychological treatment.


    At this moment, Xiao Chou also approached, sitting cross-legged on the prayer mat, and said, "Master Ku Xuan, I''ve been having nightmares lately. Please help me understand them."


    "Oh? What have you been dreaming about?" Ku Xuan smiled slightly.


    "Dreaming of some women, which troubles me greatly. I''m considering becoming a monk to clear my mind," Xiao Chou said with a troubled expression.


    He had long vowed never to touch a woman in this life, but being young, despite his words, his mind often wandered, leading to dreams.


    Xu Hei paused nearby, watching with interest.


    Ku Xuan was silent for a moment, then smiled, "Young benefactor Xiao, it''s normal for a young man full of vigor. Why not face yourself honestly?"


    Xiao Chou''s eyes flickered, "Then, Master Ku Xuan, what should I do?"


    Ku Xuan smiled and took a red ball from his storage bag, placing it in front of the prayer mat.


    "Master, what is this..."


    Xiao Chou looked at the red ball, only half the size of a fist, fluffy.


    Ku Xuan smiled without speaking, then took out a mirror and placed it beside the red ball.


    He said nothing, simply watching Xiao Chou quietly.


    Xiao Chou seemed to ponder, then his eyes lit up, "I understand. Master wants me to be passionate and lively, not lifeless, to illuminate the path ahead, right?"


    Ku Xuan sighed helplessly, "No."


    Then, seeing Xiao Chou''s dumbfounded expression, he explained, "I meant that you could put this red ball on your nose, then look in the mirror and recognize yourself."


    Hearing this, Xiao Chou picked up the red ball and mirror, about to place it on his nose.


    Suddenly, his whole body froze.


    Xiao Chou looked at the red ball in his hand, then at the mirror, imagining the scene, and his face turned as black as coal.


    Xu Hei was utterly speechless, sighed silently, and turned to leave.


    Beside him, the Vulture couldn''t hold back and burst into sharp laughter.


    "Only by recognizing yourself can you avoid unrealistic fantasies, Amitabha!" Ku Xuan clasped his hands and recited a Buddhist mantra.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, at the gate of Wuyou City.


    "The time has come, let''s move out!"


    Zhou Qingxuan led his team, immediately setting off and rushing into Wuyou City, with everyone following closely behind, like shadows.

 Chapter 210: Chutians myriad forms, a rare corpse tide

    Chapter 210: Chutian''s myriad forms, a rare corpse tideThis time, Zhou Qingxuan recruited over thirty people, including three at the Core Formation Stage.


    One was an old white-haired man named Cang Ming, another was Han Te, and the third was a newly joined middle-aged woman in blue. All three were at the early Core Formation Stage.


    These people were all old hands, extremely cunning, forcing him to spend five times the usual price to barely secure their services.


    Only because the Zhou Family was wealthy and powerful could they afford such extravagance; the Bai Family wouldn''t dare waste resources like this.


    After the group left, they were followed by a crowd of outsiders trailing behind at a distance. But after Cang Ming made a move and killed three people, the rest dared not follow any longer.


    Before long, they arrived at the Zhou Family''s stronghold.


    It was a spacious courtyard, once a noble''s residence in ancient times, now occupied by the Zhou Family.


    Zhou Wendie walked out from the courtyard and handed over a jade slip, saying, "This is a message from above."


    Zhou Qingxuan took the jade slip, and after reading its contents, his face immediately turned grim. "It''s about dealing with the Chu Tian Alliance again..."


    Xu Hei, who had been paying attention to the commotion ahead, was suddenly startled upon hearing this.


    "Are we going?" Zhou Wendie asked.


    "Our Zhou Family has suffered such heavy losses, and they still want to order us around! If they want to go, they can go themselves; we won''t participate!" Zhou Qingxuan said in a deep voice.


    "But Xu Qingfeng is seriously injured; this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," Zhou Wendie hesitated.


    "Hmph, no matter, we have more important things to do."


    Although the Zhou Family duo''s conversation was quiet, they hadn''t used Divine Sense to isolate it, allowing Xu Hei to hear everything clearly.


    His eyes flickered as he quickly pieced together the contents of the jade slip.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect was planning to target the Chu Tian Alliance and was gathering manpower, but the Zhou Family had refused!


    But then, Xu Hei realized something was off.


    Why wasn''t the Zhou Family keeping such important information under wraps?


    Anyone like Xu Hei, who was intent on eavesdropping, could easily overhear their conversation. Weren''t they afraid of leaks?


    Or was this intentional on their part?


    Xu Hei squinted his eyes, sensing that things weren''t simple. Regardless of what schemes the Zhou Family was playing, the Chu Tian Alliance definitely needed a heads-up.


    ...


    Xu Hei''s true self immediately found Xu Qingfeng and briefly explained the situation.


    He didn''t mention how he got the information, only the conclusion.


    "Looks like we have to move again," Xu Qingfeng sighed.


    He didn''t question the reliability of the information and directly announced the move.


    Immediately, the members of the Chu Tian Alliance began packing up.


    Flags from the formation were pulled up, houses were lifted and stored in their storage spaces, and traces were cleared. The whole process took only two breaths, their efficiency astonishing.


    Before long, they had relocated to a new site.


    This place, in ancient times, was likely a school, with statues of sages and a stone tablet in the courtyard. However, time had weathered them, leaving only faint traces of words like "At the beginning of man, nature is inherently good."


    Xu Qingfeng took out formation flags and placed them in various positions, Zhang Tie set up the houses, and Zhao Wenzhuo established a Gathering Spirit Array. In no time, the environment transformed back to its previous state.


    "The efficiency of this escape is truly second nature," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    "Hey, bald snake, what''s your name?"


    At this moment, the Vulture flew over, stopping not far from Xu Hei, and asked with a grin.


    Bald snake... Xu Hei''s mouth twitched slightly, "Are you insulting me?"


    "How could that be an insult? You have no hair on your head, if not bald, then what? Besides, being bald isn''t something everyone can have; it''s a symbol of strength! I have no respect for creatures with hair on their heads."


    The Vulture approached, acting overly familiar, pointing at others.


    "..." Xu Hei remained silent.


    "Let me introduce myself first, I''m Ku Ming, that''s the Dharma name Big Baldy gave me. And you?" the Vulture chuckled.


    "Xu Hei."


    "So it''s Brother Xu. Everyone in the Chu Tian Alliance is a weirdo; only the two of us are somewhat normal. As they say, ''near vermilion, one becomes red.'' I hope we can look out for each other," the Vulture said with a smile.


    No, you''re not normal either, only I am... Xu Hei silently stepped back a bit.


    After hesitating for a moment, Xu Hei asked, "Can you introduce the members of the Chu Tian Alliance?"


    His understanding of the Chu Tian Alliance was limited to external rumors.


    "Hey, you''ve asked the right person. When it comes to intelligence, I''m number one!" the Vulture boasted.


    He pointed with his wing at a silver-haired girl staring blankly at a wall in the distance, "First, there''s the Silver-haired Witch. This one has amnesia, a block of wood, no interests whatsoever, except a hobby of collecting names."


    "The funny thing is, she even forgot her own name, so people call her Ah Yin or Little Silver."


    The Vulture seemed to mock her.


    Xu Hei nodded in realization, no wonder the Silver-haired Witch only had a nickname.


    Then, the Vulture pointed at Zhang Tie, "This one''s a weirdo too, single-minded and prone to madness. Last time, after a bit of drinking, he nearly tore down his old home..."


    The Vulture continued to badmouth everyone, his voice loud and unrestrained.


    Even the usually kind Xu Qingfeng wasn''t spared.


    In his eyes, only Master Ku Xuan was normal; everyone else was a freak.


    "And that Zhao Wenzhuo, you better watch out for him. He used to be a Snake Catcher, specialized in catching your kind. Don''t be fooled by his honest appearance; he''s actually quite devious," the Vulture muttered.


    Xu Hei grew interested and asked, "How so? Tell me more."


    "How would I know? Anyway, anyone with hair on their head is no good!" the Vulture concluded.


    Xu Hei was speechless once again.


    In no time, Xu Hei had a complete understanding of the Chu Tian Alliance.


    The Chu Tian Alliance wasn''t just a few people; it had over a thousand members led by the leader, but Xu Qingfeng''s team was particularly famous.


    Xu Qingfeng''s goal was simple: to restore the Chu Kingdom and establish a well-governed nation.


    Although the others had different personal goals, they shared a common direction, which brought them together.


    ...


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, the ground shook, and a layer of light appeared in the sky, filled with cracks as if struck by some massive object.


    "What''s happening?"


    The members of the Chu Tian Alliance looked up, bewildered, towards the horizon.


    "Boom!!"


    Another thunderous crash followed as the massive object struck the light again, causing the cracks to spread across the light.


    At the same time, tremors came from all directions, as if countless cultivators were attacking their formation.


    "What''s going on? Where are the lookouts?"


    Zhang Tie cursed.


    "Something''s wrong, we''re surrounded by corpse puppets!"


    A rogue cultivator ran back, shouting.


    "Surrounded by corpse puppets?" S§×ar?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Vulture''s eyes widened, muttering, "This is bad, we''re in for a fight again."


    Xu Qingfeng also emerged from his secluded healing, arriving in the courtyard.


    With a loud "boom," the light shattered completely, and the Yin Sha Qi from outside swept in, turning the world pitch black.


    All around, countless black figures hovered, filling the sky and ground, their faces twisted and filled with murderous intent¡ªall corpse puppets.


    Such a massive number was something they had never encountered before.


    "Is this... a corpse tide?" Zhang Tie''s face turned ashen.


    A corpse tide, as the name suggests, is a massive gathering of corpse puppets. But such occurrences are extremely rare; corpse puppets are mindless and never act collectively.


    Unless... there''s a higher-level corpse puppet commanding them.


    Once a corpse tide erupts, it signifies a danger surpassing all others, reaching an unpredictable level.


    "How could this happen? This place was chosen as a Feng Shui treasure, how could a corpse tide erupt?" Zhao Wenzhuo was in disbelief.

 Chapter 211: Diverting disaster eastward, driving the tiger to swallow the wolf

    Chapter 211: Diverting disaster eastward, driving the tiger to swallow the wolfKu Xuan remained calm, while Ah Yin showed no expression.


    What kind of scene hasn''t the Chu Tian Alliance witnessed? They were much more composed, but the group of rogue cultivators were panicking, their faces pale.


    Xu Hei felt that something was amiss.


    They had just moved in and hadn''t even settled down when they were surrounded by corpse puppets, without any warning or sign. Were these people just sitting around doing nothing?


    "No need to panic, they''re just a bunch of mindless zombies. I have a way to escape," Xu Qingfeng declared loudly.


    Hearing this, the rogue cultivators finally calmed down a bit.


    "Are you going to use that move again? Can you handle it?" Zhang Tie said gravely. "Why don''t we fight our way out? Maybe we can break through!"


    "Absolutely not. The corpse puppets have no intelligence. If they are acting collectively, it means there''s a Corpse King-level existence among them. We mustn''t alert them!" Xu Qingfeng''s expression was serious.


    The strength of these corpse puppets wasn''t great, and there were few with long hair. But breaking through would be easy; if they alerted the Red-haired Corpse King, it would be a big problem.


    Xu Hei pondered, secretly transmitting, "Do you think this is a natural disaster or a man-made one?"


    Xu Qingfeng didn''t answer the question, just gave him a meaningful look. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei suddenly realized that if he could think of the problem, how could the other party not know? To stand in this position, one must not be simple.


    "I understand," Xu Hei nodded silently.


    At this moment, Xu Qingfeng took out a scroll and slowly unfurled it.


    In an instant, a terrifying and vast energy wave spread out, sweeping across a thousand feet. Within this range, Xu Hei saw countless mountains and rivers rising from the ground.


    Green mountains, flowing rivers, vast clouds, and purple pavilions appeared, forming a magnificent landscape.


    Any corpse puppet that approached was repelled by the terrifying power of the mountains and rivers, pushed back a thousand feet away, as if this place had become a forbidden zone.


    The Mountain and River Diagram!


    A domain-type magical treasure, unique in the history of the Chu Kingdom.


    "Is this Xu Qingfeng''s trump card?"


    Xu Hei was shocked. Under the cover of this mountain and river power, it felt as if they were isolated from the world.


    Xu Qingfeng''s face was pale, and a trace of blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. Using this treasure came at a great cost to him.


    "Boss!" Zhang Tie''s face showed a struggle.


    "It''s fine."


    Xu Qingfeng''s voice was firm, but his aura was very weak. Holding the Mountain and River Diagram, he stepped towards the outside.


    As he moved, the mountains and rivers of Chu Prefecture moved with him. Within a thousand feet, wherever the mountains and rivers passed, no evil could invade, and no yin energy could enter. This place was like a world apart.


    Xu Hei''s mind was filled with thoughts.


    "If it''s a natural disaster, this can be understood."


    "But if it''s man-made, the other party is clearly forcing you to use the Mountain and River Diagram, trying to exhaust you, making your injuries worse! From the conversation between the two from the Zhou Family, the Heavenly Puppet Sect knows he''s injured."


    "I also gave Xu Qingfeng a hint, so why is he still doing this?"


    Xu Hei observed secretly, his Divine Sense scanning each person''s face, but he had no clue.


    Xu Qingfeng was definitely no fool. He must have his reasons for doing this.


    Xu Qingfeng activated the Mountain and River Diagram, leading the group to escape far away, quickly breaking through the encirclement of the corpse tide.


    But soon, Xu Hei noticed something was wrong.


    After breaking out of the encirclement, Xu Qingfeng''s speed was not fast, always maintaining a consistent distance with the pursuing corpse puppets behind.


    Whenever a corpse puppet fell behind, he would deliberately wait for a moment before continuing forward.


    "What is he trying to do?"


    Xu Hei''s heart tightened.


    Moreover, looking at Xu Qingfeng, although his face was always pale, with blood at the corner of his mouth, seemingly about to collapse from serious injury at any moment.


    But he kept moving at a steady pace, never actually collapsing.


    This ambiguous appearance made Xu Hei''s mind buzz.


    "Is this guy acting?"


    Xu Hei recalled earlier when he asked about the other''s injuries and had intended to offer pills, but Xu Qingfeng decisively refused.


    At the time, Xu Hei didn''t think much of it, but now, he suddenly understood.


    As time passed, the corpse tide not only didn''t decrease but continued to grow. Whenever a corpse puppet appeared nearby, it would follow and join the army of the corpse tide.


    The Chu Tian Alliance was in front, the corpse tide behind, moving all the way through.


    ...


    At this moment, in a certain stronghold in Wuyou City.


    The area was vast, the terrain flat, surrounded by towering city walls. In ancient times, this place was a martial arena, now occupied by the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Hundreds of people from the four sects of the Southern Region were stationed here.


    Unlike the Zhou Family and Bai Family, as sects of a defeated nation, they could only comply with arrangements.


    However, they had gained many benefits from this trip, and many had even made breakthroughs.


    Especially the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, who was beaming with joy. Just now, he had received a Longevity Pill, a reward from Lei He.


    But he didn''t rush to consume it. The pill was quite peculiar, and from its appearance, it didn''t seem to be from ancient times.


    Lei He obviously noticed this too. Although he said it was a reward, he actually intended for him to test the pill.


    The Thirteenth Ancestor, having absorbed yin energy for years, had become neither human nor ghost, but his mind was still sharp, and he could see through Lei He''s little scheme.


    "Want me to test the pill, huh? Why don''t you try it yourself?"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor sneered inwardly. Out of caution, he planned to take it back for identification before consuming it.


    Additionally, he thought of that snake.


    "That snake is definitely a rare treasure. If I can capture it, consume its blood, and swallow its snake pill, I can surely break through to the late Core Formation stage, or even Great Perfection! Coupled with the Longevity Pill, I might have a chance to reach the Elemental Infant stage in the future!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor''s eyes gleamed.


    They said that snake killed Zhou Qing and was hard to deal with, but as the ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, he feared no snake. He had ten thousand ways to kill a snake!


    Besides, who knew who really killed Zhou Qing? No one saw it happen.


    "This is my great opportunity, my great fortune! It must be mine!" The Thirteenth Ancestor grew more excited, sitting alone in his room, unable to suppress a sinister laugh.


    "Everyone, retreat immediately!"


    Suddenly, a roar came from outside, the voice of Lei He.


    In an instant, figures rushed out from every room. The Snake Catchers Sect, Tai Xuan Sect, Carefree Sect, Purple Mist Sect, and some cultivators recruited by the Heavenly Puppet Sect all appeared in the open square.


    At this moment, dark clouds loomed in the distance, and a massive, oppressive shadow charged forward with terrifying speed. The air was filled with murderous intent. As everyone focused their gaze, they saw it was a massive corpse tide!


    This corpse tide was being drawn by the Mountain and River Diagram, sweeping towards the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s people!


    Everyone was stunned, their expressions terrified, as if they had seen a ghost.


    "How is this possible?"


    "Quick... run!"


    No reminder was needed; everyone scattered in all directions, only to be horrified to find that the Mountain and River Diagram was faster, and the corpse tide was accelerating.


    It was about to catch up with them!


    "Xu Qingfeng, are you courting death? Have you lost your mind?"


    Lei He roared in anger, staring at the pale, shaky figure of the middle-aged scholar within the Mountain and River Diagram.


    In response, Xu Qingfeng merely smiled calmly and said, "That''s right, I''m almost done for, just holding on by a thread. You can try a bit harder."


    He increased his speed, carrying the Mountain and River Diagram and the Chu Tian Alliance members, quickly passing through the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s stronghold.


    The corpse tide behind them rushed directly into the stronghold, and the army of corpse puppets immediately changed direction, pursuing the scattered cultivators.


    The scene descended into chaos, turning into a multi-sided massacre.


    Screams and cries for help filled the air.


    At this point, how could Lei He not realize he had been played? His fury erupted, and he gritted his teeth, cursing, "Xu Qingfeng, I never thought a righteous person like you could act so despicably!"


    "Despicable? You planted so many spies in my Chu Tian Alliance, and you have the nerve to talk about despicability!" Xu Qingfeng retorted.

 Chapter 212: Each has their own ulterior motives, the City Lords mansion appears

    Chapter 212: Each has their own ulterior motives, the City Lord''s mansion appearsInserting spies is something anyone can do, even trusted aides can be bought off, let alone rogue cultivators.


    Xu Qingfeng had also planted spies within the Four Sects Alliance, otherwise, he wouldn''t have known the location of the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s stronghold.


    As for the injuries on his body, they were indeed real.


    However, as one of the first to enter the Blood Corpse Cave, he had acquired quite a few ancient pills. Among them was a fourth-tier healing sacred pill, the Blood Locking Pill!


    The Blood Locking Pill only works when one is gravely injured and on the brink of death, allowing Xu Qingfeng to maintain a severely injured state without dying.


    Of course, the Blood Locking Pill he obtained had lost most of its potency over the long years, only able to sustain him for a short while.


    "It''s time to retreat."


    Xu Qingfeng glanced at Lei He, who was busy putting out fires everywhere, and mocked, "Lei He, tell your pawns to be more mindful, and stop feeding you false information to trap you!"


    He didn''t forget to throw in a taunt before leaving.


    With a wave of his hand, Xu Qingfeng poured all his true essence into the Mountain and River Diagram, transforming it into a meteor that carried everyone away into the distance.


    "Pawns?"


    Xu Hei glanced over everyone within the Mountain and River Diagram and shook his head. This matter had nothing to do with him; he was merely in a cooperative relationship with the Chu Tian Alliance, and once they left the ruins, he would part ways.


    Compared to demonic beasts, the survival environment for human cultivators was, in some ways, even harsher.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the same time, another incarnation began its action.


    Led by members of the Zhou Family, a large group of rogue cultivators raced through the city, weaving through streets and alleys, arriving at an unexplored area.


    The mist in the sky grew thicker, the air was pitch black, and visibility was only about thirty meters, making it difficult to extend one''s divine sense.


    In such an environment, corpse puppets could emerge from the shadows at any moment.


    Everyone was on high alert, constantly vigilant of their surroundings.


    The Zhou Family members also slowed their pace, opting to walk instead of flying.


    Moments later, they arrived in front of a grand and majestic mansion.


    "We''re here!" Zhou Qingxuan stopped, and Zhou Wendie stood before the mansion, gazing at the plaque above.


    All the rogue cultivators focused their attention, staring at the mansion in front of them.


    The plaque bore three large characters: City Lord''s Mansion!


    "The City Lord''s Mansion of Wuyou City!" Xu Hei was secretly shocked.


    There had long been suspicions that the City Lord''s Mansion held great opportunities and secrets of Wuyou City!


    However, the location of the City Lord''s Mansion had always been unknown.


    Various forces had been exploring, yet they could never find the City Lord''s Mansion.


    Now, the Zhou Family had actually been the first to discover its location, which excited Xu Hei.


    Not only him, but the rogue cultivators around him exchanged glances, their expressions excited, with some quietly taking out communication jade slips.


    "Hmph!"


    Zhou Qingxuan let out a cold snort, and an invisible sound wave rippled out. The person who had just taken out a communication jade slip had their arm shattered, screamed in pain, and fell to the ground.


    "I know some of you are spies from other forces, but since you''ve taken spirit stones from my Myriad Treasure Pavilion, you should serve the Pavilion. Please refrain from any small actions, or don''t blame me for turning hostile."


    Zhou Qingxuan''s eyes were filled with killing intent, and the terrifying pressure of the Golden Core stage was released, immediately instilling fear in everyone, quelling any thoughts of resistance.


    Even the two subordinates loyal to the Heavenly Puppet Sect trembled in fear, clearly feeling the pressure focused on them.


    "However, if you all perform well, my Myriad Treasure Pavilion will reward you handsomely once the task is complete. Pills and magical treasures will be yours to choose from!"


    A carrot-and-stick approach, Zhou Qingxuan handled it well.


    Everyone quickly put away their thoughts, after all, they were paid to do a job.


    "No wonder the Zhou Family refused the Heavenly Puppet Sect and deliberately leaked information, they wanted to entangle them in trouble and not compete for the opportunity here!" Xu Hei suddenly understood.


    These major forces are not simple!


    Now, the Heavenly Puppet Sect is preoccupied, being chased everywhere by corpse puppets, where would they find the time to come to the City Lord''s Mansion?


    "The City Lord''s Mansion, haha, Miss Zhou truly is a person of great fortune, a true child of destiny in this era, I did not misjudge!" Tianji Shangren stroked his beard, his smile bright and his mood even more cheerful.


    Most of the buildings in Wuyou City had weathered the storms and were in ruins. Yet, the City Lord''s Mansion before them still retained its intact form, with faint powerful spiritual power fluctuations, clearly indicating its extraordinary nature.


    At this moment, Zhou Qingxuan took out a large number of formation flags, placing them in various positions to form a formation, isolating the area to prevent anyone from leaving.


    Even if someone did discover this place, they wouldn''t be able to break in quickly.


    "Foundation Establishment cultivators, please guard within the formation. If anyone approaches, regardless of who they are, kill without mercy! As for those at the Core Formation stage, please follow me inside!"


    Zhou Qingxuan said solemnly, then led the way into the City Lord''s Mansion.


    Cang Ming, Han Te, and the middle-aged female cultivator followed him into the mansion.


    "Only those at the Core Formation stage can enter?"


    The rogue cultivators exchanged looks, whispering among themselves.


    Suddenly, a figure darted in like lightning, surprisingly a rogue cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage. This person, confident in their skills, decided to take a risk for the potential great opportunity.


    He took out a third-tier spiritual umbrella, held it above his head, and rushed through the door.


    But immediately, a scream echoed, and the rogue cultivator was sent flying back, his body shattered, and he fell to the ground, dead on the spot. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Dead?!"


    Gasps erupted from the crowd.


    "Hmph! The City Lord''s Mansion has extremely strong spiritual pressure, those below the Core Formation stage cannot enter. Would my Myriad Treasure Pavilion deceive you?" A Zhou Family elder spoke disdainfully.


    They recruited these Foundation Establishment cultivators merely to make up the numbers, just to prevent outsiders from noticing anything.


    With this, no one doubted anymore, and they all retreated obediently.


    Zhou Wendie walked to the door, her body enveloped in a true essence shield, and stepped inside without any rejection.


    Seeing this, someone immediately realized something.


    "True essence..."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, deep in thought.


    True essence can only be released after forming a Golden Core, this was the pass to the City Lord''s Mansion.


    It wasn''t necessarily about being at the Core Formation stage; as long as you had a way to release true essence, you could enter.


    Liu Buqun hesitated for a moment but didn''t act. Although he could also release true essence, it was too risky.


    "Does this fellow Daoist also wish to give it a try?"


    Tianji Shangren smiled, looking at Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei remained silent.


    "Haha, fellow Daoist is also a person of great fortune, I am willing to lend you a hand!"


    Tianji Shangren smiled slightly, taking out a fingernail-sized Golden Core, from which faint true essence emanated, forming a golden shield.


    Xu Hei glanced at the miniature Golden Core and said, "What do you mean by this?"


    "The more people there are, the greater the chance of obtaining the opportunity here. I just want to form a good relationship with you, nothing more." Tianji Shangren smiled.


    Xu Hei''s face remained expressionless, but he was on guard inside.


    There''s no such thing as a free lunch!


    Tianji Shangren had been mysterious and unpredictable from the start, with unclear intentions, always trying to get close.


    Talking about fortune and destiny, what was he after?


    Xu Hei shook his head and said, "No need for your trouble, I don''t wish to form any good relationships with someone I don''t know!"


    Tianji Shangren''s smile vanished instantly.


    Clearly, Xu Hei''s response was unexpected.

 Chapter 213: Wuyou City Lord, Five Elements Inheritance

    Chapter 213: Wuyou City Lord, Five Elements Inheritance"Hehe, fellow Daoist, you might have misunderstood me. After all, we just met by chance, and it''s natural to be cautious. I understand."


    Tianji Shangren gave a bitter smile and put away the Golden Core.


    "Fate is not something to be forced. Farewell, fellow Daoist!"


    Tianji Shangren cupped his hands, stood up, and walked into the City Lord''s mansion, disappearing from sight.


    Liu Buqun''s eyes flickered as he asked Xu Hei, "Did you notice anything?" Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No," Xu Hei shook his head.


    The more elusive it is, the more vigilant one must be!


    Even with Xu Qingfeng, Xu Hei only dared to interact after understanding his character, and he still remained cautious. Let alone this mysterious old Daoist.


    After a brief contemplation, he controlled Passerby Ding to stand up and walk to the gate of the City Lord''s mansion.


    The Zhou Family elder at the entrance did not stop him, merely showing a hint of disdain in his eyes.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and, following the method of refining corpse puppets from the Xuan Yin Tower, took a deep breath, absorbing the Yin Qi from the surroundings into his body, and pushed it towards Passerby Ding''s abdomen.


    Gradually, a fingernail-sized corpse core formed in the Dantian.


    Inside the butcher''s body, there was already a half-finished corpse core. Xu Hei merely followed the pattern, giving the corpse puppet the cultivation level of the False Core Stage.


    He wasn''t sure if he could enter, but he had to try.


    Xu Hei stepped forward and walked into the City Lord''s mansion. Instantly, an invisible pressure seemed to envelop him, and he immediately raised the corpse Qi to cover his body.


    The pressure swept over him and then disappeared, allowing Xu Hei to breathe a sigh of relief.


    This must be some sort of cultivation level check. As long as one met the standard, they were allowed entry.


    Seeing Xu Hei enter safely, the crowd outside erupted in astonishment.


    "Another one went in?"


    The Zhou Family elder was slightly taken aback, then muttered to himself, "Hehe, what a pleasant surprise."


    The higher-ups had instructed that the more people who entered, the better.


    If not for the tight schedule and the desire to avoid attracting too much attention, they wouldn''t have only recruited three Core Formation Stage cultivators.


    Inside the City Lord''s mansion, the light was bright, as if passing through a membrane and entering a grand hall.


    Xu Hei focused his gaze and saw a human statue from ancient times standing ahead.


    Despite the countless years that had passed, the statue remained vivid and lifelike, its features clear, its expression calm, holding a scroll in one hand and the other behind its back, exuding a scholarly elegance, faintly showing the grace of its era.


    "Is this the City Lord of Wuyou City, Mo Wuyou?" Xu Hei''s heart tightened.


    At this moment, Zhou Wendie, Zhou Qingxuan, and the three recruited rogue cultivators, along with Tianji Shangren, were all looking at the statue.


    Upon noticing Xu Hei''s entry, a trace of surprise flashed in Zhou Wendie''s eyes as she looked at Zhou Qingxuan, seemingly seeking instructions.


    "No problem," Zhou Qingxuan said calmly.


    Xu Hei did not move forward, merely observing from a distance, while also taking in the surrounding scenery.


    Inside the City Lord''s mansion, though spacious, it was not luxurious in the slightest. Wooden tables and chairs were placed against the walls, and there were potted plants in the corners, though they had withered.


    The bookshelves nearby were filled with numerous literary scrolls, showcasing the owner''s elegant taste.


    This was completely different from a traditional City Lord''s mansion.


    There were no weapons or soldiers, no strict guards, and no killing aura¡ªonly some brushes and scrolls, more like a study than a City Lord''s residence.


    The statue stood in front of a desk, its gaze seemingly looking at everyone.


    "It seems consistent with the ancient records. Mo Wuyou yearned for a carefree life, which was a necessary path on his journey to Divine Transformation."


    Xu Hei thought to himself, feeling eighty percent certain that this statue was indeed Mo Wuyou.


    "Senior, our Zhou Family is ready. We can begin."


    Zhou Wendie walked to the statue, bowed slightly, and a wisp of soul blood flew from her forehead, landing on the scroll in the statue''s hand.


    In an instant, the statue''s eyes became clear, as if it had come to life.


    Seeing this scene, Xu Hei frowned slightly and instinctively took a few steps back.


    At this moment, the statue''s eyes sparkled with life, scanning the crowd, and a distant voice emerged: "Inheritor, Zhou Wendie, once the path of inheritance begins, there is no turning back. Are you sure?"


    "Yes!" Zhou Wendie nodded solemnly.


    Even with her state of mind, she clenched her fists tightly, unable to hide her excitement.


    Xu Hei, however, detected a layer of meaning in the statue''s words.


    Inheritor, Zhou Wendie... So what were they? Support? Just here to help?


    "The Five Elements Inheritance, Water Realm, activate!"


    As the statue''s voice fell, the scenery in the room rapidly changed, the surrounding environment twisting as if being transported, or as if in a dream.


    Everyone looked tense, watching the rapidly changing environment, their palms quietly clenching.


    After a long time, the scene stabilized.


    The sky turned azure, the ground covered in white frost, with numerous lakes scattered around, rivers flowing endlessly.


    In the distance, ice mountains stood at the edge of sight.


    A rich and intense water-element Spiritual Qi rose from the heavens and earth.


    This was a world of water!


    "This is..." Zhou Wendie''s pupils contracted.


    Zhou Qingxuan, Tianji Shangren, and the remaining three rogue cultivators all showed expressions of shock.


    "This is the third path!" The old man named Cang Ming said in a deep voice.


    "This is the Water Path of the Five Elements Land!" Tianji Shangren spoke.


    On the way to Wuyou City, there were five paths: Gold, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. This was clearly the third Water Path.


    However, the Water Path before them showed no signs of eerie ghostly Qi; instead, it seemed like it had just been established in ancient times.


    The rich water-element Spiritual Qi subtly enhanced everyone''s cultivation.


    Especially for cultivators with a water Spiritual Root.


    "There are a total of five inheritances?"


    Zhou Wendie''s expression changed.


    She had thought the inheritance here was unique, but who would have thought there were five! Doesn''t this mean others could gain the same opportunities as her?


    This made her extremely unbalanced.


    The Zhou Family had gone to great lengths, recruiting cultivators, sealing off information, and even risking offending the Heavenly Puppet Sect, all to monopolize the benefits, but the result was not as expected.


    Zhou Qingxuan''s eyes flickered, and he couldn''t help but ask, "Are there people in the other four inheritance lands now?"


    The phantom in the sky shook its head and said, "No, there aren''t."


    "If after a year, there are still no people, you will win directly."


    This made Zhou Wendie slightly relieved.


    The ancient relic had been explored for half a year, and no one had discovered an inheritance land yet. Even most of Wuyou City''s area remained unexplored.


    The Zhou Family just got lucky finding the City Lord''s mansion.


    Give it another year, so what?


    Moreover, a year here is only a month outside. What could be found in a month?


    Zhou Wendie secretly prayed that the other four inheritance lands would remain undiscovered, so all the benefits would be hers alone.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    But in reality, the outside world was not as Zhou Wendie imagined.


    At this moment, Wuyou City was already in an uproar!


    Everyone in Wuyou City was looking up at the sky, where dim light shone down, falling on the streets and the dilapidated buildings.


    Under the light, dreamlike scenes unfolded throughout Wuyou City.


    Countless phantom figures walked along the streets, countless new pavilions appeared amidst the ruins.


    This was a Historical Projection!


    An unprecedented, city-wide Historical Projection!


    Everyone was stunned, stopping whatever they were doing to watch this awe-inspiring scene, even the corpse puppets halted, ceasing their pursuit.


    History was reappearing, old acquaintances returning! The scenes shifted from blurry to clear, like a mirage within reach.


    Even ancient voices emerged, with the sounds of people bargaining in the market, babies crying, mothers soothing them, street gossip, and youths studying, as if right by the ear.


    Everything seemed to have returned!


    At this moment, a massive phantom figure appeared atop Wuyou City, hands behind its back, eyes deep, overlooking all beings.


    The City Lord of Wuyou, the third-generation ancestor of the Divine Puppet Sect, Mo Wuyou!

 Chapter 214: Inheritance begins, the whole city trembles

    Chapter 214: Inheritance begins, the whole city tremblesInside Wuyou City.


    Everyone looked up at the sky, utterly awestruck by the magnificent and grand scene before them.


    Such a heaven-reaching and earth-penetrating feat couldn''t be described as mere spells; it was a divine ability, a power that even Elemental Infant cultivators might not possess!


    "Honored guests from afar, welcome to Wuyou City!"


    A deep, resonant voice echoed from the horizon, reaching everyone''s ears.


    All listened intently, eyes unblinking.


    The middle-aged scholar standing high in the sky spoke loudly, "I am Mo Wuyou, the City Lord of Wuyou. Within the city, I have left five places of inheritance. Now, the first inheritance site has opened. You have only one month to find the remaining four!"


    "A month later, those who find the inheritance sites can undergo the next round of trials and ultimately compete for my entire legacy!"


    Upon hearing this, everyone''s minds became active.


    Bai Luo stared at the figure in the sky, murmuring, "Is this the third-generation ancestor of the Divine Puppet Sect?"


    "Indeed, it matches the portrait!" Lei He replied in a deep voice.


    "But shouldn''t he have the surname Gongshu?" Bai Luo questioned in surprise.


    Though the Heavenly Puppet Sect is just a branch, there are some records about the successive leaders of the headquarters.


    The first leader was Gongshu Zi, the second was Mo Ban, and the following six generations were all from the Gongshu family.


    Only the third leader remained a taboo, with no records at all.


    Lei He was silent for a moment before saying, "Such secrets are beyond my knowledge. You should ask your master."


    Bai Luo nodded heavily.


    Regardless, with the inheritance sites opened, the next goal was clear, rather than wandering aimlessly like headless flies, playing cat and mouse with the Chu Tian Alliance.


    At this moment, the members of the Four Sects Alliance narrowly escaped death.


    The Thirteenth Ancestor widened his eyes, exclaiming, "There are four more inheritance sites?"


    Everyone exchanged glances, realizing what this meant.


    It meant they had a great chance to seize one, or even two or three!


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect would undoubtedly secure one, without a doubt, and the Four Sects Alliance could take the leftovers.


    Everyone''s spirits immediately soared; this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to defy fate.


    "Our Snake Catchers Sect must secure one inheritance site," Yin Mingzi said solemnly.


    Not just them, but everyone in Wuyou City was equally excited.


    They came to the ancient relics seeking great opportunities and fortunes, didn''t they?


    Now, the greatest fortune lay right before them, so what reason was there not to fight for it?


    But Mo Wuyou''s next words poured cold water on everyone.


    "Although my inheritance is open to all, I advise you not to make a fool of yourself if you don''t have the strength of the Core Formation Stage."


    "If you''re not capable, even if I grant you a fortune, you won''t be able to handle it!"


    "I''m only giving you a month, so make the most of it!"


    With those words, Mo Wuyou''s apparition completely vanished.


    But the historical projections within Wuyou City remained, proving that what had just happened was no illusion but reality!


    "To think it requires Core Formation Stage cultivation!"


    "The Core Formation Stage, whether in the Chu Kingdom or the Qin Kingdom, is a top-tier expert, and there aren''t many of them."


    "It seems it''s not meant for us."


    Of those who came to the ancient relics, over ninety percent were Foundation Establishment cultivators, with very few at the Core Formation Stage.


    And the Core Formation Stage was merely a threshold.


    This undoubtedly deterred the majority of cultivators.


    However, some still harbored a glimmer of hope, wanting to try their luck.


    The Chu Tian Alliance had already settled at a new stronghold, having prepared several such places like a cunning rabbit with multiple burrows.


    "Four inheritance sites, Core Formation Stage..."


    Xu Qingfeng pondered briefly before swiftly making a decision.


    They must strive for one of Mo Wuyou''s inheritances; after all, the Chu Tian Alliance came for opportunities!


    He quickly took out a map, marking it and planning the next exploration. Everyone would act separately, and they had to find the remaining inheritance sites within a month.


    "Hey, Bald Snake, hey! Are you dazed?!"


    Vulture patted the dazed Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei snapped back to reality, still shocked.


    Just now, after his avatar entered the inheritance site, it lost contact with his true self.


    This phenomenon occurs when the distance is too great or when separated by a formation.


    At that time, the avatar would act according to the original will of the true self, and only when the connection is reestablished would the seen images be transmitted back.


    "The avatar must have been eliminated."


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, touched his forehead with his fingertip, and the memories from the avatar''s last moments gradually returned.


    He could only see some fragmented images.


    "Ice and snow, Water Realm, Five Elements Inheritance, tenfold time..."


    After a long while, Xu Hei opened his eyes again, seeing some fragments from the avatar''s last moments.


    They seemed to have been transported into a strange space where time flowed ten times faster; one month outside was a year inside.


    From the images, it appeared to be the Water of the Five Elements Land.


    As for who eliminated him, he couldn''t see clearly; his avatar only had thirty percent of his true self''s strength, and any Core Formation cultivator could easily kill him.


    "Forget it, I never expected the avatar to survive. It''s already a miracle that the Zhou Family allowed an enemy to follow them for so long," Xu Hei muttered to himself.


    He immediately found Xu Qingfeng and shared this information.


    "The City Lord''s mansion? Water Inheritance?"


    Xu Qingfeng''s expression turned serious, "Very well, this information is crucial to me. No need for thanks; if you have any requests, feel free to ask!"


    He and Xu Hei were in a cooperative relationship, and since it was a partnership, benefits couldn''t be taken for free.


    "I want a pill for healing and the ancient relic''s pill compendium!" Xu Hei said.


    Xu Qingfeng pondered briefly and glanced at Zhang Tie.


    Without a word, Zhang Tie took out a jade bottle sealed with a talisman and handed it to Xu Hei. The words "Blood Locking Pill" were written on it.


    This pill was precious, and they had only found three.


    Then, Xu Qingfeng personally crafted a pill compendium, detailing all the pills he knew.


    "Thank you."


    Xu Hei accepted the jade bottle and compendium, and his divine sense probed inside.


    He had obtained many ancient pills, but he didn''t recognize most of them and didn''t dare to consume them recklessly, urgently needing guidance from an expert.


    Xu Qingfeng unfolded the map, marking the location of the City Lord''s mansion.


    "The City Lord''s mansion is the most important facility within Wuyou City, located in the southwest."


    "The other four are of equal status. We must adopt Mo Wuyou''s perspective to determine what he considers most important."


    Xu Qingfeng quickly analyzed and suggested places like the "Academy," "Medical Hall," and "Martial Hall" as references.


    Zhao Wenzhuo took out a tortoiseshell, calculating something continuously.


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 Chapter 215: Fire Inheritance, Yunlu Academy

    Chapter 215: Fire Inheritance, Yunlu AcademyThe Chu Tian Alliance quickly identified the first possible location of the inheritance, which was their previous stronghold.


    It was an academy.


    Xu Qingfeng''s eyes flickered, and he immediately said, "Let''s set off at once!"


    "Yes!"


    Everyone perked up and rushed toward the academy at the fastest speed.


    Zhao Wenzhuo moved closer and secretly transmitted a message, "They''re starting to suspect me."


    Xu Qingfeng remained calm and replied indifferently, "It''s normal for them to suspect you, after all, it was your idea to use the corpse tide strategy."


    "So what should I do? Should I continue to keep in touch with them?" Zhao Wenzhuo sought advice.


    Xu Qingfeng was silent for a long time, then looked at the younger generation beside him and smiled openly, "I appreciate your talent. You don''t need to ask me about everything; you can make your own decisions."


    Zhao Wenzhuo''s eyes flickered. After pondering for a while, he exhaled and nodded, "I understand."


    He then added, "Thank you."


    ...


    Before long, everyone returned to the ruins of the academy.


    The corpse tide had been diverted, leaving the place deserted.


    Xu Qingfeng landed in front of the main gate. The plaque had disappeared, but occasionally a dim yellow light would reveal a faint line of text in the sky: Yunlu Academy.


    In ancient times, this place was called Yunlu Academy.


    Inside the academy, the sound of young students reading echoed, dreamlike and illusory, as if the voices from back then were still lingering in their ears.


    Following the broken gate, they entered and returned to the familiar courtyard.


    In the courtyard, the shadows of some scholars walked by slowly; they were all students of the academy.


    "The highest good is like water; water benefits all things without contention, dwelling in places loathed by all, thus close to the Dao. Therefore, the City Lord''s mansion belongs to water."


    "If Yunlu Academy is also a place of inheritance, then what does it belong to?"


    Xu Qingfeng stared at the inscription under the sage''s statue, which had words like "At the beginning of man, nature is inherently good," and suddenly had an epiphany.


    "I understand now, this place belongs to fire! As long as words exist, civilization does not perish. The physical body may fade, but the spirit endures!"


    Xu Qingfeng looked at the disappearing figures, then at the faintly existing inscription, his gaze firm, and stepped forward to touch the inscription with a finger.


    "Buzz!"


    The sage''s statue suddenly emitted a halo, spreading outward.


    Xu Hei quickly covered his body with True Qi.


    As the halo spread, the rogue cultivators at the Foundation Establishment Stage were all blown away, spitting blood. Xu Qingfeng shouted, "Protect your body with True Essence!"


    In an instant, a protective light shield appeared on the rogue cultivators. Although they were repelled, it blocked most of the force, preventing them from being killed outright.


    As for the members of the Chu Tian Alliance, each used their own methods. Even though they hadn''t reached the Core Formation Stage, they all managed to withstand the shockwave, including Xu Hei.


    Among the rogue cultivators, only one seemingly frail female cultivator remained, not being blown away, clearly hiding her true cultivation level.


    "It really is a place of inheritance!"


    Xu Hei was quite surprised.


    Xu Qingfeng had deduced this conclusion from just a few words and even found a way to activate the inheritance. He indeed had some skills.


    He even explained why the City Lord''s mansion was the Water Inheritance.


    Though Xu Hei didn''t understand a word of it.


    At this moment, the eyes of the sage''s statue came to life. This person was not Mo Wuyou, but also an ancient powerhouse.


    "Inheritor, Xu Qingfeng, are you sure you want to activate the place of inheritance?" The sage looked at him.


    Xu Qingfeng glanced at everyone, and they all nodded in unison.


    Xu Qingfeng solemnly said, "I''m sure!"


    "Five Elements Inheritance, Departing Fire, activate!"


    As the words fell, everyone felt the surroundings twist, time and space shifting, as if entering an alternate space. This feeling, Xu Hei''s incarnation had experienced before, and now it was his true self.


    Time was set for a month, but they found the second place of inheritance in less than a day, and everyone was very excited.


    And at this moment.


    Xu Hei suddenly sensed something, hurriedly retreated, and exited the range of the halo.


    The changing environment immediately stopped, and Xu Hei left the place of inheritance.


    Meanwhile, the other members of the Chu Tian Alliance vanished collectively with a flash of light.


    Even the sage''s statue disappeared.


    The remaining four rogue cultivators were all inwardly resentful, hating that they didn''t have Core Formation Stage cultivation, watching the inheritance slip away right under their noses.


    "Huh? Why did that snake come out?"


    "With Xu Qingfeng backing him, why didn''t he go in?"


    "This is an ancient inheritance!"


    The rogue cultivators all had a look of surprise in their eyes, not understanding why Xu Hei gave up such a great opportunity.


    Xu Hei didn''t care what they thought and left directly.


    Five places of inheritance.


    The Zhou Family occupied the City Lord''s mansion, and the Chu Tian Alliance took over Yunlu Academy.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to follow others and be a hanger-on. He had reason to suspect that even if he went in, it would be to make a wedding dress for someone else.


    Apart from a year''s accelerated cultivation, he saw no benefits. Of course, Xu Qingfeng might offer some compensation, but with Xu Hei''s personality, would he be content with that? Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He, Xu Hei, wanted to find his own place of inheritance.


    "The endpoint of the Earth Path seems to be in the eastern direction, let''s check around there."


    Xu Hei took out an Earth Boat, expanded it to three meters long, and got in, traveling at the fastest speed.


    Although the speed of the Earth Boat might not match his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, it saved effort.


    ...


    Water Inheritance Land.


    Passerby Ding''s body lay on the ground, and Xu Hei''s incarnation had long disappeared, erasing all traces.


    Tianji Shangren stood nearby, looking puzzled.


    "Why did he self-destruct?" Zhou Qingxuan asked.


    This was not only his point of confusion; everyone was perplexed. Just now, Xu Hei''s external incarnation suddenly self-destructed without any warning.


    They hadn''t planned to make a move, yet it exploded on its own, for reasons unknown.


    "Hmph! This demon is overly cautious and often misses opportunities. It''s the path he chose, and he can''t blame others." Tianji Shangren shook his head, his eyes showing regret and disdain.


    Everything has its fortune. Some people are born with great fortune but fail to seize opportunities. For such people, no matter how strong their fortune, what''s the use?


    In contrast, Zhou Wendie was much smarter, understanding patience and knowing which choices were most beneficial.


    At this moment, Zhou Wendie sat in a pool, continuously absorbing spiritual mist. Water-type Spiritual Qi was excellent for healing. Along the way, she had sustained hundreds of injuries, big and small, with no time to heal, greatly reducing her strength.


    This year''s rest was very important to her.


    "Once I obtain the ancient inheritance, I won''t spare anyone who has wronged me!"


    Zhou Wendie''s heart was resolute.


    If she had to name the people she hated the most, there were two.


    One was Bai Luo, who nearly got her blown up inside the pyramid. Despite their seemingly amicable cooperation, if given the chance, she would turn against him without hesitation.


    The other was that snake! This snake killed the Zhou Family''s second ancestor, took her Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes, and finally threw out a metal puppet that chased her for over a thousand miles, causing her great suffering.


    Though she seemed unmoved on the surface, her inner killing intent was stronger than anyone''s.


    But thinking about her great chance to obtain the final inheritance, Zhou Wendie''s mood improved significantly.


    ...


    Half a day later, Xu Hei arrived at the endpoint of the Earth Path.


    This place had been blasted by a Thunder Tribulation Pearl, leaving a massive crater, very conspicuous.


    Xu Hei put away the Earth Boat, flashed into a ruin, and attached an Invisibility Talisman.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    Several figures descended from the distant sky.


    Xu Hei focused his gaze and saw that they were from the Four Sects Alliance.


    These people likely had the same idea, suspecting that the five inheritances were related to the Five Elements Land, so they searched for clues at this exit.


    However, the main force of the Four Sects Alliance should have split up. The team in front of him had only about twenty people, with only one Core Formation Stage leader.


    The group searched the ruins in small clusters, with some observing Historical Projections, trying to trace clues from history.


    This was a very smart approach, as Xu Qingfeng had gained inspiration from Historical Projections.

 Chapter 216: Tavern conversation, ancient black dog

    Chapter 216: Tavern conversation, ancient black dogXu Hei wasn''t too worried about this group of competitors; the only concern was that Core Formation stage cultivator.


    He had faced off against Core Formation stage opponents before and knew well how troublesome they could be.


    In the Blood Corpse Cave, even with the help of corpse spirits and the opponent falling into a trap, having been heavily injured by Xu Qingfeng, Xu Hei still almost got countered by Zhou Qing despite having the advantage of time, place, and people.


    If it weren''t for his dumb luck in pulling out a Minor Annihilation Talisman, who knows what might have happened.


    Xu Hei dared not be careless.


    "Elder Liu, come quickly!"


    Suddenly, a shout came from afar.


    The Core Formation stage cultivator''s expression changed, and he hurriedly followed the sound to the entrance of a tavern.


    The tavern was half-collapsed and in ruins, but inside, there were numerous historical projections, with all sorts of people entering, sitting at tables and benches, drinking and talking loudly.


    Though the voices were muffled, one could vaguely make out some of the conversations.


    "Listen carefully, what are they saying?" a young disciple said excitedly.


    "Oh?"


    Elder Liu spread out his Divine Sense, carefully capturing each person''s conversation.


    This man was named Liu Chengfeng, appearing middle-aged, dressed in a long green robe, with a handsome appearance, about the same age as Xuan Yangzi, but with a much higher status.


    He was the head of the Pill Hall of the Snake Catchers Sect!


    Speaking of which, he was also the Dao companion of the head of the Purple Mist Sect, and no one dared to provoke the Purple Mist Sect precisely because of his backing.


    Liu Chengfeng''s cultivation wasn''t outstanding, but his pill refining skills ranked first in the sect, and all factions sought his help. Even the Grand Elder and the sect head treated him with respect.


    He was not content with solitude, which was why he came to explore the ancient relic.


    If he didn''t want to, the Heavenly Puppet Sect wouldn''t force him; such talent in pill refining was rare anywhere.


    "Brother, you''re too decadent, spending all day either in the birdhouse or drinking. How can that be? Look at me, I''m also well-off, yet I work an hour every day," said a scholarly-looking man at the table.


    Opposite him sat a drunken burly man, who cursed, "What do you know? Recently, a new Earth Temple was built in the east of the city, and I''ve been working overtime every day, so busy that I can''t get home until noon, missing lunch. If it weren''t for that, I wouldn''t have quit my job."


    Their conversation was full of resentment. If the mortals outside heard it, they''d be furious, calling them ungrateful.


    However, Liu Chengfeng caught a keyword: "Earth Temple?"


    Xu Hei was eavesdropping from afar and also heard the words "Earth Temple."


    But he subconsciously thought it couldn''t be such a coincidence that it was the Earth Temple. These historical projections shouldn''t be so accurate.


    "Missing lunch? No way, the City Lord of Wuyou wouldn''t exploit labor like that. Is this Earth Temple really that important?" the scholar frowned, as Wuyou City''s labor laws strictly limited work to no more than two and a half hours a day.


    "Haha, why would I lie to you? Even the dogs are exhausted, let alone people!" the burly man cursed.


    "Exactly! Even the dogs are exhausted; it''s inhuman!"


    As they talked, a voice chimed in, sounding like a dog''s bark.


    It was a phantom of a big black dog, speaking human words.


    No one was surprised that a dog could talk in these historical projections. Wuyou City''s technological level had surpassed that of cultivation sects, with machines replacing much of the manual labor.


    There were even mechanical birds that could deliver goods to your door, allowing you to shop from home.


    Xu Hei shuddered, focusing his Divine Sense repeatedly to confirm he wasn''t mistaken.


    "This black dog is..."


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted, and his breath caught.


    This phantom of a big black dog looked so much like a certain Huang.


    No, wait!


    A common dog looks the same, right? What''s the difference?


    It''s just an ancient projection, nothing to be surprised about.


    Xu Hei exhaled, dismissing it.


    But what happened next was rather bizarre.


    The big black dog continued, "I heard the City Lord of Wuyou personally went to the Earth Temple to perform a ritual, leaving something behind, and no one is allowed to approach."


    As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Chengfeng jumped up, eyes shining, and immediately killed the shocked young cultivator beside him.


    This information was too important; he was almost certain that it was the third inheritance site.


    It was likely the Earth inheritance!


    But if he left alone, it might arouse suspicion, and he didn''t want the inheritance to be shared with others.


    "Hmph! I''m the only one at the Core Formation stage here; who can stop me? I''ll leave an External Incarnation here to pretend to search while my true self sneaks away to the Earth Temple."


    Liu Chengfeng quickly made up his mind.


    But just as he was about to gather his External Incarnation with full True Essence.


    A pitch-black figure suddenly appeared behind him.


    "Hall Master Liu, you suddenly killed to silence someone; did you discover a secret you want to keep to yourself?"


    Liu Chengfeng trembled all over and looked back to see an old man with a ghostly aura, thin and smiling, but the smile was eerie and sinister.


    It was the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect!


    Liu Chengfeng was startled, cold sweat breaking out on his back, but he quickly regained his composure.


    "So it''s the Thirteenth Ancestor. I saw this person as a spy trying to leak information to outsiders, so I acted decisively."


    Liu Chengfeng lied without blushing or gasping, effortlessly.


    The Thirteenth Ancestor didn''t press further; everyone knew the truth, and it wouldn''t do to speak it aloud.


    He had coincidentally come to find Liu Chengfeng to appraise a Longevity Pill to see if it was consumable, and happened to witness this.


    But now, with Liu Chengfeng''s dubious intentions, he wouldn''t bring it out, nor would he trust the appraisal.


    Regardless, he would first check out the Earth Temple.


    "Let''s go!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor acted swiftly, waving his hand and leaving the tavern, heading east of the city.


    Liu Chengfeng hesitated for a moment and said, "What about the disciples outside?"


    "They''re tired and want to sleep."


    The Thirteenth Ancestor sneered, flicking twenty small snakes from his sleeve into each disciple''s sleeve, causing them to feel dizzy and collapse to the ground within a breath.


    Liu Chengfeng''s mouth twitched, and he quickly followed the Thirteenth Ancestor.


    Shortly after they left, Xu Hei emerged from the ruins.


    As soon as the Thirteenth Ancestor arrived, Xu Hei retracted his Divine Sense and concealed himself. sea??h th§× novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    His Invisibility Talisman could hide him from early-stage Core Formation, but he wasn''t confident against mid-stage Core Formation.


    "The Thirteenth Ancestor is here too; this is troublesome!"


    Xu Hei''s face was heavy. If the Earth Temple was indeed the Earth Path inheritance, it might be taken by the Snake Catchers Sect, leaving him with nothing.


    These two were not easy to deal with, acting ruthlessly and decisively, unwilling to allow any chance of information leaking.


    Xu Hei knew his limits; facing these two old foxes, it would be difficult to snatch the treasure from their hands.


    Just then, Xu Hei felt a chill in his heart.


    The historical projections inside the dilapidated tavern suddenly disappeared.

 Chapter 217: Rushing to be the first, sending the wealth-bringing boy

    Chapter 217: Rushing to be the first, sending the wealth-bringing boyXu Hei''s body suddenly froze.


    The random appearances and disappearances of Historical Projections were not unusual, but Xu Hei always felt something was off.


    Especially the way that dog spoke¡ªit sounded so familiar!


    "Damn it! There''s definitely something wrong!"


    Xu Hei cursed under his breath, immediately took out the Earth Boat, and burrowed underground, heading east.


    He didn''t know the exact location of the Earth Temple in the east of the city, but without the corpse puppet, it was easy to find by observing the distribution of buildings.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    An hour later.


    In the eastern district of Wuyou City, at the outskirts, a temple stood at the end of the street. The temple wasn''t large, with ancient figures'' shadows coming and going, praying inside.


    This was the Earth Temple.


    Inside the temple, there was a statue of the Earth God, with an incense burner in the middle and a merit box beside it. As a proper city, it also needed to fulfill human beliefs.


    At this moment, four cultivators stood in front of the Earth Temple.


    Besides the Thirteenth Ancestor and Liu Chengfeng, there were two others, a man and a woman, whom they "coincidentally" met on the way.


    "Oh, what a coincidence! Where is Daoist Liu heading?"


    "Junior greets the Thirteenth Ancestor!"


    The two were Jiang Lang, an inner elder of the Snake Catchers Sect, and Shen Qingzhu, the head of the Purple Mist Sect.


    One was at the early Core Formation Stage, the other at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    These two shared a common trait: both had a deep connection with Liu Chengfeng. The former was a close friend within the sect, and the latter was his Dao companion.


    Their appearance was extremely coincidental, and though the Thirteenth Ancestor said nothing on the surface, his face darkened.


    "Did you call them?" the Thirteenth Ancestor asked coldly.


    "No! Absolutely not! Pure coincidence, how could I share such a secret?" Liu Chengfeng defended.


    In fact, he truly didn''t want to share it.


    But he was even less confident about competing with the Thirteenth Ancestor.


    The Thirteenth Ancestor absorbed yin energy, turning himself into something neither human nor ghost, looking as if he could go mad at any moment. Cooperating with him was like holding a bomb.


    Others might be polite to him, but a madman wouldn''t.


    Anything could happen in the ancient relic, and even if he died, no one would seek justice for him.


    Jiang Lang, at the early Core Formation Stage, was outstanding, and Shen Qingzhu, as the sect leader, had more life-saving methods than a Core Formation cultivator. Having these two with him was like having double insurance.


    "Hmph!" The Thirteenth Ancestor snorted coldly, "We''re all on the same side, no need to guard against me. I''m just afraid you''ll talk too much and attract outsiders!"


    He didn''t specify who these outsiders were, but everyone knew he meant the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    "Yes, yes."


    Liu Chengfeng nodded repeatedly, but inwardly he was disdainful. Not guarding against him would mean being devoured without a trace left.


    "By the way, how is this inheritance activated?" the Thirteenth Ancestor muttered to himself.


    At this moment, the other three also gathered around, staring at the Earth God statue before them.


    The Historical Projections continued, with ancient figures coming and going, burning incense, kneeling, or tossing coins into the merit box.


    Their words were all about prayers, with no valuable clues discovered.


    The Thirteenth Ancestor pondered for a moment, raised his hand, and pointed at the statue, but there was no response.


    "Strange, could we have been mistaken, and this is not the place of inheritance?" the Thirteenth Ancestor frowned.


    At the same time, Xu Hei also arrived nearby. To be safe, he put on Zhou Qing''s straw hat and stopped at a safe distance, not approaching further.


    The group fell silent for a while, then suddenly focused their attention.


    They saw a projection of a big black dog approaching from afar, swaggering into the Earth Temple.


    The dog took out a square Spirit Stone, tossed it into the merit box, and prayed to the Earth God, "May I be strong and vigorous!"


    A flash of light, and the dog''s size slightly increased.


    Everyone''s eyes lit up, as if they had an epiphany: "I understand, we need to put coins into the merit box!"


    Almost as soon as they realized, the Thirteenth Ancestor acted.


    He decisively took out a top-grade Spirit Stone and threw it into the ancient merit box. Once inside, it disappeared instantly, undetectable even by Divine Sense.


    The Earth God statue before them lit up with a faint white glow.


    "There''s definitely something here!"


    His eyes shone brightly.


    However, the white glow of the Earth God vanished as quickly as it appeared.


    Without hesitation, the Thirteenth Ancestor took out three more top-grade Spirit Stones and tossed them into the merit box. The others also took out Spirit Stones or Pills, trying their luck by throwing them into the merit box.


    "Buzz, buzz, buzz..."


    The Earth God statue began to flicker with light, flashing brightly. As long as something with Spiritual Qi was placed inside, it would flash.


    "Ah, this..." Xu Hei watched in a daze from afar.


    What was going on? Why were they giving away treasures?


    He remembered Zhou Wendie used a drop of blood from her fingertip to activate the inheritance, and Xu Qingfeng had a similar experience.


    But this scene, combined with the dog''s suggestive words...


    Xu Hei instantly understood, this was a trap!


    Could it really be like this?


    At this moment, the black dog''s projection sighed, "I still gave too little, just a slight enhancement, it''s not enough."


    With these words, the Thirteenth Ancestor seemed to be driven mad.


    The Historical Projection was clearly hinting: the Spirit Stones given were insufficient, too few to activate the inheritance!


    They needed to increase the amount!


    He even suspected that the main inheritor would be determined by who gave the most, who was the most pleasing.


    They had long heard that the Five Elements Inheritance had primary and secondary roles. For example, in the Zhou Family, Zhou Wendie was the main, and the Core Formation recruits were just helpers.


    "Hmph, don''t think you can compete with me!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor directly took out a large handful of top-grade Spirit Stones, stuffing them into the merit box like a string of firecrackers, putting in about fifty, using up most of his wealth. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Earth God shone with a dazzling golden light, as brilliant as the sun.


    Liu Chengfeng had been hesitant, but seeing the Thirteenth Ancestor''s madness, continuously throwing in Spirit Stones, he felt that not doing so would make him seem out of place, missing a great opportunity.


    "What treasures do you have! Don''t hold back, bring them all out!"


    Liu Chengfeng became anxious, shouting to his companions.


    Thus, another series of Spirit Stones and treasures were thrown in, and Liu Chengfeng himself took out a large number of Pills.


    He cursed the Thirteenth Ancestor inwardly, but his actions were honest, both sides competing madly.


    "Boundless merit, countless fortunes, perfect merit, enlightenment of the Dao."


    A phantom voice echoed from history, the statue under the shroud of merit appeared sacred and solemn, compelling worship, urging everyone to give more fervently.


    After exhausting their Spirit Stones, both sides began to offer Spirit Medicines and Magical Treasures, which the Earth God accepted without hesitation, taking whatever was given, the merit box seemingly a bottomless pit, never satisfied.


    In the end, not only did Liu Chengfeng feel something was amiss, but even the Thirteenth Ancestor hesitated.


    At this rate, when would it end? He was nearly bankrupt!


    Yet, the more they gave, the brighter the Earth God shone, clearly indicating that they needed to keep giving until a certain limit was reached.


    Finally, Liu Chengfeng gritted his teeth and took out a shiny crystal.


    "What is that?"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor''s face showed greed, and he quickly tried to snatch it.


    Fortunately, Liu Chengfeng was prepared, with the help of his two companions, blocking the attack and swiftly tossing the crystal into the merit box.


    He didn''t know what it was either, having found it in a mechanical box.


    But the concentration of Spiritual Qi inside was many times that of a top-grade Spirit Stone! It must be of great use!


    "Buzz!!"


    In an instant, golden light burst forth, and the Earth God seemed to come alive, his eyes full of vitality.


    Everyone stopped their actions, filled with shock, staring in awe.


    "Yes! This is it, the inheritance is about to activate, it''s going to be mine!"


    Seeing this, Liu Chengfeng trembled with excitement.


    Xu Hei also recalled the moment the inheritance was activated, the statue''s eyes coming alive, identical to what he saw now, even he was almost convinced.

 Chapter 218: Ancestor goes mad, Yin Thunder Formation

    Chapter 218: Ancestor goes mad, Yin Thunder FormationHumans have this kind of mentality.


    Once you invest money and get a step closer to your goal, you''ll keep investing. With sunk costs, you won''t give up halfway, even losing your rationality and numbing yourself.


    These human cultivators perfectly embody the gambler''s mindset.


    Mortals do it for money, cultivators for opportunities and fortunes; essentially, there''s no difference.


    So much so that at this moment, they all firmly believe they are right.


    They''ve given so many treasures, nearly exhausted their Spirit Stones, and can''t accept failure.


    At this moment, the Earth God''s gaze swept over the crowd, and he said loudly, "Thank you all for your gifts. May you all achieve perfect merit and have your wishes come true. Farewell!"


    His gaze dimmed and he turned back into an ordinary Earth God statue.


    In an instant, the scene froze for a long time.


    The imagined place of inheritance did not appear.


    Everyone stared at each other, their minds buzzing, unable to think, as if they were dumbfounded.


    "Did I... hear wrong?"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor couldn''t believe it.


    "No way."


    Liu Chengfeng also didn''t believe it, suspecting that a step was missing. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The four present were convinced that their choice was correct, that this was how the place of inheritance was opened.


    "Earth God, where is my inheritance?" The Thirteenth Ancestor tried to suppress his anger, keeping his voice low.


    "Inheritance?"


    The Earth God opened his eyes again, a lump of dog feces appeared in his hand, and he flung it onto the Thirteenth Ancestor''s face.


    "This is the inheritance of the earth, the breath of the land. Please comprehend it well, don''t waste such a great fortune." The Earth God''s voice carried a hint of laughter.


    The entire scene fell into a dead silence.


    The statue had actually thrown a lump of dog feces onto the Thirteenth Ancestor''s face! Such an absurd scene left the Thirteenth Ancestor stunned.


    Xu Hei''s mouth twitched slightly; he already understood who this Earth God was.


    It was the Mountain God from the Mountain God Temple, carved from the same mold!


    As for the Mountain God... who else could it be?


    "Too dark, never seen anything so dark! This is pure fraud!"


    "This group of people was scammed out of everything, they''re probably going to be furious."


    Xu Hei internally mocked, no wonder he found it familiar, so that''s how it was.


    Suddenly, a chill ran through his heart as he sensed something off about the Thirteenth Ancestor''s mental state. He quickly retreated, ready to dodge at any moment.


    At this moment, the Thirteenth Ancestor was silent for a long time before his eyes regained their luster. Without a word, he reached out his withered hand, wiped the lump of earth''s breath off his face.


    Then, he glanced at the black dog sitting on the prayer mat and the many worshippers burning incense.


    "Historical Projections?" The Thirteenth Ancestor''s cold voice rang out.


    These so-called historical projections all stopped their actions and looked over in unison.


    Such a bizarre scene would usually send chills down one''s spine.


    But at this moment, the Thirteenth Ancestor''s face gradually twisted, his chest heaving, initially slowly, but increasingly violently. An uncontrollable, overwhelming killing intent began to spread from his heart, like a volcano about to erupt.


    Liu Chengfeng, initially furious at being deceived, couldn''t help but take two steps back after seeing the Thirteenth Ancestor''s condition.


    "Fuck, turns out it''s a scam! I can still be rational, but this Thirteenth Ancestor is probably going to go crazy, better smash that statue!"


    Liu Chengfeng''s eyes flickered; he was also angry, but more so apprehensive.


    The other party could create historical projections to deceive; how could this be something ordinary people could do? Liu Chengfeng asked himself, he couldn''t afford to provoke such an existence.


    Moreover, as a young pill refiner, as long as he focused on making money, he could naturally make up for the loss over time.


    But the Thirteenth Ancestor was different; that was his life''s savings, his last opportunity in this life.


    Gone, truly gone!


    Who understands the pain of losing everything?


    "You all go to hell! Go to hell! Go to hell!!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor was utterly enraged, his arm suddenly shot out, extending dozens of meters, transforming into a giant python, opening its mouth to bite the statue, swallowing it whole.


    From within his body, countless venomous liquids shot out, corroding all the historical projections, turning the area into a sea of poison.


    But the big black dog alone kept dodging, barking incessantly.


    Even its illusory figure was gradually becoming solid.


    "So it was you!!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor suddenly realized, this damn thing wasn''t a historical projection, this black dog was real.


    "You little beast, I''m going to skin you alive, gnaw your bones clean, and turn your soul into an oil lamp to burn for a thousand years!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor''s face twisted with rage as he flew up to grab it, looking like a fierce ghost, shrieking sharply.


    Liu Chengfeng and the other two quickly retreated, planning to leave first, but their backs suddenly hit an invisible barrier, bouncing them back.


    "What?"


    The three turned to look, only to see that within a five-hundred-meter radius of the Earth Temple, there seemed to be an invisible wall isolating the area.


    "Formation?" Jiang Lang exclaimed.


    He was deeply versed in formations and quickly saw that waves of Spiritual Qi were surging from the merit box, drilling deep underground.


    Vaguely, these Spiritual Qi formed a massive formation base, encompassing the area.


    At this point, how could he not understand!


    The Spirit Stones and treasures they threw in earlier were all used to set up the formation.


    "You old coot, not caring for animals, you''ll get your retribution!"


    The black dog shouted as it fled, its speed fast and movements agile, playing the Thirteenth Ancestor like a fool in such a small area, always evading capture.


    Finally, the Thirteenth Ancestor launched an all-encompassing attack, hundreds of snakes shot out from his body, surrounding the black dog from all sides, finally capturing it.


    "Help! Murder!"


    The big black dog, entangled by the snakes, wailed loudly, shouting to the outside, "Little Xu, don''t just watch! This is your relative, quickly persuade him!"


    Xu Hei''s face turned dark.


    Relative, you have the nerve to say that?


    Damn it, don''t call me when you cause trouble! I''m just passing by!


    The Thirteenth Ancestor also looked outside, but just as he turned his head, a thunderbolt crashed down from above, striking his forehead.


    "Boom!!!"


    Black light exploded, and the Thirteenth Ancestor''s skull shattered like a watermelon, but no blood spurted out, only eerie ghostly energy spread.


    "Boom!!"


    Another black thunderbolt fell, striking his headless body, knocking him to the ground.


    This divine thunder from the heavens was different from ordinary lightning; it was Yin Thunder, condensed from intense Yin Sha Qi, possessing the same world-destroying power.


    Nine Nether Yin Thunder Formation!


    This formation was costly, requiring a large number of Spirit Stones to set up, with the merit box as the formation''s core.


    "Ow!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor let out a hideous roar, his broken body stood up, still moving.


    Constantly, black energy emerged from his broken body, and the snakes emanating from his body immediately turned into skeletal forms, yet this body that should have long been dead continued to move.


    "Quick! Hurry!"


    Liu Chengfeng was scared out of his wits, urgently urging Jiang Lang to break the formation.


    He also took out various magical treasures to attack.

 Chapter 219: Snake-Dog Combination, Re-emerging in the Jianghu

    Chapter 219: Snake-Dog Combination, Re-emerging in the JianghuLiu Chengfeng was extremely furious, and the other two were also seething with rage, having been deceived, wishing they could skin that black dog alive.


    But they knew now was not the time for revenge.


    "You little beast, do you really think you can kill me? Today, I''ll swallow you whole!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor''s divine sense continued to echo, and his headless corpse rose, countless small snakes shooting out from his neck, only to be struck down by thunder once more.


    The deafening roar split the air, striking the Thirteenth Ancestor with black smoke, and the ground cracked open into a hundred-zhang deep pit, blasting him into the earth.


    Hei Huang''s face twisted with pain; these Yin Thunderbolts were not cheap, each attack consuming top-grade spirit stones, it was like burning money!


    It was only because this group generously contributed over a hundred top-grade spirit stones that he dared to be so extravagant.


    "Jie jie jie jie jie! You can''t kill me!"


    A sinister laugh echoed from underground, the Thirteenth Ancestor emerged like a vengeful spirit, his broken body writhing like a snake, swift as lightning, rising again, a terrifying devouring force emanating from where his head should be, aimed at the black dog.


    But the next second, Yin Thunder fell again, blasting him back underground.


    Continuously, up and down, the laughter grew sharper, like a ghostly wail.


    "Mad, the Thirteenth Ancestor is truly mad!"


    Liu Chengfeng watched, his mouth dry.


    "And that black dog, it''s also a most evil creature, the two demons are fighting, it''s best if they both die here!"


    Liu Chengfeng felt a chill in his heart, pulling out a row of black steel nails, striking them at the formation, the nails shooting out continuously, each attack at the same small point.


    The other two also used their own methods, attacking the same spot.


    Under the full assault of the three, the formation finally showed a tiny hole, only the size of a sesame seed. Jiang Lang released a Thunder Pearl, which exploded at the breach, rapidly expanding it, cracks spreading.


    "What are you doing? Hurry up and help!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor''s cold voice echoed from underground.


    No one looked back, only thinking of escaping with their lives.


    "Escape? What is there to escape from? This beast is merely at the Foundation Establishment stage, and it has scared you all? Let''s join forces and destroy it, eat black dog meat! Drink black dog blood!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor''s ghostly laughter continued.


    Liu Chengfeng ignored him, not listening to a word from this madman.


    Shen Qingzhu looked back, only to see the Thirteenth Ancestor had turned into a shriveled snake-like creature, his limbs shattered by thunder, his head exploded.


    But his torso still moved, black flesh churning, sprouting tumors like hellish creatures, sending chills down one''s spine.


    Even his mind was somewhat deranged, sometimes laughing maniacally, sometimes roaring, each time he rose into the air, he was struck back by a bolt of Yin Thunder.


    Taking advantage of the entanglement between the two sides, the three of them broke open the gap, about to escape, completely ignoring whether the Thirteenth Ancestor lived or died.


    Hei Huang was a bit anxious, transmitting to Xu Hei: "Don''t just stand there, come help, we''ll split the spoils fifty-fifty!"


    Xu Hei cursed the old dog in his heart for being unreliable, always leaving him to clean up the mess.


    But he didn''t need to be told; Xu Hei knew this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.


    He had already moved ahead, arriving at the breach in the formation, wearing Zhou Qing''s straw hat, no one could detect his presence.


    At this moment, the breach in the formation was large enough.


    Liu Chengfeng threw out a flying sword, shooting it outside the hole, using it as a bridge to perform a transfer technique, allowing himself to appear on the flying sword, thus escaping the formation.


    Jiang Lang was more straightforward, directly sticking his head out, his body shrinking into a long shape. This was the Bone Shrinking Escape Technique, allowing him to squeeze through even the smallest openings.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, a massive shadow appeared abruptly in front of him.


    Carrying a fierce impact, it came crashing towards his forehead without warning.


    It was the tip of the Black Dragon Pagoda!


    "Not good!" Jiang Lang''s face changed dramatically, trying to retract himself.


    "Thud!!"


    The tip struck, and Jiang Lang''s head was smashed into a large hole, blood spurting out, the light of his defensive magical treasures shattering one by one, his true essence dissipating.


    Jiang Lang let out a miserable cry, flying backward, landing on the ground, his body convulsing continuously.


    "Brother Jiang!"


    Liu Chengfeng''s face changed drastically, looking back, his flying sword had disappeared, swallowed by the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    Outside, there was no one, only a man-high tower standing.


    Shen Qingzhu''s face was pale, completely bewildered.


    Xu Hei did not show himself, staying underground, controlling the Black Dragon Pagoda, smashing anyone who came out, a single snake blocking the way, none could pass.


    Under normal circumstances, a Core Formation stage cultivator would not be so easily hit, but as long as Xu Hei guarded this pass, anyone who came would be struck, a hundred hits, a hundred successes.


    "Damn it! This beast has accomplices!"


    Liu Chengfeng gritted his teeth in hatred.


    Shameless, too shameless!


    Inside, two demons were fighting, and outside, some unknown thing was blocking the exit. They had been swindled of their possessions, and now they were being hunted to the end. He had never seen such despicable tactics in his life!


    Liu Chengfeng took out a handful of black steel nails, flinging them out, shooting towards the Black Dragon Pagoda, hitting its surface with a clinking sound, but the tower remained undamaged.


    Xu Hei ignored it, contemplating whether to throw some dirty tricks inside.


    Suddenly, the steel nails seemed to find his hiding place, shooting downward!


    These nails were Soul Chasing Nails, capable of locking onto their target''s position through the divine sense imprint on a magical treasure.


    As long as they caught a trace of the target''s divine sense, they could chase them to the ends of the earth.


    However, Xu Hei''s straw hat was not to be underestimated, allowing his aura to be elusive, sometimes up, sometimes down, sometimes left, sometimes right, making it difficult for the Soul Chasing Nails to fully lock on.


    "Thud thud thud thud thud..."


    Most of the Soul Chasing Nails brushed past Xu Hei, with some shooting directly at him. Xu Hei willed the dragon scales to form a shield in front, blocking all the nails.


    Taking this opportunity, Shen Qingzhu had already squeezed half of her body out.


    "Trying to escape?"


    Xu Hei multitasked, the Black Dragon Pagoda struck again, pushing Shen Qingzhu back, but this time, she was prepared, summoning a lotus platform to block in front, with strong force-dissipating capabilities, but she underestimated the strength of the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    "Boom!!"


    The lotus platform shattered, Shen Qingzhu spat blood, her arms turned to nothingness. Her cultivation was a level weaker, no matter how she urged her magical treasures, they couldn''t exert their full power.


    With just one strike, she was worse off than Jiang Lang, her body bursting with blood, her meridians severed, flying back, landing beside Jiang Lang. Fortunately, she had the jade pendant from the first ancestor of the Purple Mist Sect protecting her heart, otherwise, she would have died!


    But at this moment, an unexpected change occurred!


    The Soul Chasing Nails that had just been shot out rapidly gathered together, forming the shape of a flying sword.


    "What!"


    Xu Hei''s face changed slightly, seeing Liu Chengfeng forming a hand seal, his figure instantly disappearing within the formation. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The next second, he appeared on the flying sword.


    Just now, while Xu Hei was attacking his Dao companion and blocking the Soul Chasing Nails, he used this diversion tactic to complete the transfer.


    The Soul Chasing Nails he released were not meant to attack the opponent, but to form a flying sword to perform his transfer technique.

 Chapter 220: Snake-dog combination, evil abounds

    Chapter 220: Snake-dog combination, evil aboundsThe timing was incredibly precise.


    As Liu Chengfeng appeared, he didn''t waste any words and pulled out a giant gourd, pointing it at the ground where Xu Hei was hiding.


    "Boom!!"


    The gourd unleashed a powerful suction, causing the earth to crack open. Countless clumps of soil and stones were sucked into the gourd, revealing Xu Hei''s hidden figure.


    It was a large black snake, wearing a straw hat on its head, completely concealing its aura, making it impossible to discern its cultivation level.


    Liu Chengfeng was about to make another move, but when he saw the straw hat on Xu Hei''s head, his pupils suddenly contracted.


    "That straw hat is..."


    His scalp tingled, and his mind buzzed, as a memory of a figure wearing a straw hat flashed through his mind.


    It was the Zhou Family''s ancestor, Zhou Qing''s straw hat.


    This was the strange snake that killed Zhou Qing!


    In an instant, Liu Chengfeng''s hair stood on end, an indescribable fear rushing straight to his head!


    Run! I must run!


    Without hesitation, he summoned various magical treasures to shield himself, switching from offense to defense, and stepped onto his flying sword to flee.


    The reputation of this snake had long spread within the Four Sects Alliance. If encountered, one must not act rashly and should immediately report to the higher-ups, namely the Thirteenth Ancestor!


    Ironically, even the Thirteenth Ancestor couldn''t protect himself.


    Zhou Qing and Lei He both suffered greatly at the hands of this snake, with Zhou Qing even turned into a tree. Damn it, who would dare provoke it?


    As for Shen Qingzhu and Jiang Lang, he didn''t even spare them a glance. How could others'' lives be more important than his own?


    "Brother Jiang, Qingzhu, I''m sorry. I will avenge you in the future! I''ll cut this snake and dog into a thousand pieces!"


    Liu Chengfeng was filled with grief and indignation, and it wasn''t just an act; he was genuinely heartbroken.


    One was his close friend, the other his Dao companion, but reality was harsh. If he didn''t run, none of them would escape. Those who are indecisive don''t last long.


    This scene left Xu Hei momentarily stunned.


    He thought it would be a fierce battle, but the opponent got scared and ran away? Without even probing?


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he made a decisive decision.


    ¡ªChase!


    "Whoosh!"


    A streak of light shot across the sky, with Xu Hei fully unleashing his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, chasing rapidly like a meteor, startling Liu Chengfeng with his speed.


    This was definitely the speed of the Core Formation Stage!


    For some reason, after Hei Huang appeared, Xu Hei''s courage inexplicably grew, daring to intercept even a Core Formation Stage cultivator trying to escape.


    In the past, this would have been unthinkable.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s throat swelled, black True Qi compressed to a point, with thunderous energy surging in his abdomen, dragon bones vibrating, and all his bones humming with a terrifying aura about to erupt.


    Liu Chengfeng''s face changed dramatically, and his speed soared again.


    The next moment¡ª


    "Dragon Shatter Roar!!!"


    A thunderous dragon roar erupted from Xu Hei''s mouth, shaking the heavens and earth, causing a vacuum channel to form through the Yin Sha Qi, blasting towards the fleeing Liu Chengfeng.


    This was Xu Hei''s newly comprehended dragon clan ultimate skill, Dragon Shatter Roar!


    Unlike traditional sonic spells, this move wasn''t an indiscriminate area attack but a targeted lock-on technique!


    Its power naturally skyrocketed!


    Of course, Xu Hei''s current Dragon Shatter Roar was only at the first level, the stage of shattering form, capable of attacking physical forms but unable to harm souls. Xu Hei also wanted to test its effectiveness in actual combat!


    "Bang!!"


    Liu Chengfeng had just escaped a thousand feet away when he was struck by the sound wave, as if hit by lightning, shattering countless magical treasures'' lights.


    He pulled out a treasure umbrella to block, but it shattered as well, his form trembling violently, blood gushing out, and even his physical body on the verge of collapse, plummeting to the ground.


    "What kind of spell is this!"


    Liu Chengfeng''s mind was in turmoil, his head buzzing incessantly, his consciousness momentarily blurred.


    As a pill refiner, he focused solely on the Dao of Pills and was not adept at combat, making him relatively weak among those of the same realm.


    It was only because he had numerous life-saving means that he dared to seek opportunities in the ruins. But earlier in the Earth Temple, he had sacrificed half of his magical treasures, leaving him with few trump cards.


    However, Xu Hei''s cultivation was only at the mid-stage of Foundation Establishment.


    Dragon Shatter Roar was a spell that could only be performed at the Core Formation Stage, requiring the dragon bones to be fully developed. At this moment, it was forcibly used by Xu Hei.


    Although its power far exceeded the Foundation Establishment level, it was still too much to kill a Core Formation Stage cultivator.


    Liu Chengfeng''s thoughts were only fragmented for a moment before he regained clarity, the Soul Chasing Nails close to his back, lifting him high and speeding forward.


    In the blink of an eye, he vanished into the distance.


    Xu Hei sighed, not continuing the pursuit. Just using the Dragon Shatter Roar once caused his entire skeleton to tremble violently, with all bones except the dragon bones showing slight cracks.


    Killing a thousand enemies, losing eight hundred of his own!


    However, the power was indeed extraordinary, capable of causing a Core Formation Stage heavily protected by magical treasures to fall into a mental halt.


    In a battle between experts, even a brief pause could be fatal!


    If only Xu Hei had someone to coordinate with, such a sneak attack would have been incredibly effective.


    Xu Hei didn''t expect to kill a Core Formation cultivator, but through this brief encounter, he realized that the gap between him and the Core Formation Stage wasn''t as vast as he had imagined. With the right timing, location, and people, along with some special means and environments, it might not be impossible to surpass his level and win.


    This gave him immense confidence.


    At this moment, Ji Ying was holding a storage bag, landing nearby.


    This was stolen during Liu Chengfeng''s moment of distraction.


    "You finally did something right!" Xu Hei praised.


    Ji Ying, however, felt like Xu Hei was scolding it, emitting a buzzing sound as if expressing dissatisfaction.


    "Boom!!!"


    "Boom boom boom boom boom..."


    Within the formation, the sky continued to be bombarded by Yin Thunder, with Yin Thunder also erupting from underground, creating an apocalyptic scene.


    Yin Thunder from the sky and Yin Thunder from the earth combined, blasting the Thirteenth Ancestor''s form to pieces, leaving him unrecognizable, not even in snake form, with only a skeleton remaining.


    Yet he continued to laugh maniacally, black gas emerging from his bones, transforming into small snakes slithering nearby.


    Jiang Lang was caught by a wave of earth Yin Thunder, instantly blasted to smithereens. Hei Huang, realizing this person was adept at formations, decided not to leave him any chance of survival.


    On the other hand, the Purple Mist Sect''s leader, Shen Qingzhu, was still alive, but seeing the black tower standing outside, she dared not escape.


    She tried using the Small Teleportation Talisman, but within the formation, even space was sealed.


    "What to do? What to do?"


    Shen Qingzhu was in despair.


    "Hehehehe, I am immortal, immortal!"


    The Thirteenth Ancestor''s eerie laughter echoed, but as the final thunderbolt struck, even his bone fragments were shattered, his voice abruptly cut off, his form completely destroyed, leaving only the swirling black gas.


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."


    Countless black gas streams surged out, crashing in all directions.


    One of the black gas streams transformed into a black light, darting into Shen Qingzhu''s forehead, causing her eyes to immediately become vacant.


    In just a moment, a wisp of black light appeared in her eyes.


    "Liu Chengfeng''s Dao companion, hehe, this physical body isn''t bad, huh? Why does this woman have Jiang Lang''s aura inside her?"


    Shen Qingzhu voiced her confusion, her physical body rapidly contracting, transforming into a snake-like elongated form.


    The next moment, Shen Qingzhu shot up from the ground, instantly breaking through the formation''s gap, moving with unprecedented speed.


    As she left the formation''s range, she activated the Small Teleportation Talisman, her figure flickering and disappearing without a trace. S§×arch* The ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 221: Mountains and rivers may change, but ones nature is hard to alter

    Chapter 221: Mountains and rivers may change, but one''s nature is hard to alter"Old geezer, if you have the guts, don''t run! Let''s fight another three hundred rounds!"


    Hei Huang shouted pretentiously for a while, but the opponent had long since disappeared without a trace.


    "Another one got away."


    Xu Hei was completely speechless.


    They had agreed to eliminate every last one, but in the end, two out of four escaped. Hei Huang was really unreliable.


    He was too exhausted to stop them. He had gone to great lengths to steal Liu Chengfeng''s storage bag, exhausting all his True Qi.


    "Damn it! That old geezer cultivates the Yin Demon technique. If I cultivated the Yang Thunder technique, I could have struck him dead with one blow! Yin Thunder was just countered by him," Hei Huang cursed.


    "Don''t make excuses for your failure," Xu Hei said.


    "It''s not exactly a failure. I destroyed his physical body, and his Golden Core is gone. He can only snatch the body of a Foundation Establishment Stage cultivator, losing more than half of his cultivation. He won''t be able to stir up much trouble."


    At this point, Hei Huang gave a sinister smile, "Besides, letting him go is quite amusing, isn''t it?"


    Amusing... Xu Hei looked bewildered.


    "Think about it, that old geezer, a male, snatches the body of a female cultivator, who happens to be the Dao companion of his own elder, and then discovers that this Dao companion is having an affair with another elder. Isn''t that amusing?"


    Hei Huang laughed mischievously, his expression truly devilish.


    Xu Hei: "..."


    So that''s what happened?


    It took Xu Hei a while to sort out the relationships among these people, leaving him speechless.


    Humans are so complicated!


    Clearly from the same sect, Liu Chengfeng and the Thirteenth Ancestor were suspicious of each other; clearly close friends, Jiang Lang made him a cuckold.


    In comparison, demonic beasts are much simpler, always straightforward.


    Xu Hei didn''t dwell on this matter. After all, he and the Snake Catchers Sect were mortal enemies. The more chaotic the other side became, the more advantageous it was for him.


    At this moment, Hei Huang dismantled the formation and jumped out, reaching for the Black Dragon Pagoda with his paws, his eyes gleaming.


    Xu Hei''s mouth twitched, and he quickly put away the Black Dragon Pagoda, leaving Hei Huang empty-handed.


    "So, how about a fifty-fifty split?"


    Xu Hei got to the point.


    "Ahem!"


    Hei Huang coughed twice to cover his embarrassment and took out two storage bags, saying, "These are Jiang Lang''s and the old immortal''s storage bags. You got the alchemist''s, right?"


    Xu Hei said nothing, nor did he make any move, just glanced at the merit box.


    "Damn! This formation consumes Spirit Stones like crazy. That little bit just now was already used up," Hei Huang cursed.


    Xu Hei: "..."


    Familiar tactics, this dog really can''t change its nature.


    "Let''s not worry about this now. We shouldn''t stay here long; let''s find another place to talk."


    Hei Huang picked up the merit box, took out a Divine Wind Boat, and boarded it. Xu Hei also took out the Earth Boat, and the two quickly sped away, disappearing into the distance.


    Moments later, they found a deserted place.


    This place was on the outskirts of Wuyou City, surrounded by abandoned fields and houses, with no one around.


    The two demons happily conducted a round of loot distribution.


    Xu Hei gave away a large number of magical treasures he didn''t need in exchange for some spell jade slips, ancient books, and various talismans.


    He had been longing for that Spiritual Qi crystal, but Hei Huang insisted it was consumed, leaving Xu Hei helpless.


    Liu Chengfeng''s pills, he gave away half of them. After all, he had ancient pills, and these modern ones weren''t very useful to him.


    "Old dog, I didn''t hold back anything. I said half, and it''s half. What about you?" Xu Hei''s gaze fixed on Hei Huang.


    "Heaven and earth bear witness! I absolutely didn''t hold back anything. May I be childless if I, Hei Huang, lie!" Hei Huang exclaimed repeatedly.


    Xu Hei was taken aback. Since Hei Huang said so, he couldn''t pursue the matter further.


    In fact, he didn''t care much about this small amount of money. Hei Huang had helped him a lot.


    At this moment, Hei Huang took out a thick jade slip and said, "This is a set of formation insights, the most basic version. I won''t take advantage of you; consider it a gift."


    Xu Hei quickly took the jade slip and casually scanned it, revealing the structures of nine basic formations.


    "Kill Formation, Trap Formation, Illusion Formation, Gathering Spirit Array, Defense Formation, Concealment Formation..."


    These weren''t profound formation inheritances, just detailed explanations of nine basic formations, described vividly, very suitable for beginners.


    Xu Hei had learned nine different kill formation systems in the Xuan Yin Tower. Now, with these, many of his doubts were resolved, opening a whole new door for him.


    Just in time!


    "This is very important to me. Thank you," Xu Hei said.


    Hei Huang squinted his eyes and smiled, "So, how do you plan to thank me? I noticed that tower you used earlier seems quite good, and that straw hat too. Could you lend them to me for a few days?"


    He rubbed his paws together, his eyes filled with excitement.


    Xu Hei stepped back repeatedly, cursing, "You''re really pushing it!"


    "I''m just borrowing it, not taking it!"


    "Dream on!"


    "Hey! You shameless snake..."


    "..."


    Xu Hei realized that with this old dog, he couldn''t say a single kind word.


    The two demons exchanged pleasantries for a while before calming down.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei seemed to remember something and took out the black mirror, asking, "What''s the deal with this magical treasure?"


    Hei Huang glanced over and was immediately taken aback, tapping his paw, "Oh? It actually swallowed an artifact spirit!"


    He picked up the mirror, looked it over, and tapped on the mirror surface, producing a thumping sound and ripples.


    Inside the mirror, a shadow appeared.


    Xu Hei instinctively stepped aside, not wanting to be reflected in the mirror.


    Hei Huang chuckled, put the mirror back into the storage bag, and tossed it over, "It functions the same as before, but can only be used once."


    Xu Hei couldn''t help but ask curiously, "What''s inside this magical treasure?"


    Being able to split evenly with anyone, it sounded truly unbelievable.


    Hei Huang was silent for a moment and said, "I can only tell you that this mirror is called the Heavenly Demon Mirror, but I can''t say more to avoid unnecessary trouble. It might even attract some evil spirits when you break through."


    Hearing this, Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, and his heart tightened.


    Attracting evil spirits during a breakthrough, it sounded ominous.


    "Xu Hei, before you reach sufficient strength, the less you know about some things, the better. Don''t overthink it, and don''t inquire. A troubled mind won''t achieve anything," Hei Huang advised earnestly.


    Seeing the other party suddenly serious, Xu Hei nodded.


    He knew that curiosity could kill the cat, and he wouldn''t dwell on things he shouldn''t think about. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Human cultivators might have many distractions, but Xu Hei wouldn''t have such phenomena. His thinking was sometimes even too simple.


    Next, Xu Hei asked about the main issue, "Do you have any clues about the Five Elements Inheritance?"


    Hei Huang immediately sneered, "That Earth Temple is the inheritance site. I wasn''t lying to you."


    "Huh?" Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    "The City Lord of Wuyou is very particular about the Five Elements Inheritance. If you study it carefully, it''s easy to figure out. This kind of thing can''t be faked, only half-true."


    Hei Huang explained, "So, I only swapped the statue, nothing else."


    Xu Hei: "..."


    This old dog, so cunning, could actually do such a thing, pretending to be the Mountain God and swapping the Earth God. If there were real immortals, he''d be the first to go to hell.


    "Where''s the statue?"


    Xu Hei quickly asked, knowing it was the key to unlocking the inheritance.


    "Thrown in a ditch."


    Hei Huang lazily pointed in a direction, "Seems to be over there!"


    Without another word, Xu Hei took out the Earth Boat and headed in that direction, with Hei Huang jumping on board and sitting cross-legged.


    After a moment of silence, Xu Hei took out the straw hat from the storage bag and tossed it over.


    "Lend it to you for a few days, remember, it''s a loan!"


    Xu Hei didn''t spare his words, but he knew that a straw hat was nothing.


    "Then I''ll keep it safe for you for now."


    Hei Huang moved quickly, taking the straw hat, branding it with his own mark, and wearing it on his head without any courtesy.


    In an instant, his aura disappeared, completely undetectable.


    "Good stuff, even better than an Invisibility Talisman!"


    Hei Huang''s eyes lit up, and he took out a sword, strapped it to his back, and covered his face with the straw hat, speaking in a low voice, "Little Xu, do I look like a peerless master?"


    Xu Hei glanced back, finding the image beyond words.

 Chapter 222: The Inheritance of the Earth, Xu Bais Message

    Chapter 222: The Inheritance of the Earth, Xu Bai''s MessageOn the journey, Hei Huang recounted his experiences from the past year.


    The place he was searching for, the land of extreme yin, was this ancient relic, where the yin energy flowed endlessly, enough to absorb for years without depletion.


    But after just over a year, cultivators started intruding.


    Xu Hei knew what happened next; more and more people came to this place, making it impossible for Hei Huang to meditate in peace.


    "Damn it, I found this place first, and these humans are so unreasonable!"


    Every time this was mentioned, Hei Huang would grit his teeth in anger, wishing he could trick everyone.


    Xu Hei just sneered without saying a word.


    ...


    It wasn''t long before they found the ditch Hei Huang had mentioned.


    In ancient times, this should have been a canal used for irrigating farmland, now long dried up.


    The Earth God was stuck upside down in the ditch, with only a small tip protruding from the ground.


    Xu Hei hurriedly dug a hole to pull the Earth God out.


    Perhaps due to the infiltration of yin energy, the statue had turned black, and the smile on its face appeared sinister and eerie.


    "Is this it?" Xu Hei asked.


    "That''s right, this thing can''t be stored in a storage bag, so I had to bury it," Hei Huang replied.


    Xu Hei was speechless; discovering a place of inheritance and thinking first to use it to trick people was something only Hei Huang could do.


    "Why don''t you activate the inheritance?"


    "Why would I? I don''t care about this inheritance. A friend of mine can casually create hundreds of them," Hei Huang said disdainfully.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed. "You said it."


    He set the statue upright, climbed up, recalled the methods of Zhou Wendie and Xu Qingfeng, and flicked a drop of fresh blood, using the tip to touch the statue.


    "By the way, this place of inheritance has a time acceleration effect; one month outside is equivalent to a year of cultivation inside, and the spiritual qi is abundant," Xu Hei said softly.


    Hearing this, Hei Huang''s eyes lit up immediately, and he ran over, rubbing his paws with a sheepish grin. "Why didn''t you say so earlier!"


    "Didn''t you say you didn''t care?"


    "When did I say that? Don''t slander me!"


    "¡­"


    Xu Hei had nothing to say to this shameless dog.


    "Buzz!"


    In an instant, the statue emitted a powerful light.


    Xu Hei was prepared, taking out a corpse pill to support a true essence barrier.


    No matter how much true essence there was, as long as there was a trace, it wouldn''t be rejected. Xu Hei had discovered this rule, which served as a threshold for accepting the inheritance.


    Hei Huang reacted quickly, mimicking Xu Hei, and wasn''t repelled.


    As the halo spread, the Earth God''s stiff body came to life, his eyes gaining luster, just like the previous two activations.


    The Earth God scanned the surroundings, confusion flashing in his eyes, and a deep voice emerged: "Where is this?"


    "Uh¡­" Xu Hei paused and said, "This is the Earth Temple."


    "Yes, this is the Earth Temple."


    Hei Huang nodded while filling the hole beside him with dirt.


    The Earth God examined the surrounding environment, initially bewildered, then turning to anger. Especially upon seeing a deep pit of the same size as himself, though his face couldn''t show expressions, his eyes seemed to blaze with fury.


    Xu Hei felt a chill, sensing something ominous.


    "Hmph! This is outrageous, moving me out and burying me in the ground, what decorum is this!" the Earth God said angrily.


    Xu Hei remained silent.


    Hei Huang also stayed silent.


    The Earth God looked around at the environment, then at the large pit in the ditch, growing more and more furious: "Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable, you descendants are utterly disrespectful!"


    Xu Hei said nothing.


    Hei Huang was immediately displeased, glaring and pointing at the Earth God: "Old man, we found the place of inheritance according to the rules, hurry up and activate it, don''t be ungrateful!"


    Hearing this, Xu Hei''s face darkened.


    Damn it, if you want to die, don''t drag me into it!


    Xu Hei''s eyelids twitched, and he transmitted his voice: "Isn''t that a bit too much?"


    "Maybe."


    "You..." Xu Hei was speechless again.


    The Earth God was so angry his face turned blue. As one of the guardians of the Five Elements Inheritance, even though he only retained a trace of ancient divine thought and couldn''t take action, he wasn''t someone these juniors could bully.


    "Quickly send me back!" the Earth God demanded.


    Xu Hei looked troubled; the place was already exposed, and the Snake Catchers Sect might have sent people to seek revenge. How could he dare to return?


    At this moment, the Earth God gazed at Xu Hei for a while, then suddenly focused, exclaiming, "What is your relationship with that white snake?"


    "What?"


    Xu Hei was bewildered.


    He glanced at Hei Huang and found him equally perplexed.


    "You two just stumbled upon this, but that white snake is a truly perceptive creature. She could understand the meaning of the earth, but unfortunately, she wasn''t interested in the earth inheritance. Otherwise, she would have been the most suitable inheritor."


    The Earth God sighed deeply and continued, "That white snake mentioned that a black snake was more suitable than her, which must be you."


    Upon hearing this, Xu Hei realized that Xu Bai had also been here and encountered the Earth God, being the first to find the earth inheritance.


    Xu Bai carried many mysteries, always appearing in strange places.


    He took out the jade slip Xu Bai had left behind, looked at it, and put it away.


    "In that case, I can activate the inheritance space, but this place is not within the Earth Temple, deviating from the City Lord of Wuyou''s original intent. Don''t blame me if problems arise!" the Earth God said.


    "No problem!" Hei Huang spoke first.


    The Earth God looked at Xu Hei and asked, "Inheritor, Xu Hei, do you wish to activate the inheritance?"


    "Wait!"


    Xu Hei suddenly thought of something and stopped him.


    "Do you have something else?" the Earth God asked, puzzled.


    Xu Hei took out an ancient spirit-replenishing pill, broke the seal, and swallowed it in one gulp. Then he closed his eyes, using the pill''s abundant spiritual power to mobilize all the true qi in his body, concentrating it at his brow, and releasing it beside him.


    "External Incarnation!"


    With a thought, a shadow appeared beside Xu Hei, countless shadows overlapping, solidifying the ethereal image into an external incarnation.


    This journey would allow him to meditate for a year, giving him ample time to cultivate.


    But he couldn''t influence matters in the outside world, so he needed to leave some backup.


    This time, Xu Hei used all his true qi and half his blood essence, spending a day to condense an external incarnation with eighty percent of his original strength.


    After forming the incarnation, Xu Hei was completely exhausted.


    Seeing this, Hei Huang also formed a dog-shaped incarnation beside him.


    Xu Hei and his incarnation exchanged glances, nodded at each other, and said, "Activate!"


    "Alright!"


    The Earth God declared loudly, "Five Elements Inheritance, Breath Soil, activate!"


    As the words fell, the surrounding light distorted, space twisted, and time became chaotic. Xu Hei felt as if he were being drawn into an alternate space.


    The world spun, light and shadow intertwined, as if traversing the galaxy.


    Moments later.


    Xu Hei''s original form descended upon a barren land.


    Dust filled the sky, the earth was a dull yellow, and the air was thick with earth-element spiritual qi, dozens of times more than the outside world.


    Poplar trees, cacti, palms... various desert plants grew here, along with a pool of spiritual spring, adorning the landscape.


    He lost contact with his incarnation.


    sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 223: Inheritance Space, Encountering Xu Bai Again

    Chapter 223: Inheritance Space, Encountering Xu Bai AgainXu Hei gazed into the distance. Although the landscape had changed dramatically, he could still recognize it as the Earth Path.


    Despite being a desert and a wasteland, it retained vitality with towering cacti and scattered oases, making it an ideal place for seclusion.


    Hei Huang had already dived into one of the oases, devouring it madly.


    "A miraculous inheritance space," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    At that moment, a voice came from the sky.


    "One year here is equivalent to one month outside."


    "You have one year to prepare. After that, you will compete with others from the places of inheritance," the Earth God said before disappearing.


    Compete... Xu Hei wasn''t sure what kind of competition it would be. He only had two demonic beasts, while the Zhou Family and Chu Tian Alliance each had six people.


    Without overthinking, Xu Hei immediately entered an oasis, practicing breathing exercises to quickly restore his depleted True Qi.


    His external incarnation would lose contact if too far away and would act according to his original self''s style.


    The incarnation had eighty percent of his cultivation but lacked the Black Dragon Pagoda, Ji Ying, Blood God Armor, and various talismans and magical treasures.


    In reality, it had less than half of his original self''s combat power.


    His original self could contend with Core Formation stage opponents, while the incarnation could at most show off in the Foundation Establishment stage.


    However, Xu Hei still let the incarnation carry a magical treasure, the Soul-absorbing Flag. The snake spirit inside could self-destruct to temporarily hold off a Core Formation stage opponent, which was the incarnation''s biggest trump card.


    "One year... I wonder if I can break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage."


    "This journey offers great opportunities, but there''s been no time to digest them. Now is a perfect chance."


    Xu Hei took out ancient pills and placed them in front of him.


    The ancient pills from the corpse puppets, thousand-year spirit medicines, ten-thousand-year spirit medicines, and the wealth of Liu Chengfeng and Zhou Qing, all combined, amounted to a considerable fortune.


    As long as he utilized these pills, Xu Hei was confident he could reach a higher level.


    Such a great opportunity would be unimaginable for anyone, even the first Chosen of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, Bai Luo, wouldn''t have such good treatment.


    Xu Hei took out an ancient Essence Cultivation Pill, broke the seal, and swallowed it in one gulp.


    "Boom!!"


    The pill dissolved, and surging True Qi rushed through Xu Hei''s meridians and flesh.


    The biggest difference between ancient pills and modern ones was the quality of Spiritual Qi. Back then, everyone achieved perfect Foundation Establishment, so the pills were naturally tailored for that!


    When Xu Hei took ordinary pills, he couldn''t feel any fluctuation in his cultivation. Now, he immediately felt his cultivation rising.


    The effect lasted only a day before the medicinal power was exhausted.


    His cultivation increased by about one percent.


    "These ancient pills are good, but they''ve been stored too long, losing much of their potency. There are pros and cons," Xu Hei sighed inwardly.


    He took out another Essence Cultivation Pill and swallowed it, fully refining it.


    Any improvement was better than standing still.


    There were enough Essence Cultivation Pills for him to consume for two months.


    Additionally, there were Nine Yang Powder, Muscle-Easing Pills, Sky Blue Pills, and others to enhance various attributes, including body strengthening, marrow cleansing, bone refining, and mind sharpening, enough to transform Xu Hei''s physique!


    These ancient pills and thousand-year spirit medicines, if taken out casually, would cause a frenzy.


    Moreover, he had a pile of unopened mystery boxes that required a key, and he didn''t know what pills they might contain.


    Since entering the ruins, Xu Hei hadn''t had a moment''s peace, constantly fighting or on the way to a fight. Now, he finally had a chance for seclusion.


    ...


    Outside the inheritance space.


    Xu Hei''s external incarnation also sprang into action.


    The incarnation would act according to his original self''s will. His task was to find Xu Bai''s location and observe others'' movements.


    Xu Hei took out a jade slip, activated it with his divine sense, and sped towards the southeast.


    In the blink of an eye, five days had passed since the first inheritance opened.


    More and more people entered Wuyou City. Without the interference of corpse puppets, they conducted a thorough search, leaving no stone unturned.


    Along the way, Xu Hei discovered many unfamiliar teams.


    From their conversations, they seemed to be reinforcements invited by the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    This gave Xu Hei a sense of urgency.


    "The competition in a year... I don''t know the rules. If it''s a numbers game, I have no advantage," Xu Hei thought.


    ...


    At the edge of Wuyou City, in a botanical garden.


    In ancient times, this place had the most plants, but they all withered and disappeared.


    Today, plants emerged again, growing all sorts of rare herbs, lush greenery, and shrubs, teeming with precious spirit medicines, as if life had returned.


    The anomaly quickly attracted the attention of a group of rogue cultivators.


    As they approached, each one screamed in agony and never appeared again.


    A day later, two more people discovered the place.


    "Look, what''s that?!"


    "I remember there were no plants there. Why have so many grown?"


    These two cultivators were from the Four Sects Alliance. Faced with such a strange phenomenon, they didn''t approach rashly but reported it to their superiors.


    Just then, Xu Hei arrived.


    He looked at the dense forest in the distance and caught Xu Bai''s scent.


    "So Xu Bai is here?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed. He glanced at the two Foundation Establishment cultivators in the distance and stealthily approached, directly using the Mountain Embrace Seal.


    "Boom!!"


    The mountain crushed down, instantly turning the two into meat patties.


    After disposing of the evidence, Xu Hei entered the botanical garden.


    The plants here were bizarre, unlike anything he''d seen before. There were even human-like trees, which reminded Xu Hei of the Zhou Family''s second ancestor.


    "Is this all Xu Bai''s doing?" Xu Hei''s heart raced.


    The forest wasn''t large, but the plants were strange, some clearly possessing offensive capabilities.


    Relying on his incarnation, Xu Hei fearlessly charged in but encountered no attacks.


    Moments later, Xu Hei reached the core area.


    In the dense forest, he saw a white snake coiled around a jade-green cauldron, energy gathering within it, with an ancient pill floating inside.


    "This is..."


    Xu Hei immediately recognized it as an ancient Essence Cultivation Pill used for cultivation.


    As energy gathered, the ancient Essence Cultivation Pill slowly rotated, with each turn increasing its potency, and its shriveled form gradually restored.


    "Is Xu Bai repairing the pill?"


    The thought suddenly occurred to Xu Hei.


    After observing for a while, Xu Hei became more convinced of this idea.


    Ancient pills would dissipate if not consumed shortly after being taken out, but the scene before him defied that understanding.


    Xu Hei had many ancient pills. If he could restore these depleted pills to perfection, what an achievement that would be!


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and didn''t disturb the process, quietly watching from the side.


    An hour later.


    "Whoosh!"


    The Essence Cultivation Pill flew out, landing in front of Xu Hei, its fragrance rich and medicinal power potent, not only restored but now with a shelf life, no longer disintegrating at a touch.


    "For you," Xu Bai said with a gentle gaze and a smile.


    Xu Hei took the Essence Cultivation Pill and said, "How can I accept this?"


    Even as he spoke, he pocketed the pill. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Don''t ask where he learned that.

 Chapter 224: Surrounded by a great army, mirror of historical reflection

    Chapter 224: Surrounded by a great army, mirror of historical reflectionXu Bai didn''t mind at all. She glanced at Xu Hei and said, "Did you find the Earth Inheritance?"


    "That''s right, and I have you to thank for it."


    Xu Hei recounted the events that had transpired.


    At the same time, he was curious about how Xu Bai had gained the Earth God''s approval.


    Xu Bai couldn''t help but laugh, taking out a perfectly round pill. She said, "This is an Earth Spirit Pill. Once consumed, it can greatly enhance the purity of one''s Earth Spiritual Roots in a short time, increasing affinity with the earth. I used this pill to fool the Earth God."


    "..." Xu Hei was speechless.


    Fool? So the Earth God was tricked all along!


    He had genuinely thought Xu Bai had a stronger affinity for earth.


    "I knew you were suited for the Earth Inheritance. I was just worried someone else might take it, so I went ahead and fooled the Earth God," Xu Bai explained.


    Xu Hei suddenly understood.


    He couldn''t help but feel amazed. He used to think Xu Bai was just a kid obsessed with pill refining and causing trouble, with unreliable pills.


    Now, without realizing it, Xu Bai had grown to this extent.


    She was even paving the way for him, her senior.


    Alone with a serpent, she traveled from Wuyou City to the Blood Corpse Cave, then to the ancient medicine garden, and returned safely. Xu Bai had accomplished things many couldn''t even imagine.


    Xu Hei wanted to ask her about it, but considering it was her secret, he suppressed his curiosity.


    Everyone has secrets!


    If Xu Bai asked him about his secrets, Xu Hei wouldn''t easily divulge them either.


    Besides, Xu Hei already had some clues.


    He glanced at the small, emerald-green cauldron Xu Bai always carried with her, unsure of its origins.


    When Xu Hei observed it with his Divine Sense, the Demon God Cauldron within him reacted faintly.


    This was enough to suggest something.


    "This cauldron is probably a divine artifact second only to the Demon God Cauldron," Xu Hei speculated.


    Ever since Xuan Yangzi''s invasion and Xu Bai''s severe injury, this cauldron had appeared with her, possibly found beneath the Myriad Serpent Valley.


    Myriad Serpent Valley, where Dragon Qi resides, where destiny lies.


    This was her opportunity, and Xu Hei wouldn''t pry.


    It also explained why Xu Bai''s pill refining skills were so extraordinary.


    Just then, Xu Hei seemed to sense something, his gaze turning cold as he looked outside.


    Xu Bai also turned her attention outward.


    ...


    At this moment, a large group of people had arrived outside, surrounding the botanical garden.


    The group consisted of twenty people, similar in scale to Liu Chengfeng''s team, led by a Core Formation Stage elder with twenty Foundation Establishment cultivators following.


    "What a strange place. Could it be the Wood Inheritance?"


    The leading elder, known as Lie Yunzi, was naturally cautious. He had heard about Liu Chengfeng''s encounter with the Thirteenth Ancestor.


    For places suspected to be inheritance sites, he first suspected whether any demons were trying to trap them.


    He wouldn''t make the same mistake twice, especially not such a basic one.


    "Hmph! Whatever inheritance it is, let''s set it on fire first."


    Lie Yunzi, true to his fiery nature, conjured two fireballs in his palm, ready to throw them.


    "Elder, don''t! If it''s the Wood Inheritance, destroying it would be disastrous!" a Foundation Establishment cultivator urged anxiously.


    Lie Yunzi glanced at him, nodded slightly, and said, "Hmm, you have a point. Then you go in and take a look."


    He raised his hand, activating the Gravity Technique, and directly flung the cultivator inside.


    "Ah!!"


    The cultivator screamed as soon as he flew in, a vine piercing his chest, extracting his flesh and blood, turning him into a dried corpse.


    Everyone was horrified, hurriedly summoning various magical treasures.


    Lie Yunzi''s gaze turned cold as he said, "Indeed, it''s evil. Burn it!"


    He threw a fire serpent into the dense forest, setting the entire woodland ablaze. The others also hurled fireballs, continuously bombarding the area until the grass, strange trees, and spirit medicines were all reduced to ashes.


    Against the countering flames, no plant could survive. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ...


    At this moment, Xu Hei noticed the commotion outside. If his true body were here, he might have a chance, but his avatar had no good solutions.


    "This way!"


    Xu Bai put away the green cauldron and slipped into the trunk of a poplar tree, following its roots deep underground.


    Xu Hei followed her into the depths.


    Deep underground, Xu Hei discovered that the tree roots had long intertwined, extending thousands of feet below, branching out in countless directions, leading who knows how far.


    Following the roots, Xu Bai could travel freely.


    In the ancient relic, even the Earth Escape Technique couldn''t achieve such convenience!


    "Follow me!"


    Xu Bai''s body merged into a section of root, swiftly moving away.


    Xu Hei was silent for a moment before asking, "You don''t want the Wood Inheritance?"


    He knew Xu Bai had Wood Spiritual Roots and needed it the most.


    "I don''t want it. I can''t protect it anyway, so I''d rather go to the Earth Path," Xu Bai replied.


    This wasn''t reckless; it was a well-considered decision.


    After the first year of cultivation, there would be a second round of fierce competition. She didn''t believe she could withstand the next round alone.


    Sometimes, you have to let go!


    Whether it was the Four Sects Alliance, the Bai Family, the Heavenly Puppet Sect, or any other factions, she couldn''t contend with them.


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly and quickly followed.


    ...


    At this moment, the surface plants had gone berserk.


    Branches, vines, and flowers rose from the ground like monstrous creatures, charging at the crowd, carrying raging flames that burned ever fiercer, a final charge before death.


    Lie Yunzi struck with a palm, shattering a string of willow branches, then dashed toward the depths of the forest.


    He had a hunch that something was hiding underground, and whatever it was, capturing it would be a great opportunity!


    However, the plants here were too troublesome. Some charged up and self-destructed, others released toxins, and mushrooms even grew on his body, making it difficult for him to free his hands, forcing him to defend with all his might.


    But with the arrival of Lei He, all the plants turned to ashes under his palm.


    Lei He''s cold gaze swept over the ashen forest, saying nothing as he took out a mirror.


    The mirror of historical reflection.


    ...


    What happened next, Xu Hei didn''t know.


    After delving underground, he realized that Xu Bai''s escape abilities were exceptional.


    Using the trees'' rooting abilities, she could extend the roots thousands of feet outward. By entering a tree, she could instantly move to any location the roots reached.


    As long as the tree roots remained intact, she could escape at any time.


    In the relic where Divine Sense was limited, who could discern the situation underground?


    As long as Xu Bai didn''t act recklessly, no one could catch her.


    Before long, using the roots'' extension, they distanced themselves from the encirclement, easily evading the pursuit of the main group.


    Looking back, they could no longer sense any figures.


    Yet, for some reason, Xu Hei had a lingering feeling of being watched.


    His eyes flickered, and he made a decisive decision, saying to Xu Bai, "Xu Bai, let''s split up immediately. You head to the Earth God''s location; Hei Huang has opened the passage!"


    "I''ll go in another direction to draw the enemy away."

 Chapter 225: Seven Stars Lock the Dragon, Transform into Self-Detonation

    Chapter 225: Seven Stars Lock the Dragon, Transform into Self-DetonationThe Mirror of Historical Reflection, one of the five great treasures of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    By using the mirror, one can trace back events that have occurred, akin to a simplified version of Historical Projections, making it easier to track and uncover the truth.


    However, the Mirror of Historical Reflection was inherited from the ancient Divine Puppet Sect and, after numerous uses, has lost most of its spiritual essence, with only a few uses remaining.


    Yet at this moment, Lei He used it without hesitation.


    "Trace back!"


    A dim yellow light shone down, and a scene similar to Historical Projections appeared deep within the dense forest.


    In the core area, the outlines of two snakes appeared, only their shapes visible, very blurry.


    However, Lei He could immediately discern that one of them was the black snake they had been tirelessly pursuing.


    The events that had transpired before played out in reverse before their eyes. However, the green cauldron did not appear, and its location was a blank space.


    The two snakes slithered along the trunk of a poplar tree, burrowing underground and crawling outward along the roots.


    Lei He tracked them all the way, reaching ten thousand feet away, where he saw Xu Hei break away from the roots and swiftly head west.


    "This direction is..." Lei He squinted his eyes.


    The five elements'' directions are easy to identify, with metal in the west. Judging by the snake''s posture, it was clearly heading to cause trouble. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Courting death!"


    Lei He''s gaze turned icy as he pursued along the western route.


    For the inheritance of metal, the Heavenly Puppet Sect conducted a carpet search, leaving no corner unchecked. Although inefficient, they had essentially locked down the area and could complete the search in at most two days.


    At this time, no unexpected events were allowed!


    As for the other slightly smaller snake, he had no intention of letting it go either.


    With a thought, Lei He conjured an external incarnation beside him. In the rush, it had less than a tenth of his true cultivation. The incarnation stepped on a flying sword, chasing in the direction where Xu Bai had disappeared.


    He paid little attention to the small snake, focusing mainly on the black one!


    Simultaneously, Lei He took out a communication talisman and sent a message to everyone.


    "All units, listen up. The target is moving from the southeast to the west, passing through the Herb Garden District and the Southern Commercial District. Intercept immediately, at all costs!"


    Soon, all parties received the message.


    A vast net targeting Xu Hei unfolded within Wuyou City.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Before long, Xu Hei encountered a search team, but these cultivators failed to notice him.


    Over the next hour or so, Xu Hei encountered three groups. Only two people saw Xu Hei, but they did not act rashly. Instead, they quickly sent messages to their elders, reporting Xu Hei''s location.


    "There are more and more people in Wuyou City. The Heavenly Puppet Sect is really sparing no expense!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He wasn''t worried at all. After all, it was just an incarnation. The more people chasing him, the safer Xu Bai would be.


    In fact, he didn''t believe Xu Bai would be caught. Being able to navigate the ancient relics with ease, she couldn''t possibly have just these few tricks. He was merely being cautious, deliberately attracting others to capture him to cover for Xu Bai.


    As time passed, the crowd in the vicinity gradually increased.


    Basically, every stick of incense''s time, Xu Hei would spot a team.


    Yet without exception, whether Xu Hei was hiding too well or others were pretending not to see, no one dared to stop him.


    "The people the Heavenly Puppet Sect brought in, are they all this useless?" Xu Hei sneered inwardly.


    He was just an incarnation, but his reputation was well-known. No one would risk their life to attack him.


    But gradually, Xu Hei sensed something was off.


    When he noticed a team ahead and planned to change direction, he found another team on the other side.


    Each team had a Core Formation cultivator in charge, making it impossible for Xu Hei to charge through. He had to change direction again.


    However, there were people in the third direction too!


    "Strange."


    Xu Hei''s expression darkened as he changed direction once more, only to encounter another group shortly after!


    These teams didn''t act rashly, and they might not have even noticed Xu Hei, but their advancing directions all converged on Xu Hei, forming a faint encirclement.


    One, two, three... six...


    Xu Hei discovered six teams, blocking all areas around him.


    Six Core Formation cultivators¡ªXu Hei had never seen such a grand display. Was this a war? Just to besiege him?


    "So that''s it!"


    Xu Hei realized, no wonder no one acted before; they were preventing him from being alerted.


    Now, the encirclement was complete, and every direction was blocked. It was too late for him to escape.


    This tactic of surrounding from a distance was something Xu Hei had never seen before. Today, he was truly enlightened.


    The only escape route left was behind him, but Xu Hei didn''t need to try; Lei He must have occupied that place.


    At this moment, Lei He appeared ten thousand feet behind Xu Hei, raising his hand high toward the sky.


    Simultaneously, six Core Formation cultivators acted together, casting their seals.


    "Seven Star Dragon Lock Formation!"


    Everyone shouted in unison, their positions connected, true essence flowing through, forming a massive formation linked to the Big Dipper, named the Seven Star Dragon Lock, the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s strongest trapping formation!


    Xu Hei felt something amiss and immediately severed his divine sense, preparing to self-destruct!


    "Ding!"


    Suddenly, his body froze, completely immobilized as if time and space had locked him in place, even interrupting his self-destruction, his expression frozen, his thoughts halted.


    At this moment, Lei He flashed to Xu Hei''s side, grabbing the incarnation in his hand.


    "An external incarnation, huh, truly cunning!"


    Lei He snorted coldly.


    He had considered the possibility of capturing an incarnation.


    However, the incarnation and the true self''s divine sense were connected. With the right method, he could still use the incarnation to affect Xu Hei''s true body.


    At the very least, tracking was entirely feasible.


    Lei He pointed at Xu Hei''s forehead, sensing slightly, and discovered that Xu Hei''s true body was not in this space, unable to be sensed, likely having gone to the place of inheritance.


    His gaze turned cold as he took out a black jade slip.


    This black jade slip contained countless chaotic memories, all records of cultivators experiencing inner demons.


    By recording these memories into Xu Hei''s incarnation, even Xu Hei''s true self would suffer severe backlash!


    As a cultivator, whether human or demonic beast, some things are better left unknown. A pure and unblemished heart is conducive to cultivation.


    "You think sending an incarnation means I can''t deal with you? I''ll gift you these memories and see how you can peacefully cultivate!"


    Lei He flicked his finger, and the black jade slip transformed into a long rainbow, aiming to enter Xu Hei''s forehead.


    Suddenly, a piercing scream erupted nearby.


    "Ah!!!"


    In one corner of the Seven Star Dragon Lock Formation, a Core Formation cultivator''s back exploded with a bloody hole, falling backward as if struck by thunder.


    "Who??" Lei He''s expression changed drastically.


    In that instant, the Xu Hei in his hand broke free from the formation''s restraints, his body immediately swelling.


    With one corner of the Seven Star Dragon Lock Formation missing, the entire formation collapsed.


    With a thunderous explosion, Xu Hei''s body detonated, transforming into a violent gale, sweeping in all directions. The black jade slip was shattered, sending Lei He flying, scattering countless scales and burning talismans, which exploded among the distant crowd!


    "Boom boom boom boom boom..."


    A series of explosions echoed, countless low-level cultivators caught in the aftermath.

 Chapter 226: Qin Kingdom Military Strategist, Extreme Body Refinement

    Chapter 226: Qin Kingdom Military Strategist, Extreme Body RefinementThe injured Core Formation cultivator took a heavy blow and was then bombarded by a large number of talismans that exploded on his face, shattering his head and causing blood to gush out.


    The others, due to the formation being broken, spat blood one by one and were sent flying backward.


    Nearby Foundation Establishment cultivators suffered heavy casualties, their wails echoing continuously.


    In just a moment, the team that constructed the Seven Star Dragon Lock Formation collapsed completely.


    Though the formation was strong, it had significant drawbacks; it required seven people to activate simultaneously, and breaking one would cause the entire formation to fail. However, once trapped, no matter how great your divine abilities, you would be in a state of temporal and spatial lock.


    The cost and effect are always proportional.


    Lei He looked at the devastation around him, his face dark and gloomy.


    "Who did this?"


    He looked toward the direction from which the attack had come, his eyes filled with murderous intent.


    "I didn''t expect this serpent to have external support; it was indeed a miscalculation."


    A calm voice came from beside him. It was a middle-aged man in black, with a gentle and scholarly demeanor, his face like jade, exuding a scholarly aura.


    He was one of the seven who had formed the Seven Star Dragon Lock Formation.


    This man was none other than the famous strategist of the Qin Kingdom, Li Si.


    Originally from the Chu Kingdom, he later joined the Qin Kingdom. The Seven Star Dragon Lock Formation was his strategy to deal with Xu Hei, and even capturing an incarnation would cause significant damage.


    "This time we failed, but next time, this serpent will be even more cautious," Lei He said in a deep voice.


    "No matter! Sometimes, no matter how cautious you are, it¡¯s useless. Strength determines everything. Once the inheritance ends, I¡¯ll have my own way to deal with him!" Li Si said nonchalantly.


    On the surface, he spoke calmly, but internally he was quite heavy-hearted. As Lei He said, the cunning of this serpent far exceeded his expectations.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Taking advantage of the time Xu Hei was buying, Xu Bai smoothly arrived at the place where the Earth God had disappeared. A halo emanated from this spot, a passage created by Hei Huang.


    Xu Bai rushed in, and the halo closed, instantly teleporting her away.


    At this moment.


    In the place of inheritance, Xu Hei suddenly opened his eyes, panting heavily.


    Just now, he received fragmented images sent back after his incarnation''s death. Although disjointed, they allowed him to piece together the events.


    "What kind of formation was that, with such power that it completely immobilized me, preventing even self-destruction!" Xu Hei was shocked internally.


    He didn¡¯t know what the other party would do after capturing his incarnation, but it certainly wouldn¡¯t be anything good for his true self.


    Moreover, judging by the black jade slip the other party took out, they definitely had a special method targeting him.


    "I was careless, made two fatal mistakes on this trip!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He hadn¡¯t encountered any attacks and thought no one had discovered him, or that everyone was too afraid to act.


    Little did he know, the other party had set a trap, slowly tightening it until a thunderous strike! Not acting immediately was just to make him lower his guard.


    That was the first mistake!


    The second mistake was that after discovering the encirclement, he didn¡¯t choose to self-destruct immediately, thinking that as an external incarnation, he had nothing to fear and could take a few down with him before dying.


    The rest was history; if not for Hei Huang following, who knows what consequences he might have faced.


    Of course, the reason Xu Hei was so bold was also because the old dog was following behind.


    Making mistakes isn¡¯t scary; everyone makes mistakes.


    It¡¯s precisely these repeated mistakes that have allowed Xu Hei to grow to this point! Although he hasn¡¯t been cultivating for long, he has a strong learning ability and won¡¯t make the same mistake twice.


    "This Qin Kingdom general, Lei He, actually has such means?"


    "If he had this strategy, why didn¡¯t he use it earlier, and only now against me?"


    Xu Hei¡¯s eyes flickered, deep in thought.


    Considering the unfamiliar Core Formation faces that appeared later, Xu Hei strongly suspected that the Qin Kingdom had brought in another wave of reinforcements, with someone strategizing behind the scenes.


    Now, the situation was quite serious.


    He didn¡¯t know what the rules of the inheritance were, but Xu Hei¡¯s side, including Xu Bai, only had three people in total. If having more people was advantageous, he would be at a significant disadvantage.


    At this moment, a spatial fluctuation flashed ahead, and Xu Bai¡¯s figure appeared, landing in the sand.


    Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief.


    "This is your magical treasure!"


    Xu Bai tossed over a Soul-absorbing Flag, which Xu Hei caught.


    When they parted, he had entrusted the Soul-absorbing Flag to Xu Bai for safekeeping, while his incarnation was armed with talismans. Once his incarnation died, all the talismans would automatically fire.


    And the Soul-absorbing Flag, if Xu Bai encountered danger, all the snake spirits inside would rush out to self-destruct.


    It seemed she hadn¡¯t encountered any danger.


    "And here are your pills!"


    Xu Bai also brought over two bottles of repaired ancient Peiyuan Pills.


    Xu Hei accepted them without hesitation, then handed over his own ancient Peiyuan Pills to her for repair.


    This way, each bottle of pills could be utilized to the fullest.


    Of course, he only dared to consume the ones Xu Bai repaired. As for those she refined herself, he¡¯d let Hei Huang test them first.


    Xu Hei swallowed a Peiyuan Pill and began to refine it immediately.


    The purer medicinal power than before swept through Xu Hei¡¯s body, and he could clearly feel his cultivation steadily improving, his meridians filling, and the spiritual foundation within the Demon God Cauldron slowly growing.


    This time, the refinement lasted for three days before the medicinal power was fully absorbed.


    "Great! At this rate, the remaining Peiyuan Pills will be enough for half a year, which will definitely allow me to break through to the late Foundation Establishment stage, and perhaps even have some surplus," Xu Hei was overjoyed.


    The unexpected surprise Xu Bai brought filled Xu Hei with hope.


    As long as his cultivation could improve, he would have greater confidence in facing whatever came next.


    However, Xu Hei wouldn¡¯t get complacent too soon.


    While he was in seclusion cultivating, others were also in seclusion cultivating; everyone was progressing, Xu Hei just had slightly better resources than others.


    If possible, he would aim for the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Days passed one by one.


    Meanwhile, while Xu Hei was in seclusion. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Outside, in Wuyou City, the Heavenly Puppet Sect successfully found the last two places of inheritance for gold and wood.


    The gold inheritance naturally fell into Bai Luo¡¯s hands, as he was originally of the gold spiritual root, and the Heavenly Puppet Sect came for him.


    The wood inheritance, after a series of internal struggles, was claimed by Bai Qiushui of the Bai Family. The Bai Family sent numerous experts to guard it, and even the third-generation Ancestor came out of seclusion, forcing those who sought to seize it to retreat.


    Thus, the five great inheritances were concluded.


    Zhou Wendie, Bai Qiushui, Bai Luo, Xu Hei, Xu Qingfeng.


    The five forces each had their targets, aiming to enhance their strength as much as possible within this precious year.


    In terms of resource abundance, Xu Hei couldn¡¯t compete with the other four, but in terms of resource quality, he was undoubtedly the best.


    Many things couldn¡¯t be bought even in the outside world.


    Day after day, month after month.


    Three months later, Xu Hei¡¯s spiritual foundation had doubled, his cultivation reaching over fifty percent. He estimated that in another three months, he could attempt a breakthrough.


    This oasis was nearly drained by him.


    Xu Hei delved deep underground, passing through the sand layer, reaching the rock layer, and continued downward. The pressure increased with each step, and he encountered an area of extremely dense magma.


    Further down, there was a membrane.


    "This place is the boundary of the inheritance space," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Through observation, this inheritance space was roughly spherical, with limits in all directions.


    Xu Hei stopped at the edge of the magma area. The magma here was different from the outside, with pressure so absurdly high that it exceeded his limit.


    He took out the Nine Yang Powder, a body-tempering pill originally meant for application, and swallowed it whole.

 Chapter 227: Late Foundation Establishment stage, rapid progress

    Chapter 227: Late Foundation Establishment stage, rapid progress"Crackle!"


    Xu Hei''s skin felt like it was burning, his bones heating up and turning crimson, with wisps of smoke rising from his head.


    This kind of violent pill was meant for body tempering and needed to be diluted in water; no one dared to ingest it directly.


    However, Xu Hei was long accustomed to such levels of pain. Many demonic beasts swallowed spirit medicines whole, unlike humans who were so delicate.


    Under the immense external pressure, Xu Hei''s scales made cracking sounds, oozing blood, while the Nine Yang Powder burned inside. The combination of internal and external forces pushed Xu Hei''s physical endurance to its limit.


    Extreme body tempering¡ªXu Hei hadn''t done this since achieving Foundation Establishment.


    His current combat methods relied on magical treasures, spells, puppets, and talismans, rarely engaging in physical combat.


    But he couldn''t neglect the primal combat techniques of demonic beasts.


    Some methods he might not use, but he couldn''t be without them!


    After enduring for an hour, Xu Hei felt he was nearing his limit.


    "I''m about to reach my limit."


    Xu Hei steeled himself, took out a star-shaped leaf, consumed a corner, and abundant spiritual power surged through his body, healing his injuries at a visible rate. This thousand-year-old spirit medicine was indeed pure and effective, working instantly.


    In the following days, Xu Hei focused entirely on body tempering, using the star-shaped leaf to aid in healing.


    Such extravagant methods could only be carried out by Xu Hei.


    The earth-element Spiritual Qi underground was even denser, and as Xu Hei tempered his body, his cultivation level steadily rose.


    A month later, the star-shaped leaf was consumed entirely.


    A new section of dragon bone had formed at Xu Hei''s tail. Now, without the need for healing medicine, his body''s natural recovery could withstand the burning of the Nine Yang Powder.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time flew by.


    By the end of the seventh month, Xu Hei''s cultivation finally reached a bottleneck, achieving Great Perfection of the mid-stage Foundation Establishment.


    The dragon bone had extended by three sections, reaching the middle of his body.


    During this period, he consumed a hundred Major Essence Nurturing Pills, five thousand-year-old spirit medicines, and a significant portion of other ancient pills, reaching an extreme level of extravagance.


    On this day.


    Xu Hei arrived at the center of the inheritance space, planted formation flags nearby, and set up a Gathering Spirit Array, one of the basic nine arrays, enhancing the already dense earth-element Spiritual Qi to a new level.


    Ji Ying was nearby, panting as he consumed a corpse pill.


    The butcher was also brought out by Xu Hei, sitting cross-legged to the side.


    Along with the Soul-absorbing Flag and Black Dragon Pagoda, which Xu Hei placed nearby.


    "Breakthrough!"


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, took out a Major Essence Nurturing Pill with ten times the potency, and swallowed it whole.


    "Boom!!"


    The Demon God Cauldron spun rapidly, and the Major Essence Nurturing Pill was quickly absorbed and refined, transforming into a surging True Qi that rushed into Xu Hei''s meridians. This wave of Spiritual Qi was unprecedentedly intense, like a tsunami, wave after wave.


    In the past, Xu Hei would have spat blood, his skin cracking.


    But his tempered physical body easily withstood the impact of the Spiritual Qi, causing only slight pain. S§×ar?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmm, I can still endure more!"


    Xu Hei estimated in his heart, took out several more Major Essence Nurturing Pills, and consumed them until he finished an entire bottle, finally feeling he had reached his limit.


    At this moment, his body swelled, becoming like a balloon, reminiscent of when he first broke through to the mid-stage.


    He had heard of some prodigies who could establish their foundation at fifteen and form a core before thirty. Bai Luo, not even twenty, had already reached Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage, ready to form a core at any time.


    He wondered if his talent could compare to these people.


    His current resources were beyond what Bai Luo could enjoy.


    Xu Hei took out a three-thousand-year-old spirit medicine, a piece of earth spirit ginseng, and directly consumed a root.


    As the root entered his body, Xu Hei''s body swelled again, then slowly compressed, with the True Qi in the Demon God Cauldron compressing in sync.


    The Spiritual Qi in the inheritance space surged like a storm, flowing into Xu Hei''s body, while Ji Ying and the butcher also rapidly grew in the Spiritual Qi.


    This breakthrough lasted a week.


    Xu Hei''s spiritual foundation became threefold; previously, his True Qi was a trickle, now it was a vast river, incomparable to before.


    Late Foundation Establishment stage!


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, his powerful aura dispersing the dust, his bones crackling, and black True Qi like swimming dragons coursing inside and outside his body, his gaze flashing with thunder, exuding immense pressure.


    Even the dragon bone extended beyond half his body, spreading towards his upper abdomen.


    "Late Foundation Establishment stage, I wonder how much my strength has improved compared to half a year ago."


    Xu Hei moved around, flickering back and forth, with the sound of wind and thunder, lightning flashing, even the air exploding, leaving countless afterimages.


    Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, his speed was about twice as fast as before.


    He then tried activating the Black Dragon Pagoda, finding he could use it twice consecutively with ease.


    Next, he performed some earth-element spells, easily casting both Falling Stars and the third-tier spell Mountain Severing Abyss.


    Although Xu Hei was still at Foundation Establishment, in every aspect, he had the qualifications to compete with the Core Formation Stage.


    Third-tier spells, third-tier magical treasures, and third-tier talismans could all be used effortlessly, the amplification from perfect Foundation Establishment manifesting vividly at this moment.


    Moreover, Xu Hei hadn''t reached his limit and could continue to improve.


    The butcher had already condensed corpse pills, more than one, with seven or eight in his dantian, and new ones continuously forming.


    Ji Ying began to molt, seemingly undergoing a transformation.


    Xu Hei took out the blood-killing flying swords seized from Zhou Qing, a total of nine. With his current cultivation, he still couldn''t control the blood-killing sword formation, but refining one flying sword was possible.


    Additionally, Zhou Qing had left some spell jade slips, which he could study in his spare time.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time flew by, the sun and moon sped by, and in the blink of an eye, a year had passed.


    In the Water Inheritance space, deep underground.


    At the center of the ten-thousand-year ice, a woman who had been in seclusion for a long time slowly opened her eyes.


    The moment she opened her eyes, invisible ripples spread from them.


    At this moment, one of her eyes was golden, burning with flames. The other was azure, with snowflakes falling, an icy world.


    "Ice Soul Demon Eyes! Haha, truly a person of great fortune, losing a Scarlet Flame Demon Eye but gaining an Ice Soul Demon Eye, this woman''s fortune is extraordinary!"


    Tianji Shangren smiled brightly.


    A child of destiny would never be defeated by a minor setback but would use it to rise stronger!


    In the Water Inheritance, at the center of extreme cold, there was a Heart of Ancestral Ice, which she used to awaken a new eye.


    In the Five Elements Inheritance, each inheritance had a place of fortune, waiting to be discovered.


    And it wasn''t just a place for secluded cultivation.


    These opportunities were hidden deeply, almost impossible to find without great fortune.

 Chapter 228: The great earth and Breath Soil, where humans and nature are one

    Chapter 228: The great earth and Breath Soil, where humans and nature are oneZhou Wendie stood up, emerging from the thick layer of ice, her figure ethereal, like a person in a mirror.


    "Is it time?"


    Zhou Wendie''s voice remained indifferent, just like last year, but her eyes now brimmed with strong confidence.


    Now, losing one Scarlet Flame Demon Eye was not a bad thing, but rather a good one. If not for this, she wouldn''t have developed the Ice and Fire Dual Eyes.


    "There''s one last day."


    Zhou Qingxuan looked at the sky, a cold smile appearing on his face. The day of the Zhou Family''s rise is now.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Place of Earth Inheritance.


    On the last day, Xu Hei was still tempering his body in the deepest part of the underground magma.


    Currently, his cultivation was not yet perfect, but it was close. The dragon bone had reached seventy percent and had stopped growing.


    It seemed to have reached a bottleneck.


    Xu Hei wasn''t surprised by this. The further one progresses, the less effective conventional cultivation becomes, requiring insight!


    Just like the last piece of dragon scale, it needed a chance to comprehend! It couldn''t be forced!


    "It''s time to leave. It''s a pity that I can''t take this blue magma with me."


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly.


    At this moment, where he was, the magma was no longer red but blue.


    The blue area was small, but the temperature and pressure had reached astonishing levels. No one at the Foundation Establishment Stage could last a second, and even those at the Core Formation Stage needed to sustain a true essence shield to withstand it.


    This was the deepest center of the inheritance space, where the pressure was greatest.


    Xu Hei had only barely reached this place a month ago. After entering this blue magma, his strength grew at a terrifying speed, and even his Earth Spiritual Roots began to change. Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No one knew how much time had passed.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei closed his eyes.


    His heart and pulse beat slowly, and with each beat, the entire blue magma pulsated.


    This ripple of movement spread through Xu Hei, through the magma, through the rock layers, through the desert...


    The range of the ripple grew larger and larger until it encompassed the entire inheritance space.


    At this moment, Xu Hei seemed to enter a state of unity with heaven and earth. He didn''t need to extend his Divine Sense to sense everything within the inheritance space.


    Xu Bai was merging with a cactus, controlling it to walk.


    Hei Huang was making straw hats, crafting two identical ones.


    The butcher''s body was emitting over a dozen corpse pills.


    Ji Ying was staring at the butcher''s head, drooling.


    Xu Hei didn''t extend his Divine Sense, and his Divine Sense couldn''t possibly cover such a large range, but he could clearly see every detail.


    "What is happening to me?"


    A question arose in Xu Hei''s heart.


    At this moment, he had a feeling that he could influence any part of the space, any point, with just a casual move!


    This feeling had never occurred before, as if he was connected to this land.


    On this final day before leaving, Xu Hei entered a mysterious state.


    However, this feeling came quickly and left just as fast. In an instant, Xu Hei withdrew from the mystery, and his consciousness returned to himself from the entire land.


    "Hmm?"


    Suddenly, Hei Huang seemed to sense something and disappeared from his spot in an instant.


    The next moment, he appeared right in front of Xu Hei, first glancing at him in surprise, then turning his gaze to the mass of blue magma, his eyes nearly popping out.


    "This is... Breath Soil!"


    Hei Huang took a deep breath, his eyes burning with excitement, licking his lips.


    Seeing Hei Huang''s greedy look, Xu Hei knew it must be something extraordinary and quickly asked, "What is Breath Soil?"


    "It''s this blue magma. It can continuously provide earth-element Spiritual Qi. The Spiritual Qi of this entire space is provided by this Breath Soil, known as the source of spiritual veins."


    Hei Huang didn''t hold back, explaining enthusiastically, "Additionally, this thing can help you comprehend the realm of unity between earth and man, which was your state just now."


    "Unity between earth and man?"


    Xu Hei pondered.


    Hei Huang didn''t waste any more words and immediately took action, scratching with his dog paws, carving strange ripples like formation patterns.


    Breath Soil couldn''t be taken away by conventional means; what was taken would be waste material. It had to be done with formations, and it had to be an immortal pattern-level formation.


    Immortal patterns, even for Hei Huang, could only be partially arranged.


    "Hehe, with this corner of an immortal pattern, not to mention Breath Soil, even stars can be plucked down."


    Hei Huang finished his preparations and reached out to the front.


    Immediately, a chunk of blue magma was gone.


    And in Hei Huang''s dog paw, there was a small piece of blue stone, solid in form, no longer liquid.


    Then, Hei Huang continued to pluck, grabbing five or six thumb-sized pieces of Breath Soil.


    Suddenly, the space began to tremble, showing signs of instability, and Hei Huang quickly stopped, not daring to continue.


    "Damn it! That bastard City Lord even set a Restriction, afraid someone would steal it, how stingy!" Hei Huang cursed.


    "So, you plan to sneak back later and take it all for yourself?" Xu Hei sneered.


    "Hey! Am I that kind of person? Don''t look down on me with snake eyes!" Hei Huang retorted.


    You''re a dog... Xu Hei thought to himself.


    However, seeing Hei Huang''s anxious look, it seemed he really couldn''t pluck any more.


    Afterward, Hei Huang gave Xu Hei three pieces of Breath Soil, splitting it fifty-fifty, since this place was discovered by Xu Hei first.


    "Once I reach Core Formation, I''ll take all this Breath Soil without leaving a drop! At most half a year, I''ll definitely come back!" Hei Huang said indignantly.


    Just then, a familiar and powerful voice came from outside.


    "The time has come, all inheritors, exit immediately!"


    It was the voice of the City Lord of Wuyou.


    With the arrival of the voice, everyone in the five places of inheritance exited their closed-door cultivation state.


    Xu Hei also immediately emerged from the underground, coming to the surface, looking at the phantom in the sky.


    Hei Huang handed over two identical straw hats.


    These were Zhou Qing''s straw hats, somehow duplicated by Hei Huang.


    "These hats are for you. They can block Divine Sense. Although we are demonic beasts, we still need to act like normal people to avoid being targeted."


    Hei Huang put on a straw hat, donned a cloak, and wore a long knife at his waist, walking upright, transforming into a dwarf-like human form.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment, then took out the butcher, put on heavy armor, wore the straw hat, and entered the butcher''s body.


    Xu Bai took out a pill and swallowed it, her body immediately transforming into a woman, hiding her figure with the straw hat.


    "You..." Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    Hei Huang was also stunned.


    We went to such lengths to hide, and you just transformed into a human?


    Xu Bai covered her face and laughed, "This is a Transformation Pill. It can only transform into a human for a short time, just a little trick. Not only a human, but any form can be transformed."


    If it were just a trick, it would be easily seen through, but with the straw hat blocking Divine Sense, it naturally couldn''t be detected.


    "It can be done like this!" Xu Hei was astonished.


    At this moment, the phantom in the sky waved a hand, and an irresistible spatial fluctuation acted on their bodies, taking them away from this space.


    The scenery before their eyes changed rapidly, stars shifting.


    Moments later, they arrived at a massive pentagonal plaza.


    They were positioned in the east, with the ground beneath them engraved with the symbol of earth.


    In the other five-element positions, familiar figures appeared one after another.

 Chapter 229: Vicious dogs harm people, hitting cattle across the mountain

    Chapter 229: Vicious dogs harm people, hitting cattle across the mountainThe neighboring metal team consisted of six people, the most luxurious on paper, each one a prominent figure with a well-known name.


    Lei He, the strongest combat power, unparalleled in killing.


    Li Si, strategist of the Qin Kingdom, skilled in the art of talisman formations.


    Liu Chengfeng, the top alchemist of the Four Sects.


    Yin Mingzi, Grand Elder of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    Li Yuanhao, the number one body cultivator in the Qin Kingdom, with an invincible physical body.


    And the most talented Bai Luo.


    This team could be described as the most luxurious lineup. They could withstand and fight, with skills covering all angles, ready to face any upcoming challenges with ease.


    The wood team from the Bai Family was second only to the metal team, consisting of the best-selected talents from within the Bai Family, each with their strengths, also numbering six.


    In comparison, the water team from the Myriad Treasure Pavilion seemed a bit bleak.


    Zhou Wendie, Zhou Qingxuan, along with Tianji Shangren, and three rogue cultivators temporarily recruited.


    Although also six people, they were far behind the first two. If Zhou Qing were still around, it wouldn''t be so bleak.


    The fire team from the Chu Tian Alliance was even more unbearable.


    At least the Myriad Treasure Pavilion had members at the Core Formation Stage, while they only had Xu Qingfeng and Zhang Tie at Core Formation, and it was unclear if the others had broken through.


    As for the last one, the earth team led by Xu Hei.


    Uh... better not mention it.


    Three figures wearing bamboo hats, one tall and burly like a mountain, one slender like a woman, and one short like a dwarf.


    These three people, compared to the powerful lineups around them, were completely out of place, lacking any momentum.


    Or rather, they had no presence at all.


    "Is this the bunch that obtained the earth inheritance?"


    Many people had this thought in their minds.


    The metal team was right next to them, and everyone looked over.


    Liu Chengfeng''s gaze swept over the dwarf cultivator, and suddenly his pupils shrank, pointing at Hei Huang, "That''s right! It''s him, he''s that evil dog!"


    "This height, it must be him! Did he think wearing a bamboo hat would make me not recognize him?"


    Liu Chengfeng''s eyes were venomous, wishing he could eat his flesh and gnaw his bones.


    It was this dog that caused him to fall to this point. His brothers were gone, his Dao companion was body-snatched, all because of this dog!


    Even more hateful, the Thirteenth Ancestor kept saying Shen Qingzhu had an affair with Jiang Lang, spreading rumors. Although no one believed the madman''s words, it still caused some gossip.


    As a man, this was intolerable.


    "Oh? Even a turtle can speak, how rare!"


    Hei Huang hadn''t expected to be recognized as soon as he appeared and immediately retorted sarcastically.


    Hearing the word "turtle," Liu Chengfeng was instantly furious.


    "You dog, today I''ll personally slaughter you and stew black dog meat!"


    Liu Chengfeng drew a flying sword, pointed it forward, and stabbed towards Hei Huang.


    However, midway, the flying sword hit an invisible wall, shattering instantly into flying ash.


    Only then did everyone realize that there was a wall between each team, separating them.


    "Tsk tsk tsk! With this level, you want to make a move? Let me show you how it''s done! Woof!"


    Hei Huang sneered, lunging forward, biting into the void with his dog teeth.


    Originally, everyone was just watching for entertainment, but then a crisp sound of bones breaking echoed, shocking everyone.


    Immediately after, a scream like a pig being slaughtered rang out.


    "Ahhh!!!"


    Liu Chengfeng clutched his crotch, fell to the ground, his body curling up like a shrimp, his thigh bitten off, blood flowing everywhere.


    "What?"


    Everyone was horrified.


    This old dog could actually hit someone through the void?


    Clearly biting into the void, yet injuring someone from a distance! And no one sensed any spell fluctuations!


    "This is..." Xu Hei''s pupils shrank.


    Just now, he sensed a familiar feeling, that was the unity between earth and man.


    "Little Xu, did you see clearly? That''s the use of Breath Soil. Just one grain can put you in a state of unity between earth and man, hitting someone through the void," Hei Huang proudly transmitted. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "So, you just consumed a piece of Breath Soil to bite off that guy''s leg?" Xu Hei said speechlessly.


    "Don''t worry, I can go back to that place and get them all out, there''s no end to it," Hei Huang sneered.


    At this moment, in the metal team, everyone looked at the painfully howling Liu Chengfeng with somewhat unsightly expressions.


    Their team had the most luxurious lineup, exuding pressure as soon as they appeared.


    But in one encounter, they suffered a silent loss, bitten by a dog.


    Lei He''s face was gloomy. Whether Liu Chengfeng was injured didn''t matter, but losing face for their team was intolerable.


    "Courting death!"


    Lei He pointed forward, ripples flashed in the void, but when they reached the wall, the ripples dissipated instantly.


    Then, he tried various methods, launching a series of attacks on Hei Huang.


    But without exception, as long as the spells reached that wall, they would dissipate immediately, no matter the attack, it couldn''t harm Hei Huang.


    "Woof!"


    Hei Huang bit again, and with a "crack," Liu Chengfeng''s other leg broke, emitting a shrill wail, rolling on the ground in pain.


    Seeing this, Li Si immediately set up a formation to protect Liu Chengfeng.


    "Next time I''ll dye the hat green and send you one," Hei Huang taunted.


    Liu Chengfeng was so angry his face turned black.


    Seeing the attacks were ineffective, Li Si stepped forward, intending to use verbal attacks: "This dog fellow, if you have the ability, let''s have a direct confrontation, why resort to sneak attacks, that''s the act of a petty person!"


    "Who are you calling a dog!"


    Hei Huang immediately shouted.


    Li Si squinted his eyes, "Am I not speaking the truth?"


    "Crack!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Li Si felt a sharp pain in his leg.


    "Buzz buzz buzz..."


    The talismans on his leg activated one after another, but they had no defensive effect, as if the attack could penetrate all defenses, directly affecting the physical body.


    "Ugh!" Li Si''s leg also broke, his body bending down, clenching his teeth, sweat beading on his forehead.


    He tried to stand up with his true essence, but found he couldn''t muster any strength, which shocked him even more. What powerful dog teeth, no wonder Liu Chengfeng, a Core Formation cultivator, was rolling on the ground in pain.


    "Spit! People can''t spit out ivory, you''re the dog, your whole family is dogs!" Hei Huang cursed.


    He also cared about his face, and in front of so many people, it was time to establish his image, how could he be called such?


    In the past, it was whatever, but now, he wanted to make a name for himself.


    "I, Hei Huang, do not change my name or surname, remember it!"


    Hei Huang introduced himself proudly.


    "Behind me is Xu the Butcher, he has the broadest heart, can accommodate anyone, welcome all fated ones to join him."


    Hei Huang pointed to Xu Hei behind him.


    "Damn it, just draw the hatred to yourself, don''t drag me into it!" Xu Hei cursed, taking a few steps back.


    He was such a low-key snake, hated attracting attention, yet Hei Huang loved to show off, completely opposite to him.


    The hateful thing was, he showed off, but also dragged him along.


    "What are you afraid of, since we''re going to be targeted, might as well make it more intense!"


    Hei Huang laughed slyly, that annoying look, making people want to punch him.

 Chapter 230: Analyze the Formation, Disaster of Bloodlight

    Chapter 230: Analyze the Formation, Disaster of BloodlightXu Hei was speechless. This old dog exposed himself right from the start, dragging him along with it. What was the point of disguising now?


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect''s team was gnashing their teeth in hatred, while the others secretly took pleasure in their misfortune.


    Whether openly or in secret, everyone hoped others would start fighting, preferably to the death, so there would be fewer competitors.


    Hei Huang didn''t make any more cutting remarks. The Breath Soil had been used too much, and others were now on guard, making it hard to launch a surprise attack.


    Only by catching them off guard could they be truly defenseless.


    "Don''t panic. Let him be arrogant for a while. There will be plenty of chances to kill him later!" Lei He said coldly.


    Bai Luo''s expression was calm, like an ancient well without ripples, and he even felt like laughing inside.


    In the space of the Gold Inheritance, he had obtained a great opportunity that others would never have imagined. This place of inheritance was not just about cultivation.


    "These short-sighted fools only know how to fight over pride. In the end, the only winner will be me!" Bai Luo sneered.


    He wasn''t the only one with such thoughts.


    "Others are just support. Only being strong yourself is the hard truth."


    Zhou Wendie glanced over the luxurious lineup behind Bai Luo, a look of disdain flashing in her eyes.


    "This person is not to be provoked. I must hide myself well and not let anyone know I''ve obtained great fortune."


    Bai Qiushui''s eyes flickered as he decided to keep a low profile. He had no advantage against any side and could only bide his time.


    "Do your best and leave the rest to fate."


    Xu Qingfeng sighed inwardly, not caring about the final ranking. It was enough that their Chu Tian Alliance had come this far and gained such opportunities.


    "What should we do next? Why hasn''t the City Lord of Wuyou appeared yet?"


    Xu Hei stared at the center of the square.


    As he pondered, he saw the familiar phantom of a middle-aged scholar appear in the middle of the giant pentagonal square.


    Mo Wuyou looked the same as before, just a bit older, with white hair and beard, and deep eyes. Even though it was just a phantom, it felt as if a real person was present, exerting an invisible pressure.


    Everyone''s expressions turned serious, and they looked on with respect, bowing towards the front.


    "In the last round of the Five Elements Inheritance, besides accelerating cultivation, I left each of you with a great opportunity. I wonder if any of you have gained anything," Mo Wuyou said with a smile.


    Everyone remained silent, while secretly observing others to gauge their reactions.


    Bai Qiushui feigned surprise, looking bewildered, pretending to know nothing.


    Bai Luo stood with his hands behind his back, maintaining a calm demeanor, though a trace of arrogance flashed in his eyes.


    Zhou Wendie''s brows furrowed, seemingly not wanting Mo Wuyou to reveal anything.


    "No matter what you have gained or how much, I will treat you all equally."


    "The next round is the much-anticipated duel of skills!"


    Mo Wuyou waved his hand, and a ring-like light circle appeared in the center of the square.


    Within the circle, the environments of the five places of inheritance appeared.


    "A duel of skills?"


    Everyone''s eyes lit up, their minds racing with various thoughts. Some faces darkened, while others were overjoyed.


    Especially the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s team, whose eyes shone brightly, with Bai Luo''s smile almost visible on his face.


    When it came to a duel of skills, their team was practically invincible! In terms of cultivation strength, they were top-tier across the board. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just sending Lei He out would secure an unbeatable position. Why even fight? The opponents might as well surrender.


    "However, the duel of skills I''m referring to is not in the narrow sense, but encompasses various aspects. It can be alchemy, talisman crafting, comprehension, debate, or even a game of chess. All can be a duel of skills."


    "In my Wuyou City, cultivation is just the threshold and cannot decide everything!"


    Mo Wuyou said slowly.


    "Just as expected."


    Xu Qingfeng''s eyes brightened, as if he had anticipated this.


    If it were just a contest of strength, no one would be a match for the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Upon hearing this, Bai Luo and the others remained calm. Regardless of the aspect of the contest, they were top-notch and feared no opponent.


    Lei He cupped his fists and asked, "Senior, what are the specific rules?"


    "The rules are based on a points system."


    "Next is the first round, formation analysis!"


    As Mo Wuyou spoke, he waved his hand, and a massive formation was revealed within the light circle.


    Everyone immediately focused their attention.


    The formation looked like a killing formation, yet not quite, as if it was a combination of multiple formations, extremely complex and difficult to discern at a glance.


    Xu Hei observed for a few seconds, and his pupils shrank.


    "This formation is... such a coincidence?"


    Xu Hei was shocked internally. This formation was very familiar to him; it was the nine-square grid killing formation from the second level inside the pyramid!


    However, the formation before him combined nine formations, increasing the difficulty by more than tenfold.


    Mo Wuyou said, "This formation is called the Nine-Square Grid Killing Formation, which I obtained during my travels in the Western regions. You are required to perfectly decipher this formation without using brute force, within three days."


    "The first to decipher it will be awarded three points; the second, one point; the third, zero points."


    "Those beyond the third place, or those who fail to analyze it, will lose one point."


    "Each of your five teams starts with ten points. You have the time of a stick of incense to consider and decide whether to participate!"


    As Mo Wuyou''s words spread, everyone fell into contemplation.


    The five teams began discussing strategies internally.


    "Formation? Leave it to me, Li Si. First place is in the bag."


    Li Si''s eyes were filled with strong confidence.


    "My only rival is that old man Tianji. He seems to have some real skills, but I have more than a seventy percent chance." Li Si looked towards the Zhou Family''s team in the distance.


    The Chu Tian Alliance also deliberated on who to send out and finally made a decision.


    The Bai Family discussed for a long time and decided to forgo participation. They weren''t confident of securing the top two spots, and taking the last three would be meaningless, even resulting in point deductions.


    Hei Huang stared at the formation for a moment and muttered, "This formation seems complex, but it''s not simple at all."


    "What are you even saying?" Xu Hei was baffled.


    "Would you really need me, the emperor, to handle such a low-level thing? You can manage it yourself, right?" Hei Huang laughed.


    At this moment, Liu Chengfeng from the neighboring team was staring intently at him, as if ready to retaliate the moment Hei Huang made a move.


    Xu Hei also noticed this and said, "Alright, I''ll do it!"


    Finally, the participants were confirmed.


    Mo Wuyou waved his hand, extracting four figures and sending them into the light circle in the center.


    They were Xu Hei, Li Si, Tianji Shangren, and... Zhao Wenzhuo.


    Three men and a snake, each facing a formation, and the timer began.


    Li Si only observed for a few seconds before starting to decipher it. He cast one spell after another into the air, precisely hitting the correct spots. Although the speed was slow, it was effective.


    The first layer of the formation was being deciphered.


    "So fast! We''ve got this in the bag!" Lei He laughed.


    Xu Hei also saw the structure of the formation but didn''t rush to act, pretending to be deep in thought.


    Tianji Shangren only glanced at it and already had the answer in his mind, sneering inwardly before beginning his actions.


    But just then.


    Suddenly, a cold voice emerged from the side.


    "Old Taoist, I see your forehead is dark, and your complexion is dull. You are in for a bloody disaster today!"


    Zhao Wenzhuo held a tortoiseshell, looking at him calmly, murmuring.


    Tianji Shangren paused, turned to look at the tortoiseshell in Zhao Wenzhuo''s hand, and squinted his eyes, frowning, "Are you talking to me?"


    "Yes, you! You''re in for a bloody disaster!"


    Zhao Wenzhuo emphasized, continuing.


    Tianji Shangren had never heard such words in his life. After being stunned for a moment, he felt a nameless anger rising within him.


    Then, he calculated with his fingers, a slight smile on his lips, and sneered, "Kid, you''re young and already learning to tell fortunes. I, the poor Taoist, foresee a bloody disaster for you. Do you believe it?"


    "No! It''s you who will face a bloody disaster!" Zhao Wenzhuo replied.


    "You will!"


    "You will!"


    The two began arguing back and forth, completely setting aside the formation analysis.

 Chapter 231: Mutual attack, causal transformation

    Chapter 231: Mutual attack, causal transformationTianji Shangren was amused to the point of laughter; it was the first time he encountered someone trying to tell his fortune, and it was a mere child at that.


    The thing he avoided most in his life was having his fate calculated. He never did it himself and would never let others do it. This little brat had successfully piqued his interest.


    "Heh, what a fool," Li Si sneered inwardly as he observed the scene.


    He was well aware that Zhao Wenzhuo was a pawn they had placed within the Chu Tian Alliance, their number one pawn.


    This young man, given his age, couldn''t possibly have any profound understanding of formations. Whether he could even unravel a formation was questionable. Zhao Wenzhuo''s sole purpose in participating was to mess with their minds, to first eliminate Tianji Shangren, their rival, so he could easily claim the top spot.


    Seeing through the opponent''s plan, Li Si felt reassured. With one less competitor, the first place was within easy reach.


    As for Xu the Butcher, he naturally ignored him, thinking, "A snake, what does he know about formations?"


    Tianji Shangren stared at Zhao Wenzhuo for a long time before slowly saying, "I see water and fire clashing in you, a fate marked by disaster. I fear you were born into misfortune, bringing bad luck to anyone around you!"


    These words hit Zhao Wenzhuo''s sore spot.


    His eyes narrowed, but he maintained a cool tone, "You harbor fire in your fate, hiding malicious intent. Anyone you fixate on is bound to suffer great misfortune!"


    Upon hearing this, Tianji Shangren''s eyes narrowed to slits, but soon he sneered, "Young man, some words shouldn''t be spoken carelessly."


    "Why are they arguing?" Xu Hei was taken aback.


    The two kept cursing each other, exposing each other''s weaknesses, seemingly intent on mutual destruction. Were they both suffering from some sort of ailment?


    In the blink of an eye, Li Si was about to unravel the first layer.


    Tianji Shangren smirked, pulling out a paper figure, and with a flick of his finger, he began inscribing lines into it.


    "You can eat recklessly, but you can''t speak recklessly. Today, I''ll teach you a lesson!"


    As Tianji Shangren inscribed, the paper figure became lifelike, gradually transforming into the likeness of a young man, bearing some resemblance to Zhao Wenzhuo.


    Zhao Wenzhuo''s eyes flickered, and he cupped his hands toward Mo Wuyou, "Senior, may I ask if we can make a move here?"


    "You are only allowed to act on the formations, not attack each other," Mo Wuyou replied calmly.


    Zhao Wenzhuo nodded, forming hand seals toward the formation, but it seemed more like he was adding something rather than analyzing it.


    "Trying to make a move against me, truly reckless!" Tianji Shangren almost laughed out loud, his hands moving even faster, as the paper figure grew hair and bones, becoming increasingly lifelike.


    Xu Hei was about to start analyzing when he suddenly paused.


    "No attacking each other?"


    Xu Hei frowned.


    Would Zhao Wenzhuo''s words count as verbal attacks? Was Tianji Shangren''s paper figure also a form of attack?


    Mo Wuyou, if he truly wanted to prevent interference, could have locked them in separate rooms. Why let them sit face to face in the open?


    It was clear he tacitly allowed them to attack each other!


    Xu Hei realized this belatedly. Originally planning to immediately analyze the formation, he hesitated.


    If he could see this, had the other three also noticed?


    Was Li Si, who seemed to be unraveling the formation, also up to something behind the scenes?


    The only thing not to worry about was external interference; this place was isolated from the outside, and any changes would occur internally.


    "I''ve long memorized these nine formations. It''s not enough to merge them; I must thoroughly understand them first."


    Xu Hei didn''t act immediately but instead sent his Divine Sense into the formation, studying every detail meticulously.


    It''s like analyzing a lock; you can open it, but you can''t understand its mechanism.


    At this moment, Xu Hei was studying the mechanism.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time ticked by.


    Unknowingly, most of the first day had passed.


    Li Si had already unraveled six formations, but the difficulty of the last three increased exponentially, ten times harder than before, and the time spent was incomparable.


    An ice thunder killing formation alone took as much time as all the previous ones combined to complete.


    After finishing the paper figure, Tianji Shangren put it away, muttering incantations under his breath, the purpose unknown.


    Zhao Wenzhuo sat cross-legged before the formation, his formation different from before, but the difference was indiscernible.


    Xu Hei sat motionless with his eyes closed, like a piece of wood.


    "One in a daze, two attacking each other, like a child''s play, ridiculous," Li Si scoffed, having initially thought he needed to guard against Xu Hei, but it seemed unnecessary.


    At this moment, Xu Hei opened his eyes, a gleam flashing through them.


    Just now, he had completely understood the merging of the nine formations, able to see through any detail with his eyes closed.


    If he were to analyze now, he could unravel the formation in no time, easily claiming first place.


    However, Xu Hei didn''t plan to do that; he wanted to see what tricks the other three were up to.


    He strongly suspected that the key to this round wasn''t in unraveling the formation at all.


    He didn''t know Mo Wuyou''s intentions, but it certainly wasn''t something as superficial as solving a formation.


    "What is Mo Wuyou thinking?" Xu Hei looked at the unmoving silhouette.


    "Fire Poison Killing Formation, complete..." As Xu Hei pondered, Li Si unraveled another formation, leaving only the final one.


    This was the most complex Five Elements Killing Formation.


    From the progress, he was far ahead of the others, with first place almost guaranteed.


    Xu Hei couldn''t wait any longer; he didn''t know how long it would take the opponent to unravel the final formation. What if it went wrong?


    "No, I must start now. If Li Si is holding back and suddenly speeds up, catching me off guard, it would be troublesome!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Such suspicion wasn''t unfounded; Li Si had clearly slowed down intentionally toward the end.


    As soon as the last formation began to be analyzed, it accelerated, indicating prior rehearsal. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei immediately approached the formation, intending to unravel it as quickly as possible.


    And just then.


    Zhao Wenzhuo suddenly pointed at the formation, releasing a burst of flame toward Tianji Shangren''s face, a fiery array from within the formation.


    "Foolish!" Tianji Shangren sneered, seemingly prepared, waving his sleeve to reveal a Bagua pattern that dissipated the flame.


    Then, Zhao Wenzhuo continued to activate the formation, launching all attacks toward Tianji Shangren.


    Tianji Shangren casually waved his sleeve, easily neutralizing these simple attacks.


    "Is this all you have to cause me harm? Not enough!" Tianji Shangren sneered, taking out the completed paper figure and pointing at it.


    Li Si looked over curiously.


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed as he saw the paper figure''s appearance change, initially resembling Zhao Wenzhuo, but suddenly twisting into Li Si''s likeness.


    "Not good!" Li Si''s face changed drastically.


    "Karma Transfer!"


    Tianji Shangren pointed at the paper figure, which quickly burned to ashes, an invisible karma linking the two formations.


    Attacking the person was forbidden, but attacking the formation wasn''t.


    The formation in front of Li Si, just one step from completion, was instantly swapped and transferred to Tianji Shangren.


    Meanwhile, Tianji Shangren''s new formation was transferred to Li Si.


    The two had swapped!


    Tianji Shangren had directly stolen the completed solution from his opponent.


    Did you think he was doing nothing before, just wasting time arguing? How naive and laughable.

 Chapter 232: Heaven and hell, a reversal of extremes

    Chapter 232: Heaven and hell, a reversal of extremesThe sudden reversal left Xu Hei utterly astonished.


    "Good thing I didn''t rush to break the formation. If it had been stolen from me, all my efforts would have been in vain."


    Xu Hei was relieved that he had kept his composure.


    Meanwhile, the situation on Zhao Wenzhuo''s side was also becoming clear.


    He had just added a brand new formation on top of the nine formations¡ªa phantom formation!


    This formation could create various illusions to confuse opponents. His earlier attacks on Tianji Shangren were all fake!


    Tianji Shangren saw through those illusory attacks at a glance but still assumed a defensive posture, merely to mislead others and conceal his true intentions. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the end, he succeeded.


    He stole Li Si''s achievements, jumping straight to the first place!


    At the same time, Zhao Wenzhuo''s real progress was revealed¡ªhe was also deciphering the final formation, almost on par with Tianji Shangren.


    He had been deciphering formations all along, just hidden by the phantom formation, making everyone mistakenly believe he was standing still.


    The entire venue was in an uproar.


    "Zhao Wenzhuo''s talent in formations is terrifying; he''s already at the last formation! Even more terrifying, he knows how to hide it!"


    "This guy is no simple character; everyone in the Chu Tian Alliance is a freak!"


    "We''ve all been played!"


    The audience outside could see the situation within the light circle, and their eyes were about to pop out.


    The Bai Family members were very glad they hadn''t gotten involved. Damn, these people were all devious tricksters; if they had sent someone in, they would have been at the bottom for sure!


    This was no longer just a test of formation skills; it was also a test of cunning.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect instantly fell from heaven to hell, dropping from first place to last, tied with Xu Hei.


    "What the hell!"


    "Isn''t Zhao Wenzhuo one of us?"


    Voices of confusion erupted within the Heavenly Puppet Sect. Bai Luo was puzzled, while Lei He remained silent.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and calmed himself.


    Those two guys had been arguing all along; he thought it was just a petty squabble, but he had underestimated them.


    Now, things were getting interesting.


    "The battle has just begun!"


    Xu Hei controlled the butcher, his hands moving frantically, casting spells into the formation at a speed that created afterimages.


    In one breath, the first formation was broken!


    In two breaths, the second formation was broken!


    The third formation was broken!


    Initially, only Xu Hei''s hands were moving, but soon, multiple arms appeared, casting spells simultaneously, countless afterimages in motion.


    To speed up, Xu Hei applied the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique to his arms.


    Others couldn''t keep up with their brains; Xu Hei simply couldn''t keep up with his hands.


    Li Si intended to catch up, having spent the whole day deciphering formations. With his previous experience, he shouldn''t have been in last place.


    At the very least, he could hold his ground and avoid losing points.


    But when he saw Xu Hei''s actions next to him, he was dumbfounded.


    "How is this possible?!"


    What did Li Si see?


    In just the blink of an eye, Xu Hei had already reached the last three challenging formations.


    And he had just started, at least ten times slower.


    He had deciphered them once before, so he should have been much more proficient. How could Xu Hei, who was doing it for the first time, be so terrifying?


    "Impossible, this is impossible! How could I be at the bottom?"


    Li Si panicked, losing his usual calm demeanor.


    As the strategist of the Qin Kingdom, undefeated in war, this was the first time he had been so stumped.


    He had been outsmarted by those two devious tricksters and the snake beside him; they were all pretending, every single one of them!


    Each one was more extraordinary than the last, yet each one was better at pretending. And he, the honest person, was just obediently deciphering formations?


    At this moment, the outside world was once again in an uproar, even more shocking than what Zhao Wenzhuo had brought.


    Everyone doubted their eyes.


    Xu the Butcher, with dozens of arms simultaneously breaking formations, what a joke? He was just a snake, a snake! Only now did they realize Xu Hei had been severely underestimated.


    "The seventh formation, the eighth formation!"


    In the blink of an eye, these extremely complex two formations were also effortlessly broken by Xu Hei.


    Now, he arrived at the final formation, the Five Elements Killing Formation.


    Xu Hei, Zhao Wenzhuo, and Tianji Shangren stood on the same starting line.


    The original first place, Li Si, had turned into a laughingstock, as ridiculous as could be.


    "Hehe, things are getting interesting," Mo Wuyou chuckled.


    Li Si''s eyes flickered, stopping his actions, a trace of malice flashing in his eyes.


    In the final formation, the three were incredibly fast, but upon closer comparison, they found Xu Hei was more than ten times faster than them.


    "Hmm?"


    Tianji Shangren squinted his eyes, unconsciously speeding up.


    Zhao Wenzhuo''s face darkened, also speeding up, abandoning any tricks; now, it was all about raw strength.


    Xu Hei remained unhurried, and in the blink of an eye, he had deciphered over ninety percent, just one step away.


    "The outcome is decided."


    Mo Wuyou had already made his calculations.


    Li Si stared at the formation before him, a fierce glint in his eyes, about to make a move when he suddenly felt a cold gaze.


    He withdrew his hand involuntarily.


    Moments later¡ª


    "Success!"


    The formation in front of Xu Hei was completely deciphered, vanishing instantly.


    Immediately after, Zhao Wenzhuo and Tianji Shangren almost simultaneously completed their deciphering, not a second apart.


    Li Si, unwilling as he was, had to accept being at the bottom and chose to give up.


    "Alright! The first round is over. The Earth Team takes first place, earning three points, now with thirteen points."


    "The Water Team and Fire Team tie for second, each earning one point, now with eleven points."


    "The Metal Team is fourth, losing one point, now with nine points."


    Mo Wuyou waved his hand, and the four turned into rainbows, automatically flying back to their team locations.


    Li Si returned to his spot, and no one blamed him. Bai Luo consoled him, "A temporary setback is no big deal; the road ahead is long."


    Li Si took a deep breath, nodded, and regained his usual calm demeanor.


    "Indeed, we have the advantage."


    Li Si thought of his arrangements, regaining his confidence, though his fists clenched tightly, eyes filled with killing intent.


    When Tianji Shangren returned, the Zhou Family welcomed him with the utmost enthusiasm.


    Tianji Shangren, however, was not in the mood, waving them off, "Second place, the biggest loser, nothing worth celebrating."


    But the Zhou Family didn''t see it that way.


    Their only opponent was the Heavenly Puppet Sect; as long as they pulled them down, it was a success.


    As for the team composed of those three beasts, they didn''t even consider them a threat, believing they would be surpassed sooner or later.


    Tianji Shangren sat cross-legged, his gaze fixed on Xu Hei in the distance, eyes heavy, muttering, "That snake must have seen the Nine Palaces Formation before, otherwise, he couldn''t be this fast! Waiting for me to steal before making a move, perfectly avoiding it, his luck is extraordinary!"


    He glanced at Zhou Wendie, muttering, "I hope I didn''t choose wrong."


    Xu Hei felt a chill in his heart, sensing the gaze from afar.


    Xu Hei''s mind raced, thinking to himself, "I drew too much attention just now; I''ll be targeted. I need to control my score."

 Chapter 233: Abandon the sword, harvest fallen iron

    Chapter 233: Abandon the sword, harvest fallen ironAt the last moment, Xu Hei surpassed everyone in just a few breaths and took first place, causing quite a stir.


    With a total of five teams, if one team pulls ahead, they are sure to be targeted by the others.


    "The nail that sticks out gets hammered down. Xu Hei has never liked being in the spotlight; he''d rather settle for a middle ranking."


    "Heh, what kind of nonsense is this, trying to be a strategist? With skills like that, you might as well put a dog''s head on your face and be a dog-headed strategist," Hei Huang couldn''t resist mocking the neighboring team.


    Li Si was fuming, but remembering the opponent''s sharp teeth and the dull ache in his thigh, he knew he couldn''t gain any advantage. He snorted coldly and ignored them.


    "Say what you will, but once this is over, none of you will escape!" Li Si''s eyes were venomous.


    Lei He and Bai Luo seemed confident, not at all worried about the unfavorable start.


    "The second round, sword forging!"


    Mo Wuyou laid out a pile of oddly shaped metal materials on the ground.


    Everyone quickly gathered to look.


    The pile consisted of irregularly shaped stones, entirely pitch black with a hint of deep purple, twinkling with starlight, as if infused with some strange energy.


    "Is this meteorite iron from beyond the heavens?"


    Hei Huang''s eyes narrowed with greed.


    "Explain," Xu Hei asked.


    "Heavenly meteorite iron, as the name suggests, is stone that falls from the sky. The materials are bizarre, but all contain the power of the stars. If refined properly, even trash can become treasure. The key lies in that trace of star power."


    Hei Huang rubbed his paws together, looking somewhat excited.


    Mo Wuyou''s voice spread out: "Forge a sword! Within the limited seven days, use these materials to forge a flying sword. The ranking will be based on the quality of the sword, following the same rules as the first round."


    "You have the time of a stick of incense to prepare."


    Immediately, all the teams gathered to discuss their next steps.


    Xu Hei frowned and asked, "Are you going to participate in this round?"


    "Aren''t you trying to control the score? If I participate, there won''t be any suspense," Hei Huang replied.


    Xu Hei was taken aback. It was surprising that Hei Huang would support him in controlling the score.


    Wasn''t this old dog usually very high-profile?


    "Wait, if you do this..."


    Hei Huang crawled over and whispered something to Xu Hei, leaving him dumbfounded.


    After a stick of incense, each team had chosen their participant.


    With a wave of Mo Wuyou''s hand, everyone was drawn into the circle of light.


    This time, all five teams chose to participate.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect sent their strongest, Lei He, while the Bai Family sent their top sword cultivator, Bai Que.


    The Myriad Treasure Pavilion brought out Han Te, a master swordsmith with flying swords all over his body.


    "Pay me more, you must pay me more!" Han Te had planned to be lazy, but ended up having to take the stage himself, which made him very unhappy, feeling like he had lost hundreds of thousands.


    The Chu Tian Alliance sent Zhang Tie, and Xu Hei represented his own side.


    In the center of the five participants lay a large pile of irregular heavenly meteorite iron. They looked similar in appearance, but the materials were surely different.


    This was also a test of one''s discernment!


    Stones falling from the sky couldn''t all be the same; the materials could vary greatly. The only commonality was that they all contained star power.


    "Choose the right material and forge the strongest sword. Remember, each person can only choose one piece, and once chosen, there''s no going back."


    "In this round, interference with others is prohibited. Violators will be expelled!" Mo Wuyou announced.


    Everyone understood.


    While interference was prohibited, there were no barriers between them. In essence, it was still up to each person''s ability to maneuver within the rules. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The four of them focused ahead, their divine senses scanning each piece of meteorite iron, hesitant to decide. Since they could only take one piece and couldn''t change their minds, they had to choose carefully.


    But if they took too long, someone else might snatch the piece they wanted.


    Zhang Tie only observed for a few breaths before stepping forward to grab a millstone-sized piece of meteorite iron.


    Then, one by one, others went up to choose their desired materials.


    Xu Hei approached the largest piece of meteorite iron, which stood five meters tall, like a massive meteorite. The butcher''s arms wrapped around the giant stone, trying to lift it, but couldn''t move it.


    He controlled the butcher, using all his strength and even channeling black True Qi, barely managing to lift it.


    "What is he thinking?"


    Zhang Tie didn''t quite understand.


    Taking such a large piece, how long would it take to refine? The time limit was only a week!


    Moreover, the quality of the flying sword wasn''t solely dependent on the material''s value; it had to suit the user.


    Lei He showed a disdainful expression; no tricks would work in this round.


    "So heavy! With this weight, it must contain top-grade materials!" Xu Hei was thrilled and directly stored the meteorite iron in his storage bag.


    Then he said to Mo Wuyou, "I forfeit."


    "What?"


    The crowd was in an uproar.


    Even the confident Lei He was stunned, clearly not expecting this development.


    A brief silence fell over the surroundings.


    "Forfeit?" Mo Wuyou looked at him for a while and asked, "Are you sure?"


    "Yes, I forfeit. I''m no match for these people; I just wanted to grab a piece of material and leave," Xu Hei answered honestly.


    This left everyone speechless.


    No wonder Xu Hei chose the largest piece; he planned to grab it and run, not aiming for any ranking.


    You have to admit, this move was quite practical. No one would have thought of this, as only a weirdo like Xu Hei would think of controlling the score, while others didn''t have this awareness at all.


    "Alright, the Earth Team loses one point, leaving twelve."


    With a wave of Mo Wuyou''s hand, Xu Hei was directly sent flying out, back to the outside of the circle of light.


    Meanwhile, the others sat in their respective positions, calming their minds and observing their materials.


    "Forfeiting is also a wise choice, at least he knows his limits!" Liu Chengfeng sneered inwardly.


    "A team of three demonic beasts winning once is just good luck; losing consistently is more reasonable," Yin Mingzi nodded in agreement.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Quick, take it out and let''s see!" Hei Huang said excitedly.


    Xu Hei took out the five-meter-diameter meteorite iron, entirely dark with a purple glow, the largest in size, and almost too heavy for him to move, showing how dense it was.


    Hei Huang sniffed it with his nose, tapped it with his paw, and praised, "If I''m not mistaken, it should contain about ten percent star purple gold, five percent Tianxuan divine sand, twenty percent Orient Loong God rock, fifty percent mysterious steel, and the rest are impurities."


    Xu Hei didn''t understand a word and asked, "Can you speak human language?"


    "It''s very valuable!" Hei Huang replied.


    "Got it," Xu Hei nodded.


    By now, the participants in the arena had already begun melting their materials.


    Hei Huang cut open the material, extracting some purple substance, and said, "Little Xu, why not try forging a flying sword for yourself? After all, you''re not doing anything else."


    "Me? Forge a flying sword?"


    Xu Hei was momentarily stunned.


    He had never forged a flying sword before; his previous ivory flying sword was simply carved into shape and used directly.


    He had refined one of Zhou Qing''s blood-kill swords, though.


    "You''re almost at Core Formation; how can you not have your own life-bound flying sword? Give it a try; I''ve prepared all the materials for you," Hei Huang encouraged.

 Chapter 234: In the final round, Xu Bai refines pills

    Chapter 234: In the final round, Xu Bai refines pillsXu Hei nodded and immediately began to act.


    Refining a flying sword is not a task that can be completed in a day or two. A flying sword crafted within seven days would never be of high quality.


    Especially a life-bound flying sword, which requires years of nurturing to achieve extraordinary power.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to hastily forge one just to win a rank.


    In the blink of an eye, seven days passed.


    During this week, a series of events unfolded in the arena. Initially, Lei He and Bai Que engaged in a continuous and widespread clash of sword intents, clearly having a mutual understanding to disrupt others.


    Han Te, to avoid being affected, planned to withdraw, but suddenly heard a voice.


    "One point for a hundred thousand? One point for a hundred thousand?"


    Han Te shivered, his eyes glowing red.


    "If I take first place, wouldn''t I get three hundred thousand spirit stones? Damn it, I''ll fight for it!" Han Te gritted his teeth, combining his flying swords to form a shield, blocking all interference.


    On the last day, the products were completed.


    Lei He and Bai Que''s flying swords were both impressive, rare treasures.


    Han Te''s flying sword was broad and tall, more like a shield than a sword.


    Zhang Tie, however, crafted a hoe.


    "Master Ku Xuan told me that whenever demonic thoughts arise, I should abandon the intent to kill and forge a sword into a plow. I think that''s the true intention of Wuyou City." Zhang Tie said slowly.


    This statement shocked everyone, making them break into a cold sweat.


    If forging a sword had this meaning, they would surely lose, and even the best flying sword would be meaningless.


    However, it was just a false alarm.


    "What I require is sword forging, not reading comprehension. Fire Team, last place!" Mo Wuyou said without hesitation, directly expelling Zhang Tie.


    This made everyone breathe a sigh of relief.


    "Forging a sword into a plow, the Chu Tian Alliance does have some insight, but not much." Li Si sneered.


    However, the competition among the remaining three sparked some controversy.


    The flying sword contest was not to be interfered with by cultivation, purely comparing the quality of the flying swords.


    Bai Que''s flying sword was inferior and lost.


    Han Te and Lei He, however, entered an incredible stalemate.


    Han Te''s flying sword had zero offense but full defense, making it impossible for the opponent to break through, and his sword couldn''t break through the opponent either.


    After several rounds of stalemate, neither could do anything to the other.


    "This cunning trickster!"


    Lei He looked livid, his sword-forging skills inferior to a bounty hunter, leaving him humiliated.


    If he could enhance his cultivation, ten Han Tes wouldn''t be enough for him, but in terms of pure flying sword quality, they were evenly matched.


    Han Te also looked grave, secretly worried: "Damn it! To earn this three hundred thousand, I''ve exposed my sword-forging skills. Will someone target me now?"


    "I have no money on me! No opportunities either, don''t look at me!"


    Han Te tightened his storage bag, feeling like ants were crawling all over him under the various blatant stares.


    Mo Wuyou said, "You two are tied for first."


    Lei He angrily said, "Flying swords are meant for killing, who uses them like him? This is clearly a turtle shell! Being tied with this guy is a disgrace to us!"


    "Poof!"


    As soon as he finished speaking, Lei He was blasted away, spitting blood, making him restrain his murderous aura and dare not act rashly.


    The results were out, two tied for first, both earning three points, Bai Que zero points, Zhang Tie minus one point.


    In this way, Xu Hei successfully controlled the scores, very successfully.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s flying sword had barely formed a prototype, far from a finished product, and couldn''t be taken out for competition.


    Suspended before him was a purple sword embryo, said to be made from the best component of star meteorite, preserving the complete power of the stars.


    But when Xu Hei wanted to continue refining, the sword embryo emitted an attraction, making his true self involuntarily merge into it.


    "Strange!"


    Xu Hei quickly stopped his actions, looking at the three-foot-long sword embryo with uncertainty.


    He couldn''t help but think of the Black Dragon Pagoda, making him shiver.


    After a brief contemplation, he put away the sword embryo to study later.


    "Next is the third round..." Mo Wuyou continued the introduction.


    In the following third and fourth rounds, Mo Wuyou tested talisman and tribulation crossing abilities.


    Xu Hei placed last and second, respectively.


    At the same time, he acquired a large amount of talisman materials.


    As for tribulation crossing, it tested the ability to cope during tribulation, with thunder tribulation lasting seven days. Originally, Xu Hei could pass unscathed, but was shocked to find his thunder tribulation was several times stronger than others!


    Upon careful observation, Xu Hei discovered it was caused by Ji Ying during tribulation crossing!


    "Ji Ying is about to form a core!"


    Xu Hei was secretly alarmed but dared not make it public.


    While others were testing, he was truly crossing a tribulation, the pressure was imaginable.


    However, if Ji Ying formed a core, it would be a great help to him, becoming one of his strongest trump cards. After all, it was a genuine Core Formation stage, and being a Corpse Beetle, it was much stronger than human cultivators.


    Through these tests, Xu Hei''s strength quietly grew.


    Others might be aiming for points ranking, but Xu Hei was purely aiming to become stronger.


    As for the final ranking rewards, Xu Hei no longer cared, whether he got them or not didn''t matter.


    After a series of tests.


    Xu Hei only scored twelve points.


    The Zhou Family ranked first with sixteen points, Heavenly Puppet Sect second with fifteen points, Chu Tian Alliance thirteen points.


    The Bai Family was at the bottom.


    During this time, Xu Hei witnessed the methods of various parties.


    Tianji Shangren repeatedly took action, always coming in second, earning him the nickname "eternal second." This seemed to remind him of unpleasant past memories, making his face look grim.


    The only time Chu Tian Alliance won was relying on Xu Qingfeng''s talisman skills, using words to transform into talismans, overwhelming everyone.


    Although Heavenly Puppet Sect won twice, they were still behind the Zhou Family due to losing a point at the start. S~ea??h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Next is the final round, pill refining."


    Mo Wuyou said, taking out various ancient spirit medicines, piling them within the light circle.


    "Finally, it''s here."


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, having anticipated this round, as the tests were mostly within the six arts of cultivation.


    "Is it my turn?" Xu Bai was quite excited.


    "Yes, perform as you wish." Xu Hei smiled.


    He was currently at twelve points, ranking fourth, winning or losing didn''t matter, as he couldn''t take first place anyway.


    The five teams quickly made their decisions.


    The Bai Family and Chu Tian Alliance forfeited, leaving only three participants.


    Liu Chengfeng, Tianji Shangren, and Xu Bai.


    Seeing Xu Hei send out a mysterious woman, everyone was a bit surprised, but didn''t pay much attention, as Xu Hei''s previous actions had minimized his presence.


    He only won the first round by sheer luck, and his subsequent performance was on par with the Bai Family, akin to hidden talents.


    "I''m only one point behind the Zhou Family, as long as I take first, I can surpass them."


    Liu Chengfeng was full of confidence, having prepared thoroughly, determined to surprise everyone.


    The Zhou Family once again sent out Tianji Shangren, who almost always participated, securing a point each time, steady as the old dog.


    "This round, I will pave the way for you, next, it depends on Zhou Wendie herself." Tianji Shangren thought to himself.

 Chapter 235: Creating a pill, triggering the pill thunder

    Chapter 235: Creating a pill, triggering the pill thunderThe medicinal herbs provided by Mo Wuyou, though common Spirit Medicines, were all at least a thousand years old, making them rare treasures in the market.


    Even an ordinary spiritual herb, after living for a thousand years, would have its Spiritual Qi greatly increased.


    "For this round, the requirement is to refine a Golden Essence Pill for Core Formation cultivators. Only one pill is allowed, and the one with the highest quality wins!" Mo Wuyou announced.


    The Golden Essence Pill is similar in effect to the Foundation Essence Pill, commonly consumed by cultivators; the former is for the Core Formation Stage, while the latter is for the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    Any Core Formation cultivator can refine such pills, but the quality is not guaranteed.


    Tianji Shangren moved swiftly, selecting five medicinal herbs and starting the refining process.


    Liu Chengfeng, confident, chose six herbs, took out his pill furnace, and threw in one of the herbs, injecting a cluster of golden flames.


    In an instant, the flames shone as brightly as the sun.


    The moment the golden light appeared, the crowd''s eyes focused, followed by exclamations.


    "Is that... the Great Sun Golden Flame?"


    "Indeed, it''s the legendary Great Sun Golden Flame, said to be born from absorbing the essence of the sun!"


    "Using this flame to refine pills allows them to absorb the essence of the sun and moon, enhancing their quality by a tier!"


    Many sharp-eyed individuals recognized the origin of the flame, gasping in astonishment. Such a legendary flame appeared with Liu Chengfeng.


    Liu Chengfeng merely smirked coldly.


    This flame was the great fortune of the place of inheritance for the metal element, the Great Sun Golden Flame. However, it was not the complete form, just a wisp of the flame, which he had borrowed from Bai Luo.


    He had anticipated the pill refining segment in this assessment and had prepared in advance for this moment!


    With the half-tier enhancement from the Great Sun Golden Flame, the Golden Essence Pill he refined could be called the Great Golden Essence Pill, enough to outshine all others. Unless it was a fourth-grade pill, nothing could surpass it.


    "The great fortune of the metal element''s inheritance, comparable to the Ice Soul Demon Eyes, these people are not simple!" Tianji Shangren thought with a calm expression, secretly amused.


    He could see that Bai Luo also possessed great fortune, but still slightly less than Zhou Wendie.


    At this moment, Xu Bai had also selected her medicinal herbs, only three, and they were extremely rare, ones many had never seen before.


    "Why is that?"


    Xu Qingfeng, observing the scene, couldn''t help but frown.


    The herbs for refining the Golden Essence Pill were well-established, based on the experience of predecessors.


    It''s not that other herbs couldn''t work, but this was the optimal solution.


    Using other combinations would result in either low-quality pills or failed ones, with almost no exceptions.


    Xu Bai took out a small emerald green cauldron, placed the three herbs inside, and a wisp of green flame enveloped the herbs.


    It seemed ordinary, just for show, and the crowd quickly lost interest after a glance.


    Xu Hei, on the other hand, watched with great interest, as he had never seen Xu Bai refine pills before; this was his first time.


    Time slowly passed.


    In the blink of an eye, two days went by. The refining of third-grade pills always took a long time, especially when pursuing quality and perfection.


    However, with the aid of the Great Sun Golden Flame, Liu Chengfeng''s pill had already taken shape, entering the final Condensing Elixir stage.


    With the support of the exotic flame, even the speed was remarkably fast.


    Liu Chengfeng remained vigilant, having learned from previous lessons, constantly guarding against Tianji Shangren''s "pill-stealing" tactics. However, Tianji Shangren hadn''t used such tricks since the first round.


    "The outcome is set, just wait for the good news," Liu Chengfeng thought to himself.


    Tianji Shangren felt a sudden unease, taking out a row of Talismans.


    At that moment, the weather changed dramatically!


    Above everyone''s heads, dense clouds suddenly gathered, layering the sky.


    They grew denser and larger.


    Within them, a rumbling sound emerged, like the roar of a thunder god, with purple lightning coalescing inside, brewing a terrifying thunderous might.


    Tianji Shangren''s pupils contracted in shock, "Is this... Pill Thunder?"


    "Pill Thunder?!"


    Liu Chengfeng''s face changed drastically.


    Most of the people present were confused. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Only a few elder cultivators had heard of Pill Thunder, their expressions turning to shock, their hearts stirring with immense waves.


    Cultivators have thunder tribulations, Demonic Beasts have thunder tribulations, and pills also have thunder tribulations!


    However, Pill Thunder is extremely rare, requiring two conditions to be met.


    The first condition is that the pill exceeds third grade, meaning above the Core Formation Stage.


    The second condition is that such a pill has never been created before.


    This is the first time this pill has appeared, triggering Pill Thunder.


    In ancient times, Pill Thunder was common, with great cultivators often creating new pills, forming their own schools, and triggering countless Pill Thunders, causing a sensation.


    But as time passed, such conditions no longer existed, and it was rare to see brilliant alchemists creating entirely new pills.


    Nowadays, people mostly follow the paths of their predecessors, using their pills, never attempting to innovate.


    "What kind of pill is this to trigger Pill Thunder?"


    Tianji Shangren was genuinely shocked, not pretending.


    You can''t just create any third-grade pill and expect to trigger Pill Thunder; the pill must have certain value, recognized by the heavens and earth!


    It''s akin to a cultivator forming a core, defying the heavens, triggering a thunder tribulation.


    "Not good, retreat quickly!"


    Liu Chengfeng''s face changed dramatically as a thunderbolt as thick as a barrel suddenly descended from the clouds above, striking Xu Bai''s pill.


    "Boom!!!"


    Lightning scattered, exploding with a deafening roar, shaking the heavens and earth, even causing the Void to tremble. Liu Chengfeng, next to it, was caught in the blast, sent flying.


    "Crack!!"


    Liu Chengfeng spat blood and staggered back, his pill furnace also thrown aside, barely avoiding being overturned with his desperate control.


    Tianji Shangren, more composed, retreated in time, protecting his pill from the lightning.


    When a cultivator crosses a tribulation, having other cultivators nearby will also attract the heavenly tribulation.


    The same principle applies to pill tribulations; if there are other pills nearby, they will also attract lightning.


    Tianji Shangren watched Xu Bai, bathed in Pill Thunder, with a flicker in his eyes. A female puppet appeared in his sleeve, but after a moment of hesitation, he shook his head and put it away.


    Liu Chengfeng, protecting his pill, retreated to the farthest point.


    At this moment, his Great Golden Essence Pill was full of cracks, nearly destroyed by the earlier blast.


    "It''s over, it''s all over!" Liu Chengfeng''s face was as grim as if he had eaten something foul.


    Not only him, but everyone from the Heavenly Puppet Sect was stunned, their faces ashen.


    "How could this happen?" Bai Luo couldn''t believe it.


    This was the final round, the one they were sure they could turn the tables with.


    They had prepared long in advance, even bringing out the great fortune of the metal element''s inheritance, the Great Sun Golden Flame, to overturn the situation in the pill refining segment.


    In fact, according to their plan, overtaking the score and seizing first place was a sure thing!


    But then, a heaven-defying pill triggered Pill Thunder.


    Is there any comparison left?


    "Everyone, don''t panic. Triggering Pill Thunder only indicates that the pill is innovative; it doesn''t mean its quality surpasses the Great Golden Essence Pill," Li Si said calmly.


    Creating a never-before-seen pill and triggering Pill Thunder is indeed a rare feat.


    But can that pill, in terms of quality, surpass the Great Golden Essence Pill? That''s a quasi-fourth-grade pill; unless it''s a true fourth-grade pill, there''s no chance.


    Hearing Li Si''s words, the crowd came to their senses, finding his reasoning sound.

 Chapter 236: Final competition, transformation of divine laws

    Chapter 236: Final competition, transformation of divine laws"Boom!"


    Pill Thunder struck continuously, landing right where Xu Bai was.


    Xu Hei asked worriedly, "Is Pill Thunder rare?"


    "It''s quite common, nothing to fuss about. They just haven''t seen much of the world, don''t follow their example," Hei Huang replied.


    Xu Hei nodded.


    At this moment, the Pill Thunder kept striking the green cauldron, tempering the Golden Essence Pill within the lightning, emitting a golden glow, no longer resembling a typical Golden Essence Pill.


    The two people nearby stopped their pill refining, intending to wait until the storm passed.


    "So this is how Xu Bai refines pills," Xu Hei mused.


    Just then, Xu Bai grabbed the green cauldron from a distance, suddenly stood up, and walked towards the center area.


    As she moved, the Pill Thunder followed, striking wherever she went.


    "What is she doing?" Liu Chengfeng''s face changed drastically.


    The closer Xu Bai got to the center, the closer she was to them.


    At that moment, the Pill Thunder struck again, splitting a bolt that headed straight for Liu Chengfeng.


    "What!!"


    Liu Chengfeng screamed, using his physical body to block the Pill Thunder to prevent his pill from shattering.


    "Ugh!"


    Liu Chengfeng spat out blood, severely injured once more.


    The lightning fell again, splitting and striking towards the two people nearby.


    "Damn it!"


    Tianji Shangren felt his scalp tingle; this was the power of heaven and earth, not something human strength could withstand, and he could only avoid its sharpness.


    Xu Hei then realized that Xu Bai was doing it on purpose.


    "Damn, Xu Bai is crafty too! Who did she learn this from?" Xu Hei was stunned.


    Before long, Xu Bai stood in the center, and with the Pill Thunder descending there, no matter where the other two hid, as long as they didn''t leave, they would keep getting struck by lightning.


    This heavenly thunder tribulation was a tempering for her pill but a destruction for others.


    Tianji Shangren calculated with his fingers and saw a Pill Thunder strike down, turning his pill into ashes.


    Looking at the scene before him, Tianji Shangren''s face turned as black as coal.


    "I give up!"


    He was very decisive, leaving the circle immediately and returning to the Zhou Family''s position.


    Zhou Wendie glanced at him, puzzled.


    "No worries, it''s not over yet," Tianji Shangren said.


    Not long after, Liu Chengfeng couldn''t hold on either, and his pill shattered all over the ground.


    Failing in pill refining resulted in a deduction of one point, regardless of your rank. Liu Chengfeng could only give up, prepared to be scolded.


    The Pill Thunder lasted a whole day before it ended.


    Xu Bai''s green cauldron didn''t have a single crack, and the pill was perfectly preserved.


    There was no need for evaluation; even if it was a trash pill, the other two had failed, so naturally, she won first place.


    Despite this, Mo Wuyou still evaluated it and said, "A Golden Essence Pill, yet not quite like one. What is the effect of this pill?"


    He couldn''t discern the pill''s purpose and had to ask Xu Bai.


    "It enhances cultivation, but it''s meant for special demonic beasts," Xu Bai answered truthfully.


    "Special demonic beasts..."


    Mo Wuyou didn''t pursue further, nodded slightly, and announced the result.


    Xu Hei''s score shot up to fifteen points, tying with the Zhou Family for first place.


    Heavenly Puppet Sect had fourteen points, and Chu Tian Alliance had thirteen.


    The Bai Family kept losing, their single-digit score negligible.


    No one expected the final round to end up like this, with Xu Hei jumping from fourth to a tie for first, leaving the Zhou Family in an awkward position.


    Tianji Shangren calculated again and said, "Don''t panic, the main event is yet to come." S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A tie for first wouldn''t just be left as is.


    There could only be one true inheritor.


    "All rounds have ended, but due to a tie, there will be an extra round," Mo Wuyou said, his gaze sweeping over the Zhou Family and Xu Hei''s direction. "Both sides will engage in a duel, rules of your choice."


    "No need to choose, a life-and-death battle, no holds barred, until one side falls!" Zhou Qingxuan stepped forward, his eyes filled with killing intent. "What do you think?"


    Xu Hei frowned, about to refuse, but Hei Huang shouted, "Sure! Who''s afraid? Let your Zhou whatever her name is fight our Xu the Butcher. Loser kneels and kowtows!"


    Zhou Qingxuan''s face darkened; he had planned to fight himself. With his mid-stage Core Formation cultivation, wouldn''t he be able to handle it easily?


    "I agree."


    Zhou Wendie stood up, her eyes swirling with a mix of ice and fire, burning slowly in her pupils.


    After a year, facing Xu Hei again, there was no fear in her eyes, only confidence, the confidence of being an unparalleled arrogance.


    Tianji Shangren''s eyes lit up; this was the moment he had been waiting for.


    Zhou Wendie and Xu Hei would determine the first place.


    But Bai Luo of the Heavenly Puppet Sect didn''t show much anxiety, standing with his hands behind his back, quietly observing.


    ...


    Outside the ancient relic.


    In the capital of the Qin Kingdom, within the imperial city.


    A golden token flew over from the horizon, shrouded in a divine aura, like a flying dragon, exuding a terrifying pressure akin to a Superior Immortal''s arrival.


    Qin Xuanji appeared immediately, respectfully catching the token in his hand.


    At this moment, a phantom figure appeared on the token, its features indistinct, only two eyes shining brightly.


    "With this decree, eliminate Mo Wuyou!"


    The phantom figure spoke only one sentence, accompanied by a majesty comparable to the Divine Transformation Stage, enveloping the sky.


    Qin Xuanji''s expression remained unchanged as he bowed respectfully, "As you command!"


    "The Demon Lord deceives the heavens and cultivates in secret; someone will handle him. You just follow orders."


    "Within a month, I want results!"


    The phantom figure returned to the token, which Qin Xuanji held in his hand.


    At this moment, even Qin Xuanji''s arm trembled slightly. Despite his usually unshakable demeanor, he couldn''t suppress his emotions, trembling with excitement.


    This was his opportunity, the greatest opportunity of his life!


    He had bet correctly!


    "Contact the Divine Puppet Sect. Nine deaths and one life, who would have thought, not only did you survive, but the Divine Puppet Sect also responded."


    A white-bearded elder appeared beside him, one of their Elemental Infant ancestors, known as Ancestor Xingtian.


    "They are very concerned about the third-generation ancestor, urging me to eliminate him quickly. There must be a big secret involved; I''m just going with the flow," Qin Xuanji said.


    The Divine Puppet Sect, to this day, remained one of the top sects on the cultivation star, with a Divine Transformation Stage expert overseeing it. For their small Heavenly Puppet Sect, without a major event, disturbing them would be courting death.


    Qin Xuanji had risked his life on this gamble.


    "No wonder the third-generation ancestor harbors such hatred for the Divine Puppet Sect, even forbidding entry into the Wu Mountain area. It''s a blood feud to the death!" Ancestor Xingtian sighed.


    Qin Xuanji wasted no more words and immediately gathered all the elites of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    "Everyone, move out immediately, surround Wu Mountain, and don''t let even a mosquito escape!"


    "Yes!"


    The deafening response echoed throughout the imperial city and beyond.


    No one knew how many disciples and elders the Heavenly Puppet Sect had, only that their puppet army was invincible, breaking through all obstacles, the most terrifying force in the world.


    Wherever they pointed, even if it was a demonic beast''s territory, they could carve out a path.


    That day, dense clouds gathered in the sky, setting out from the Qin Kingdom, drifting towards Wu Mountain in the Chu Kingdom, the vast and boundless army of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    [The second volume is wrapping up, the relic is about to end, entering the third volume.]

 Chapter 237: Battle for the Top, the Strongest Chosen

    Chapter 237: Battle for the Top, the Strongest ChosenMo Wuyou gazed into the horizon, seemingly sensing something in the void. After a moment, he let out a sigh.


    "What is meant to come will eventually come. Time is running out."


    He looked at the participants and produced a large piece of intricately patterned jade, which he tossed out. The jade pieces landed in front of the five teams.


    In front of Xu Qingfeng were thirteen jade pieces.


    Bai Luo received fourteen jade pieces.


    Bai Qiushui got eight.


    Xu Hei and Zhou Wendie each received sixteen.


    Upon closer inspection, the number of jade pieces matched their remaining points.


    "These are mechanism jades. With them, you can open the mechanism boxes found within the relic," Mo Wuyou explained.


    Everyone was taken aback.


    They had indeed found many mechanism boxes within the relic, but no one had been able to open them, despite trying countless methods.


    Who would have thought they needed these mechanism jades to unlock them!


    Everyone who came to the ancient relic had acquired some mechanism boxes, even rogue cultivators might have found one or two. Now, with a way to open them, the boxes'' value became apparent.


    Xu Hei, however, was stunned.


    If the mechanism jade opened the boxes, then what was the purpose of his key?


    The key he obtained from the old ape could open mechanism boxes and the Earth Path...


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he considered various possibilities.


    "Could it be a universal key?"


    His breath quickened slightly.


    Of course, this was just a guess and needed verification. If it truly was a universal key that could open anything, that would be interesting.


    But now was not the time to think about such things.


    With a wave of Mo Wuyou''s hand, Xu Hei and Zhou Wendie''s figures flew into the center of the light circle.


    The circle''s area suddenly expanded, transforming into a battle platform that stretched infinitely, expanding to a width of a thousand miles¡ªthis was their battlefield.


    Xu Hei remained hidden within the butcher''s body, wearing a wide-brimmed hat and armor. Zhou Wendie stood opposite him, clad in a purple robe, her face as cold as frost.


    Their physiques formed a stark contrast.


    Outside the circle, all eyes were on them. S~ea??h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The winner between you two will receive my final inheritance," Mo Wuyou''s voice echoed.


    Xu Hei asked, "May I ask, senior, what exactly is your inheritance?"


    "I cannot tell you yet," Mo Wuyou shook his head.


    Xu Hei sighed helplessly.


    He hated exposing his strength in front of others. He preferred to keep a low profile, avoiding attention and enmity.


    Despite controlling his points throughout the competition, it still came down to a one-on-one battle.


    Perhaps this was fate!


    There was no retreat in this fight.


    Yet Xu Hei had a vague feeling that his point control was not meaningless; it had at least influenced some people''s judgments.


    "I''m surprised to face you instead of Bai Luo in the end!"


    Zhou Wendie''s voice was calm, a stark contrast to her previous hasty retreat in the Blood Corpse Cave. Now, her eyes were filled with absolute confidence.


    Last time, she had not fully recovered from her injuries, her eyes had been taken, and her strength greatly diminished.


    This time, she would not repeat her mistakes!


    Although she was wary of Xu Hei''s method of killing Zhou Qing, she could tell Zhou Qing was not defeated head-on but fell to some underhanded trick.


    She could not afford to be careless.


    Xu Hei''s expression grew serious.


    His opponent was at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage, ready to form a core at any moment, and he was not far behind. In terms of cultivation, he had no disadvantage. Due to his perfect Foundation Establishment, Xu Hei even had an overwhelming advantage.


    The only potential variables were magical treasures and hidden trump cards.


    In any case, he could not be careless.


    Xu Hei and this woman had a deep-seated enmity. She had repeatedly plotted to have him killed and even summoned an ancestor. Who knew if there would be a next time? If given the chance, Xu Hei would not hesitate to eliminate her.


    "Whoosh!"


    Zhou Wendie vanished from her spot, a pair of butterfly wings appearing behind her, moving so fast that afterimages formed.


    "So fast!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed as he too disappeared, leaving behind an afterimage.


    As they crossed paths, a crisp metallic sound echoed in the void, and a blade mark appeared on the butcher''s arm, though it was unclear what had caused it.


    "Whoosh!"


    Zhou Wendie charged again, her speed rivaling that of an average Core Formation cultivator, even faster than the butcher''s Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique.


    Xu Hei extended countless arms, reaching for Zhou Wendie, but she sidestepped and flashed past, slicing off one of the butcher''s arms.


    "This is one of the Zhou Family''s Four Divine Techniques, the Startling Swan Step!"


    Someone outside recognized Zhou Wendie''s footwork and exclaimed in astonishment.


    "This is a spell only Core Formation ancestors can learn. When did she master it?"


    "Did you see the wings on her back? That''s also a third-tier magical treasure, the Illusory Butterfly Wings!"


    "The Startling Swan Step combined with the Illusory Butterfly Wings makes her speed comparable to the Core Formation Stage."


    The crowd marveled.


    They all knew the two were merely testing each other, but even in this probing, Xu Hei was at a disadvantage.


    No wonder she was one of the top Chosen in the Qin Kingdom, capable of fighting across realms!


    In fact, Zhou Wendie had already sparred in secret with three rogue cultivators her family had recruited.


    Three early-stage Core Formation cultivators. Among them, Cang Ming had fought her for a hundred moves without using trump cards, ending in a draw.


    The blue-clad woman surrendered after two hundred moves.


    Han Te was defeated in just three moves, though there was suspicion of him holding back. But still, he was a Core Formation cultivator using true essence, yet he was no match for Zhou Wendie.


    It was clear that Zhou Wendie''s strength could already rival an early-stage Core Formation cultivator.


    "Whoosh!"


    Zhou Wendie charged again. Xu Hei could discern her position, but the butcher''s large size made dodging difficult, leaving him a sitting duck.


    Xu Hei pondered briefly, and as she approached, he sank his energy into his dantian and let out a mighty roar: "Roar!!"


    Dragon clan''s ultimate technique, Dragon Shatter Roar!


    However, he only used twenty percent of his power before stopping, not wanting to reveal too much.


    Yet even with just twenty percent, Zhou Wendie''s movement halted, causing a brief stiffness. Xu Hei quickly formed a hand seal and shouted, "Earth Rock Spike!"


    Countless rocks in the void formed spikes and shot toward Zhou Wendie''s figure, piercing through her in an instant.


    However, Zhou Wendie''s figure vanished; what was pierced was merely an afterimage.


    "So it was a feint."


    Xu Hei''s expression remained unchanged as he struck the void beside him, sending three ivory flying swords stabbing into a large umbrella, spinning and bouncing off.


    Xu Hei realized immediately that this woman had too many defensive magical treasures, protecting not only her physical body but also her divine sense.


    Even soundwave spells couldn''t catch her off guard.


    Of course, Xu Hei had only used twenty percent of his power in the Dragon Shatter Roar, so it was normal not to break through her defenses.


    "Whoosh!"


    Zhou Wendie retreated a thousand feet away, covering herself with her wings and vanishing from sight.


    At this moment, she withdrew to a corner, her expression heavy.


    "This person is incredibly strong. I''ve already used fifty percent of my cultivation and the Startling Swan Step, yet I can''t do anything to him. Even getting close is extremely difficult."


    Zhou Wendie swallowed a pill to maintain her optimal state.


    At this rate, even if she used all her cultivation, without employing her Ice and Fire Dual Pupils, victory would be hard to achieve.


    Because she could tell her opponent was also hiding his strength, though she didn''t know how much.


    "I''ll use the Four Divine Techniques to force out his true self."


    Zhou Wendie made up her mind.


    The Zhou Family''s Four Divine Techniques were well-known in the Qin Kingdom.


    Speed technique, Startling Swan Step. Palm technique, Void Shattering Palm.


    Blade technique, Invisible Sword. Eye technique, Void Piercing Eye.


    Each technique was a decisive killer move in the Core Formation Stage.


    Just as Zhou Wendie was formulating her plan, she saw a shadow appear before her.

 Chapter 238: The butcher exits the stage, the true self reveals

    Chapter 238: The butcher exits the stage, the true self reveals"Whoosh!"


    This time, Xu Hei took the initiative to attack. Countless fists, infused with overwhelming corpse Qi, roared out with earth-shattering force, creating turbulent waves of energy. The sheer number of fists blocked all of Zhou Wendie''s escape routes. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Above Zhou Wendie''s head, that umbrella appeared once more.


    The fists struck it, but it was as if they hit a slippery eel, the force dispersing everywhere, sliding off in all directions, unable to concentrate.


    Umbrella-type magical treasures, he had seen Liu Chengfeng use them before, were very effective at dispersing force, the nemesis of all brute strength.


    "What a strange umbrella! If I were to attack in person, would the result be the same?"


    Xu Hei calculated inwardly, suddenly feeling a prickling sensation on his back, quickly dodging to the side.


    In the next moment, numerous fine cuts appeared on his arm, and two more arms were severed.


    It was that invisible sword again!


    One of the Four Divine Techniques of the Zhou Family, Blade Absolute, Invisible Sword.


    Xu Hei had suffered from this invisible sword before. After creating some distance, he pressed his palm to the ground.


    "Mountain Severing Abyss!"


    This was the first time Xu Hei used a third-tier spell after reaching the peak of Foundation Establishment. Mountains rose from the ground, connecting into a chain, forming a serpent-like mountain range, with its head raised, charging towards Zhou Wendie.


    This serpent-like mountain range, in terms of area, was similar to the one Xu Hei had previously summoned with the help of the Mountain-moving Patriarch, but its hardness was several times greater!


    The serpent''s head was like it was forged from metal, exuding a sense of immense weight. It was unclear what material the battle platform was made of.


    "Boom..."


    The mountain serpent crashed down, causing Zhou Wendie''s treasure umbrella to tremble violently, layers of invisible ripples spreading out. Zhou Wendie''s face turned pale, and she had to increase her cultivation, raising it to over eighty percent.


    Under Xu Hei''s relentless assault, she found it difficult to withstand.


    "Even with my perfect Foundation Establishment, am I really this lacking in True Qi? Could he have already reached Core Formation?"


    Zhou Wendie''s eyes were heavy, already considering Xu Hei as an opponent of a higher level, engaging in a cross-level battle.


    "Spurt!"


    She spat out a mouthful of blood, a streak of purple light appearing beneath her feet, her speed increasing several times, instantly escaping the range of the mountain serpent''s impact. Then, her figure vanished.


    "You like to hide, huh? Let''s see where you can hide!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei caused the butcher''s body to suddenly split into multiple figures, identical, faceless, with only limbs and heads.


    Passersby A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H.


    Each passerby was covered in various offensive talismans, ranging from the peak of the second tier to the third tier. Xu Hei had collected a basketful of these talismans, using them freely.


    "Go!"


    With a point of his finger, these passerby corpse puppets flew out, appearing at any possible location Zhou Wendie might move to, stopping and self-destructing.


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."


    The talismans on their bodies shot out in all directions, exploding at various locations. For a moment, the battle platform was filled with continuous explosions, the entire world shaking, violent True Qi scattering everywhere.


    Wind blades, fireballs, thunder, whirlpools, countless talisman spells erupted, sweeping across all areas, a full-scale bombardment with no blind spots, leaving Zhou Wendie nowhere to hide.


    The crowd outside was all shocked by this scene.


    Xu Hei''s methods were truly astonishing, simultaneously activating so many talismans. Even someone at the Core Formation Stage would suffer greatly.


    "Bai Luo, what do you think of these two?" Lei He asked.


    Bai Luo, dressed in white, stood with his hands behind his back, a gentle demeanor, calmly said, "Rare Chosen ones, comparable to Bai Qiushui."


    Bai Qiushui was of his uncle''s generation, but his talent had always been overshadowed by Bai Luo. When the Bai Family chose someone to go to the Heavenly Puppet Sect, they chose the younger, more outstanding Bai Luo.


    Thus, while it seemed like he was praising them, the implication was clear¡ªthey were not as good as him.


    "Hehe, it seems you''ve made quite some progress this year," Lei He laughed.


    "If it were a year ago, with my cultivation severely damaged, I really wouldn''t be their match," Bai Luo calmly admitted.


    Bai Luo had received a good education from a young age, with a gentle and refined temperament, rarely losing his temper. The only time he lost his composure was when he was trapped in that pyramid.


    But after a year of honing, he had regained that confidence and composed demeanor.


    Yet the pride in his bones was undeniable.


    He was the first, the strongest Chosen.


    As the top genius of the number one sect, the Heavenly Puppet Sect, this was his pride.


    These two were still fighting to the death for Mo Wuyou''s inheritance, unaware that everything here would eventually belong to the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Third in points, so what?


    He hadn''t even stepped onto the stage once, not because of his lack of strength, but because his team was too weak. If he wanted, he could become the rule maker at any time, not even bothering to take first place. Only the weak are bound by rules.


    "Boom boom boom..."


    The fierce bombardment in the arena lasted for several breaths before it ended. Xu Hei scanned the area, only to see a turtle-shell-like light shield curled up in a corner.


    The light shield was covered in cracks, Zhou Wendie''s body was pitch black, hair disheveled, her aura chaotic, even her eyes appeared unfocused.


    But Xu Hei wouldn''t believe any of her displays. Even if she was dead, he would grind her to ashes, only believing she was dead once the ashes were scattered.


    "Go!"


    With a point of his finger, three flying swords shot out again, sword Qi crisscrossing, forming an impenetrable sword net. At the same time, Falling Stars was unleashed, meteors crashing down everywhere, another round of relentless bombardment.


    "Void Piercing Eye!"


    Suddenly, Zhou Wendie''s eyes lit up.


    In her vision, all movements slowed down, she saw a narrow gap, the flaw in the opponent''s offensive.


    Void Piercing Eye, capable of seeing through all illusions, even the flaws in the opponent''s attacks at a glance.


    She stepped with the Startling Swan Step, slipping through the flaw, simultaneously connecting with the Invisible Sword.


    But just as she rushed in, she was enveloped by endless firepower. This was a flaw Xu Hei had deliberately left, luring her in!


    "Boom boom boom..."


    Another series of meteors crashed down on her head, Zhou Wendie''s turtle-shell light shield finally shattered, her head taking a heavy blow, bleeding profusely, as she fell down.


    Seeing her in such a sorry state, Xu Hei frowned slightly, pondering inwardly, "Could she really be unable to take it anymore?"


    He didn''t want to show overwhelming strength.


    Because he always felt things weren''t that simple.


    It was purely an instinct, a self-preservation instinct. If he had ten parts of strength, and five were enough to win, he would never use six.


    At this moment, Xu Hei had only shown four parts of his strength.


    "Boom!"


    Suddenly, the temperature in the world soared, the air distorted, and the falling meteors melted into nothingness.


    At this moment, one of Zhou Wendie''s eyes ignited, the golden flames within spreading at a terrifying speed, sweeping towards Xu Hei.


    "Finally here."


    Xu Hei assumed a five-part serious stance.


    He had seen these golden flames before, a corpse puppet would instantly melt upon contact. He had witnessed a False Core Stage corpse puppet being burned to death in the Blood Corpse Cave, its corpse Qi perfectly restrained.


    Thus, Xu Hei decisively put away the butcher, revealing his true self.


    No matter how much he used the butcher, it only had half his strength. Only by appearing in person could he exceed half.

 Chapter 239: Xu Hei plays dead, the final winner

    Chapter 239: Xu Hei plays dead, the final winnerFrom the moment the Scarlet Flame Demon Eyes appeared, Zhou Wendie had no intention of holding back. This fire burned everything and was the nemesis of all things sinister.


    Staring at the blaze igniting in the void, Xu Hei remained unfazed, his entire body enveloped in a layer of blood-red armor, perfectly encasing his serpent-like form.


    Blood God Armor!


    At this moment, both Xu Hei''s speed and close combat abilities were pushed to their limits.


    "Whoosh!"


    With the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique fully unleashed, Xu Hei instantly passed through the fiery net, arriving right in front of Zhou Wendie.


    This explosive speed left Zhou Wendie stunned, and another Ice Soul Demon Eye immediately emerged, freezing the surroundings and drastically slowing Xu Hei''s speed.


    Initially, she wanted to keep it hidden, but if she continued to do so, defeat was certain!


    "Is that the Ice Soul Demon Eye?!" Zhang Tie''s pupils contracted.


    "Her Scarlet Flame Demon Eye is still in my possession, yet she awakened the Ice Soul Demon Eye. This woman is indeed extraordinary!" Xu Qingfeng murmured.


    At this moment, the appearance of the Ice Soul Demon Eye once again caused a stir.


    Even the extremely arrogant Bai Luo couldn''t help but express a hint of surprise, nodding in admiration.


    As Xu Hei approached, an uncontrollable icy force surged in from the outside, freezing the Blood God Armor, his flesh, and his True Qi.


    But when this extreme cold tried to invade his meridians, the Demon God Cauldron trembled slightly, immediately refining all the freezing energy.


    This unexpected situation left Xu Hei momentarily stunned.


    Without hesitation, he summoned a Blood Killing Sword, brimming with endless bloodlust, and thrust it towards Zhou Wendie.


    At such close range, there was nowhere for her to dodge.


    "Slash!"


    A streak of blood appeared on her cheek, most of her hair was cut off, and the blood-red Sword Qi, like devouring insects, surged into her body through the facial wound, causing Zhou Wendie to spew blood and retreat.


    The Blood Killing Sword, once it hits even a minor wound, rapidly worsens the injury.


    Seeing the Blood Killing Sword strike again, her eyes swirled with ice and fire, forming a blue fire wall in front. Even the Blood Killing Sword was frozen after being burned by the fire wall.


    Xu Hei could clearly feel the opponent''s life force rapidly declining.


    "No wonder it''s a third-tier high-grade Flying Sword; its effect is immediate," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Although the Blood Killing Sword also consumed a significant amount of his vitality, Xu Hei''s physique was extraordinary, well within his endurance.


    At this moment, as long as he pressed the advantage, he had a great chance of completely defeating the opponent.


    But Xu Hei had a nagging feeling.


    "Something''s not right! I can''t just win like this! I must have overlooked some detail! Something''s definitely wrong!"


    Xu Hei''s mind raced, constantly recalling various details from before, replaying every facial expression and action of everyone involved.


    In that brief instant, Xu Hei connected many dots.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei thought of a possibility, his pupils slightly contracting.


    "Could it be..."


    Xu Hei pondered carefully, the more he thought about it, the more likely it seemed, and he felt a chill run down his spine, his body trembling.


    Regardless of whether it was true or not, he couldn''t continue fighting; he couldn''t take such a risk.


    Xu Hei immediately retreated, applied an Invisibility Talisman, and then swallowed a Pill.


    The Blood Locking Pill, the more severe the injury, the faster the healing effect, could be used for disguise. Xu Qingfeng had used this pill to deceive the Four Sects Alliance, making others believe he was in a severely injured state.


    Not enough!


    Xu Hei swallowed a Breath Suppressing Pill, which could suppress True Qi to the lowest level, making others think he was out of True Qi, while it was actually stored deep within the Demon God Cauldron.


    He had to conceal his strength, not expose it.


    When Xu Hei reappeared, he looked weak, the Blood God Armor dim and lifeless, as if drained of all vitality.


    Seeing this, Zhou Wendie didn''t show much surprise.


    "The Blood God Armor and the Blood Killing Sword of the second ancestor, how could they be so easily mastered? You''re indeed at your limit."


    Zhou Wendie struggled to stand from the ground, the scars on her face gradually enlarging, threatening to disfigure her, but she didn''t care; instead, her eyes showed excitement.


    The Blood God Armor and Blood Killing Sword, each use consumed a massive amount of the user''s vitality to maintain.


    Even Zhou Qing was left emaciated, let alone Xu Hei?


    Zhou Wendie had calculated Xu Hei''s tactics long ago.


    What he had used and what he hadn''t, she knew clearly, knowing oneself and the enemy, she could remain undefeated. From the moment he brought out the Blood God Armor and Blood Killing Sword, she had predicted the subsequent situation.


    "If I''m not mistaken, he still has a tower he hasn''t used."


    Zhou Wendie''s eyes bled, but she didn''t use any other means, directly employing her ice and fire dual eyes.


    "Boom!!"


    One ice, one fire, growing more intense, forming two tornadoes, spiraling towards Xu Hei. Xu Hei''s expression turned grave as he summoned the Black Dragon Pagoda to block in front.


    "Boom!!"


    The ice and fire tornadoes collided with the Black Dragon Pagoda, Xu Hei spat blood and was sent flying, even the Black Dragon Pagoda was overturned.


    Zhou Wendie''s pupils bled more, but she didn''t care, swallowing a Pill and walking straight ahead.


    Suddenly, as she approached within a hundred feet of Xu Hei, the Black Dragon Pagoda suddenly moved, crashing towards Zhou Wendie.


    "Whoosh!!"


    A strike missed.


    Zhou Wendie''s Void Piercing Eye and Startling Swan Step were always active, constantly guarding against any sneak attacks.


    If Xu Hei had no backup plan, she would have been more worried.


    "It seems you''re at your limit too, even your sneak attacks are powerless."


    At this moment, she retreated to the other side of the Black Dragon Pagoda, took out a longbow, drew it fully, and placed a black arrow, aiming at Xu Hei.


    Demon Slaying Bow, Demon Exorcising Arrow!


    This was her final trump card, the top-tier Magical Treasure in the Myriad Treasure Pavilion! It had a strong restraining effect on Demonic Beasts and evil spirits, once locked on, there was no escape, it was almost a guaranteed kill!


    "With the Demon Slaying Bow and Demon Exorcising Arrow, it should be over."


    Zhou Qingxuan sighed.


    Others also sighed.


    This battle had undergone two reversals, initially Zhou Wendie was suppressed, but once the ice and fire dual eyes were used, the situation reversed, and Xu Hei was constantly restrained.


    The Blood God Armor and Blood Killing Sword, though possessing unparalleled defense and attack, were used by the Zhou Family''s second ancestor, not something ordinary people could easily master.


    Defeating the enemy at the cost of one''s own damage.


    "Whoosh!"


    Zhou Wendie released her grip, the Demon Exorcising Arrow shot out instantly, tearing through the sky, leaving a deep mark in the void.


    Xu Hei launched himself with the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, flying towards the distance, leaving countless afterimages in mid-air, splitting into two, creating an External Incarnation.


    But to Zhou Wendie, all this seemed like a futile struggle.


    "Poof!"


    The incarnation was pierced through, and the Demon Exorcising Arrow locked onto the true body, striking Xu Hei.


    "Boom!"


    The dragon scales emitted a metallic sound, not pierced in the slightest, but his internal flesh collapsed, spewing from his mouth, crashing to the ground, unable to move.


    Piercing one, slaying the incarnation, destroying the true body, the power of the Demon Exorcising Arrow was fully displayed.


    "It''s over!"


    Zhou Wendie exhaled deeply, her body nearly collapsing to the ground.


    Xu Bai and Hei Huang''s eyes were wide open, staring at Xu Hei in the field, as if dumbfounded.


    "Heh, the outcome is the same, why bother?" Zhou Qingxuan sneered.


    Various teams sighed, voicing all sorts of opinions.


    Only Tianji Shangren remained silent, doing something unknown.


    In the sky, Mo Wuyou''s phantom also appeared, about to announce the result.


    And at this moment.


    From Tianji Shangren''s sleeve, a female doll appeared, lifelike and indistinguishable from Zhou Wendie, except the eyes hadn''t been drawn.


    At this moment, Tianji Shangren gently tapped, and the doll''s eyes appeared, one blue, one red, ice and fire dual eyes.


    "After receiving so many favors from me, cause and effect must be repaid, it''s time for you to return the favor."


    Tianji Shangren took out the doll, some snake scales on the doll''s surface fell off, dissipating in mid-air.


    This was his second layer of preparation, turning it into a snake, but it seemed unnecessary, Zhou Wendie was indeed the child of destiny. Sear?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    No need to change, his choice was correct!


    "Cause and effect transfer!"


    Tianji Shangren clenched his fist, Zhou Wendie''s doll dissipated, merging into his body.

 Chapter 240: Only until the end, full power mode

    Chapter 240: Only until the end, full power modeTianji Shangren, from the moment he entered the ruins, was constantly searching for someone with great fortune.


    He believed that with his strength, it was impossible to obtain the final inheritance, so he could only plunder!


    Stealing the secrets of heaven, seizing creation, using his supreme art of Tianji, he sought out the child of destiny to snatch a piece of the future!


    At this moment, Zhou Wendie''s figure suddenly became illusory, as if an irresistible force of causality was acting upon her.


    She could clearly feel herself being separated, her identity being swapped with Tianji Shangren, a power from the mysterious heavens, leaving her unable to resist.


    And in the memories of everyone present, a series of errors appeared.


    For instance, in their impression, it was Tianji Shangren who first entered the City Lord''s mansion and initiated the inheritance.


    It was Tianji Shangren who hired the three rogue cultivators.


    It was Tianji Shangren who fought against Xu Hei.


    This was the most ruthless technique of stealing causality, ten or even a hundred times more vicious than what he had previously used, capable of even altering the memories of others!


    "You old scoundrel, you won''t succeed!"


    Zhou Wendie gritted her teeth, took out a jade talisman, and crushed it directly. A phantom figure appeared behind her, a divine halo enveloping her.


    This was the first ancestor of the Zhou Family.


    Under the divine halo, the layer of causal force couldn''t get close, being repelled every time it approached, solidifying her once illusory form.


    "It''s useless. The causality between you and me is too deep. If it weren''t for my intervention, how could you have obtained the first place? How could you have the qualification to fight the opponent?"


    "You received my favor, so you must pay the price. This is your causality! You cannot escape it; you can only accept it!"


    Tianji Shangren was very calm. He had anticipated the protection of the Zhou Family''s first ancestor. The cause he had planted was too deep, and this alone could not reverse it.


    To steal the result, there must be a cause, only then can causality be connected.


    What he had done before was to create the "cause."


    In this world, there are no favors without reason, no good relations formed for no reason.


    Offering unsolicited kindness, either a traitor or a thief!


    It was precisely because he planted countless "causes" that the final result was irresistible to the other party.


    Tianji Shangren also hoped Zhou Wendie could succeed. His entanglement with Xu Hei was not deep, and his attempts to approach were repeatedly rejected.


    If he were to change his plan at the last minute and plunder Xu Hei instead, even if successful, it wouldn''t be flawless, affecting everyone''s thoughts, and in the end, might even lead to some unforeseen events.


    Now, taking Zhou Wendie was the best outcome.


    At this moment, Xu Hei also had a feeling that the other party seemed not to be Zhou Wendie, but Tianji Shangren.


    The one he had been fighting with before had always been Tianji Shangren.


    This sense of confusion in his thoughts and memories suddenly awakened Xu Hei, who quickly calmed his mind and focused his thoughts on the Demon God Cauldron.


    He didn''t know where this power came from, but the only treasure in his body that could suppress it was the Demon God Cauldron.


    Sure enough, the Demon God Cauldron gently trembled, blocking all external influences, keeping Xu Hei clear-headed.


    Under Xu Hei''s gaze, Zhou Wendie''s figure ahead flickered, sometimes appearing as Tianji Shangren, sometimes as herself.


    "What a terrifying technique of stealing causality."


    Xu Hei''s heart was in turmoil.


    He had considered these things before, but whenever he thought of Tianji Shangren, he would unconsciously ignore and automatically dismiss it.


    Tianji Shangren must have used some means to shield his presence, making people not think of him.


    It was only at this critical moment that Xu Hei suddenly remembered something Zhao Wenzhuo had said: "You harbor malicious intent, and those targeted by you are bound to suffer."


    This was originally a verbal spat between Zhao Wenzhuo and Tianji Shangren, which no one took seriously.


    But upon closer thought, this was no mere verbal spat!


    Previously, Xu Hei had carefully reviewed everyone''s words, actions, and details, and thought of this sentence.


    Like a sudden enlightenment, it instantly awakened him!


    "Zhao Wenzhuo is not simple either. From the start, he saw through Tianji Shangren''s intentions. That seemingly casual remark was a warning to others," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He wasn''t sure if he would be taken by Tianji Shangren if he got first place, but he didn''t want to take the risk.


    In the end, Tianji Shangren still succeeded.


    He appeared in the arena out of nowhere, replacing Zhou Wendie''s position, without a hint of incongruity.


    Zhou Wendie returned to the sidelines, standing with Zhou Qingxuan and others.


    She was stunned for a moment, then pointed at Tianji Shangren, hesitantly saying, "Why is he there?"


    Zhou Wendie''s eyes were blank, feeling as if she had lost something, yet she couldn''t recall what it was. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    She tapped her forehead, grabbed a handful of hair, and her pupils were bloodshot.


    "What happened to you?"


    Zhou Qingxuan looked at her curiously.


    Others were also puzzled.


    "It''s nothing..." Zhou Wendie took a deep breath and sat cross-legged on the ground. Perhaps she had made a mistake in her cultivation, causing her to see all sorts of illusions.


    Just now, she had even mistakenly thought she was fighting that snake in the arena.


    How absurd!


    The illusion was too realistic, like a dream, Zhou Wendie frowned, lost in thought.


    Tianji Shangren appeared in the arena, looking at Xu Hei, who seemed like a corpse, and said, "It''s over, it''s time to announce the results."


    He looked at Mo Wuyou, but the latter had no reaction.


    Tianji Shangren frowned slightly. Wasn''t Mo Wuyou supposed to announce the results?


    He picked up the Demon Slaying Bow on the ground, grabbed the Demon Exorcising Arrow from afar, then drew the bow and aimed it at the fallen Xu Hei.


    Even if it was a corpse, it had to be pulverized!


    But at that moment, Tianji Shangren''s vision blurred, and Xu Hei''s figure suddenly disappeared.


    "Not right!"


    Tianji Shangren''s pupils shrank, aiming the bow and arrow downward, and shot fiercely.


    At the moment his Demon Exorcising Arrow was released, a massive snake head emerged from the ground, and simultaneously, a deafening roar echoed from its mouth.


    "Roar!!!"


    Dragon Shatter Roar, full power mode!


    Space twisted, air waves surged to the sky, and the Demon Exorcising Arrow exploded instantly upon being hit by the Dragon Shatter Roar, shattering like dry wood, with no resistance!


    "What?!"


    Tianji Shangren was dumbfounded.


    He had guessed that Xu Hei was playing dead, but thought he was barely hanging on, with only a fraction of his strength left.


    But he never expected that Xu Hei had preserved so much strength, and wasn''t even seriously injured!


    Xu Hei had been hiding all along, not even unleashing half of his cultivation, pretending from start to finish. Until this moment, until Tianji Shangren was exposed, Xu Hei finally revealed his true strength!


    With one move, Dragon Shatter Roar shattered the Demon Exorcising Arrow, its residual power sweeping across.


    "Boom!!"


    The terrifying sound wave, like a heavy hammer, smashed into Tianji Shangren''s mind, causing his whole body to tremble violently, his mind buzzing, thoughts blank, and his body on the verge of shattering, seeping countless blood lights.


    Previously unable to break through Zhou Wendie''s defense, now, with one move, severely injuring Tianji Shangren.


    The entire arena was stunned by this sudden reversal.


    "Ji Ying, go!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei sent Ji Ying flying out. This was the Core Formation Ji Ying, making its first move, like a bolt of lightning, heading straight for Tianji Shangren''s head.


    At the same time, Xu Hei changed direction, ignoring the stiff Tianji Shangren, and charged towards a blank area at the back, where the paper substitute was hidden, something Xu Hei had already discovered.

 Chapter 241: Brutally beating the heavenly secrets, worry-free downfall

    Chapter 241: Brutally beating the heavenly secrets, worry-free downfallJi Ying burrowed into Tianji Shangren''s skull, swiftly devouring his entire head, only to find himself with a belly full of paper.


    Tianji Shangren had swapped himself with a paper figure.


    But just as he appeared where the paper figure had been, Xu Hei was already within arm''s reach, and simultaneously, countless earth-based spells bombarded him from all directions.


    Earth Spike, Falling Stone Technique, Mountain Embrace Seal, Earth Prison Technique... A dozen lethal moves, preemptively released, closed in as soon as they appeared, leaving him no room to breathe.


    "Spirit Ban Formation!"


    Tianji Shangren was equally prepared, with specific points releasing spiritual power, linking together to form a massive formation. The spiritual qi in this space was forbidden from appearing, causing each spell to crumble and vanish.


    The Spirit Ban Formation, which he had once released in the Earth Path, was only now discovered by Xu Hei, as the paper figure had long buried spirit stones nearby, constructing the Spirit Ban Formation.


    All spells would be rendered ineffective, turning this place into a forbidden zone for spiritual power!


    But so what?


    Did they really think his physical strength was just for show?


    The opponent had calculated countless strategies, but hadn''t Xu Hei done the same? Spells were merely appetizers; his true strength lay in his physical body! This time, he intended to crush Tianji Shangren so thoroughly that he would never recover!


    "Smack!!!"


    There was no fluctuation of spells.


    Xu Hei swung his hardened tail with the force of ten thousand pounds, striking down fiercely. Tianji Shangren sidestepped, but the dragon tail smashed into the void, causing the air to explode with a thunderous roar, sending shockwaves sweeping across a thousand feet.


    Yet, even though Tianji Shangren dodged this blow, his head suddenly exploded with a "boom," shattering into pieces.


    Breath Soil! Xu Hei had consumed Breath Soil in advance.


    A moment later, Tianji Shangren reappeared intact in the distance. However, this time, his face was deathly pale, his body emaciated, his robe tattered, and he could barely stand, as if he might be blown over by the wind at any moment.


    His disheveled appearance was secondary; the shock in his heart was like a tidal wave, indescribable.


    He had been wrong, terribly wrong! Zhou Wendie was not the child of destiny; this snake was!


    He had wanted to seize fortune, but how could true destiny be so easily taken?


    "Boom!!"


    Another heavy blow struck the void. Tianji Shangren tried to dodge, but with the Breath Soil''s enhancement, the entire earth was connected to Xu Hei, allowing him to strike across mountains.


    Half of Tianji Shangren''s body was blown apart, transforming into countless paper figures that scattered.


    "Devour them all, leave none behind!"


    Xu Hei growled lowly, and Ji Ying shot forward, no longer holding back. It opened its mouth wide, tracing an arc in the sky, and wherever it passed, paper figures turned to ash, and silhouettes vanished, accompanied by Tianji Shangren''s wails, as the devouring never ceased.


    Xu Hei unleashed his full strength, his cultivation fully blossoming. This was the true combat power of a perfect Foundation Establishment.


    Even at the early Core Formation stage, facing Xu Hei in his berserk state, one could only lament!


    Everyone was stunned.


    At this moment, the external shock was beyond words.


    "When he fought me before, was he hiding his strength all along?"


    Zhou Wendie was incredulous, feeling her pride had been insulted.


    She had even used her Ice-Fire Dual Pupils, yet the opponent had been concealing his cultivation to guard against Tianji Shangren, even pretending to be defeated by her.


    What did that make her? A mere clown?


    "Huh? I''ve been on the sidelines all along, so why do I have such thoughts?"


    Zhou Wendie suddenly felt confused, sensing her memory was in disarray, often mistaking illusions for reality.


    "Strange, why is this happening? Am I experiencing a deviation in my cultivation?"


    Zhou Wendie''s eyes were filled with confusion.


    Bai Luo, who had been confident and composed, also showed a slight change after witnessing Xu Hei''s thrashing of Tianji Shangren.


    He stared at Xu Hei and said in a deep voice, "Barely a worthy opponent, given the right time and place, you might have a chance to beat me."


    "How big a chance?" Liu Chengfeng couldn''t help but ask.


    "Around twenty percent."


    Bai Luo didn''t answer directly, merely estimating in his mind. He wouldn''t belittle anyone verbally, as it was his courtesy, but deep down, he looked down on everyone.


    Even after witnessing the terrifying Xu Hei, this thought seemed somewhat self-deceptive.


    "Our judgment was correct; he truly is a rare talent. Not being able to join the Chu Tian Alliance is because our temple is too small to accommodate him."


    Xu Qingfeng, with his broad-mindedness, was genuinely happy to see Xu Hei achieve such success.


    "Thankfully, we didn''t offend this snake. In the future, the Bai Family must never provoke him." S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Qiushui was very relieved by his decision. Not competing, not showing off, staying low-key was the way to survive.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    No one expected the battle to be so one-sided, with Tianji Shangren unable to put up any resistance, completely suppressed.


    This only indicated one thing: Tianji Shangren and Xu Hei were not on the same level, not even close.


    Strong! Absurdly strong, inexplicably strong! Not only Xu Hei himself but also Ji Ying, something beyond normal comprehension.


    In the arena, after being trampled by Xu Hei repeatedly, Tianji Shangren was powerless to reverse the situation, repeatedly using causality to substitute for his injuries, but the more he used it, the more helpless he became.


    "I forfeit!"


    Tianji Shangren shouted unwillingly.


    If he didn''t forfeit, he would be beaten to death by Xu Hei. He had severely underestimated his opponent, and even if he were at the Core Formation stage, it would still be a dead end.


    "Good!"


    Mo Wuyou nodded, a rare look of satisfaction in his eyes.


    Tianji Shangren was kicked out of the space, appearing in the Zhou Family''s ranks. As soon as he appeared, he spat a mouthful of blood, staining his robe red. He immediately sat cross-legged and swallowed a handful of pills, focusing on healing.


    Strangely, the Zhou Family members didn''t step forward to console him.


    Zhou Wendie even felt a hint of pleasure in her heart, not knowing why. Her own team lost, yet she felt happy?


    Towards Tianji Shangren, she even felt a rare trace of killing intent. This thought startled her, and she quickly dismissed it.


    Xu Hei''s victory was undisputed. Previously, it could be said to be opportunistic, but this final battle thoroughly convinced everyone.


    Mo Wuyou announced the results.


    "Final ranking, Earth Team first..."


    As Mo Wuyou spoke, he suddenly looked up at the sky.


    In the distance, faint spatial cracks appeared in the void, seemingly spreading in this direction.


    Mo Wuyou remained indifferent, calmly saying, "Xu Hei, you may receive all my inheritance. Others can also receive a gift, the lifelong insights of my five avatars, which will greatly aid your breakthrough to the Elemental Infant stage!"


    The lifelong insights of a Divine Transformation stage?


    Hearing this, everyone''s hearts raced, and their breathing quickened.


    Divine Transformation insights, invaluable and immeasurable, would influence one''s entire life. This gift was countless times stronger than any previous tangible rewards!


    Especially Lei He, who had been stuck at the late Core Formation stage for countless years. If it could help with the Elemental Infant, any price was worth it!


    At this moment, the cracks in the void grew more numerous and dense, gradually spreading to every corner.


    A cold laugh echoed from outside.


    "Hehe, Mo Wuyou, at a time like this, you still have the mind to distribute your inheritance?" The voice rang like a great bell in everyone''s ears, causing their minds to tremble, blood to flow from their seven orifices, as if they were about to collapse and die.


    "Hmph!"


    Mo Wuyou snorted coldly, and the influence vanished without a trace.


    "Mo Wuyou, how about including me in this inheritance?"


    The laughter continued, and vaguely, a pair of eyes appeared in the void, like the eyes of a god, making people unable to look directly, all lowering their heads.


    Mo Wuyou said nothing, charging straight up.


    At that moment, the world shattered, the void disappeared, and everyone seemed to fall into a vortex, the surrounding scene rapidly changing, returning to the mortal realm.


    Moments later, the external environment became clear.


    Now, each team landed at one of the five corners of Wuyou City: the City Lord''s mansion, the academy, the medical hall, the blacksmith''s shop, and the Earth Temple.


    It was as if the previous space was all an illusion.


    However, in front of each of the five people, a head-sized ball of light appeared.


    Xu Hei''s light ball was multicolored, containing various images and an indescribable vast power, as if a mere touch would draw him in.


    "What is this?" Xu Hei wondered, unsure.


    "This is Mo Wuyou''s lifelong insight, invaluable to you!" Hei Huang said solemnly.


    At this moment, the sound of rushing wind came from all directions, with more and more unfamiliar faces appearing. The suppression of divine sense in this place had also weakened significantly, allowing it to easily spread over ten thousand feet.


    Mo Wuyou''s influence was waning.


    "Let''s go quickly; this place isn''t safe for long. Find a secure location to comprehend this inheritance," Hei Huang advised.

 Chapter 242: The Great Way Controversy, Divine Sense Surrounds the City

    Chapter 242: The Great Way Controversy, Divine Sense Surrounds the CityAs soon as Hei Huang finished speaking, the sky darkened, and a massive inverted bowl descended from the heavens, crashing down towards their area.


    "Boom!!"


    Its speed was indescribable, arriving almost the instant Xu Hei and the other two landed. Hei Huang, unhurried, changed his hand gesture and shouted, "Minor Teleportation Formation!"


    "Whoosh!"


    The figures of Xu Hei and the other two vanished instantly, reappearing thousands of feet away. This was a contingency plan Hei Huang had prepared in advance, not something set up on the spot.


    In the distance, a large shadow approached menacingly. Hei Huang urged, "Quick, go!"


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei swallowed the inheritance light orb, took out the Earth Boat, and loaded Xu Bai and Hei Huang onto it, speeding away from Wuyou City at full throttle.


    The pursuing soldiers were quickly misled and lost track, thanks to the various deceptive tactics left by Hei Huang.


    This allowed Xu Hei to breathe a sigh of relief.


    Those soldiers, clad in armor and wielding halberds, were troops of the Qin Kingdom, likely deployed by Li Si. Despite everything, that strategist wasn''t entirely useless.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside Wuyou City, the environment remained pitch black, but there were slight changes.


    For instance, the yin energy was weakening, the dark clouds were dissipating, and all forms of suppression were decreasing. Both speed and perception were improving every moment.


    This only indicated that the master of Wuyou City was losing control over the place.


    He could no longer govern Wuyou City according to his own rules. Given time, this place, and even the entire ancient relic, would fall and become like the outside world.


    "I''m a demonic beast. Can human insights really be useful to me?" Xu Hei hesitated.


    "Don''t underestimate a Divine Transformation cultivator, especially a genius like Mo Wuyou."


    Hei Huang praised, "That Earth God, the teacher from the academy, the blacksmith from the forge, and the doctor from the clinic, they''re all his incarnations. His insights are ever-changing and will surely find something beneficial for you. If he says it can help you form a Nascent Soul, then it certainly can."


    Xu Hei was taken aback; it was the first time he''d heard Hei Huang praise someone so highly.


    Xu Hei indeed needed insights. His dragon bone had reached a bottleneck, and without insights, he couldn''t advance. He deeply understood the importance of insights.


    "Insights from the Divine Transformation stage..."


    Xu Hei had no concept of the Divine Transformation stage; both the Elemental Infant and Divine Transformation stages were beyond his understanding. However, hearing Hei Huang speak of it, he felt a deep respect.


    Time slowly passed.


    Along the way, they encountered many people, but they were all soldiers of the Qin Kingdom, with no disciples from the Heavenly Puppet Sect. Hei Huang casually set up a formation on the boat, easily blocking all prying eyes, allowing them to travel unimpeded.


    The Earth Boat burrowed deep underground, traveling at an incredible speed.


    Before long, they reached the city gate, where a vortex hovered in the distant sky, marking the way out.


    But just then, Hei Huang suddenly shouted, "Stop!"


    Xu Hei immediately halted the Earth Boat, looking at him in surprise and doubt.


    "There''s a divine sense membrane ahead. Remember the one at the Purple Mist Sect? It''s the same thing!" Hei Huang said solemnly.


    A divine sense membrane, once passed through, would attach itself to you, allowing its owner to pursue you relentlessly.


    Seeing Xu Hei hesitate, Hei Huang added, "The owner of this divine sense membrane is an Elemental Infant cultivator."


    Xu Hei said nothing and immediately turned around, choosing a different direction.


    But he encountered another divine sense membrane.


    After trying three different directions, the result was the same.


    The entire Wuyou City was surrounded!


    "Even Elemental Infant cultivators can run rampant in Wuyou City now. Has it completely fallen?"


    Xu Hei felt heavy-hearted. This was Mo Wuyou''s territory, yet an Elemental Infant cultivator was acting so brazenly, using divine sense to encircle the city. The situation was dire.


    In the past, Xu Hei would have instinctively asked, "What should we do?" But now, he simply pondered silently.


    "It''s not completely fallen yet. Outsiders can''t enter; they can only block the city. This was expected."


    Hei Huang mused, "There are two ways to leave now. First, create thousands of corpse puppets and charge out from all directions simultaneously, overwhelming the divine sense owner. We can slip out amidst the chaos and use the Small Teleportation Talisman to escape. Our chances of all three escaping are about fifty percent."


    "Next option," Xu Hei said.


    He knew all too well about Hei Huang''s "fifty percent." Last time, even a ninety percent chance nearly got them killed. Fifty percent was far too risky.


    Besides, where would he find so many corpse puppets? The butcher could only split into twenty at most.


    "Second, give me three days to set up a large teleportation formation," Hei Huang said.


    "Three days..."


    Xu Hei was speechless. The city was already surrounded by divine sense today; who knew what would happen in three days?


    His enemies weren''t just any random foes; they were from the Heavenly Puppet Sect. Once Qin Xuanji arrived, it wouldn''t just be a simple divine sense encirclement.


    "What about finding allies?"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s eyes lit up. "Let''s find the Chu Tian Alliance. They''re facing the same predicament."


    Hei Huang pondered for a moment and nodded. "Not a bad idea, but remember, the Chu Tian Alliance is a thorn in the Qin Kingdom''s side and will be heavily targeted. Collaborating with them might bring trouble."


    "I understand."


    Xu Hei said no more, steering the Earth Boat southeast.


    This relic expedition made Xu Hei deeply realize the limits of individual power. Whether it was team assessments or uncovering Tianji Shangren''s secrets, help from others was always involved.


    With risk comes reward!


    Throughout the journey, Xu Bai piloted the Earth Boat while Xu Hei took pills to heal. The previous battles had drained him significantly, whether it was resisting the Demon Exorcising Arrow or using the Dragon Shatter Roar, both had left him with considerable injuries.


    "Sigh! Such a great place for cultivation, what a pity!"


    Hei Huang lamented deeply. He had initially planned to stay here for a while, but with Elemental Infant and even Divine Transformation cultivators involved, the risk was too high, and he wasn''t confident of escaping unscathed.


    The only good news was that the strong outsiders seemed unable to enter. Inside Wuyou City, it was Li Si''s men, soldiers of the Qin Kingdom, not people from the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    At least for now, no puppets had been found.


    Suddenly, a pair of eyes appeared in the sky, like a deity descending, overlooking all beings.


    "To the five inheritance holders, surrender your inheritances, and I will let you leave safely!"


    A voice echoed from the sky, spreading throughout the city, reaching every cultivator''s ears.


    But then, dark clouds gathered, obscuring those godlike eyes.


    "Boom boom boom..."


    The earth trembled, and the rumbling continued. The previously thinning yin energy suddenly surged. Withered claws emerged from the ground¡ªcorpse puppets, the corpse puppet army of Wuyou City!


    "In Wuyou City, everyone must abide by the city''s rules! If you want to seize opportunities, do it with your own skills!" Sear?h the nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Another majestic voice spread, this time Mo Wuyou''s voice.


    Xu Hei immediately understood that Mo Wuyou was resisting the invaders.


    Mo Wuyou had only left behind a wisp of his soul, and the invader was also just a divine sense.


    "Mo Wuyou is a peerless genius; he won''t hand over this city easily!" Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei nodded firmly.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Yunlu Academy, Chu Tian Alliance.


    The moment the Chu Tian Alliance returned, they were surrounded. Li Si had left almost all his arrangements at Yunlu Academy.


    As a thorn in the Qin Kingdom''s side, they were bound to receive special attention.


    However, the Chu Tian Alliance was not to be trifled with. Upon appearing, they demonstrated astonishing combat prowess, cutting down dozens and forcing Li Si''s army to retreat, though two of their own were injured.


    "Xu Qingfeng, as long as you hand over the inheritance, I promise not to trouble any of you, and the Heavenly Puppet Sect will let you leave!" Li Si shouted from outside, his army still in formation, surrounding the place.


    "Do you think I would believe your lies?" Xu Qingfeng replied coldly.


    "I swear by the name of a saint!"


    In Li Si''s palm, a statue of a saint appeared.

 Chapter 243: The competition on the grand avenue, everyone is like a dragon

    Chapter 243: The competition on the grand avenue, everyone is like a dragonLi Si, also a scholar, would never lightly invoke the words of the sages. But once he did, his words carried the weight of law.


    Xu Qingfeng remained silent, directly summoning the Mountain and River Diagram.


    Li Si''s eyes flickered as he took out a projection jade slip. With a tap of his hand, the contents were displayed, revealing scenes in the sky filled with countless figures.


    These were the Confucian cultivators who had been imprisoned.


    Xu Qingfeng glanced at it and immediately recognized many of his disciples, fellow brothers, and uncles. Over a hundred people, all shackled and confined in a courtyard.


    In addition, there were piles of scrolls and books, towering like mountains, the painstaking efforts of Confucian disciples over millennia, the carriers of culture.


    In the center of the courtyard was a massive pit, surrounded by stacks of firewood.


    "What do you mean by this?"


    Xu Qingfeng squinted his eyes, a hint of madness flickering.


    "Xu Qingfeng, the fate of Confucianism lies in your decision!"


    Li Si spoke unhurriedly, "As the Chancellor of the Qin Kingdom, with just one word of advice, I can have the Qin King burn these students and those precious books to ashes."


    "You should know what these people and these books represent."


    ¡ªXu Qingfeng was well aware, more than anyone else!


    If the people live, the books live, and the inheritance continues; if the people perish, the books are destroyed, and the inheritance is severed.


    The implication was clear: if he did not hand over Mo Wuyou''s inheritance, Confucianism and its millennia-old cultural legacy would be destroyed.


    "Boss, don''t believe his nonsense!"


    Zhang Tie quickly interjected. Although he trusted Xu Qingfeng''s judgment, he couldn''t help but speak up in such a matter.


    Xu Qingfeng''s gaze was fixed on Li Si, gritting his teeth, he spoke in a low voice, "You are a scholar too!"


    Li Si laughed, "You''re right, burning books is something barbarians do. Since we are both scholars, how about a debate?"


    "According to the rules of the City Lord of Wuyou, a duel doesn''t have to be about fighting! Alchemists can compete in pill refining, artifact refiners in sword forging, and you and I, in a debate!"


    "If I lose, not only will I let you go, but I''ll also release all the Confucian cultivators, including those scrolls and books."


    "If you lose, hand over the City Lord of Wuyou''s inheritance!"


    "I swear by my Dao heart, this is no lie. What do you say?"


    Li Si''s words were a deadly move.


    It was a carefully laid plan, thoroughly understanding a person''s psychology, making it impossible to refuse. Li Si''s confidence earlier was not without reason.


    "What do you want to debate?" Xu Qingfeng asked.


    "At the beginning of man, nature is inherently evil!"


    Li Si pointed to the statue of the sage in the academy, the first words under the statue were these six characters.


    Except he had changed the last character to "evil."


    At this moment, the eyes of the sage statue came to life again. It looked at the two and said in a loud voice, "If you agree, I can act as a witness!"


    This sage was one of Mo Wuyou''s five elemental incarnations, truly capable of making words come true.


    Li Si strictly adhered to the rules of Wuyou City, triggering an additional duel, seeking fortune through genuine skill.


    Xu Qingfeng stood still, nodding heavily, "Alright!"


    When Xu Hei arrived, he happened to witness the entire scene.


    "Sigh, can''t help at all, absolutely can''t help." Hei Huang scratched his head, sighing.


    They were good at fighting and scheming, but in this situation, they couldn''t intervene at all.


    Li Si''s move was a retreat to advance, seemingly making concessions, but actually forcing Xu Qingfeng to comply.


    "Underestimated this strategist, he really has some tricks up his sleeve. Even someone as clever as Xu Qingfeng fell for it," Hei Huang sighed.


    "What if he doesn''t agree?" Xu Hei asked.


    "If he doesn''t agree, the thought that Confucianism perished because of him will linger in his heart. Even a trace of this thought is fatal for a Confucian cultivator! Not to mention being unable to break through for a lifetime, it might even cause a regression in cultivation. Li Si''s move is ruthless!" Hei Huang explained.


    Moreover, even if he didn''t agree, he might not be able to break through the encirclement of Wuyou City, leaving him with no choice!


    Xu Hei, who hadn''t studied, didn''t understand at all. His gaze swept over Li Si''s army, secretly estimating the combat power of both sides.


    Hei Huang closed his eyes, observed for a long time, then suddenly opened his dog eyes, a sharp light flashing through them.


    "I see! The Chu Tian Alliance is also stalling for time, they''re secretly setting up a formation!" Hei Huang exclaimed in surprise.


    "What formation?"


    "They''re opening a path to the land of fire, but at their speed, it will take a long time. I''ll lend them a hand!"


    Hei Huang immediately disappeared, burrowing underground, heading towards the academy.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Wuyou City, clinic.


    Led by Bai Qiushui, the Bai Family forces were also surrounded by the Qin army upon their return, receiving the same treatment as the others.


    "What are you doing?"


    The Grand Elder of the Bai Family immediately stepped forward, pointing at the Qin army and angrily rebuking, "Our Bai Family Ancestor is your superior, are you rebelling?"


    To everyone''s speechlessness, many of the Qin soldiers were from the Bai Family themselves. Fighting against themselves? What a joke!


    Not long after, Bai Luo emerged from the crowd.


    He stepped forward, hands behind his back, looking at Bai Qiushui with calm eyes, and said indifferently, "Uncle Qiushui, orders from above state that any inheritance from Mo Wuyou must not remain, it must disappear from the world forever. You''re no exception, hand it over!"


    This time, he unprecedentedly used a respectful address.


    The Bai Family, as a prominent family in the Qin Kingdom, a military family, always obeyed orders from above.


    The Grand Elder hesitated, looking at Bai Qiushui, his eyes showing struggle. This was a great opportunity for the Bai Family, how could they give it up? As for making it disappear from the world, who would believe such nonsense? Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who could guarantee that besides insights, there were no other treasures in the inheritance?


    Mo Wuyou''s magical treasures and lifetime collection were still unknown.


    "Qiushui, it''s your choice."


    A voice came from the shadows, the voice of the Bai Family head. Although he wasn''t present, he had been observing with his divine sense.


    Bai Qiushui remained silent for a long time, taking a deep breath, stepping out from the crowd, standing face to face with Bai Luo.


    Bai Qiushui stood tall, his eyes showing a proud demeanor.


    In stark contrast to Bai Luo''s seemingly gentle yet arrogant demeanor, this was blatant arrogance.


    "What do you mean by that look?" Bai Luo''s eyes narrowed.


    "Bai Luo!" Bai Qiushui stared at him, speaking slowly, "Do you really think I''m not your match?"


    Bai Luo was inwardly furious, but his upbringing allowed him to maintain his composure, smiling calmly, "Uncle Qiushui, I''ve never thought that way. We are both Chosen of the Bai Family, there''s no distinction between us."


    Bai Qiushui merely shook his head, "I know, the Heavenly Puppet Sect took all the inheritances for you alone. They want you to take everything, to grow into the next Mo Wuyou!"


    "Am I right?"


    These words stirred a great storm in Bai Luo''s heart, a look of shock flashing in his eyes, but he forcibly suppressed it, coldly saying, "What do you mean?"


    "My meaning is simple."


    Bai Qiushui stepped forward again, eyes filled with overwhelming battle intent.


    "You and I, a fight to the death! If you win, I, Bai Qiushui, will hand over the inheritance! If you lose, you will be expelled from the Bai Family!"

 Chapter 244: The struggle of the great way, where everyone becomes an enemy of the nation

    Chapter 244: The struggle of the great way, where everyone becomes an enemy of the nationAfter Bai Qiushui''s words left his mouth, everyone was in disbelief, not just the Bai Family, but even the Qin Kingdom soldiers surrounding them looked as if they had seen a ghost.


    The Bai Family''s unparalleled twins were actually going to engage in a life-and-death battle!


    Bai Luo was stunned for a long while before saying, "This joke isn''t funny at all. Take back what you just said, and I''ll pretend nothing happened."


    "I''m not joking with you!"


    Bai Qiushui directly drew a snow jade flying sword and pointed it at Bai Luo.


    Such an action was tantamount to declaring war!


    Everyone in the Bai Family''s faces changed dramatically.


    But Bai Luo merely shook his head and said to Lei He behind him, "General Lei, Bai Qiushui has gone astray in his cultivation. Knock him out and take away the inheritance."


    He had no intention of fighting Bai Qiushui.


    The two were not on the same level, and there was no need to fight. If he won, it would strain his relationship with the Bai Family.


    Imagine, Bai Qiushui, whom the Bai Family had high hopes for, being easily defeated by him. How would the Bai Family save face? Where would the family head''s dignity go?


    Unparalleled Arrogance, fighting amongst themselves, he didn''t want to be labeled with such a name; it would sound too unpleasant if spread around!


    Lei He said nothing, immediately stepping forward and unleashing an invisible field of lightning, pressing towards Bai Qiushui. As someone in the late Core Formation stage, his power was unmatched, and no one could stop him.


    "Let''s see who dares!"


    Bai Qiushui shouted, and a purple bead appeared in his hand, which he clenched tightly.


    "Crack, crack, crack..."


    Cracks appeared on the surface of the bead, and terrifying thunder power spread out. A series of terrifying booming sounds echoed between heaven and earth, causing the space to appear distorted.


    Lei He''s face changed dramatically, and he immediately withdrew the lightning field, retreating several steps.


    Everyone was shocked, retreating in fear, their faces filled with terror.


    "Is that... a Thunder Tribulation Pearl?"


    "And not just any Thunder Tribulation Pearl, what kind of power is this?"


    "Could it be the Five-Nine Heavenly Tribulation of the Elemental Infant stage?"


    Everyone''s eyes were fixed on that purple bead, feeling their scalps tingle and their hair stand on end. Such heavenly power was unshakable!


    This Thunder Tribulation Pearl was something Bai Qiushui had obtained using a mechanism jade.


    He had previously collected many mechanism boxes, among which one seemed to contain thunder power, which he had paid special attention to. This Thunder Tribulation Pearl was precisely one of the treasures he had obtained!


    Bai Luo''s expression finally changed.


    He had never looked Bai Qiushui in the eye from the beginning, but now he had to take him seriously!


    Holding the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, Bai Qiushui was full of pride, suddenly thinking of the person who detonated the heavenly tribulation in the gambling house, thinking of Xu Hei.


    To protect himself, he had to risk his life!


    "In the blink of an eye, one man can stand against a nation. Bai Luo, put away your arrogance, you have no choice today!" Bai Qiushui stared ahead, speaking coldly. Sear?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Madman... At this moment, everyone had this thought in their minds.


    Bai Luo finally took a deep breath, nodded, and said seriously, "Fine, you brought this on yourself!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the struggle for the Great Dao, everyone is like a dragon.


    To fight for an opportunity, they disregard life and death, competing with the heavens and battling with others, leaping like fish over the dragon gate, undergoing the phoenix''s nirvana.


    Wuyou City, City Lord''s mansion.


    Tianji Shangren sat cross-legged on the ground, holding a blue halo in his palm, which was his inheritance halo.


    Behind him stood the Zhou Family''s team.


    Outside the City Lord''s mansion, a large group of figures, including Yin Mingzi, Liu Chengfeng, and many powerful cultivators from the Qin Kingdom, surrounded the mansion.


    However, they did not make a move.


    "I guess the reason you haven''t acted is that you want me to help you capture that number one Snake Demon, am I right?" Tianji Shangren looked at the crowd, his expression half-smiling.


    "Talking to smart people is simple."


    A Qin Kingdom commander said calmly, his name was Wang Qian, one of the top ten experts in the Qin Kingdom.


    "We won''t let Mo Wuyou''s inheritance leave a trace, including the one in your hand. But as compensation, our Qin Kingdom will give you enough benefits. You can make any request, and if you want fortune, our Qin Kingdom can even offer a Dragon Qi as a reward!" Wang Qian said calmly.


    Tianji Shangren''s eyes flickered, and no one knew what he was thinking. After a moment, he simply nodded heavily, "Alright!"


    "Good! May our cooperation be successful!" Wang Qian raised a slight smile.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei, having nothing better to do, used two mechanism jades to open two blind boxes, obtaining a piece of meteorite iron from beyond the heavens and a compass-shaped magical treasure.


    Xu Qingfeng and Li Si were debating the nature of good and evil in humanity, but Xu Hei couldn''t care less and didn''t understand what there was to argue about.


    It would be better to just have a fight; whoever''s fist is bigger is the hard truth.


    "External Incarnation!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei created an incarnation, which immediately dove underground and slipped away.


    He knew that the Heavenly Puppet Sect was pursuing and blocking every inheritor.


    There was nothing to worry about with the Bai Family, but he was concerned about the Zhou Family, as Tianji Shangren''s treacherous heart was still alive, wanting to conspire against him.


    He wasn''t afraid of Tianji Shangren''s strength, but he was most worried about his heavenly divination skills, always coincidentally encountering him. How could there be such a coincidence?


    The other party must have a way to track fortune!


    Although he trusted Hei Huang''s concealment skills, he wanted to take multiple precautions.


    "Fellow Daoist, please stay!"


    Xu Hei''s incarnation hadn''t gone far when he heard a ghostly voice appear on the street above.


    It was a paper figure of Tianji Shangren, facing the void, talking to itself, "Fellow Daoist, how about we make a deal? I can help you shield the heavenly secrets, making everyone ignore your existence..."


    Xu Hei didn''t even bother to listen, turning around and leaving.


    "This isn''t a benevolent fate, but a transaction. The cause and effect are resolved, and there will be no repercussions!"


    Tianji Shangren''s paper figure shouted.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to hear what he had to say, fully activating the Earth Escape Technique and disappearing without a trace.


    At the same time.


    Xu Hei''s true self received a summons from Hei Huang, and he quickly entered the formation set up by the Chu Tian Alliance.


    "Buzz!"


    The void twisted, the world turned upside down, and Xu Hei''s figure disappeared from this space, immediately losing connection with his incarnation.


    This time, the teleportation did not send him to the Land of Fire but stopped in a strange spatial crevice.


    "The Five Elements Land has fallen; only this place is safe. You can meditate here without any disturbance!" Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei looked around, finding it pitch black, unable to see his hand in front of him, with very little space to move.


    Only the formation beneath him emitted faint energy fluctuations.


    "Is this a spatial crevice?" Xu Hei wondered.


    "This is a space I painstakingly opened up, only five cubic meters, enough for you to hide. I have things to do outside and will go meet your incarnation first."


    After giving a brief explanation, Hei Huang vanished.


    Xu Hei calmed his mind and released the multicolored light orb.


    Mo Wuyou''s lifelong inheritance.


    He hesitated no longer, focusing his divine sense and entering it.


    In a daze, Xu Hei heard a voice.


    "Young dragon clan member! This inheritance poses great risks for you, and you may never awaken! Are you sure you want to enter?"


    This was Mo Wuyou''s voice.


    He actually referred to Xu Hei as a young dragon clan member!


    Xu Hei''s heart trembled, and he quickly asked, "Please, senior, explain further."

 Chapter 245: Ether is indestructible, Vajra suppresses the primordial

    Chapter 245: Ether is indestructible, Vajra suppresses the primordial"My insights begin in Wuyou City and end in Wuyou City. The so-called ''worry-free'' is meant for humans, not demonic beasts. I will let you experience this journey as a human, but you might become lost and never awaken."


    "Young dragon of the dragon clan, are you sure you want to do this?"


    Mo Wuyou''s voice came again, unusually serious.


    Xu Hei had no hesitation, saying, "A bird is reborn as a phoenix through nirvana, a flood dragon becomes a true dragon through tribulation crossing. The Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, each transformation is a matter of life and death. I am ready!"


    One transformation, one life and death¡ªthis is the essence of the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, a destined path.


    "Good! I await the day you awaken!"


    Mo Wuyou''s voice carried a tone of relief.


    "Buzz!"


    A ball of light rapidly expanded, like a mass of cotton, completely enveloping Xu Hei''s body. His consciousness plunged into a fantastical world.


    Wuyou City, bustling and lively, with streams of people and vehicles.


    This was the five-hundredth year since the founding of Wuyou City, a time of peak prosperity.


    A small life was born in the Xu family.


    "It''s born, it''s a boy."


    People gathered around, and the midwife slapped the baby boy''s bottom, trying to make him cry, but he remained motionless, his eyes filled with confusion and vigilance as he looked at the surrounding crowd and his parents.


    "Wow! This kid can bite!"


    "What strength!"


    "Haha, this child is naturally combative, with a black mark on his forehead. Let''s call him Xu Hei."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Wuyou City.


    "Boom!!"


    A loud explosion echoed from afar, and a figure in white was blasted away, crashing heavily into the bricks and stones, blood spraying, head broken and bleeding.


    Xu Hei''s avatar happened to be passing by. He looked closely and realized it was Bai Qiushui, the young master of the Bai family.


    "Why is Bai Qiushui fighting with someone?" sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei had some impression of him and quickly deduced the cause and effect.


    The Heavenly Puppet Sect had launched a siege on all inheritors, including Bai Qiushui.


    In the distance, a young man in white chased after him, holding a Five Elemental Seal in his hand, within which wind, rain, thunder, and lightning roared and rotated endlessly.


    "Bai Qiushui, surrender. I don''t want to make things difficult for you!"


    Bai Luo''s voice came from afar. With a grip of the Five Elemental Seal, countless vines shot out, stabbing toward Bai Qiushui.


    Bai Qiushui, however, did not dodge, letting the vines pierce through as his body soared into the air, throwing a punch at Bai Luo. The shadow of his fist grew denser, like a storm, striking out thousands of times in an instant.


    "Boom boom boom..."


    Fists struck the void, shaking the heavens and earth. Bai Luo blocked all the attacks with just a large shield, and as a bolt of lightning struck, countless leg shadows descended at tricky angles. Bai Luo, clad in silver armor, only emitted a dull sound, unharmed.


    A look of disdain flashed in his eyes. This outdated way of fighting could only be taught by the Bai family.


    "The Bai family''s Fusion Fist and Lightning Leg are mastered to perfection by you, worthy of being the Bai family''s young master. But we are all cultivators; such physical combat is useless!"


    Bai Luo summoned four flying swords, forming a sword formation that instantly slashed Bai Qiushui, causing blood to flow and leaving countless wounds on his body, like rain falling.


    Xu Hei watched in astonishment.


    It was the first time he had seen a human cultivator use such a purely physical fighting style. Even the body cultivators of the Iron Mountain Sect had tempered their bodies countless times, their bodies as strong as refined iron. Tie Xiong and Tie Niu each possessed their own third-tier magical treasures.


    Bai Qiushui looked like an ordinary martial artist without any cultivation.


    No magical treasures, an unremarkable physical body, relying solely on leg techniques¡ªcould he defeat a cultivator?


    "Boom!!"


    Bai Qiushui fell from the sky, leaving a human-shaped imprint on the ground, his body covered in blood and bones shattered.


    Bai Luo''s eyes showed disdain, but he still generously advised, "Stop now, and I can pretend nothing happened before."


    Even among the Chosen, there are different levels.


    In his view, the gap between him and Bai Qiushui was at least three Zhou Wendies, completely not on the same level.


    But just as he finished speaking, Bai Qiushui charged again, indifferent to his injuries.


    "Boom!"


    Bai Qiushui was knocked down again, his injuries worsening, but he charged again at an even faster speed, his eyes filled with fierce light.


    Three times, four times, five times... ten times!


    Blood stained the ground, wounds deep enough to see bone, spitting out blood-stained organs, yet Bai Qiushui seemed like an undying war god, constantly falling, rising, charging, falling again, and rising again.


    Each time he rose, his combat power grew stronger, and the fierceness in his eyes intensified.


    As time passed, at first, Bai Luo thought the other had taken some pill, but gradually, he realized something was wrong.


    "Something''s not right!"


    Bai Luo squinted his eyes.


    Why couldn''t Bai Qiushui be defeated?


    Instead, the more severe his injuries, the stronger his combat power?


    Not only him, but the onlookers from afar were also full of astonishment. Bai Qiushui was like an ancient war god, endlessly falling and rising, never dying.


    "The Etheric Undying Body, this was the physique of the White Emperor back in the day. I didn''t expect to see it today."


    Behind Xu Hei, Hei Huang''s voice was filled with surprise.


    "What is the Etheric Undying?" Xu Hei asked.


    "It means you can''t be killed. Who knows what fortune this kid obtained in the wood element area to gain the Etheric Undying Body. It''s much more formidable than that Zhou family''s girl''s Ice and Fire Dual Pupils!"


    Hei Huang clicked his tongue, "But just being unkillable is useless. True Qi will eventually run out. It still needs to be paired with other cultivation techniques to unleash its power."


    In just a short moment.


    Bai Qiushui had already fallen a hundred times. Bai Luo had also tried using sealing and binding magical treasures, but they were ineffective, always being broken free.


    "Hmph, don''t blame me then!"


    Bai Luo''s gaze turned cold, and the four flying swords beside him shot out like lightning, aiming to sever Bai Qiushui''s limbs and turn him into a human stick.


    "Ding!"


    Suddenly, the flying swords seemed to strike refined iron, rebounding from the thick spiritual power.


    At this moment, Bai Qiushui''s body was like glass, his skin crystal clear and transparent, as if a layer of water rippled within, exuding a terrifying pressure that was no weaker than the Core Formation Stage!


    Bai Luo''s calm eyes finally changed.


    Everyone''s expressions shifted simultaneously, looking at Bai Qiushui with waves of shock in their hearts.


    "Diamond Suppression Technique?" The Bai family''s Grand Elder exclaimed in astonishment.


    The Diamond Suppression Technique, by repeatedly compressing True Qi until it becomes solid, achieving power comparable to True Essence!


    Once solidified, it can still be compressed again. Each compression strengthens it a bit. Compressing ten times strengthens it tenfold!


    This was a cultivation technique created by the Bai family''s ancestor, and until now, no one but that war god had mastered it.


    Bai Qiushui became the second person.


    With Diamond Suppression, a Foundation Establishment cultivation can challenge Core Formation.


    And with the Etheric Undying Body, all the previous beatings were part of the compression process. After so many compressions, Bai Qiushui''s True Qi was compressed to an unimaginable degree.


    It turned out that his previous beatings were intentional, hiding his true purpose, all for this moment of reversal!


    "Boom!!!"


    Like a human cannonball, Bai Qiushui shot into the sky, launching an assault on the aloof and proud Bai Luo. His previously unremarkable fists and feet were now the strongest spells! The strongest magical treasures!


    A mortal slaying an immortal, a Foundation Establishment challenging Core Formation, the weakest Chosen striking a fatal blow against the self-proclaimed strongest Chosen!


    "Useless!"


    Suddenly, three figures blocked the way. One was blown apart by a punch, but the other two simultaneously acted, locking Bai Qiushui''s fists from left and right, and sealing formations appeared instantly beneath his feet.


    In an instant, Bai Qiushui''s compressed True Qi was rapidly sealed, his aura plummeting!


    Xu Hei''s pupils shrank to a point.


    These three figures, he had seen them before, were three of the seven in the Seven Star Dragon Lock Formation! Their cultivation had reached the Core Formation Stage!


    These three appeared without warning, as if out of thin air, blocking in front of Bai Luo.


    There was only one explanation.


    These three were puppets!

 Chapter 246: What is good and evil?

    Chapter 246: What is good and evil?In the ancient relic, the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s cultivators were forbidden from entering. Bai Luo had sealed his puppet techniques and retrained in the White Emperor Sutra to blend in.


    But now, there was no need for that!


    If he wished, he could unseal himself and instantly revert to being the all-powerful number one Chosen of the Heavenly Puppet Sect!


    Even after witnessing Xu Hei''s strength, Bai Luo still believed himself invincible, thinking the opponent only had a twenty percent chance of defeating him, and it wasn''t without reason. His confidence was not self-deception!


    Three Core Formation puppets were his trump card. Which Foundation Establishment Stage could withstand them?


    "You forced me to use my trump card and even destroyed a puppet. Bai Qiushui, you have enough to be proud of! But times have changed, and the Bai Family''s combat style is outdated!"


    Bai Luo''s voice was low, and countless spider-web-like threads emerged from the puppet, entangling Bai Qiushui.


    However, Bai Qiushui''s forward momentum was not halted; instead, his strength grew stronger. His entire body radiated a brilliant glaze, and the two Core Formation puppets couldn''t stop him!


    Even the newly formed sealing formation was about to be broken.


    "What?"


    Bai Luo''s pupils contracted as he saw a massive fist, unstoppable, break through the seal and crash into his face, leaving no room to dodge.


    The Bai Family''s Nuclear Fusion Fist!


    "Bang!!"


    A crisp sound of bones shattering echoed as Bai Luo''s nose collapsed, his entire face caved in, teeth flying out like a kite with a broken string, crashing into the ruins, causing a thunderous vibration and creating a hundred-zhang-wide crater! Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "He actually broke through?"


    Xu Hei was full of shock. The sealing formation just now was already a simplified version of the Seven Star Dragon Lock Formation, yet Bai Qiushui broke through it.


    Without using a single spell, relying purely on physical strength, was the Diamond Suppression Technique really that powerful?


    "Xu Hei, who do you think will win?" Hei Huang laughed.


    "How would I know?" Xu Hei shook his head.


    Bai Luo spat out a mouthful of blood, seeing Bai Qiushui dive down like a meteor. He no longer held back, summoning a large number of mechanical puppets, forming a battle formation with full firepower coverage.


    Bai Qiushui didn''t use any defensive magical artifacts, allowing the shells to hit him without fear. His body friction sparked, like a brilliant star, crashing down from the sky.


    On one side were the advanced spell mechanisms of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, on the other, the Bai Family''s traditional hand-to-hand combat.


    This battle was not only a contest of strength but also a clash of ideologies.


    Two Chosen of the Bai Family''s generation had embarked on completely different paths!


    Bai Qiushui, with a determination to die, took out the Thunder Tribulation Pearl. Was it really just for himself? For Mo Wuyou''s inheritance?


    No!


    "Bai Luo, I will use the Bai Family''s fists and feet that you look down upon to utterly destroy you!!!"


    Bai Qiushui''s eyes blazed with immense fire, and with a long roar, he charged towards the endless army of puppets, accompanied by fists and feet crashing down from the sky.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Wuyou City, Yunlu Academy.


    "Teacher, you always say that human nature is inherently good, but I see that little Xu from the Xu family is clearly inherently evil!"


    "Just born and already biting people, at three he can crush a chick to death, at five he uses a slingshot to shoot birds, and often bullies other children. If not for his parents'' discipline, who knows what trouble he might cause."


    In front of the academy, Sun Qing spoke to an elderly gentleman with white hair.


    The old gentleman shook his head, "The little one from the Xu family is just mischievous, how can that be related to evil? Next year his parents will send him here to study, and his temperament will naturally improve."


    It had been eight years since Xu Hei was born.


    Xu Hei retained the nature of a snake, full of hostility towards any foreign object. While ordinary people would fear killing chickens or slaughtering cattle, he could wield the knife himself.


    The little tyrant of the world, Xu the Butcher, the king of children... at just eight years old, he had earned a series of titles.


    He didn''t understand what good and evil were, only knowing that anything threatening him must be eliminated!


    But within Wuyou City, nothing posed a threat to him.


    Under the meticulous care of his parents, day after day, year after year, Xu Hei finally restrained his temper somewhat, no longer attacking people unprovoked.


    "Tomorrow you''re going to Yunlu Academy, Xu Hei, you must listen to the teacher and not cause trouble!"


    "If you''re wronged, just come home, don''t get into fights outside!"


    His parents'' repeated reminders were etched in Xu Hei''s mind.


    At night, Xu Hei went to his room and took out a snake as long as an arm from under the bed.


    This was a pet snake, entirely golden yellow, with a gentle temperament.


    Originally a fierce species, but after years of Xu Hei''s nurturing, it no longer had any aggression, even its venomous fangs had fallen out.


    Like a wolf tamed into a dog; a wild chicken tamed into a domestic one.


    In a peaceful and carefree environment, the snake lost its fangs, and Xu Hei learned to care for a pet.


    "Hei Huang, tomorrow I''m going to the academy, do you want to come with me?" Xu Hei asked.


    Hei Huang was the name of the pet snake.


    The little yellow snake only flicked its tongue, and Xu Hei seemed to understand its meaning, nodding, "Alright, I''ll take you with me!"


    The next day, at Yunlu Academy.


    When a snake crawled out of Xu Hei''s bag, it instantly caused an uproar.


    "Run, there''s a snake!"


    "Someone help!"


    "Get him out of here!"


    Various urgent cries rang out, and for a moment, the scene was chaotic and disorderly.


    In the end, it was the old gentleman who stepped in, calming everyone down.


    "This kid is a bad seed, he can''t stay here!"


    "Keeping a snake as a pet is too dangerous!"


    Despite everyone''s strong persuasion, the old gentleman still decided to keep Xu Hei, but the price was to release the snake.


    Originally, the demand was to kill it, but after much debate, it was changed to releasing it.


    "Why can''t snakes be allowed? They''re living creatures too, why treat them differently?" Xu Hei was very confused.


    Some at the academy kept birds, some kept fish, some kept cats, but snakes were not allowed! Even without fangs, it wasn''t allowed!


    Remembering his parents'' advice, Xu Hei gritted his teeth and released the little snake into the pond behind the mountain. From then on, he would come here every day to feed it.


    From then on, Xu Hei had a confusion in his heart: the good and evil people spoke of had double standards.


    Xu Hei found the teacher and asked, "Teacher, what is goodness?"


    "Goodness, you can understand it as being kind to others, helping each other, being sincere, and having a positive impact on everything," the old gentleman replied.


    Xu Hei was silent for a moment, then said, "Are people born this way?"


    The old gentleman smiled, "In Wuyou City, yes! Human nature is inherently good."


    "What if it''s in a dangerous environment?" Xu Hei asked again.


    The answer Xu Hei received was a long silence.


    After a long time, the old gentleman said, "Xu Hei, when you grow up, we can discuss this question again."


    A month later.


    When Xu Hei came to the pond behind the mountain as usual to feed Hei Huang, he found that the little golden snake had long been dead¡ªit had been eaten by a wild cat.


    Xu Hei squatted by the pond, staring at the snake''s incomplete body, as if he were dumbfounded, lost in a long daze.


    From the traces on the ground, Hei Huang had tried to fight back.


    But in a peaceful environment, it had lost its fangs, its most powerful weapon for self-defense, and once it went into the wild, it was doomed to die.

 Chapter 247: What is good and evil?

    Chapter 247: What is good and evil?Zhang Tie''s arm swelled, transforming into a demonic hand, and with lightning speed, it reached for Xu Qingfeng''s back.


    "Watch out!"


    "Ugh!"


    Xu Qingfeng couldn''t dodge in time, and his back was pierced by a palm strike. Blood gushed out wildly, even his protective True Essence was shattered by the blow.


    "Zhang Tie, you..."


    Xu Qingfeng looked incredulously at his friend behind him.


    At this moment, Zhang Tie''s eyes were pitch black, devoid of emotion, and his body was emitting a sinister demonic aura. Black hair sprouted on his arms and body, and his teeth were becoming sharp.


    Zhang Tie had succumbed to madness!


    "Haha! Xu Qingfeng, Zhang Tie hasn''t gone mad; he''s lost his reason and returned to his true nature. Humanity is inherently evil; this is his nature. Killing and plundering, that''s the primal instinct!" Li Si laughed heartily.


    A powerful suction appeared on Zhang Tie''s arm, drawing Xu Qingfeng''s True Essence into his body. This technique of absorbing others'' True Qi was extremely dangerous and malicious.


    Originally, Zhang Tie had sealed this technique, vowing never to use it again, but now he had unleashed it once more.


    Xu Qingfeng did not resist, his eyes bloodshot, he looked at Zhang Tie calmly and said, "Zhang Tie, look at me, wake up!"


    Zhang Tie remained unmoved.


    He continued to absorb and plunder others, strengthening himself. This was the law of nature, the essence of living beings.


    "Xu Qingfeng, humanity is inherently evil, you''ve lost!" Li Si sneered coldly.


    Nearby, the army surrounded Yunlu Academy, all brandishing magical treasures and weapons, ready to attack at a command.


    "Xu Qingfeng, I heard you even supported a snake. Unfortunately, it''s nothing but a white-eyed wolf, the worst of the worst. What else do you have to say? Admit defeat!" Li Si said.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "Boom!"


    Bai Qiushui fell from the sky, crashing into the ground, adding another deep pit to the already scarred earth.


    He was covered in blood, his flesh mangled, and he had lost count of how many times he had gotten back up.


    At this moment, he was like a zombie without consciousness, tirelessly falling and rising, repeating the process in a daze, like a walking corpse.


    "Bai Qiushui, you''ve lost! The times have changed, body cultivation should have been eliminated long ago. Even demonic beasts have started using spells, why are you, a human, so stubborn?"


    Around Bai Luo, layers of puppet battle formations were set up, with puppet cannons, puppet chariots, ground spike traps, and poison arrays with thunder nets...


    He had fully utilized the combat methods of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    With such advanced spells, how could mere flesh and blood compare?


    "I... have not... lost..."


    Bai Qiushui got up once more, staggering towards Bai Luo, his speed like that of an old man, even slower than the Qi Refining Stage. Step by step, he raised his fist and walked forward.


    This time, Bai Luo did not attack, only a look of mockery and a hint of regret flashed in his eyes.


    "Thud!"


    Bai Qiushui fell to the ground.


    Without encountering any attack, he collapsed, his blood drained, his body covered in wounds, and his bones exposed, lying in front of Bai Luo.


    Bai Luo shook his head, a smile tugging at his lips.


    In the end, he still won.


    Just as his smile appeared, a twinge of pain shot through his face, a reminder of the Nuclear Fusion Fist from the Bai Family that had struck him.


    He touched his face, the lingering pain casting a shadow over his victory.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Southern Region, headquarters of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    On this day, Qin Xuanji personally visited, prompting many ancestors to emerge from seclusion, and the current sect leader, Xu Qingzhi, welcomed him with open arms.


    "I''ve come to ask you to catch a snake. Can you do it?"


    Qin Xuanji got straight to the point.


    "We can!"


    Xu Qingzhi immediately understood his intention, his eyes flickering as he replied in a deep voice, "As long as we have the blood or scales of the target, I can catch it, even if it''s a relative of the same species."


    Qin Xuanji nodded slightly and waved his hand.


    Behind him, puppet chariots slowly drove into the Snake Catchers Sect, loaded with various snakes, all bound by chains, cart after cart, returning fully loaded.


    Everyone glanced briefly, their hearts shocked. There were at least over a million, possibly reaching tens of millions!


    "This is..." Xu Qingzhi was stunned.


    Cart after cart, it took a full hour to transport them all into the Snake Catchers Sect, piling up so much that not even a mountain could contain them, filling the sky and earth.


    Even for the Snake Catchers Sect, such a number of snakes was rare! sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is a gift, a total of ten million snakes. I''ve nearly cleaned out all the snakes in the Southern Region, and I''ve specifically marked those from Myriad Serpent Valley, which should include the kin of that black snake," Qin Xuanji said calmly.


    The members of the Snake Catchers Sect exchanged glances, filled with doubt and uncertainty.


    They had long suspected that the black snake was secretly raised by the Heavenly Puppet Sect, and Qin Xuanji had specifically instructed them not to capture it.


    But now, Qin Xuanji personally came, specifically asking to capture that snake!


    What did this mean? Everyone had their own speculations.


    Regardless, they had to accomplish this task!


    Even if Qin Xuanji didn''t arrange it, they would still grind that snake to dust.


    "I will ensure this task is completed!"


    Xu Qingzhi cupped his fists and bowed.


    With ten million snakes, even if he couldn''t immediately break through to the Elemental Infant stage, reaching the Great Perfection of the Golden Core stage and keeping pace with Qin Xuanji was no problem!


    This was a great opportunity and fortune for the Snake Catchers Sect, unprecedented! With the backing of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, they would soar to great heights!


    "Very well, I give you half a month."


    Leaving these words, Qin Xuanji turned and left.


    After leaving the Snake Catchers Sect, he went to Chuyang City and summoned Elder Dog, instructing, "The Xiao Family no longer needs to exist."


    "Huh? Aren''t you going to recruit Xiao Chou?" Elder Ding Quan was taken aback.


    Qin Xuanji merely shook his head self-deprecatingly.


    Initially, he had seen potential in Xiao Chou and made various arrangements, going to great lengths to win him over, but repeatedly failed, and Xiao Chou even joined the Chu Tian Alliance.


    This was clearly a slap in his face!


    Everything he had done seemed laughably foolish.


    "The facts prove that gentle methods have no effect. Only with an iron fist, only through killing, can one make others submit! Kindness? How ridiculous! Only through extreme evil can one reign supreme!"


    Qin Xuanji sneered and shook his head, instructing, "Exterminate the entire Xiao Family, extract everyone''s souls, and make them into soul banners to take to the Wu Mountain ruins!"


    Elder Ding Quan was astonished, but after a moment of silence, he cupped his fists and said, "Yes! I will carry out your orders immediately!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the end, Xu Hei was persuaded to leave the academy.


    His nature was too unruly, one could even describe it as "evil," making him unsuitable for life at the academy, so he returned home to farm with his father.


    The Xu Family was known as melon farmers in the east of the city, cultivating several acres of watermelons, living a life free from want.


    "Xu Hei, it''s okay if you don''t study. I, your father, can''t read a word, and I''m doing just fine!" Xu Daniu laughed, patting Xu Hei on the shoulder.


    Xu Hei said nothing, just continued weeding in the melon field.


    These weeds would hinder the growth of the watermelons and had to be removed, a task he performed daily.


    Weeds would steal nutrients from the watermelons, something his father had taught him.


    "Father, do you think plants have good and evil?" Xu Hei suddenly asked.


    "Haha, plants don''t have good or evil. Have you gone mad from studying?" Xu Daniu laughed and scolded.


    "But the teacher said that as long as you plunder from others, it''s evil!" Xu Hei replied.


    "..." Xu Daniu was momentarily stunned, taking a long time to recover, unsure of how to respond.


    After a long silence, he laughed awkwardly, "How can plants be compared to people? The teacher must be right, listen to the teacher, not me. I, your father, am uneducated."

 Chapter 248: The End of True Qi Compression

    Chapter 248: The End of True Qi CompressionThree years later.


    With the widespread use of mechanism techniques, Xu Hei no longer needed to manually weed; using a weeding machine, he could easily clear all the weeds.


    The free farm vehicle could automatically fertilize and water the fields, saving a lot of effort. There was even a mechanical dog to help drive away wild boars.


    This gave Xu Hei more free time.


    "Xu Hei, since you don''t want to study, how about practicing martial arts? I see the martial arts school is recruiting young people. As long as you pass the test, you can be selected."


    During dinner, Xu Daniu suggested at the table.


    Xu Hei''s mother also agreed.


    The technology in Wuyou City was becoming increasingly advanced, freeing up manpower to do what they wanted.


    "Alright, I can give it a try," Xu Hei nodded.


    That night, Xu Hei returned to his bedroom and said to a black snake by the window, "Xiao Hei, I''m going to the martial arts school tomorrow. I won''t be taking you this time, so you don''t end up like Xiao Huang last time."


    The black snake seemed to understand and nodded its head.


    This was a pet snake Xu Daniu had bought for Xu Hei three years ago.


    The death of Hei Huang had been a big blow to Xu Hei, and his father thought of this way to comfort him.


    Although Xiao Hei was a snake, it was soft all over, had no teeth, and even its bones were soft, more like a big earthworm.


    It was a new breed cultivated in the environment of Wuyou City, gentle in temperament and completely non-aggressive.


    The next day.


    Xu Hei arrived at the martial arts school and queued up for a physical test.


    When it was Xu Hei''s turn, the master at the martial arts school checked him over and was instantly shocked, quickly running into the school.


    Soon, a white-bearded elder came out, holding a crystal ball.


    "Quick, place your hand on it!" the white-bearded elder urged.


    Xu Hei placed his palm on it, and the crystal ball immediately emitted a dazzling brown light.


    "An exceptional Earth Spiritual Root, a candidate for cultivation!" the white-bearded elder exclaimed.


    "Cultivation!"


    Everyone showed expressions of shock and envy.


    Most of Wuyou City''s population were mortals, but there were also many cultivation candidates. The advanced mechanism techniques were created by those cultivators. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An hour later.


    Xu Hei was taken to the City Lord''s mansion to meet the legendary City Lord.


    This person appeared middle-aged, with a gentle and amiable demeanor, a kind smile, clearly a benevolent person. His name was Gongshu Wuyou.


    "Xu Hei, you are the thirtieth person in a thousand years in Wuyou City to have an exceptional spiritual root," Gongshu Wuyou said with a smile.


    Xu Hei lowered his head, silent.


    "I now offer you two choices: one, become my disciple, learn the Puppet Mechanism Technique from me, and become a master."


    "The previous twenty-nine all chose this path, and now each of them is outstanding."


    "Two..." Gongshu Wuyou paused here, "return to the martial arts school and train in martial arts with Mr. Bai, since it was he who sent you here."


    "I choose the second!" Xu Hei made his choice without hesitation.


    Gongshu Wuyou was stunned, staring at Xu Hei for a long while, incredulous, "Why?"


    He couldn''t believe that a disciple with an exceptional spiritual root would choose traditional martial arts over cultivation, which was for mortals to temper their bodies!


    A promising cultivation candidate choosing to refine the physical body seemed like a waste of talent.


    "I don''t want to adapt to Wuyou City''s environment; I want to forge my own path," Xu Hei answered after a long silence.


    Gongshu Wuyou''s gaze fixed on him, and after several breaths, he nodded, "Alright, it''s your choice. I hope you don''t regret it."


    A moment later.


    Xu Hei returned to the martial arts school and met Mr. Bai.


    Mr. Bai was over sixty, with white hair, showing no trace of an immortal''s aura, more like an elderly mortal who enjoyed exercising.


    "Xu Hei, since you''ve returned to the martial arts school, let me make it clear: you will be treated the same as other students, with no special privileges. Do you understand?" Mr. Bai said sternly.


    "I understand!" Xu Hei nodded.


    "Very well! Today''s lesson is to temper your physical body, clear your meridians, and harden your bones!" Mr. Bai said harshly.


    Tempering the physical body meant taking a beating!


    Xu Hei was hit with various sticks, his bones fractured, and he was half-dead, only barely recovering after soaking in a medicinal bath.


    The second day, the third day, this continued for a year, every day the same.


    Initially, ten strikes were enough to knock Xu Hei down. Later, it took twenty, fifty, a hundred...


    Now, no amount of sticks could make Xu Hei fall.


    Not only had his physical body and bones been tempered to an extraordinary degree, but his willpower also far surpassed that of ordinary people.


    Afterward, there were various harsh trials.


    The children who started with Xu Hei had long given up, with more than half eliminated, but Xu Hei endured it all without even frowning.


    Xu Hei vaguely felt that even though he hadn''t practiced breathing exercises, his strength was advancing rapidly, not at all inferior to an immortal.


    Five years later.


    Xu Hei was now sixteen, considered an adult in Wuyou City.


    "Xu Hei, in a thousand years, you are the first with an exceptional spiritual root to join the martial arts school and the first to endure so long without falling."


    Mr. Bai stood before him, unchanged from years ago, with no signs of aging, time leaving no mark.


    He looked at Xu Hei, his expression serious, "Now, I will teach you a cultivation technique."


    "A cultivation technique?" Xu Hei was taken aback, puzzled, "Isn''t that something only immortals learn?"


    "Hehe, who says only immortals can learn it?"


    Mr. Bai smiled meaningfully, "This technique is known as the strongest body cultivation technique, called... Diamond Suppression Technique!"


    Xu Hei was stunned, murmuring to himself, "Diamond Suppression Technique."


    "This technique has a unique aspect; it tests not the physical body, not the spiritual root, nor talent, but willpower!" Mr. Bai said.


    "As long as your willpower is strong enough, your True Qi can be compressed infinitely!"


    "Do you know what infinite compression means?"


    Mr. Bai smiled at him.


    Xu Hei shook his head, bewildered.


    "Infinite means invincible!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Bai Qiushui lay on the ground, his blood drained, and the halo of inheritance emerged from his body.


    Bai Luo raised his hand and absorbed the halo.


    He shook his head and was about to turn away.


    Suddenly, Bai Qiushui''s fingertip twitched.


    It was just a small movement, then nothing more, even his life force vanished.


    "Dead?"


    Bai Luo frowned slightly, ignoring it.


    But at that moment, he noticed a tiny black particle shooting out from Bai Qiushui''s fingertip.


    The particle was so small, less than dust, moving slowly into the air.


    Where it passed, the light dimmed, and the space slightly twisted towards the center, as if a strange force field was present.


    "What is this..."


    Bai Luo''s pupils contracted, his Divine Sense unable to detect any energy, yet an indescribable fear surged from his spine to his head.

 Chapter 249: Mr. Bais legacy

    Chapter 249: Mr. Bai''s legacyThe black sand tore through the void, creating a strange force field that caused the surrounding space to continuously collapse towards the center. It was like the Minor Annihilation Talisman, but even more bizarre.


    "What is this?"


    Before Xu Hei''s avatar could take a closer look, Hei Huang grabbed him and quickly retreated.


    "Buzz!!"


    In the instant the two demons retreated, the attraction force suddenly intensified, drawing everything nearby towards the black sand, devouring everything in its path without exception!


    Even the space itself was completely sunken, forming a broken void.


    Xu Hei immediately thought of the Minor Annihilation Talisman, which could cause a similar effect.


    Bai Luo''s puppets, mechanical formations, spiritual power treasures... everything was sucked in. No matter what kind of spell it was, it seemed powerless at this moment.


    "How could this happen? What is this?!"


    From afar, Bai Luo''s scream echoed.


    Too far away to see what was happening, Xu Hei''s Divine Sense was forced to retract as Hei Huang continued to pull him back.


    Finally¡ª


    "Buzz!"


    A deafening roar echoed in the distance, and a blinding light illuminated everything, as if all things had vanished.


    "Boom!!"


    The sky shook, the sun and moon lost their light, and the terrifying power was unmatched, as if it had reached a critical point, even the space couldn''t bear it and was collapsing.


    Xu Hei was completely stunned.


    "Is the Diamond Suppression Technique really that powerful?" Xu Hei exclaimed in shock.


    "Of course! It''s a technique created by the White Emperor, no weaker than Gongshu Zi''s Divine Puppet Technique, one of the strongest techniques of our time," Hei Huang said solemnly.


    "It''s just that no one can master the Diamond Suppression Technique, so it''s not well-known, unlike puppet techniques, which even you can cultivate."


    He added another sentence.


    What do you mean even I can cultivate... Xu Hei was speechless, as if he was being called weak.


    "Compared to the Heavenly Demon Technique you always talk about, which is stronger?" Xu Hei asked again.


    This question stumped Hei Huang.


    He was silent for a long time before answering, "They''re about equal. The Heavenly Demon Technique is also one of the strongest techniques of our time!"


    When he mentioned the strongest, his tone was firm and unquestionable.


    "Then, compared to the creator of the Heavenly Demon Technique, who is stronger, the White Emperor or him?" Xu Hei pressed on.


    Hei Huang turned to look at him, "Can you ask another question?"


    "..." Xu Hei was taken aback.


    "By the way, are those two dead?" Xu Hei looked at the void in the distance, puzzled.


    "If there''s no external interference, they''re likely both dead," Hei Huang pondered.


    "Rumble..."


    Suddenly, the world trembled violently, the void shook, and the entire Wuyou City felt it, as if an unprecedented earthquake had erupted.


    Everyone stopped what they were doing and looked towards the sky in unison.


    Xu Hei and Hei Huang also looked up, focusing on the sky above.


    A narrow beam of light appeared on the pitch-black sky, like a crack opening in the sky, with sunlight streaming in.


    Then, the ground began to rise, as if the entire city was being lifted straight up!


    Due to inertia, everyone was knocked to the ground.


    "What''s happening?"


    "Wuyou City is flying!"


    In every corner of the city, people were shocked and moved.


    The crack in the sky grew larger, and light poured into the city, seemingly connecting to the outside world.


    And the Wuyou City they were in was flying towards the outside world.


    "What a grand gesture! This ancient city is about to see the light of day again," Hei Huang exclaimed.


    Xu Hei was too shocked to say a word.


    Everyone knew that Wuyou City was a hidden underground city, never seeing the sun, and now, someone was pulling it up from underground.


    What a grand gesture! Who could accomplish this?


    "Once we reach the outside, the Yin energy will decrease, and without it to sustain the formation, Wuyou City will eventually fall. By the way, has your true self awakened yet?" Hei Huang urged.


    "No," Xu Hei shook his head.


    At this moment, as Wuyou City ascended, some figures attempted to rush into the city, only to be blocked by an invisible formation.


    The process was very long.


    "Return to the Chu Tian Alliance, there''s trouble there."


    Hei Huang and Xu Hei quickly returned.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    This was Xu Hei''s third year cultivating the Diamond Suppression Technique.


    This method of cultivation, relying solely on honing the physical body without breathing exercises, was something ordinary people couldn''t endure. The pain he experienced was ten or a hundred times that of ordinary cultivators, no wonder no one could persist.


    In Wuyou City, where generations lived in comfort and ease, who would do such a thing?


    However, after prolonged torment, Xu Hei had grown accustomed to it.


    According to Mr. Bai, this technique primarily trained the physical body, but more importantly, it honed the spirit and willpower!


    "In the early stages, the physical body is the bridge for the spirit, the carrier of the spirit."


    "But in the later stages, the mortal body is no longer the carrier, but a shackle! Your spirit must surpass the physical body, break the shackles of the flesh, connect to the heavens with your mind, and transform into the divine!"


    Xu Hei only half-understood Mr. Bai''s words.


    He was still far from that level, and what he needed to do now was to hone his physical body and continuously refine his spirit and will until the day he surpassed his physical body.


    Interestingly enough.


    As Xu Hei cultivated, his little black snake at home also gradually grew stronger, its body no longer soft and weak.


    "Xu Hei, you''re twenty years old this year, and it''s time for me to leave."


    Mr. Bai found him and spoke with a smile.


    "Leave?"


    Xu Hei was stunned and quickly said, "Why are you leaving? And my cultivation technique, I''ve just started."


    "Getting started is enough. The road ahead is yours to walk alone; I can''t teach you much more."


    Mr. Bai smiled gently, speaking slowly, "I stayed in this world to find a successor, to prevent this technique from being lost. Now that my wish is fulfilled, it''s time to leave."


    Mr. Bai looked towards the boundless sky, his eyes filled with longing and nostalgia.


    Xu Hei looked on in confusion, his mind filled with questions and doubts.


    Successor? Lost? Stay in this world? Leave?


    Xu Hei''s mind buzzed with so many questions that he didn''t know where to start.


    At this moment, Mr. Bai took out an ancient map and handed it over.


    Xu Hei glanced at it, and the map had four names written on it: Superior Immortal Da Luo, Heavenly Demon Scattered Person, Tian Jizi, and Green Emperor.


    Each name was written with a different stroke, as if penned by different people, each carrying a unique aura. Just a glance brought an indescribable sense of oppression.


    Superior Immortal Da Luo, radiant with golden light, celestial music lingering. Heavenly Demon Scattered Person, demonic aura soaring, evil thoughts rampant.


    Tian Jizi, the path of change, mysterious and profound. Green Emperor, life-giving, blessings descending. S§×ar?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "This is..."


    Xu Hei took several steps back, as if unable to bear the powerful wills, but with a wave from Mr. Bai, he returned to normal.


    "These four people once came to challenge me. After our encounters, they left their names. As long as you hold this map and find them, they will fulfill one request unconditionally," Mr. Bai said with a smile.


    "..." Xu Hei remained silent.


    He took a deep breath and guessed, "Are these four people your defeated opponents?"


    Leaving their names and promising to fulfill a request clearly indicated they lost the challenge and willingly accepted the penalty.


    Mr. Bai simply shook his head, "In the path of cultivation, is there really a distinction between victory and defeat?"

 Chapter 250: Born in darkness

    Chapter 250: Born in darknessXu Hei carefully took the ancient map and stored it away.


    At that moment, he witnessed a scene that he would never forget for the rest of his life.


    In the sky above, a rift suddenly appeared, as if a heavenly gate had opened. Within this gate was a vortex leading straight to the heavens.


    This sight was invisible to mortals and cultivators alike, only visible in the area where Xu Hei stood.


    From the vortex, a hazy light emanated, shining upon Mr. Bai, as if celestial energy was cascading down, guiding him to ascend to the heavens.


    Mr. Bai looked up at the sky, seemingly reminiscing, savoring the moment. He turned back to glance at Xu Hei, stepped forward, and patted his shoulder.


    "Xu Hei, from now on, you''re on your own," Mr. Bai said with a smile.


    Xu Hei hurriedly knelt and bowed.


    "Farewell, Mr. Bai!"


    Under Xu Hei''s gaze, Mr. Bai soared into the sky, transforming into a white streak of light, flying higher and higher, until he disappeared into the heavenly gate.


    City Lord''s Mansion.


    Gongshu Wuyou lifted his head, gazing beyond the clouds, as a stream of celestial energy descended, enveloping him. Dao rhythms flowed, divine light surrounded him, and countless insights emerged in his heart.


    After a long while, Gongshu Wuyou opened his eyes, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you, Mr. Bai!"


    He sat cross-legged, his eyes no longer hesitant.


    "Divine Transformation Stage," he silently recited in his heart.


    ¡­¡­


    The next day.


    The news of Mr. Bai''s departure spread throughout the martial arts school, and after Xu Hei declined the position, the inheritance fell to Senior Sister Bai Wei.


    Bai Wei was not Mr. Bai''s descendant, merely adopted by him and named Bai Wei.


    In terms of seniority, she grew up in the martial arts school, had been there the longest, and had the highest cultivation level.


    Her appointment as the head of the school was widely supported.


    "Sister Bai Wei, Mr. Bai''s cultivation technique is too difficult to learn. I want to simplify it and pass it on to future generations. That way, even after I''m gone, the technique won''t be lost," Xu Hei suggested.


    The woman in front of him had short hair tied up, a lithe and heroic figure, exuding a sense of strength¡ªthis was Bai Wei.


    "That makes sense! Although the technique is difficult to learn, Mr. Bai''s martial arts skills and physical combat techniques can be passed down and integrated. What should we call it?" Bai Wei hesitated.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and asked, "Do you know Mr. Bai''s real name?"


    Bai Wei shook her head, "I don''t know. Everyone calls him Mr. Bai; that''s how it''s always been."


    She paused, then hesitated again, "However, I heard from the older generation that someone once came from outside the city and called him the White Emperor."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and he nodded, "Then let''s call it the White Emperor Sutra."


    "The White Emperor Sutra... what a great name!" Bai Wei''s eyes lit up.


    The Diamond Suppression Technique was not only difficult to master, but its name was also somewhat rustic. Renaming it to the White Emperor Sutra after simplifying it was perfect; it sounded like an unparalleled divine skill.


    ¡­¡­


    Wuyou City, City Lord''s Mansion.


    A rift opened in the space, and a demonic hand reached out from within, followed by a pair of eyes as dark as ink.


    Then, a pitch-black body crawled out of the rift, filled with demonic energy, and approached Gongshu Wuyou.


    This was a demonic body, without features, only eyes.


    At this moment, it looked at Gongshu Wuyou, its appearance slowly changing until it became identical to Gongshu Wuyou.


    Gongshu Wuyou opened his eyes, looked at the figure before him, and said, "The extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon has finally arrived."


    Breaking through to the Divine Transformation Stage often attracted extraterrestrial Heavenly Demons!


    Or rather, Inner Demons!


    This was almost an ironclad rule since ancient times.


    The extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon sneered, "Extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon, what an outdated name. From today on, I shall be called Mo Wuyou, how about that?"


    "Your Dao is the Dao of Wuyou; I will turn the Dao of Wuyou into something illusory!"


    Mo Wuyou mimicked his actions, sitting cross-legged and facing him.


    The struggle of the Great Dao was a life-and-death battle.


    Gongshu Wuyou simply looked at him calmly and said, "My Dao heart is unbreakable by anyone!"


    "Hahaha!" Mo Wuyou laughed wildly, "Is that so? I will make you understand how fragile your so-called peace and worry-free life is!"


    ¡­¡­


    A sudden famine swept through Wuyou City.


    For three whole years, there was a severe drought, and not a single grain was harvested.


    Initially, cultivators could use spiritual energy to hasten the growth of plants, but as time passed, spiritual energy became increasingly scarce, and crops could no longer be grown.


    Three years later, a plague targeting cultivators broke out, even bringing down those who practiced cultivation.


    People ate all the birds, all the rats, even the grass and tree roots were consumed.


    The population plummeted, and corpses littered the streets. S§×ar?h the N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Mortals, accustomed to peace and worry-free life, were utterly vulnerable in the face of such natural disasters.


    ¡­¡­


    In reality.


    Wuyou City, after a long period of elevation, had risen to the surface, replacing a large area of the Wu Mountain Range.


    The sky remained gray and sunless, with the clouds of Wu Mountain looming over everyone''s hearts.


    Such a magnificent scene shook everyone''s soul.


    The long-hidden Wuyou City had reemerged into the daylight!


    At the entrance of Yunlu Academy.


    Xu Qingfeng was half-kneeling on the ground, with all members of the Chu Tian Alliance severely injured, blood flowing like a river.


    The statue of the sage was right in front of him, the three large characters "Innate Goodness" stained red with blood.


    Li Si looked ahead and sneered, "Xu Qingfeng, you still refuse to admit defeat!"


    With a wave of his hand, a recording jade slip appeared, projecting the scene within.


    It showed the Qin army besieging the city, the famine within the city.


    People eating each other, burning bones for fuel, exchanging children for food.


    Li Si had witnessed such scenes countless times and had become numb to them, but in Xu Qingfeng''s eyes, it was the final straw that broke the camel''s back.


    "Xu Qingfeng, stubbornness is useless. This is the truth! In times of peace, evil thoughts are hidden, but when disaster strikes, they are all exposed!"


    "Burning bones for fuel, exchanging children for food! Do you see it? This is the innate goodness you speak of! Hahaha! How ridiculous!"


    Li Si laughed maniacally.


    Xu Qingfeng spat out blood and fell heavily to the ground, the inheritance halo within him finally leaving his body, ready to drift away.


    In this debate, he had ultimately lost!


    Lost completely!


    His body was dead, his Dao heart extinguished, and from then on, Xu Qingfeng would cease to exist.


    At this moment, Yin Mingzi of the Snake Catchers Sect also arrived, with a ball of snake blood in his palm, forming a bloodline pointing straight to the depths beneath Yunlu Academy.


    "That snake disappeared underground here! I can''t sense it specifically; it must have been transferred by the Chu Tian Alliance''s formation!"


    Yin Mingzi said coldly.


    This was a blood source tracking technique, with the latest snake blood sent by the sect master, sharing the same origin as Xu Hei.


    "Oh?"


    Li Si raised an eyebrow and sneered, "Xu Qingfeng really has lost his mind, trusting not even people but a snake, giving him an opportunity for enlightenment. Isn''t that laughable?"


    Yin Mingzi said, "No matter, let''s destroy the Chu Tian Alliance first, then dig this place open. Even if it''s hidden in a spatial rift, we''ll find it!"


    As soon as he finished speaking.


    A black snake suddenly burst from the ground, fully unleashing its ever-changing fish and dragon form, transforming into a shadow as it shot towards Yin Mingzi, its body rapidly expanding mid-air.


    "Xu Hei, are you sure you want to do this?" Hei Huang was surprised.


    "Some things must be done, even if they seem impossible!" Xu Hei''s eyes were resolute.


    The moment Xu Hei charged out, the floating inheritance halo suddenly paused.


    The once hopeless Xu Qingfeng, upon seeing Xu Hei''s transformation, regained a glimmer of spirit in his eyes.


    "Xu Qingfeng, don''t lose to this person; your choice was not wrong!"


    After leaving those words, Xu Hei flew towards Yin Mingzi, and under the astonished gazes of everyone, his body suddenly expanded, true energy condensed to a single point.


    In the next second, a deafening dragon roar echoed through the heavens and earth.

 Chapter 251: Heart towards the light

    Chapter 251: Heart towards the lightIn the year of great famine, people resorted to cannibalism.


    Yet, in the ancient times within the famine-stricken Wuyou City, a strange scene unfolded.


    Many had starved to death indoors, but no one scavenged the bodies for food, nor did anyone break into others'' homes to steal grain.


    In the outside world, no one could explain this phenomenon.


    But in Wuyou City, where doors were left unlocked and nothing was picked up from the roads, this was quite ordinary.


    When people are accustomed to kindness, no one commits evil.


    Whenever an evil thought arose, seeing Xu Hei''s busy figure, they would silently retract their intentions.


    Xu Hei returned home after a day of hard work.


    For years, he had been hunting outside. Initially, he could catch wild boars and deer, but later, only mice, weeds, and wild vegetables were left.


    Now, even wild vegetables were gone, and tree roots had been eaten up.


    Xu Hei had long practiced inedia and could survive without eating or drinking, but due to the plague, his True Qi was depleted, and he was gravely ill, almost like a mortal.


    Not eating would also lead to hunger.


    "Father, Mother, I found a sweet potato. Let''s make some porridge."


    Xu Hei took out a sweet potato, chopped it up, put it in a pot, added some rotten grass grains, and cooked a big pot of porridge.


    "Child, you eat. Mother is not hungry!" Xu''s mother said weakly from the bed.


    Xu Daniu was also beside her, eyes closed.


    "Your father isn''t hungry either, eat up." Xu''s mother smiled kindly.


    Xu Hei seemed to sense something, his body stiffened, and he quickly moved closer.


    Xu Daniu lay on the bed, his breath faint.


    Xu''s mother still had her eyes open, but they were losing focus.


    "Father, Mother!" Xu Hei called out anxiously.


    But neither could respond anymore. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He quickly filled a bowl with porridge and brought it to his parents, but they just turned their heads away, unwilling to take a bite.


    Tears streamed down Xu Hei''s face.


    How could he not understand? His parents were clearly refusing to eat, hoping to leave more for him, so he could have a bit more.


    Xu Hei was the hope of the family.


    They would rather starve to death than let their child suffer from cold and hunger!


    If there is kindness in the world, then parents are the greatest embodiment of it!


    Xu Hei knelt on the ground, constantly begging them to take a bite of porridge, but the two remained unmoved.


    It was too little, a rotten sweet potato couldn''t sustain them for long.


    "Father, Mother, the City Lord said it will rain soon, and there will be food. Hold on for these two days, we can all survive!" Xu Hei shouted urgently.


    Still, there was no response from his parents.


    "Hiss!"


    Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the corner.


    Xu Hei was startled and turned to look.


    A large, emaciated black snake, skin and bones, crawled out from somewhere.


    Xu Hei recognized this snake; it was the big black snake he had raised years ago.


    Later, the big black snake regrew its fangs, its bones hardened, and it gained the ability to hunt. During the famine, Xu Hei couldn''t afford to feed it, so he released it back into the mountains and hadn''t seen it since.


    Now, the big black snake had emerged, its green vertical pupils staring intently at the family of three.


    "Are you going to eat me?"


    Xu Hei''s heart tightened, and he cautiously picked up a stick.


    If this big black snake attacked him, even if Xu Hei could kill it, a bite from its venomous fangs would likely be fatal.


    Xu Hei didn''t believe the snake would still recognize him as its master after three years in the wild, especially since snakes are the coldest of creatures.


    However, the expected attack did not occur.


    The big black snake brought over a squirrel in its mouth and then silently slithered away.


    Xu Hei was stunned for a long while, then exclaimed with joy, "Great, there''s food!"


    For several days thereafter.


    Strange food appeared in the house, sometimes insects, sometimes mice, or wild vegetables.


    But the rain never came.


    Food was limited, and there would come a day when it ran out. It had been a week without any food appearing.


    That day, Xu Hei returned empty-handed once again, but from afar, he smelled the aroma of meat coming from home.


    "What is that smell?" Xu Hei hurriedly ran back home.


    On the stove, a large, emaciated snake lay quietly in the pot, the fire burning brightly.


    The aroma of snake meat wafted from the pot.


    Xu Hei stood as if struck by lightning, frozen in place.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Wuyou City, City Lord''s mansion.


    Xu Hei stood at the entrance, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes tightly.


    After a long time, when he opened his eyes, a resolute gleam flashed within them.


    "Boom!!!"


    The dilapidated door was kicked open, and Xu Hei stepped inside the mansion.


    In his palm, a blood-red aura continuously gathered and compressed.


    This was not True Qi; his True Qi had long been exhausted.


    This was his vital energy!


    As the vital energy compressed, Xu Hei''s body visibly shrank, becoming skin and bones, his physical body decaying, and his vital energy waning.


    Years of honing had forged Xu Hei''s current mental will, keeping him from collapsing!


    "City Lord of Wuyou, get out here!"


    Xu Hei roared furiously, the vital energy in his palm compressing and accumulating, gradually turning black.


    Even the space around him began to distort!


    "Shouting and yelling, what kind of conduct is this?"


    A voice came from ahead, and a pitch-black middle-aged figure appeared before Xu Hei, none other than Mo Wuyou.


    "Hmm?"


    When he saw the black spot in Xu Hei''s palm, his pupils slightly contracted, and his figure halted.


    "The famine, the plague, was it all your doing?"


    Xu Hei''s gaze locked onto him, gritting his teeth, "I don''t care what you''re up to, Wuyou City, including everyone here, is not your stepping stone!"


    At his level, he was no longer naive and had vaguely sensed some truths.


    Mo Wuyou raised an eyebrow, sneering, "So you''re standing here, what do you want?"


    "I want justice!" Xu Hei shouted coldly.


    "Justice?" Mo Wuyou was taken aback, then burst into laughter.


    He pointed to the distant houses, to the starving masses, and said, "For these ants, you want justice? Have you forgotten who you are?"


    As soon as he finished speaking.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s heart trembled violently.


    In a daze, he felt chaotic memories flooding into his mind.


    They were fragments from when he transformed and charged into the enemy ranks, performing the Dragon Shatter Roar, and self-destructing.


    More and more memories, using his transformation as an anchor, poured into Xu Hei''s mind.


    Xu Hei''s body shook violently, and due to the merging of two sets of memories, his body trembled.


    "I, am I... not human? Am I... Xu Hei? Those two, aren''t my parents?" Xu Hei lowered his head, his eyes filled with confusion.


    "Hahaha!" Mo Wuyou laughed up at the sky, "Figured it out? You''re not human, you''re a snake, the coldest creature in the world. Would you seek justice for a bunch of mortals?"


    "Don''t you find it ridiculous?"


    Mo Wuyou laughed wildly.


    But gradually, as he laughed, his laughter stopped.


    He composed his expression, looking at Xu Hei before him, suddenly feeling a chill in his heart.


    At this moment, Xu Hei raised his head, staring coldly at him. The previous confusion and memory chaos seemed to have vanished in an instant.


    His gaze remained icy, transforming into vertical pupils, the eyes of a snake.


    But within those vertical pupils, a sharp glint shone, dazzling amidst the coldness.


    "Do you find this amusing?"


    Xu Hei''s gaze fixed tightly, that sharp light growing ever brighter.


    "You''re right, I''m a snake, born in darkness, a killer without mercy, cold-blooded and ruthless. But what does that have to do with me seeking justice?"


    "Today, I''ll personally take you down!"


    Xu Hei''s palm pressed forward fiercely.


    The black speck, with Xu Hei''s action, grew deeper, causing the surrounding space to twist entirely.


    Xu Hei knew he was not a match for this person, but there was no reason, only the spirit in his heart!


    He never considered himself righteous.


    But he knew gratitude, knew protection.


    This was Xu Hei''s path!


    Mo Wuyou''s face changed drastically.


    "You''ve lost, extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon!"


    From within the mansion, a voice echoed, it was the voice of the City Lord.

 Chapter 252: Return, Core Formation Stage Tribulation

    Chapter 252: Return, Core Formation Stage TribulationIn the City Lord''s mansion, a figure identical to Mo Wuyou emerged.


    His eyes were clear, his voice calm, and his demeanor gentle, completely different from the demonic aura of Mo Wuyou.


    "Everyone in Wuyou City is my people. Their thoughts are my thoughts! As long as one of them loses their humanity, I will fall into darkness, never to return!"


    "Your idea is commendable, but unfortunately, you have failed!"


    "For three years, no one has resorted to cannibalism, and no one has killed each other."


    "You have lost!"


    Gongshu Wuyou''s voice was firm as he waved his hand.


    A golden light descended from the heavens, accompanied by the vast and boundless might of the Dao, suddenly enveloping the extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon.


    Compared to this might of the Dao, the extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon was like an ant trying to shake a tree. The demonic aura vanished like snow meeting boiling oil. Its body crumbled instantly under a black speck of dust cast by Xu Hei.


    This was not dust; this was the Dao!


    The face of the extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon gradually turned fearful, emitting a sharp, piercing scream.


    "This is impossible! No!!!" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Within the might of the Dao, the form of the extraterrestrial Heavenly Demon gradually blurred, as if vaporized. The demonic aura disappeared, and its body vanished as well.


    Ultimately, it turned into a wisp of black light.


    Gongshu Wuyou took out a mirror, pointed with his hand, and the wisp of black light flew into the mirror, transforming into the Heart-Mirror within the pyramid.


    At that moment!


    All negative influences vanished.


    Disaster ceased to exist.


    "Whoosh!"


    Heavenly rain descended, and Spiritual Qi was revived.


    Wuyou City experienced a long-awaited downpour.


    Plants grew wildly, bringing new vitality.


    The plague among cultivators naturally lifted, True Qi surged into their bodies, and the cultivators in the city were overjoyed.


    Everyone, without exception, immediately sprang into action, rushing to the homes of mortals, going door to door.


    They did not sit down to meditate and restore their cultivation but instead rushed to save people at the first opportunity!


    This was the order of Wuyou City!


    In times of disaster, good intentions were hidden, but when peace returned, everything would revive.


    Lives were saved one by one, and those on the brink of death awoke under treatment.


    Some healers collapsed on the front lines, and some cultivators permanently lost their cultivation, but they had no regrets.


    Xu Hei''s gaze swept over Wuyou City, witnessing everything within the city, his eyes filled with awe.


    At this moment, he finally understood.


    The people of Wuyou City were the anchor points of the City Lord''s Dao heart. As long as these anchor points did not fall into darkness, the City Lord would not either.


    Once an anchor point had issues, the City Lord would also be doomed.


    Xu Hei also had his own anchor point, which was that big black snake.


    He gave up comfort, endured daily beatings, and practiced the Diamond Suppression Technique, causing the big black snake to grow stronger, regain its wild nature, and develop venomous fangs.


    He learned gratitude, and the big black snake followed suit, knowing to repay kindness.


    "Are these scenes real or fake?" Xu Hei couldn''t help but ask.


    By now, he had recovered all his memories.


    He had entered this world after receiving an inheritance.


    No matter how he looked at it, it seemed like a dream, an illusion, but it was too real for Xu Hei to distinguish.


    "Both real and fake," Gongshu Wuyou said.


    Xu Hei looked at him in confusion.


    "In true history, Wuyou City was destroyed, I was invaded by the Inner Demon, and everyone turned into madmen."


    Gongshu Wuyou paused, then solemnly said, "But you changed history."


    Changed history... Xu Hei was initially stunned, feeling utterly confused.


    History is something that has already happened; how could it be changed?


    "Some outcomes are already destined and cannot be changed, but some things can still be salvaged!"


    "When you return to reality, you will understand."


    Gongshu Wuyou said slowly.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei returned home, and his parents had recovered after treatment.


    However, the big snake could never rise again.


    It had grown venomous fangs and had a sturdy skeleton, but it was not used for killing or hunting, nor did it have a cruel instinct. Instead, it was used to repay kindness and to carry out Xu Hei''s Dao intentions.


    Xu Hei buried it.


    Afterward, the family had dinner together.


    "Father, Mother, I have to go. I am leaving Wuyou City, going to a far, far place," Xu Hei said.


    Faced with Xu Hei''s farewell, his parents did not try to stop him.


    Xu Daniu patted Xu Hei''s shoulder and said, "Your father is uneducated, doesn''t know what to say, take care!"


    Xu''s mother said, "Don''t fight with people outside, and if you feel wronged, come home."


    Xu Hei''s nose tingled, and he nodded heavily.


    Even though he knew that Father and Mother might be fictional, an illusion, he couldn''t help but shed tears.


    Why was this?


    Xu Hei didn''t know, he didn''t understand, he was just a snake, unable to comprehend such complex things.


    A snake''s life is three years, a human''s life is twenty years.


    He carved the names and portraits of the three family members onto a stone tablet and buried it underground.


    "Father, Mother, I''m leaving!"


    At the gate of Wuyou City, Xu Hei turned his back, eyes filled with tears, and walked towards the city gate.


    In a daze, Xu Hei returned to the moment he first gained awareness.


    Reincarnated for countless lifetimes, living once as a human.


    He envied humans.


    How wonderful it would be to live in Wuyou City forever?


    Xu Hei did not look back, resolutely walking towards the city gate, just as he chose the most challenging path of body cultivation, a life of comfort was not for him.


    "Buzz!"


    A bright white light shone before him, illuminating everything, space twisted, consciousness was extracted, and he traveled swiftly through the void.


    He didn''t know how long it took.


    Xu Hei''s consciousness returned to reality.


    He was back in the crevice of space, beneath him was still the teleportation formation left by Hei Huang, and he was still that big black snake.


    However, all the snake bones in his body had unconsciously transformed into dragon bones, including his head.


    In front of him appeared an ancient scroll, with four names written on it, and this treasure returned with him.


    "Xu Hei."


    From the void in the sky came the voice of the City Lord of Wuyou.


    "Do you think a true Wuyou City exists in the world?" the voice asked.


    Xu Hei shook his head and said, "Born in adversity, die in comfort, there is no Wuyou City in this world."


    "But if there are countless worlds, perhaps in one of them, somewhere, there is a place close to Wuyou City. The technology there is more advanced than Wuyou City."


    "Everyone yearns for beautiful things, such a place must exist."


    Xu Hei understood that in the harsh Cultivation World, Wuyou City could not exist.


    The scenes in the city just now were but an illusion, with a powerful cultivator like the City Lord as a backing, enjoying favorable weather, free from illness and disaster, living in peace.


    In a normal city, how could there be no disasters for a thousand years? It was just a Will-o''-the-Wisp.


    "Born in adversity, die in comfort."


    "Everyone yearns for beautiful things."


    "Hahaha, it''s a pity you weren''t born in my era."


    The City Lord of Wuyou laughed heartily, his voice tinged with regret, gradually fading away.


    At that moment, the world suddenly shook.


    Xu Hei looked up at the void, where a vortex appeared, leading to the heavens, as if terrifying thunderclouds were forming in the vast void.


    These thunderclouds were countless times more terrifying than any Xu Hei had seen before.


    "The Core Formation Stage tribulation is here!" Xu Hei thought to himself.

 Chapter 253: Dragon of Dragon Bone

    Chapter 253: Dragon of Dragon BoneXu Hei chose not to break through here. Hei Huang had warned him that if the formation here was shattered, he would be left adrift in the void, unable to return.


    He put away the ancient map, only to discover, to his surprise, that a new name had appeared on it, making it five in total.


    The new name was White Emperor!


    Xu Hei carefully rolled up the ancient map and swallowed it.


    "Teleportation formation, activate!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei was enveloped by the light of teleportation. The scenery before him twisted rapidly, and Xu Hei transformed into a beam of light, traversing the void and arriving in the modern Wuyou City.


    Above Wuyou City, a thick layer of dark clouds appeared immediately.


    The oppressive clouds loomed over the city, rumbling like muffled thunder. Countless bolts of lightning brewed within the clouds, which were at least ten thousand feet high and a thousand miles wide, still expanding, like a mountain and sea of thunder suspended overhead, ready to pour down at any moment.


    "What is that?"


    "Look at the sky!"


    Everyone stopped what they were doing, including Li Si''s army, who were about to besiege the Chu Tian Alliance. They all looked up at the sky in unison.


    Gazing at the thunderous clouds, everyone felt a deep sense of fear.


    Because these thunderclouds were hanging right above their heads.


    "Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations? No, how could the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations be this terrifying?!"


    "But this clearly looks like the Forty-Nine Heavenly Tribulations that appear when someone forms a core!"


    Everyone speculated, unable to make a decision.


    With such a sword hanging over their heads, no one could remain calm. They all involuntarily retreated, seeking a safe place to hide or summoning defensive magical treasures.


    "Don''t panic. Before coming to Wuyou City, I made thorough preparations. How could I not have measures against lightning?"


    Li Si took out a series of formation flags, placing them in four directions, scattering spirit stones to construct a massive lightning-avoidance formation. This formation could divert the lightning to the periphery, preventing harm to the center.


    Still feeling insecure, he set up additional defensive formations, lightning-blocking formations, bell formations, and a series of life-saving formations.


    If it weren''t for Tianji Shangren stealing his formation, he could have won first place in that round, showing that Li Si''s formation skills were quite impressive.


    Outside Wuyou City, in the Wu Mountain Range.


    Qin Xuanji sat high above the clouds, staring at the thunderclouds gathering in the distance, his eyes narrowing.


    "Core Formation?"


    His eyelids twitched, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.


    "We can''t wait any longer. Break open the shell of Wuyou City immediately!"


    With a wave of Qin Xuanji''s hand, a gigantic cannon, a thousand feet wide, appeared in the sky, aimed at the distant gate of Wuyou City. The dark muzzle seemed capable of devouring the heavens and the earth.


    "Boom!!!"


    The cannon fire descended.


    Simultaneously, the thunder tribulation fell.


    At this moment, Wuyou City trembled, the heavens and earth shook, the void inverted, the universe reversed, and the sun and moon lost their light.


    The majestic heavenly might traversed the void, crashing onto Xu Hei''s head, striking the reverse scale on his forehead. A world-destroying electric light burst from Xu Hei''s body, illuminating the entire Wuyou City.


    The deafening roar exploded in everyone''s ears, almost deafening them, their minds buzzing.


    Xu Hei not only did not retreat but instead rose from the ground, soaring into the sky, facing the thunder head-on.


    Reverse scale, growing in adversity!


    Dragon bone, born in peril!


    The biggest difference between a snake and a worm is that a snake has bones. In a comfortable environment, a snake will shed its venomous fangs, lose its hard bones, and become as soft and powerless as a worm.


    Wolves will lose their sharp teeth and claws, becoming dogs. Wild chickens will lose their ability to fly, becoming domestic chickens.


    When apes put on clothes, they lose their warm fur.


    In a comfortable environment, no true dragon can emerge. Dragon bones can only grow in adversity; this is the way of the dragon bone that Xu Hei learned in Wuyou City.


    "Boom!!"


    Another bolt of thunder struck down. Xu Hei did not flinch, shouting loudly as he charged into the sky, confronting the thunder head-on. Each time the thunder tribulation struck, the entire Wuyou City shook violently. Xu Hei''s body was charred black, suffering severe injuries both inside and out.


    Everyone looked up, watching the great snake battling against the heavens, their hearts filled with awe.


    No matter which faction they belonged to or what their intentions were, they were all stunned by this scene.


    "Is that... that snake?"


    "Yes, it''s that snake! Xu the Butcher!"


    "Is he forming a core?"


    "The same Core Formation, why is there such a big difference?"


    Most of those present had seen the heavenly tribulation of Core Formation, and many had even experienced it themselves, but they had never seen such a terrifying tribulation.


    Even more outrageous was that this snake could withstand it?


    If it were them, the first bolt of lightning would have turned them to ash.


    "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"...


    One thunder tribulation after another struck down, and Xu Hei suffered repeated injuries. The black True Qi within him compressed frantically, transforming into True Essence.


    In his dantian, above the Demon God Cauldron, a demon core was slowly forming; this was his Golden Core.


    It was a purple-black Golden Core, the highest quality ever known.


    "My dragon bone is not yet complete; I still need the final piece!"


    A small bump appeared on Xu Hei''s forehead.


    This was his final piece of bone.


    Just like the big black snake of Wuyou City growing venomous fangs, Xu Hei was also growing new bones.


    Li Si could no longer sit still. He had a premonition that he must not let this snake succeed in crossing the tribulation, or the consequences would be unimaginable!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the forbidden area of the back mountain of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    Sect Master Xu Qingzhi soaked in a vat of snake blood, suddenly opened his eyes, feeling his eyelids twitching.


    All the snake demons raised by the sect fell silent, trembling with fear, looking towards the horizon as if some powerful creature was about to be born into the world.


    "Hmph!" Xu Qingzhi snorted coldly, calming his mind.


    "Buzz buzz buzz..."


    Deep within the forbidden area, a dark golden broadsword emitted a buzzing sound, instantly rising from the ground, traversing the void to appear before Xu Qingzhi.


    This sword was ancient and worn, its surface covered with dim dragon patterns etched in blood, hinting at its past glory.


    "Even the Dragon Slaying Sword of the Dragon Subduing Sect''s ancestor has been summoned. It seems there''s a Flood Dragon for me to slay!" Xu Qingzhi murmured.


    At this moment, he took a deep breath, swallowing all the essence of snake blood in the vat in one gulp. This essence, condensed from millions of snakes, caused his aura to soar, quickly reaching the Great Perfection of the Golden Core from the late Core Formation stage.


    At this moment, the Golden Core within him was flawless and complete, a perfect Golden Core without any defects!


    Before him, the Dragon Slaying Sword had a drop of dark red blood seeping from its tip, filled with a terrifying aura of ferocity.


    This was ancient Flood Dragon blood.


    Xu Qingzhi stared at the drop of dark red blood, his gaze burning.


    "If I consume this blood, I could even charge towards the Elemental Infant stage!"


    "However, it''s unnecessary. This is the blood of the Flood Dragon slain by the ancestors, the way of the ancestors, not my own way!"


    Xu Qingzhi shook his head.


    The way of the Dragon Subduing Sect is to slay dragons and slaughter Flood Dragons, proving the Dao with dragon blood and breaking through shackles.


    Consuming this blood would prove someone else''s Dao, not his own. Only by personally slaying a dragon, drinking dragon blood, and refining the Flood Dragon''s soul could he achieve a perfect Elemental Infant.


    He put away the drop of blood and grasped the ancient Dragon Slaying Sword.


    This sword had slaughtered Flood Dragons. Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Qingzhi could faintly feel the will of the dragon slayers of the past, filling him with heroic spirit.


    He soared into the sky, rushing towards the Wu Mountain Range at the fastest speed.

 Chapter 254: Wuyou City Falls

    Chapter 254: Wuyou City Falls"Boom boom boom boom boom..."


    Thunder crashed down in waves, striking Xu Hei''s head and surging through his entire body. Each bolt of the tribulation made his bones harder, and the horn on his head slowly grew out.


    His reverse scale shifted to his neck, becoming his horn, a dragon horn.


    With the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, Xu Hei was finally about to complete the second transformation, the Dragon Bone Transformation!


    Forming a purple-black Golden Core, transforming dragon bones and growing horns, Xu Hei''s power would reach an incredibly terrifying level.


    Tianji Shangren stood in a corner of Wuyou City, continuously calculating with his fingers. Suddenly, his face turned pale, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.


    "What a terrifying causality, I can''t calculate anything!"


    Tianji Shangren''s fingers trembled, his face ashen, his body weak. It was the first time he encountered such a situation, unable to calculate anything.


    There was only one possibility: this matter involved one or more supreme beings, beyond his reach.


    "I must not get involved in this; I need to leave quickly!" Tianji Shangren said gravely.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei''s tribulation crossing, though extremely perilous, was not enough to threaten him under his tempered spirit and will.


    Such terrifying thunderclouds, even in ancient times, would mean certain death for any perfect Foundation Establishment cultivator attempting to cross the tribulation.


    But for Xu Hei, it was merely a close call.


    Xu Hei was far stronger than those perfect Foundation Establishment cultivators, beyond what any normal Chosen could comprehend!


    However¡ª


    When the heavenly tribulation wasn''t enough, human calamity stepped in!


    At the critical moment of Xu Hei''s tribulation crossing, a thunder spear pierced through the void, aiming straight for his location.


    It was Lei He making his move!


    One of the top ten experts of the Qin Kingdom, a late Core Formation stage general, without a word, launched a spear, completely locking onto Xu Hei''s figure.


    Xu Hei noticed the piercing thunder spear, his gaze turning cold.


    "Heh, is this also part of the tribulation crossing?"


    In the past, facing such a formidable enemy, he wouldn''t even have time to defend, only able to escape using a Small Teleportation Talisman.


    Zhou Qing''s casual slap, with just a bit of residual force, could severely injure him.


    But now, Xu Hei was no longer the same.


    Xu Hei did not dodge. A fierce glint flashed in his eyes as he charged head-on with his horn towards the incoming thunder spear. Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Diamond Suppression Technique!"


    With a low shout, all his true essence gathered at his head, the purple-black Golden Core spun wildly, the surging true essence transformed into ocean waves, layer upon layer, compressing madly, making his dragon horn shine with a black light.


    "Boom!!!"


    The dragon horn collided, and the thunder spear from afar disintegrated instantly upon impact, shattering into powder.


    Xu Hei also suffered a heavy blow, his body thrown back, blood splattering, bones trembling violently, muscles tearing, suffering severe injuries.


    However, he did not fall. After retreating a thousand meters, he steadied himself.


    He withstood the strike!


    "How is this possible?!!"


    Lei He in the distance, witnessing this scene, let out a sharp cry, his eyes filled with shock.


    The opponent didn''t dodge but charged head-on.


    He was at the late Core Formation stage, while the opponent was only at the early Core Formation stage, not even having completed the tribulation crossing.


    In history, has there ever been such a powerful Core Formation stage? Even Qin Xuanji, when he first formed his core, wasn''t this exaggerated.


    This was an existence even more terrifying than Qin Xuanji!


    "Li Si was right, this serpent cannot be left alive, I must take this seriously!"


    Lei He took a deep breath, his eyes flashing with lightning, a Thunder God Trident appeared in his hand, surrounded by thunder spears, forming a thunder formation.


    This was a magical treasure used only against opponents of the same level. Even Xu Qingfeng would have to avoid it! Lei He was getting serious!


    Just as he was about to make a move, his pupils shrank.


    Xu Hei had disappeared.


    "Not good!"


    Lei He''s face changed drastically, hurriedly rushing downward.


    At this moment, Xu Hei, fully utilizing his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, covered in blood, transformed into afterimages, speeding toward the area where Li Si and others were.


    "I just wanted to quietly cross my tribulation, but you insist on courting death! Did you really think I didn''t notice you?"


    Xu Hei''s speed was incredibly fast, impossible to capture with Divine Sense, beyond sight. In the blink of an eye, he was above Li Si and the others.


    He couldn''t deal with Lei He, so he would first handle these easier targets.


    "Boom!!!"


    Thunder struck down, hitting the area where Xu Hei was, lightning scattering, crashing into the formation, weakened layer by layer, yet some still penetrated.


    Li Si was immediately struck by lightning, spitting out blood, his eyes filled with horror.


    "What terrifying thunder tribulation, and what''s wrong with my formation?"


    Li Si was shocked to find that the formations he had set up seemed to have been secretly altered, appearing the same as before, but with only ten percent of their original power!


    Upon closer inspection, most of the Spirit Stones he used for the formation had been stolen!


    "Who did this! Who on earth did this?!"


    Li Si roared, instinctively thinking of Tianji Shangren, but then dismissing the idea, as the other party had no reason to trouble him.


    In just a moment, another bolt of lightning fell. With a "boom," the ground exploded, the sky shook, all formations collapsed in an instant, formation flags flew chaotically, blasting a deep pit ten thousand meters wide.


    Screams echoed, people were blasted into the air one by one, Li Si also spat blood, his body charred, being blasted away, suffering heavy casualties in an instant.


    Faintly, a dog paw could be seen reaching out from the void, collecting the formation flags one by one.


    Fortunately, this group had defensive magical treasures on them, not relying solely on the formations, or they would have been struck dead.


    Lei He was completely dumbfounded.


    At this moment, the black serpent was rampaging among the crowd. How could he dare to make a move? If he threw a spear, who knew if it would kill the enemy or harm his own.


    "Prime Minister Li, think of something!"


    The cultivators shouted to Li Si, but he also had no idea what to do.


    "Boom!" "Boom!"...


    Two more bolts of lightning struck down, finally causing a Core Formation stage cultivator to be unable to withstand it, killed by the aftermath of the thunder tribulation, perishing completely.


    This was still just the aftermath of Xu Hei''s tribulation crossing.


    However, Xu Hei was also not in good shape. He had to concentrate to withstand the thunder tribulation. If he hadn''t been pushed to the brink, he wouldn''t have resorted to such methods to intimidate his opponents.


    Xu Hei roamed around again, another early Core Formation stage was struck dead, and three to five Foundation Establishment stages were turned to ash.


    Li Si''s heart bled; every Core Formation stage was a deputy general-level figure, losing even one was painful.


    Fortunately, Xu Hei didn''t take further action, and everyone quickly hid behind Lei He.


    Lei He also dared not make another move, lest Xu Hei, pushed to the limit, charged at him. Even if he could escape unscathed, those around him could not be saved.


    "Is that... Senior Xu Hei?" Xiao Chou was stunned.


    "The bald snake, no longer bald?" Vulture''s eyes were wide, staring at the horn on Xu Hei''s head.


    "Amitabha, great virtue." Ku Xuan clasped his hands together.


    "That was close! I couldn''t calculate anything this time, I was just guessing." Zhao Wenzhuo gritted his teeth, the tortoise shell in his hand trembling.


    "So he''s called... Xu Hei." The Silver-haired Witch murmured softly.


    The madness in Zhang Tie''s eyes faded a bit.


    Xu Qingfeng said nothing, just exhaled deeply and closed his eyes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Before long, Xu Hei''s tribulation crossing reached its end.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s injuries no longer worsened. Under the final wave of thunder, his physical body rapidly strengthened, the Demon God Cauldron frantically devoured the power of the thunder tribulation, feeding it back to Xu Hei, helping him repair his damaged body.


    Xu Hei''s body quickly grew taller, longer, thicker, harder.


    The purple-black Golden Core in his abdomen officially formed, emitting black true essence, transforming into a lake, flowing into his meridians and bones.


    He had a dragon horn on his head, dragon bones inside, dragon scales outside, transforming into a fifteen-meter-long giant horned serpent. Perhaps, it could no longer be called a serpent.


    At this moment, Xu Hei successfully formed his core, officially becoming a Core Formation stage great demon.


    An immense, boundless pressure released from his body, dominating the entire scene, a pressure no one had ever seen before, unmatched by any same-level demonic beast!


    And at the same time.


    "Boom crack..."


    Outside Wuyou City, the protective layer blocking the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s army shattered.

 Chapter 255: Protect this sky

    Chapter 255: Protect this sky"Rumble..."


    In the distant sky, a dense shadow flew in from the outside world, arriving above Wuyou City.


    It was a massive, endless army of puppets, covering the already dark sky with a black cloud.


    As the thunder tribulation dissipated, the puppets entered the scene.


    At the forefront of the puppet army was a middle-aged man in brocade clothing, exuding a long-lasting aura, his eyes deep as if containing flames and thunder, with various storage artifacts hanging from his body.


    Qin Xuanji, a formidable cultivator who had reached the Extreme Realm of the Core Formation Stage, was a force capable of conquering an entire city on his own.


    Countless renowned experts of the Chu Kingdom had perished under his puppet battle formation, and numerous cities had fallen to his single-handed assault.


    Though he was one of the top ten experts of the Qin Kingdom, the pressure Qin Xuanji brought was more terrifying than ten Lei He combined.


    "Hehehe, it''s over! These people are doomed!"


    Li Si sneered coldly. His plan was always to buy time until the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s army arrived, and now his goal was accomplished.


    Although the serpent''s breakthrough caused a slight disruption, it was insignificant and didn''t affect the overall situation. From the beginning, the outcome was predetermined.


    As Qin Xuanji descended, his gaze immediately locked onto Xu Hei.


    Reflected in his pupils was a giant horned serpent, and without a word, he raised his hand and pointed.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    A row of war chariots charged forward, forming a snake-slaying battle formation, creating an inescapable net. Each chariot was comparable to a top-tier third-grade magical treasure, moving at incredible speed, like phantoms.


    Xu Hei''s eyes were icy, with no intention of confronting head-on, as he was about to summon something.


    "Boom!"


    Suddenly, the ground in a certain area of Wuyou City exploded, and a figure shot into the sky like a white lightning bolt tearing through the firmament, roaring like thunder, swift as a streak of lightning.


    This person, with snow-white hair fluttering in the wind, had a robust figure, exuding a sense of power.


    Raising her hand, she clenched it into a fist and smashed down towards the war chariots.


    "Nuclear Fusion Fist, Formation Breaking Style!"


    With an earth-shattering shout, the fist moved like a gale, piercing through the sky. The rows of war chariots were blasted apart with a single punch, shattering into countless fragments, turning to dust.


    Seeing the familiar martial technique and the figure with white hair flying, Xu Hei''s mouth gaped open, his body frozen in place.


    "What!?" Li Si''s pupils contracted sharply.


    Qin Xuanji''s gaze also focused, saying, "An Elemental Infant stage corpse puppet?!"


    Red hair above, white hair¡ªthis was an Elemental Infant stage corpse puppet.


    The number one on the legendary danger list.


    "It''s here! It''s here! This is the number one on the danger list, the strongest demon puppet!"


    Han Te shrank into a corner, trembling, his eyes fixed on the hole in the sky, thinking of escaping from there but too afraid to move.


    The moment the Elemental Infant stage corpse puppet appeared, everyone''s expressions changed drastically, their hearts filled with terror.


    This was a corpse puppet, killing anyone in its path, unstoppable by anyone.


    However, this corpse puppet did not actively attack people.


    That agile figure, strong physique, aside from the white hair being different from back then, was still so familiar.


    Xu Hei''s body trembled as he looked at the back of that figure, murmuring, "Senior Sister?"


    His voice even trembled slightly.


    This white-haired corpse puppet was the martial arts school''s senior sister from back then, Bai Wei!


    Bai Wei did not answer him, nor did she turn around, just stood quietly in the void, locking onto Qin Xuanji.


    Though she had become a corpse puppet, and a cultivator''s lifespan couldn''t last that long, Bai Wei did not attack people. She just stood at the front, guarding this land.


    It was her instinct.


    If human nature is inherently evil, then after becoming a corpse puppet, the instinct would be slaughter.


    If human nature is inherently good, then what they do is protect!


    "Whoosh!"


    Bai Wei''s figure vanished on the spot, transforming into a long rainbow, stepping on one of the White Emperor''s ultimate techniques, the Lightning Leg, sweeping towards the puppet army in front.


    "Boom, boom, boom..."


    The airwaves surged, the void trembled, forming wave-like shockwaves that swept across the sky. Under this leg, the puppet army exploded one after another, shattering into pieces. No matter how strong the puppets were, they had no power to resist this fatal strike.


    This was the Elemental Infant stage; even as a corpse puppet, it was not something the Core Formation stage could withstand.


    "Look, what is that?"


    "That figure looks so familiar! I think... I''ve seen it in the Bai Family''s ancestral spirit hall."


    The Bai Family''s team, also trapped within Wuyou City, looked towards the horizon, watching the white-haired figure flying among the puppet army, each showing a look of shock.


    Especially the Bai Family''s Grand Elder, whose eyes were filled with excitement, his body trembling, tears streaming down his face.


    The Bai Family''s first ancestor!


    Bai Wei passed through the puppet formation, striking directly at the retreating Qin Xuanji with a punch, the force surging, unstoppable!


    "Hmph!" A cold snort came from beyond the sky.


    A white-haired figure appeared almost instantly, with a wave of his sleeve, forming a gentle force that neutralized all the energy.


    The Elemental Infant stage ancestor of the Qin Kingdom, Ancestor Xingtian, also appeared, the one who had previously sealed the city with his Divine Sense.


    "Even with an Elemental Infant stage corpse puppet for protection, it was unexpected, but your fate is sealed today!"


    Ancestor Xingtian''s face was expressionless. The Heavenly Puppet Sect had made countless preparations; no matter how many changes you had, it was a dead end.


    The Qin Kingdom did not fight unprepared battles.


    They had conquered countless cities in the Chu Kingdom; what was one Wuyou City?


    Bai Wei showed no fear, charging at Ancestor Xingtian, who frowned, throwing out a copper bell magical artifact, pressing forward. Yet Bai Wei punched through the sky, even denting the copper bell, which then exploded.


    "A rare body-refining corpse puppet!"


    Ancestor Xingtian squinted his eyes, not daring to be careless, retreating while fighting, continuously summoning magical artifacts. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "You can stop me, but can you stop our puppet army?" Ancestor Xingtian sneered.


    At this moment, under Qin Xuanji''s control, the puppet army reformed, covering the mountains and plains, the sky and the earth, as if the space within his storage artifact was endless.


    "Crack, crack, crack..."


    Suddenly, the ground of Wuyou City cracked open.


    Withered hands reached out from underground. One by one, corpse puppets crawled up, standing within the city.


    However, these corpse puppets were different from before; they had no sinister aura, no ghostly energy, and no murderous intent.


    Their steps were firm, their eyes clear, looking towards the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s army in the sky.


    In life, they were farmers, carpenters, builders, students of the academy. In death, as corpse puppets, they still protected this land.


    "Roar!"


    All the corpse puppets let out a thunderous roar, stepping on the ground, rising into the sky like sharp swords, charging towards the endless Heavenly Puppet Sect army.


    Protect Wuyou City, protect this sky!


    Unknowingly.


    After Xu Hei''s inheritance ended, the corpse puppets changed as well.


    Xu Hei''s eyes were vacant, staring blankly at everything between heaven and earth, finally understanding the meaning of that sentence.


    "History is destined, unchangeable, but some things can be redeemed!"


    In the sky, the dark clouds that had been covering Wuyou City split open, and long-lost sunlight shone down, falling upon the earth, illuminating everyone''s hearts.

 Chapter 256: Dragon Qi Soars to the Sky

    Chapter 256: Dragon Qi Soars to the SkyXu Qingfeng gazed at the sun pouring down from the sky, seemingly lost in thought, his eyes squinting against the glare.


    More and more experts from the Heavenly Puppet Sect descended upon Wuyou City, each carrying a multitude of puppets, with any one of them equivalent to an entire army.


    However, Wuyou City''s army of corpse puppets was equally vast, emerging from the ground in waves, an awe-inspiring sight.


    "Kill!"


    Lei He, his body surging with blood energy, wielded a war halberd like an invincible war god, charging into the army and effortlessly cutting down swathes of corpse puppets.


    "Roar!"


    From the Blood Corpse Cave outside the city came an earth-shattering roar, and a whirlwind of red hair swept through the sky. A red-haired figure stepped through the air from outside the city¡ªit was the Red-haired Corpse King.


    Behind him, the army of corpse puppets from the Blood Corpse Cave joined the battle.


    The Red-haired Corpse King led the charge, heading straight for Lei He, who was also at the late Core Formation stage.


    This was an epic battle, the likes of which had never been seen before. The two armies clashed like two massive dark clouds, the sounds of battle echoing to the heavens.


    This was the battle between the Heavenly Puppet Sect and Wuyou City.


    It was also the battle between the Divine Puppet Sect and the third-generation ancestor!


    In a daze, the dim glow of history shone down, and historical projections appeared above Wuyou City.


    These were from ancient times, when the City Lord of Wuyou faced the siege of three sect leaders from the Divine Puppet Sect, resulting in cataclysmic destruction, the city in ruins, and all its citizens turned to madness, joining the great battle.


    History can repeat itself.


    But Wuyou City was no longer the Wuyou City of old.


    Yunlu Academy.


    Zhang Tie was also affected by an invisible force, the ferocity gone from his eyes as he looked outside at Li Si.


    "Boom!!"


    In the next moment, he stomped the ground and shot out like a black cannonball, his body undergoing demonic transformation, a thick layer of black keratin forming on his skin, with demonic flames burning in his eyes.


    This enhanced form only appeared when one was possessed, and Zhang Tie maintained it to attack his enemies!


    "You! Die!"


    Zhang Tie clawed at Li Si''s neck, who immediately summoned a demonic bell. The sound waves rippled out, impacting Zhang Tie, but he was unaffected, not even pausing for a second.


    "How is this possible? The demonic bell is useless?!"


    Li Si was shocked and dismayed.


    The demonic sound was the culprit that drove Zhang Tie to madness, yet it had lost its effect. Without hesitation, Li Si retreated swiftly.


    "Villains, halt!"


    Suddenly, from behind came the surge of a hundred spells, crashing down with a roar. Fire Snake Technique, Storm Technique, Water Blade Technique... all basic spells, only second-tier in power. But their sheer number forced even Li Si to stop.


    "Who?!"


    Li Si and his men looked behind them.


    On a broken street, at some unknown time, a large group of rogue cultivators had taken over.


    Among this group, more than ninety percent were Foundation Establishment cultivators, with only five at the early Core Formation stage, totaling around eighty people.


    This included evil cultivators from the Blood Robe Sect and three recruited by the Zhou Family, most of whom had followed the Chu Tian Alliance.


    Now, they had all gathered, forming a team. The remaining rogue cultivators in Wuyou City were basically all here.


    "What are you doing?"


    Li Si''s face was dark as he stared at the group of rogue cultivators, a look of disbelief in his eyes.


    Even more shocking was the fact that these rogue cultivators had formed a fan-shaped encirclement, blocking their retreat.


    Li Si, as the strategist of the Qin Kingdom, with many generals following him, had never encountered such a situation!


    "Mere rogue cultivators, are you rebelling?"


    A deputy general shouted.


    From among the rogue cultivators, one stepped forward, fearless.


    "We have received the grace of the Chu Tian Alliance. Now, in this time of crisis, we cannot sit idly by. We will follow Senior Xu and fight to the end!"


    "Follow Senior Xu! Fight to the end!"


    "Fight to the end!"


    The rogue cultivators shouted in unison, their voices shaking the heavens.


    Their motives were clear.


    Now, an epic battle had erupted in Wuyou City, with the Heavenly Puppet Sect and Wuyou City as the combatants, countless Core Formation stage cultivators, and even Elemental Infant stage clashes, with puppets numbering in the millions.


    These rogue cultivators, caught in such a war, were like ants, like dust, easily wiped out by any stray wave.


    To survive, they had two choices: join Li Si or join Xu Qingfeng.


    Who to choose?


    Is there even a question?


    Whether you are a villain or a virtuous person, whether righteous or evil, you would unhesitatingly choose the latter!


    Following the righteous path, seeking benefit and avoiding harm, is human nature!


    At least, Xu Qingfeng would not kill without reason, would not betray you.


    "Do you know what you are saying?"


    Li Si''s face was grim as he spoke in a low voice, "I am the Prime Minister of the Qin Kingdom. I give you a chance, join me, and you will have a way out! If you dare to resist, once you leave this place, none of you will escape!"


    Immediately, a rogue cultivator retorted, "We rogue cultivators have no ties, the world is vast, where can''t we go? At worst, we''ll leave the Qin Kingdom!"


    "Following Senior Xu, at least safety is guaranteed. But following you, who can trust you?"


    "Who can trust you?"


    The rogue cultivators shouted, their voices overlapping.


    Someone like Li Si could offer you benefits one moment and sell you out the next.


    Sow evil, reap evil; cultivate good, receive good. S§×arch* The n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A family that accumulates virtue will have lasting prosperity.


    Xu Qingfeng, because of a series of seemingly foolish good deeds, finally received a response at this moment.


    At this moment, all eyes were on him.


    Xu Qingfeng stood beside the Sage''s statue, his clothes stained with blood, his nose tingling, his voice choked.


    "Thank you... everyone!"


    The Sage''s phantom, acting as a witness, had long since vanished.


    The inheritance halo had also disappeared at some point.


    Perhaps they were not fighting for Mo Wuyou''s inheritance, but for their own path.


    Li Si and Xu Qingfeng, Bai Luo and Bai Qiushui, as Mr. Bai said, in a debate, is there really a winner or loser?


    Xu Qingfeng did not win, nor did he lose!


    Xu Hei exhaled a hot breath, and through the Demon God Cauldron''s refinement of the thunder tribulation, his internal and external injuries were completely healed. Dragon scales and dragon bones were in place, his eyes gleaming, reaching the peak of the post-Core Formation stage.


    "Roar!!"


    Xu Hei roared to the sky, letting out a loud dragon''s roar.


    Dragon Qi soared to the heavens, dragon bones stood proud in the sky! Xu Hei felt his blood and energy burning, let out a sharp howl, and with a flick of his dragon tail, charged towards Li Si''s army.


    Today, Li Si''s blood would be the first sacrifice!


    "Stop him!"


    Li Si''s face changed dramatically, formation flags were placed on the ground, spirit stones rained down like a storm. With the retreat blocked by rogue cultivators, he could only use a teleportation formation to escape!


    "Crack!"


    Xu Hei opened his massive jaws and bit down, shattering the armor of a Core Formation stage deputy general clad in golden armor, his body and a third-tier mid-grade magical treasure crushed to powder, blood and flesh flying, not even a scream escaping, his form and spirit annihilated.


    Same realm, a one-hit kill!


    "Smack!!"


    With a flick of his tail, another Core Formation stage cultivator was smashed, along with various third-tier magical treasures shattered, this person giving his all, yet unable to withstand a casual strike.


    Everyone was shocked, their eyes wide, as if seeing a ghost.


    "What terrifying power!"


    "Is this a demonic beast? Can a demonic beast be this strong?"


    "Even third-tier mid-grade magical treasures are useless! What kind of existence is this?"


    At this moment, whether it was Li Si''s army or the nearly hundred rogue cultivators watching from behind, their jaws nearly dropped.


    Even a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator dealing with an early-stage Core Formation cultivator couldn''t do it so easily.


    And this was without using spells, just close combat!


    What would it be like if spells and magical treasures were added?


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    Xu Hei''s figure flickered, shooting like an arrow into Li Si''s formation. At his realm, Ever-changing Fish and Dragon could already ignore some weaker formations, moving as if on flat ground.


    "Stop him!" Li Si shouted.


    He pulled out a jade talisman and crushed it, the talisman transforming into a golden seal, standing proudly in the air, accompanied by an overwhelming imperial aura, reigning over the world, the emperor''s might suppressing all.


    Li Si''s strongest trump card, the Qin Emperor''s Seal!

 Chapter 257: Qin Emperors Seal, Overlord Cauldron

    Chapter 257: Qin Emperor''s Seal, Overlord CauldronIn the shadows, a towering and majestic emperor could be seen, holding the Qin Emperor''s Seal, reigning over the world, standing proudly in the void, his eyes gazing down upon all living things.


    The Qin Emperor''s Seal, which governs the fate of a nation and controls the myriad laws of the universe, though merely a manifestation, is not something that can be easily shaken, capable of suppressing even those at the late Core Formation stage.


    Suddenly, something in Xu Qingfeng''s storage bag began to vibrate violently. He quickly retrieved it, revealing the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book left to him by his grandmaster.


    At this moment, a character in the center of the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book was vibrating intensely, emitting a dazzling light.


    ¡ªDing!


    The character "Ding" seemed to concentrate all the energy of the Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, as if it were becoming tangible, eager to burst forth.


    The Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book was not written by one person; it contains different Dao rhymes from various individuals. This "Ding" character came from a prodigy of the Xiang family.


    "The Qin Emperor''s Seal has emerged, and the Ding character contends for supremacy. Is this destiny?"


    Xu Qingfeng''s eyes were resolute as he raised his hand and pointed.


    The "Ding" character soared into the sky, instantly transforming into an illusory giant cauldron, pitch-black, exuding the domineering aura of an overlord!


    The Xiang family, the Overlord Cauldron!


    Once the Overlord Cauldron appeared, it needed no human control, traversing the void at an incredible speed, roaring towards Li Si in the distance.


    Or rather, the Overlord Cauldron''s target was not Li Si, but the Qin Emperor''s Seal!


    The might of the unparalleled overlord clashed with the grand imperial aura, a contest not only of power but of destiny.


    "Boom!!"


    With a collision that shook the heavens, the phantom of the Qin Emperor''s Seal crumbled instantly, and the Overlord Cauldron shattered as well. Li Si''s pupils contracted, and he cried out in disbelief, "This is impossible!!"


    Nothing is impossible!


    The Qin Emperor''s Seal was only out for two breaths before being destroyed by the Overlord Cauldron.


    "Ugh!!"


    Li Si spat blood, his entire skeleton shattered, swept by the terrifying aftermath, nearly reduced to dust.


    With the Qin Emperor''s Seal gone, no one could stop Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei, unstoppable, charged into the formation, without any fancy moves, directly using the horn on his head to ram into Li Si.


    "Bang!!"


    Just as the formation was about to activate, Li Si''s body was completely torn apart by Xu Hei''s strike, turning into countless pieces of flesh, scattering across the sky.


    Even the teleportation formation was mostly destroyed by Xu Hei''s collision.


    However, Xu Hei noticed that within Li Si''s shattered body, a phantom shadow slipped into a Void Stone, and with a flash of formation fluctuation, the Void Stone was directly transmitted away.


    "Escaped?"


    Xu Hei frowned slightly, not wanting to leave such a menace behind.


    However, with his physical body destroyed, a mere Core Formation cultivator could at most linger on like the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect, relying on special means, neither human nor ghost.


    Although the opponent might not have teleported far, still within Wuyou City, Xu Hei had no interest in searching.


    Li Si''s army still had some small fry left, which Xu Hei, together with many rogue cultivators, quickly slaughtered cleanly.


    The trouble they now faced was still the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    The numbers were simply overwhelming, and this kind of puppet battle between immortals was nerve-wracking to even glance at. Unless one possessed late Core Formation stage combat power to break through locally and thus affect the overall situation, it was impossible to intervene.


    The Chu Tian Alliance at its peak might have been able to do it, but now, with the Chu Tian Alliance mostly crippled, and Xu Qingfeng having fainted directly after using the Overlord Cauldron.


    Xu Hei said, "You stay here, find an opportunity to escape, and leave the rest to me!"


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei soared into the sky, his gaze fixed on Lei He, who was fighting in the distance.


    At this moment, Lei He was engaged in a fierce battle with the Red-haired Corpse King from the Blood Corpse Cave. The two sides were locked in a stalemate, and the Red-haired Corpse King, now fully awake, was even stronger, effortlessly wielding various spells.


    Lei He also realized he was being targeted by a snake, frowning slightly but not overly concerned. As long as Xu Hei dared to intervene, he was confident he could ensure Xu Hei would not return.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he was about to take out the Black Dragon Pagoda.


    But suddenly, he felt a tightness in his chest, a sensation of being locked onto, his blood boiling uncontrollably.


    This made him frown deeply, hesitating.


    "Xu Hei, this is the karma of the Divine Puppet Sect. It was sown by me back then, and I will end it!"


    "You also have your own karma!"


    At this moment, a familiar voice reached Xu Hei''s ears, the voice of the City Lord of Wuyou, transmitted through a corpse puppet.


    Xu Hei seemed to sense something, raising his head to look towards the horizon.


    At this moment, outside Wuyou City, a figure entirely bathed in crimson was approaching, riding on a wave of blood.


    The overwhelming murderous aura transformed into a mountain of corpses and a sea of blood, pressing heavily on Xu Hei''s heart from an endless distance, having slaughtered countless snake creatures!


    Such an existence, with just a glance, could make snakes tremble in fear.


    Even snake demons of the same cultivation level would instinctively feel terrified when encountering such a snake killer, unable to exert even a fraction of their strength.


    Xu Hei originally felt a sense of dread, but as his Nine Transformations of the True Dragon cultivation technique circulated, all fear vanished, replaced by anger and hatred.


    The instinct of a living creature made him almost unable to control himself, wanting to kill this person, to grind their bones to dust!


    "Calm down."


    Xu Hei muttered to himself, forcing himself to remain calm. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Undoubtedly, the opponent was a peerless expert, with means to restrain snake demons. Even though Xu Hei was no longer a pure snake, he couldn''t blindly confront them head-on.


    Each level of a Core Formation cultivator is vastly different, and Xu Hei had just broken through. To fight against a Great Perfection Core Formation cultivator would be suicidal.


    Moreover, within Wuyou City, he didn''t want to expose himself too much. Otherwise, if Qin Xuanji or the Elemental Infant stage ancestor decided to eliminate him at all costs, it would be a huge problem.


    During his attack on Li Si, he had already felt some gazes from afar.


    Xu Hei could sense that every move he made, every display of strength, was being watched by someone in the shadows.


    He was able to shatter Li Si''s physical body thanks to Xu Qingfeng''s Overlord Cauldron, which didn''t attract much attention, and even Lei He held a slight contempt for him.


    This was exactly the situation Xu Hei wanted!


    If Xu Hei''s strength exceeded a certain threshold, seen as a threat by the Heavenly Puppet Sect that must be eliminated at all costs, it would be very troublesome.


    "Xu Hei, come here!" Hei Huang''s voice transmitted over.


    Xu Hei immediately descended and burrowed underground.


    At this moment, Hei Huang had already constructed a giant formation, hidden beneath the earth.


    ¡ªThe Great Teleportation Formation.


    This was what Hei Huang had mentioned before, giving him three days to set up a Great Teleportation Formation to escape Wuyou City, and he had succeeded.


    "Fight or retreat? That guy seems obsessed, just fixated on you. I could see it from afar," Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei replied solemnly, "Let''s leave this place first."

 Chapter 258: Dragon Slaying Sword, Heavenly Demon Mirror

    Chapter 258: Dragon Slaying Sword, Heavenly Demon MirrorXu Hei stealthily entered the underground, arriving within the formation.


    "Activate!" With a clap of Hei Huang''s claws, the light of the formation immediately enveloped Xu Hei.


    The space twisted, as if a Small Teleportation Talisman had been activated. Xu Hei''s figure swiftly transformed into a streak of light, diving into the void and traversing at an astonishing speed.


    In the blink of an eye, Xu Hei had escaped the confines of Wuyou City, passing through the blockade and reaching the outskirts.


    Finally, he descended onto a mountainside in the Wu Mountain Range.


    The Wu Mountain Range was shrouded in mist, with a humid climate.


    Looking back, Wuyou City was not far behind, resembling a massive black dragon lying coiled in a cracked valley.


    Even from this distance, the terrifying fluctuations of battle could still be felt, occasionally accompanied by earth-shattering booms, as Elemental Infant cultivators clashed.


    However, the blood-red figure in the distance continued to approach Xu Hei, as if it had locked onto him.


    "Blood Source Tracking Technique, this person has devoured the blood of your kin, and won''t rest until they catch you!" Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei said nothing, taking out a spirit stone and beginning to construct a formation.


    As the City Lord of Wuyou had said, this was his karma, and this battle was unavoidable.


    He never intended to flee, merely to change locations to kill quietly, avoiding interference and misleading others into thinking he was running away.


    At this moment, not only was the blood-red figure closing in rapidly, but also some cultivators from the Snake Catchers Sect were flying out from the top of Wuyou City, also heading towards Xu Hei.


    The Snake Catchers Sect was Xu Hei''s karma!


    The name of this sect destined that only one side could survive.


    At this moment, the entire Snake Catchers Sect, from the sect master and ancestor to the foundation-building disciples, all charged towards Xu Hei.


    They had received orders to spare no effort in eliminating Xu Hei, to drink his blood, gnaw his bones, and seize his fortune!


    Xu Hei was an unprecedented great fortune for the Snake Catchers Sect, a living flood dragon! Every inch of his body was a treasure, each scale a supreme treasure, every drop of blood capable of helping disciples break through.


    In an era where true dragons were extinct and flood dragons were hard to find, Xu Hei was a rare gem.


    "They''re here!"


    Gazing at the approaching blood-red figure, Xu Hei''s eyes were solemn.


    He had already recognized who it was¡ªthe sect master of the Snake Catchers Sect, Xu Qingzhi, the strongest snake catcher of the current generation.


    And even stronger than the rumors suggested!


    The sky darkened, blood-red murderous aura filled the heavens, and wherever Xu Qingzhi passed, the air turned crimson, a result of slaughtering millions of snakes.


    Before Xu Qingzhi even got close, he let out a low shout, and the surging murderous aura pressed towards Xu Hei.


    But Xu Hei was unaffected, his eyes not showing fear but instead burning with immense fury.


    "Hmm?"


    Xu Qingzhi frowned slightly, clearly surprised by Xu Hei''s reaction. Even a flood dragon should be somewhat affected.


    "No matter what, today you will die under the Dragon Slaying Sword of our ancestor!"


    Xu Qingzhi took a step, covering a thousand feet, rapidly closing in, almost reaching Xu Hei in the blink of an eye.


    Xu Hei didn''t hesitate, taking out a golden storage bag, and with a flick of his snake tail, a mirror appeared.


    The Heavenly Demon Mirror!


    The Heavenly Demon Mirror aimed at Xu Qingzhi, but the latter vanished instantly, like an illusion, not captured like Xuan Yangzi had been.


    However, the Heavenly Demon Mirror was no ordinary item, automatically seeking its target, aiming at a distant void.


    There, Xu Qingzhi''s figure reappeared, and in the Heavenly Demon Mirror, an identical image of Xu Qingzhi emerged.


    "What is this?"


    Xu Qingzhi had heard rumors of this mirror two years ago and was prepared, creating a wisp of illusion to approach and see if he could trick the mirror out.


    He succeeded, as Xu Hei indeed used the Heavenly Demon Mirror.


    But he also failed, as he was still captured.


    From the Heavenly Demon Mirror, a figure identical to Xu Qingzhi stepped out, clad in blood-red robes, handsome in appearance, and the sky was immediately covered with overwhelming blood-red murderous aura, standing in opposition.


    The difference was, a cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.


    "The rumors are true, you really have a mirror that creates inner demons!"


    Xu Qingzhi''s eyes narrowed, but he also let out a cold smile.


    "You can copy me, but can you also copy the Dragon Slaying Sword..."


    Before Xu Qingzhi could finish his sentence.


    He saw another Xu Qingzhi take out a Dragon Slaying Sword, identical, with murderous aura reaching the heavens, seemingly having also slain a flood dragon.


    Xu Qingzhi''s pupils contracted.


    He had never seen an inner demon in his life and had no idea how they worked.


    There were only rumors that the Mountain-moving Patriarch encountered an inner demon during his nascent soul formation, leading to his death and the dissipation of his Dao, but the details were unknown.


    Then, Xu Qingzhi took out various magical treasures and talismans, but without exception, they were all mirrored by the other Xu Qingzhi.


    "I underestimated you, but since I anticipated this scene, how could I not be prepared?"


    Xu Qingzhi sneered, sending a message: "Master, you can act now!"


    "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, three black chains shot out from the void, piercing through the inner demon Xu Qingzhi with lightning speed, firmly anchoring him in the void.


    At the other end of the chains appeared an old man with silver hair, clad in a red robe, stepping out from the void, holding the chains, his aura vast and unending like the ocean waves.


    He was the previous sect master of the Snake Catchers Sect, the Fifteenth Ancestor.


    A Core Formation stage sect master over three hundred years old would retire, passing the position to the next generation. The Fifteenth Ancestor was slightly younger than the Thirteenth Ancestor, but still four hundred years old, his cultivation stalled at the late Core Formation stage.


    The chains in his hand, called the Inner Demon Chains, were specifically prepared to target inner demons.


    To prevent the Inner Demon Chains from being copied, he specifically called the Fifteenth Ancestor to act instead of himself.


    "You can copy me, but can you copy my master?" Xu Qingzhi sneered.


    But as soon as he finished speaking, he saw chains shooting out from the Heavenly Demon Mirror, aiming at him.


    "Not good!"


    The Fifteenth Ancestor''s expression changed, attempting to intercept, but the chains accelerated, ignoring the spatial distance, piercing through Xu Qingzhi before he could dodge, locking him in place, unable to move.


    From the mirror of the Heavenly Demon Mirror stepped out an old man.


    Clad in red robes, with silver hair, holding the other end of the chains, his aura vast and unending like the ocean waves.


    Identical to the Fifteenth Ancestor!


    "How can this be?" Both were dumbfounded.


    Xu Hei was also stunned.


    Two inner demons! This Heavenly Demon Mirror can replicate two?


    "Hey, hey, don''t just stand there, do something! My time is precious!" urged the inner demon Xu Qingzhi, shaking the Dragon Slaying Sword impatiently.


    "Do what? I''m already four hundred years old, these old bones can''t handle fighting! A few more hits and my lifespan will be gone." The inner demon Fifteenth Ancestor cursed.


    At this moment, the scene was deathly silent.


    Xu Qingzhi and the Fifteenth Ancestor''s eyes were wide as saucers, not knowing what to do.


    They had rehearsed ways to deal with inner demons, but the current situation was completely unexpected.


    Xu Hei''s mind buzzed, quickly sending a message underground: "Hei Huang, what''s going on? Why can this mirror replicate two people?"


    However, there was no response from Hei Huang. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei scanned with his divine sense, only to find that Hei Huang had long disappeared, whereabouts unknown.


    Soon, the Snake Catchers Sect''s army arrived at the scene, led by Grand Elder Yin Mingzi. They exchanged glances, tacitly keeping their distance from the inner demons in the sky, encircling Xu Hei instead.


    In their view, it was best to stay as far away as possible from such bizarre phenomena.

 Chapter 259: Take them down one by one

    Chapter 259: Take them down one by oneIn order to kill Xu Hei, the Snake Catchers Sect had made extremely thorough preparations, reaching the utmost in terms of manpower and resources.


    Sect Leader Xu Qingzhi was held back, along with the Fifteenth Ancestor. Without the Fifteenth Ancestor, there was still the elder group of the Snake Catchers Sect led by Yin Mingzi.


    With such meticulous preparations, no matter how many tricks Xu Hei had up his sleeve, there was only one path for him¡ªdeath!


    In a daze, Xu Hei found himself back in the Myriad Serpent Valley, facing an overwhelming army.


    The difference was that last time, he was merely at the Foundation Establishment Stage, facing Xuan Yangzi.


    This time, he had already reached the Core Formation Stage, facing the elite of the entire Snake Catchers Sect.


    Xu Hei secretly observed his opponents.


    Three mid-stage Core Formation core elders, seven early-stage Core Formation ordinary elders, totaling ten Core Formation cultivators, posed the greatest threat.


    A large number of Foundation Establishment stage stewards and disciples stayed back, hiding behind the mountain peaks. Only some cultivators at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage set up formations around, which could also affect those at the Core Formation Stage.


    Xu Hei''s gaze grew colder; he wouldn''t let a single one of these people escape today.


    "Take action!" Yin Mingzi ordered in a low voice.


    Numerous elders clapped their hands and pressed them to the ground. Suddenly, a massive formation emerged, with countless chains shooting out from the void, directly targeting Xu Hei. It was the Demon Sealing Dragon Trap Formation aimed at him.


    The positions of these chains changed endlessly, interlocking and encircling, sealing off all directions of Xu Hei''s movement. They also possessed indestructible strength, representing the extreme of the formation''s Qianyang, highly effective against demons.


    In terms of expertise, the Snake Catchers Sect had no equal in the Demon Sealing Dragon Trap Formation.


    "So, you want to play with formations? Nine-square Killing Formation!"


    Xu Hei shouted, his snake tail burrowing into the ground, activating the formation.


    In an instant, countless formation lights lit up on the surrounding ground and in the void, with destructive waves enveloping the ten elders surrounding from the Snake Catchers Sect!


    These formations appeared too quickly, and in the blink of an eye, Xu Hei detonated them.


    Would Xu Hei just stand still and wait for them to surround him and set up their formation?


    Ridiculous! He did it on purpose because his formation was buried right there!


    "Not good! Retreat quickly!"


    "It''s an ambush!"


    Yin Mingzi exclaimed in shock, immediately retreating, and all the elders fled desperately, but it was too late. One by one, lights flashed, and earth-shattering waves erupted instantly.


    The Nine-square Killing Formation was a formation Xu Hei comprehended inside the Xuan Yin Tower, with nine formations combined into one, especially the final Five Elements Killing Formation being the most formidable.


    The Snake Catchers Sect had been suspicious, but these formations had their aura concealed by Hei Huang, making them completely undetectable.


    They couldn''t imagine how a snake could set up so many formations in such a short time!


    "Boom boom boom boom boom..."


    For a moment, thunder and lightning roared, earth fire erupted, fierce winds shredded, and underworld soil decomposed... Various formation attacks appeared in all directions, and the group of elders suffered a brutal assault, each vomiting blood as their magical treasures shattered one after another.


    The so-called Demon Sealing Dragon Trap Formation, meant to restrain Xu Hei, was just halfway formed before being completely destroyed by these killing formations. Not a single chain remained, blown into nothingness by the Five Elements Killing Formation.


    At this moment, Yin Mingzi''s face turned as black as coal.


    The Snake Catchers Sect had rich experience in catching snakes, but damn it, was this a snake?


    What happened to capturing him with ease?


    Looking at their sect leader Xu Qingzhi, his face was as dark as could be.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei''s figure vanished on the spot, turning into a shadow, charging at an early-stage Core Formation elder. With their formation scattered, now was the perfect time to take them down one by one.


    This unnamed elder immediately summoned an ancient gourd, which spewed out a halo. In an instant, a vortex-like force field appeared around him.


    As Xu Hei approached, it felt like he was trapped in a quagmire, unable to move, especially targeting his snake-like form. This was also a magical treasure designed to bind snake demons.


    Unfortunately, Xu Hei''s Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique had surpassed the fourth level, long since ignoring such restraints. After just a brief pause, he charged in again, completely unaffected by the vortex-like force field.


    "Sect Leader, save me!"


    The unnamed Elder A let out a piercing scream, the gourd shattered, and the vortex force field expanded more than tenfold, yet it couldn''t stop the bloodthirsty Xu Hei.


    Countless magical treasure halos appeared on Elder A, attempting a desperate struggle.


    Xu Hei opened his crimson maw, swallowing the man and all his magical treasures whole, his belly bulging like a balloon.


    Immediately, he refined them swiftly within the Demon God Cauldron, absorbing everything cleanly.


    Xu Hei spat out the elder, now reduced to a withered husk, his Golden Core, flesh, and all the energy absorbed by his cultivation technique completely devoured by Xu Hei.


    From start to finish, it took only a single breath.


    "Humans taste disgusting!"


    Xu Hei cursed; it had been a long time since he had swallowed a person whole.


    The last time he ate a human was the last time, but the snake catchers disgusted him to the core. He wanted to extract their bones and refine their marrow, making them suffer the tortures of hell.


    "Kill!"


    Xu Hei once again used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, charging at the second unnamed Elder B.


    "Boom!"


    A loud noise echoed from the sky as Xu Qingzhi could no longer hold back, wielding the Dragon Slaying Sword, slicing through the air, forming a massive blood-colored blade light, descending from the heavens to sever Xu Hei.


    "Hey, hey! Do you think I don''t exist?"


    Another Xu Qingzhi sneered, swinging his Dragon Slaying Sword, producing the same blood-colored blade light, intercepting in the void. After mutual annihilation, he slashed at Xu Qingzhi''s neck again, ensuring that if he attacked Xu Hei, his head would roll.


    Xu Qingzhi''s face turned ashen, forced to engage in direct combat, and soon they were locked in a fierce battle.


    Meanwhile, the Fifteenth Ancestor and another Fifteenth Ancestor merely stood in the sky, gazing at each other without moving, neither seeming inclined to take action.


    However, the Fifteenth Ancestor''s face was exceptionally grim, a large seal appearing in his hand, only to be put away again.


    "The fake inner demon created by this mirror must have a time limit. Once the time is up, it will break without attack. Why waste energy?" the Fifteenth Ancestor speculated internally.


    Two breaths later.


    The second Elder B was also swallowed by Xu Hei, struggling for just one more breath. That compass-shaped magical treasure could disrupt Xu Hei''s sense of direction, also designed to restrain snake demons.


    Every snake catcher had magical treasures targeting snake demons, knowing his body structure and attack habits as if they were second nature. This infuriated Xu Hei, making him feel nauseated from the depths of his heart.


    Xu Hei spat out the drained Elder B.


    "Disgusting, your taste is too disgusting!"


    Xu Hei flicked his tail, shooting towards the nearest third person, named Liu Dun, whose cultivation had reached mid-stage Core Formation, unlike the previous two he had killed. He was a poison master specializing in snake venom.


    With a wave of his hand, Liu Dun scattered a large amount of poison powder, forming a toxic net that covered every inch of space, easily penetrating a snake''s body.


    The Bone-Eroding Powder could instantly soften snake bones, rendering them powerless. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sacrificing two people to capture you is still within acceptable losses!"


    Liu Dun thought to himself. He had long anticipated that this mission wouldn''t go smoothly and that sacrifices were inevitable.


    "Poof!!"


    In the next second, his lower half was shattered by Xu Hei''s strike, his Golden Core clamped in Xu Hei''s mouth.


    "This..." Liu Dun''s thoughts quickly scattered.


    He couldn''t understand why his Bone-Eroding Powder had no effect!


    The time he lasted wasn''t even a single breath, shorter than the previous two!

 Chapter 260: The strongest body cultivator, Xu Hei

    Chapter 260: The strongest body cultivator, Xu Hei"Wow!"


    Suddenly, Liu Dun''s skin sprouted scales, his eyes turned into vertical pupils, and he completely lost consciousness. The remaining half of his body rapidly elongated, his spine transforming into a tail that extended outward.


    In the blink of an eye, Liu Dun had turned into a giant python.


    The python''s face still faintly retained Liu Dun''s features, but its eyes were devoid of emotion, filled only with a mad killing intent.


    "Elder Liu has succumbed to the snake sacrifice!" Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Voices of shock echoed around.


    Snake Catchers, who cultivate using snakes, have remnants of snake demon pollution within them. Once they lose the suppression of their cultivation, this pollution spreads throughout their body, causing them to transform into snakes, hence the term snake sacrifice.


    Only elders with profound cultivation or those deeply polluted might experience a snake sacrifice.


    "Hiss!"


    Liu Dun opened his massive mouth, his venomous fangs lunging at Xu Hei, his body coiling around him. Xu Hei''s dragon scales bristled, instantly piercing Liu Dun with countless wounds.


    "Die!"


    Xu Hei thrust his head forward, his horn piercing through Liu Dun''s skull, creating a large hole. Liu Dun let out a shrill scream as he plummeted from the sky, crashing to the ground.


    "Mid-stage Core Formation, truly not easy to deal with..."


    Xu Hei thought to himself. At the same time, countless snake-shaped flying swords shot towards him from the sky, clashing against his dragon scales with a clanging sound.


    Simultaneously, a large number of snake shadows surged out like raindrops, completely enveloping Xu Hei.


    The remaining two mid-stage Core Formation cultivators, Yin Mingzi and Red Fang, quickly adjusted and launched a fierce attack on Xu Hei.


    "Bang, bang, bang..."


    The snake shadows exploded around Xu Hei, releasing a large cloud of black mist that could obscure divine sense and corrode flesh. These were talismans refined using venomous snakes.


    Gradually, the other cultivators also adjusted, immediately forming a battle formation to launch an offensive against Xu Hei.


    One magical treasure after another was thrown out, and various spells to counter snake demons were continuously unleashed.


    Xu Hei immediately summoned the Black Dragon Pagoda, placing it in front of him to block all attacks. The pagoda shook violently, and Xu Hei was blasted backward.


    "Everyone, don''t hold back! Use whatever trump cards you have! Can our Snake Catchers Sect not handle a single snake?"


    "Even a flood dragon must be brought down!"


    Yin Mingzi shouted, and the morale of the crowd was immediately boosted.


    One must admit, the Snake Catchers Sect, with its countless years of inheritance, indeed had some means.


    Initially caught off guard by the formation, losing two people and one to a snake sacrifice, Xu Hei had taken them by surprise. But soon, they adjusted.


    "Dragon Binding Rope!"


    "Eight Extremes Thunder Seal!"


    "Yellow Springs Swamp!"


    Another round of spells descended upon Xu Hei, trapping him in the Yellow Springs, striking him with thunder, and binding him with the Dragon Binding Rope. Even with his physical body, he suffered significant injuries.


    Especially those two mid-stage Core Formation cultivators, each strike brought immense pressure to Xu Hei.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    Xu Hei unleashed his full speed, his form turning into countless afterimages as he charged forward. But the light ahead suddenly twisted, causing Xu Hei to lose his sense of direction and miss his target.


    In the air, illusions of the Yellow River appeared, greatly disrupting his vision.


    This was a magical treasure specifically targeting movement techniques, the Nine Bends Yellow River.


    "Thud!"


    Suddenly, a massive seal slammed into Xu Hei''s back with tremendous force, causing him to spit blood and stumble forward, taking another heavy blow.


    Xu Hei glanced back, spotting the assailant hidden among the Foundation Establishment cultivators. It seemed to be a woman, with a sinister smile on her lips.


    "The Thirteenth Ancestor?"


    Xu Hei instantly realized that a Foundation Establishment cultivator couldn''t possibly harm him. It could only be the Thirteenth Ancestor who had snatched the woman''s body.


    "Keep attacking! Don''t give him a chance to breathe!"


    "Don''t stop!!!"


    The next second, a new wave of attacks descended. The opponents timed it perfectly, the remaining seven taking turns to attack, not giving Xu Hei a moment''s respite.


    "Boom, boom, boom..."


    Heavenly thunder and earthly fire, the ground shook and mountains trembled. The mountain Xu Hei stood on was blasted open, creating a thousand-foot abyss. The destructive power of Core Formation cultivators was enough to shake a mountain.


    "Mountain Severing Abyss!"


    Xu Hei shouted, and the mountain beneath him rose, forming a massive serpentine mountain range that charged towards the crowd.


    This giant serpent was several times larger than any Xu Hei had previously summoned, blocking out the sky like a prehistoric beast!


    However, the opponents had already calculated for this move.


    "Earth Dissolution Technique!"


    Elder Bing clapped his hands on the ground, and the mountain serpent''s body collapsed, disintegrating into rubble that fell like rain.


    Xu Hei then used Falling Stars and Mountain Embrace Seal, but all were easily countered.


    Every spell and technique Xu Hei had used before had been anticipated by the opponents, who had prepared countermeasures.


    Even every magical treasure and talisman he had used, including the Small Teleportation Talisman, had been guarded against in advance, everything calculated to the last detail.


    The only thing that exceeded their calculations was the initial formation, which caught the Snake Catchers Sect off guard.


    But the subsequent developments were all within the sect''s control.


    "Give up struggling, today you will surely die!" Yin Mingzi shouted.


    "I know you still have a puppet, the Zhou Family ancestor''s Blood Killing Sword, Blood God Armor, Soul-absorbing Flag, and Xu Qingfeng''s Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, but they''re all useless!"


    "Xu the Butcher, you''ve been seen through! You''re at the end of your rope!"


    The crowd continued their verbal assault while relentlessly casting spells.


    Metal, earth, wood, all Five Elemental spells were used, anything that could counter snake demons.


    Xu Hei didn''t know how many attacks he had endured. Even with dragon scales protecting him and a strong physique, it was hard to withstand so many assaults.


    In a one-on-one fight, Xu Hei could easily defeat any of them, killing one in two breaths.


    But together, they produced an effect greater than the sum of their parts.


    These elders were no longer the riffraff of Myriad Serpent Valley; they were the core elder group of the Snake Catchers Sect! A total of ten, each having lived for over a hundred years, experienced and coordinated, having rehearsed countless times against Xu Hei.


    Any one of them could rival the likes of Xuan Yangzi, each a renowned expert in their own right.


    At this moment, the entire sect joined forces against Xu Hei, holding nothing back, giving him the utmost attention!


    "Almost, almost!"


    Xu Hei continued to endure the attacks, his flesh splitting, his internal organs severely injured. But as the attacks continued, the True Qi within him was being compressed.


    In a daze, he returned to the martial arts school in Wuyou City.


    Mr. Bai, holding a stick, beat him black and blue, day after day of severe injuries, forging Xu Hei''s spirit and will to be harder than steel.


    In his mind, he saw Bai Qiushui falling again and again, only to rise each time.


    "The more you get beaten, the stronger you become. So this is the essence of the Diamond Suppression Technique!"


    Gradually, Xu Hei''s skin began to emit a golden light, producing a metallic clang, a sign of True Essence being refined to the extreme.


    Yin Mingzi, holding a black snake sword, pointed it forward.


    The snake sword flew out, instantly striking Xu Hei''s vital point, blood bursting forth as Xu Hei plummeted from the sky, creating a snake-shaped crater on the ground.


    "No matter what tricks you have, today, not even the gods can save you!"


    Yin Mingzi didn''t dare approach recklessly. He raised his hand, and the black snake sword shot out again, aiming to decapitate Xu Hei, refusing to stop until his head was severed!


    The others'' attacks continued unabated, determined not to stop until Xu Hei was reduced to pulp.


    "Heh, the outcome is decided. This snake has no strength left to struggle, not even a sound."


    Xu Qingzhi sneered coldly.


    The inner demon in front of him also sneered, slashing at him with a blade, forcing Xu Qingzhi to parry.


    But just as Xu Qingzhi finished speaking.


    "Roar!!!"


    A resounding dragon roar echoed through the heavens and earth, spanning a thousand miles, directly targeting Elder Bing, Xu Hei''s long-prepared killing move, Dragon Shatter Roar!


    This wasn''t a traditional spell but a dragon clan''s ultimate technique!


    When True Essence is compressed to the extreme, the power of Dragon Shatter Roar skyrockets, a perfect fusion of physical body and spell.


    This strike pierced the sky!


    "Boom!!"


    Elder Bing, thirty miles away, didn''t even have time to grunt before his body exploded, turning into fragments that rained down from the sky.


    After obliterating one, Dragon Shatter Roar spread out from the center, instantly severely injuring the two nearby. Their eyes burst, blood flowed from their orifices, and their magical treasures exploded one by one.


    Everything happened too quickly. The others were still in a daze when one was dead, and two were severely injured.


    "I wonder if you anticipated this strike!"


    Xu Hei climbed out of the pit, his body now radiating golden True Essence, coating his skin. This compressed True Essence elevated his physical strength to the extreme.


    "This is..."


    Yin Mingzi''s pupils contracted to a point.


    Xu Qingzhi also showed a look of horror, a storm raging in his heart, unable to believe his eyes.


    "This is the Diamond Suppression Technique? How is it possible? Besides that Qin Kingdom God of Slaughter, how could anyone else have learned it?" Xu Qingzhi was shocked beyond measure.


    Even more astonishing was that Xu Hei''s cultivation technique seemed more orthodox and purer than that of the God of Slaughter.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei vanished on the spot, without a sound of breaking wind. The next second, Xu Hei was right in front of them, his speed ten times faster than before!


    From a distance, Xu Hei thrust his horn forward, the compressed True Essence within him pouring out madly through it!


    "Boom!!"


    A thunderous sound echoed, as if the void itself was being pierced.


    Despite the distortion of light, the entire space ahead was covered by this strike.


    "Boom, boom, boom!!"


    Terrifying shockwaves soared into the sky, sweeping across the heavens, shattering clouds, collapsing the earth, and disintegrating mountains. Xu Hei''s strike from afar created a scene of apocalyptic destruction.


    Elder Ding and Elder Wu in front were instantly obliterated by the horn, not even knowing how they died.


    The remaining Yin Mingzi and Red Fang spat blood, their faces pale as they were blown away, their inner terror beyond words.


    Legends spoke of those whose physical bodies had reached sainthood, capable of breaking the void with a punch, shattering the heavens with a kick.


    No need for spells, their physical body was the strongest spell!


    However, such powerful beings existed only in ancient legends. In later generations, body cultivators had long vanished.


    Though Xu Hei hadn''t reached such an exaggerated level, Xu Qingzhi sensed a hint of that potential.

 Chapter 261: You are not fighting alone

    Chapter 261: You are not fighting alone"How could this happen?"


    Xu Qingzhi was completely numb.


    He thought everything was under control, but unexpected events kept occurring one after another.


    Out of the ten Core Formation stage elders, six were dead, two were severely injured, leaving only Yin Mingzi and Red Fang still holding on. Such losses were unbearable for them!


    "Did you jinx it? Every time you speak, the situation turns around. Haven''t you noticed?"


    Xu Qingzhi''s inner demon sneered mockingly.


    "Shut up!"


    Xu Qingzhi, both angry and ashamed, drew his sword and charged forward.


    "Master, take action! If we can slay the true inner demon, a fake one is nothing." Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Qingzhi''s eyes shone with astonishing light, his aura continuously rising, seemingly about to form a suppression.


    The Fifteenth Ancestor hesitated initially, but upon hearing Xu Qingzhi''s words, he immediately summoned a coiled serpent seal and hurled it at the inner demon Fifteenth Ancestor.


    "Boom!!"


    Unexpectedly, the inner demon Fifteenth Ancestor offered no resistance, took a heavy blow, spat out a mouthful of blood, and was sent flying.


    Seeing this, the Fifteenth Ancestor was stunned, while Xu Qingzhi laughed wildly, "Hahaha, it seems your inner demon is nothing! Let''s finish him off first, then join forces..."


    Before Xu Qingzhi could finish his sentence.


    "Boom!!"


    A black lightning bolt erupted from the ground, striking the Fifteenth Ancestor''s crotch.


    "Ow!" The Fifteenth Ancestor let out a miserable scream, was struck into the sky, his entire body charred, hair standing on end from the electricity.


    Meanwhile, the other inner demon Fifteenth Ancestor smirked and said, "Who said an inner demon has to follow your script? Can''t it have a bit of creativity?"


    As he spoke, he stomped, and another black lightning bolt shot from the ground, striking the Fifteenth Ancestor.


    "Boom!!"


    The Fifteenth Ancestor was struck skyward, his body scorched, hair burned to a crisp, his red robe turned black, and even his arm was severed.


    Everyone was dumbfounded.


    A late-stage Core Formation Fifteenth Ancestor was being beaten by an inner demon?


    In a corner, a female Foundation Establishment cultivator in the crowd watched the familiar scene in the sky, her eyes nearly popping out.


    "Yin Thunder Formation?"


    Her pupils contracted, then she jumped in rage, gritting her teeth, "Damn it! It''s that old dog!"


    This woman was Shen Qingzhu, who had been possessed by the Thirteenth Ancestor, and the reason for her downfall was being struck by the Nine Nether Yin Thunder Formation.


    She recognized it at once; it was the same formation that had attacked her, and she had suffered greatly from it!


    Now, the Fifteenth Ancestor was also suffering, struck repeatedly by the Yin Thunder from above and below, with no chance to fight back. He hid inside a pagoda, but the pagoda was soon shattered to pieces.


    The Thirteenth Ancestor cursed inwardly, what nonsense inner demon, it was that wretched old dog in disguise!


    That old dog kept claiming to be four hundred years old and unwilling to fight, but was secretly setting up a formation, fooling everyone. They had believed him wholeheartedly, how absurd.


    "Boom!!!"


    Another thick Yin Thunder bolt erupted from the ground, striking the Fifteenth Ancestor, sending him soaring nine thousand miles into the sky before crashing down like a dead dog.


    Xu Qingzhi was anxious but could only watch helplessly.


    "Hey, hey, what did you just say? Truly, your words have power." Xu Qingzhi''s inner demon sneered.


    At this moment, everyone in the distance felt an urge to curse.


    In the brief moment Xu Qingzhi was stunned, the inner demon seized the opportunity to slash out, the blood-red blade light like a devouring claw, striking his chest, leaving a deep gash, blood bursting out, even breaking his ribs.


    "Bang!!"


    Xu Qingzhi was sent flying, crashing into a mountain, causing it to collapse.


    "Hey! Can you show some respect? I''m right in front of you, and you dare to look elsewhere, I feel discriminated against!" The inner demon mocked.


    "It''s over!"


    Everyone''s hearts sank.


    The sect leader was injured, now things were really bad.


    If Xu Qingzhi lost to the inner demon, the Snake Catchers Sect would be utterly defeated, with no chance of recovery!


    "Bang!!"


    Xu Hei and Yin Mingzi collided with great force, both sent flying, Yin Mingzi''s body felt like it was falling apart, Xu Hei''s skin was torn, blood dripping, but his eyes grew fiercer.


    "Again!"


    Xu Hei consumed a thousand-year-old Spirit Medicine and a handful of Rejuvenation Pills, without pausing for even a second, shot up again like a storm, his body like a whirlwind, charging towards Yin Mingzi and Red Fang with pure physical strength.


    Yin Mingzi took two breaths to recover, hurriedly summoned a handkerchief, wrapping it around Xu Hei''s body like a ghostly cloak.


    At that moment, Xu Hei lost his sense of direction again, but relying on his memory, he charged forward!


    "Boom!!"


    The handkerchief was pierced with a large hole, the shockwave piercing the sky, and in the distance, Yin Mingzi and Red Fang''s bodies shattered, flying backward, both with large holes in their bodies.


    Especially Red Fang, half her body was nearly gone, barely clinging to life.


    Ten Core Formation stage elders, all snake catchers meant to restrain snake demons, besieging one Xu Hei, yet ended up in such a miserable state.


    No one expected this outcome.


    Including the sect leader and two ancestors, nearly the entire sect was mobilized, only to be beaten thoroughly, leaving everyone with a sense of defeat.


    "Grand Elder, the rest is up to you, you must slay him!"


    Red Fang''s eyes showed determination, she raised her only remaining hand, pointed at her forehead, and blood-red dragon scales appeared on her skin, her body elongated, legs transforming into a snake tail, arms retracting into her body, turning into a giant red python in an instant.


    A blood-red horn also appeared on her head.


    "Elder Red Fang has also performed the snake sacrifice!"


    The Foundation Establishment disciples witnessing this from afar all turned pale.


    Three mid-stage Core Formation elders, two had performed the snake sacrifice, leaving only the Grand Elder.


    "Hiss!!"


    Red Fang opened her mouth wide and lunged, Xu Hei swung his tail, sending her flying high, crashing to the ground, creating a thousand-meter deep pit.


    "Damn!" Xu Hei''s heart sank.


    He realized his strength was waning.


    At first, he could easily kill two people with a single strike. But now, even with all his might, he couldn''t destroy a single snake, which only meant his true essence was running low.


    Without the reinforcement of the Diamond Suppression Technique, his physical strength would drop significantly.


    This battle was the toughest Xu Hei had ever faced.


    "Hiss hiss!"


    Red Fang struggled to climb out of the pit, opened her giant mouth, and sprayed venom.


    At the same time, Yin Mingzi used all his strength, six black snake swords shot out, transforming into ravenous ghosts, biting at Xu Hei''s flesh.


    "Bang bang bang..."


    Xu Hei''s skin erupted with countless black lights, he fell halfway from the sky, then forcibly stopped.


    At this moment, the six black swords clung to his body, trying to burrow into the gaps of his dragon scales, aiming to devour his flesh.


    "He''s almost done, give it all you''ve got! Everyone, attack together!" Xu Qingzhi shouted.


    "Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"


    From the distant crowd, three giant crossbow bolts shot out, brought by Foundation Establishment cultivators, aimed at Xu Hei, only now daring to fire.


    These crossbows, ten meters long, could easily kill a demonic beast the size of an elephant. Originally meant to guard against Xu Hei''s reinforcements, after all, last time in Myriad Serpent Valley, Xu Hei had called for Man Jin.


    Now, they were all used against Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, dodging the first strike, but the bolts spun around, tracking him again, each bolt engraved with a soul-chasing symbol.


    It truly was one man against a sect! Xu Hei''s stamina was rapidly depleting, he felt he was nearing his limit.


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."


    But at this critical moment, a mass of vines suddenly burst from the ground, like living creatures, wrapping around all the bolts, immobilizing them.


    "What''s happening?"


    Everyone was shocked, only to see the surrounding trees beginning to move.


    "Bang!!"


    A large tree swung its branches, smashing a crossbow into pieces.


    A seemingly harmless flower suddenly mutated, its body swelling, transforming into a ferocious maw, swallowing a disciple whole, who let out a miserable scream, melting into bones in the blink of an eye.

 Chapter 262: Xu Heis friends

    Chapter 262: Xu Hei''s friendsBamboo shoots shot up wildly, transforming into sharp spikes that burst from the ground, piercing through a group of Snake Catchers.


    A thousand-year-old willow tree, its branches like sharp swords, danced wildly in the wind, slicing off heads one by one.


    Strange dandelions floated through the air, exploding wherever they landed, leaving death and destruction in their wake.


    At this moment, the mountains were experiencing a massive plant eruption, with all vegetation turning into ferocious, man-eating monsters, attacking the Snake Catchers Sect.


    Xu Hei was stunned.


    This kind of attack seemed familiar, and only she was the most adept at it!


    "Xu Bai?"


    Xu Hei glanced around and looked at the Fifteenth Ancestor of the Inner Demon. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "No choice, she insisted on coming out to help, so I had to bring her out," the Fifteenth Ancestor of the Inner Demon said, shrugging.


    At this moment, the Fifteenth Ancestor of the Inner Demon no longer pretended, transforming into a dog-headed man, none other than Hei Huang.


    As for the real Fifteenth Ancestor, he lay on the ground, charred and lifeless, having been struck down by Hei Huang. This left Xu Hei secretly amazed; after a year of seclusion, this dog seemed even stronger, with truly unfathomable methods.


    Meanwhile.


    Beside Xu Hei, lush green lotuses sprouted, emitting a gentle light that enveloped him, aiding in his rapid healing and accelerating the recovery of his true essence.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and regained his composure.


    He looked into the distance and saw a giant cactus swiftly moving through the ranks of the Snake Catchers Sect disciples. Wherever it went, cries of misery followed, and many disciples were pierced by cactus spines. Xu Bai was hiding inside the cactus.


    By now, Xu Bai had become a great demon capable of holding her own.


    Xu Hei finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    "Ji Ying, attack!"


    With a low command from Xu Hei, Ji Ying emerged from the dragon scales, another of Xu Hei''s hidden aces.


    Ji Ying finally appeared, letting out a joyful hum before shooting forward like a cannonball, shattering all six Black Snake Swords nearby, and then charging towards the stunned Yin Mingzi.


    The snake-transformed Red Fang lunged at Xu Hei, eyes filled with crazed hatred.


    Xu Hei showed no fear, using his last ounce of strength to open his mouth wide and bite down.


    "Rip!"


    Xu Hei bit down on her head and twisted fiercely, tearing off a massive snake head.


    Red Fang spewed venom, drenching Xu Hei, her severed body still attacking him.


    "Die!"


    Xu Hei summoned the Black Dragon Pagoda, swallowing Red Fang whole, absorbing her completely, leaving only a skeleton in the blink of an eye.


    "Red Fang!!"


    Yin Mingzi''s eyes were filled with rage and despair as he let out a heart-wrenching scream.


    At this point, two of the three mid-stage Core Formation elders of the Snake Catchers Sect had fallen, leaving only Yin Mingzi!


    Of the seven early-stage Core Formation elders, five were dead, and two were seriously injured.


    The core strength of the Snake Catchers Sect was utterly defeated!


    However, Xu Hei was also at his limit, his true essence nearly exhausted, his body covered in wounds. Without the green lotus released by Xu Bai and the ancient Spirit Medicine, Xu Hei could have fainted at any moment.


    Even though his dragon scales were intact, beneath them, he was already severely injured, his blood nearly drained.


    Yin Mingzi was not in much better shape. Though he still had the strength to fight, after being entangled by Ji Ying multiple times, he had lost both ears, leaving him even more terrified.


    "After a thousand years of catching snakes, I finally got bitten by one. Today, I''ve suffered a huge setback!"


    Yin Mingzi sighed inwardly, making up his mind to retreat.


    But suddenly, he remembered Red Fang''s dying wish.


    Red Fang, even with her head severed, continued to attack Xu Hei, giving her all!


    ¡ªShe hoped he could kill Xu Hei and avenge her.


    If Xu Hei wasn''t slain, their sacrifices would be in vain!


    Yin Mingzi clenched his fists, gritting his teeth, his eyes filled with determination.


    "You two, if you still have the strength to fight, don''t hold back, join me in attacking!"


    Yin Mingzi took out a blood-red pill and swallowed it in one gulp. Instantly, a blood-red giant python''s shadow appeared behind him, his eyes turning into vertical pupils, his body igniting with blood-red demon fire, his aura soaring, approaching the late Core Formation stage.


    The fierce demon fire swept out, even forcing Ji Ying back a hundred feet, unable to get close.


    "That''s the spirit of the Ancestor Serpent!"


    The two severely injured Core Formation elders'' pupils contracted, their bodies trembling as if inspired.


    One of them took out a giant python statue, tore off his own arm, and directly sacrificed it to the statue.


    The other burned his lifespan, chanting incantations, releasing a terrifying wave as if about to cast some forbidden technique.


    Xu Hei immediately felt a sense of danger approaching.


    Hei Huang frowned and cursed, "These old bastards, they''re going all out. Xu Hei, if it doesn''t work, we should retreat!"


    Retreat?


    Xu Hei''s true essence was exhausted, barely able to move, how far could he escape?


    Xu Hei said nothing, taking out a five-thousand-year-old ancient Spirit Medicine and swallowing it whole. Using the Demon God Cauldron, he forcibly refined it, causing a surge of violent true essence to flow through his meridians, making his whole body ache.


    At this point, he couldn''t worry about any aftereffects.


    If the other side was going all out, he had no choice but to do the same!


    Blood God Armor, Blood Killing Sword, Soul-absorbing Flag, Ten Thousand Word Heavenly Book, Xu Hei summoned them all. Now, it was do or die, no turning back! He had no choice!


    The only option was to kill the opponent, eliminating future threats. He didn''t want to run anymore!


    "Xu Hei, rest well!"


    Suddenly, a powerful voice echoed from afar, resonating in his ears.


    Xu Hei looked up to see a golden radiance flashing from the horizon, a giant elephant with gleaming golden light and sharp tusks.


    ¡ªMan Jin!


    Before even reaching him, a golden light shield enveloped Xu Hei, a metal element spell from Man Jin.


    Additionally, a thunder lion stepped on lightning, riding the storm, descending from the sky in an instant, it was the Purple Lightning Lion King, Lei Meng!


    There was also a mid-stage Core Formation old monkey king, an early-stage Core Formation wind eagle king, and an early-stage Core Formation old flood dragon, all arriving on the scene.


    Behind them were their respective demonic beast armies!


    Groups of demonic beasts approached, their steps shaking the earth, a thunderous sound like a thousand horses galloping.


    "You all..." Xu Hei was struck as if by lightning, frozen in place.


    These demonic beasts were the five great demon clans that once fought against the Four Sects Alliance, driven away for thousands of miles, now all present.


    "Awooo!"


    From afar, a loud wolf howl echoed through the mountains.


    A wolf king, stepping on the verdant mountains, led a massive pack, quickly occupying a mountain peak.


    Among the wolf pack, a black-and-white wolf watched Xu Hei and Hei Huang with burning eyes, filled with long-lost excitement.


    This wolf was very familiar, none other than Er Gou, lost for many years.


    A snake in distress, supported from all sides.


    Xu Hei was no longer the lone fighter in Myriad Serpent Valley, battling the heroes, never to return home.


    He had friends, these demonic beast friends, to lend him a hand!


    "Xu Hei, rest well, leave the rest to us!" Man Jin said solemnly.


    As he spoke, the golden shield around Xu Hei''s body added eight more layers, no longer just an eggshell, but a thick golden wall, shielding him from wind and rain.


    Man Jin stood before the golden shield, like a towering mountain, blocking Yin Mingzi and the others.

 Chapter 263: He can be replaced!

    Chapter 263: He can be replaced!They''ve returned, all of them have returned!


    Every demonic beast Xu Hei knew was present.


    Looking at those familiar figures, Xu Hei was so overwhelmed with emotion that he couldn''t speak.


    He had been prepared to fight to the death, but seeing the massive figure of Man Jin before him, Xu Hei exhaled and said, "Thank you... all of you!"


    For the first time in his life, Xu Hei uttered such words.


    In contrast, the members of the Snake Catchers Sect looked as if they were in a daze.


    At this moment, Yin Mingzi''s face was as dark as it could be.


    "Where is the Four Sects Alliance? Where are our people?" Yin Mingzi raged impotently.


    The demonic beasts had come to help, yet there was no movement from the Four Sects Alliance.


    What he didn''t know was that the Four Sects Alliance had always been reluctant about exploring the ruins. They had no share in the benefits but were expected to risk their lives first. Why would they sincerely act?


    When the Divine Puppet Sect responded by pressing their entire army towards Wuyou City, the Four Sects Alliance lost all their utility.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, a Core Formation cultivator who had just used a forbidden technique manifested a faint light in his hand, tearing open a rift with terrifying power and slipping into the space crevice, disappearing in the blink of an eye.


    "He ran away?!" The crowd was in an uproar.


    Meanwhile, another cultivator who had sacrificed his arm to summon a snake statue rode on the snake''s back, soaring into the sky at an astonishing speed, heading towards the horizon. The snake beneath him moved like the wind, covering thousands of feet in an instant.


    Another one ran!


    "Die, you scoundrel!"


    Lei Meng shouted, spewing lightning that struck its target. The fleeing Core Formation cultivator was hit by the thunder, screaming in agony, and the snake beneath him let out a piercing wail.


    The old monkey king swung a heavy club, striking him and instantly shattering him into pieces, flesh and blood flying everywhere.


    He didn''t manage to escape and was beaten to death!


    With one main force dead and another fled, the remaining disciples of the Snake Catchers Sect turned pale, losing all will to fight.


    Even Yin Mingzi felt the urge to retreat. The premise of fighting to the death was having a chance to kill the opponent, but now, what chance was there?


    His eyes flickered, and with a gritted teeth, he took out a large boat made of snakeskin, boarded it, and fled far away.


    He actually ran away too!


    With so many elders dead, Yin Mingzi''s heart bled, but he had no choice. Going up meant certain death. What else could he do?


    In this battle, the Snake Catchers Sect had deployed more than half of its core strength, leaving only a few old immortals with little lifespan to guard the sect.


    The high-level losses were severe, and the disciples below suffered equally.


    This was the worst disaster for the Snake Catchers Sect in nearly two hundred years.


    The old monkey king chased after Yin Mingzi, while the demonic beasts attacked the remaining disciples, mercilessly beating the fallen.


    The people of the Snake Catchers Sect were utterly panicked, fleeing in all directions, either burrowing underground or taking out flying magical artifacts, using all means, their forces in complete disarray.


    "Boom!!"


    Suddenly, a loud explosion erupted from a distant mountain stream, rocks flying, mountains exploding, and a blood-colored figure shot into the sky, wielding a Dragon Slaying Sword, dyeing half the sky red.


    It was Xu Qingzhi.


    "Perfect timing!"


    Inner demon Xu Qingzhi rubbed his hands together, hoisting the Dragon Slaying Sword, ready to engage in a great battle.


    At this moment, Xu Qingzhi seemed to have made up his mind. His eyes were cold as he took out a mass of fresh red Flood Dragon blood.


    With the Flood Dragon blood in hand, Xu Qingzhi''s face was reflected in a crimson hue. He no longer hesitated and swallowed the blood in one gulp.


    Originally, he wanted to personally kill Xu Hei, infusing his entire body with Flood Dragon blood to perfectly form a Nascent Soul.


    But now, killing Xu Hei had become a luxury. Without breaking through the inner demon, he couldn''t even get close!


    Xu Qingzhi could only settle for the next best thing, using the Flood Dragon blood left by his ancestors to attempt forming a Nascent Soul. Although the success rate wasn''t high, there was still a chance to enhance his cultivation and reach the pseudo-Nascent Soul level.


    "Boom!!"


    After consuming the dragon blood, Xu Qingzhi''s body roared and vibrated, blood energy surging, forming a crimson wave that swept around, forcing the inner demon back a thousand feet.


    "Oh? You think you''re the only one who can break through?"


    The inner demon also took out a drop of Flood Dragon blood, swallowed it, and his aura rose as well, forming a tornado that whipped up an even greater storm.


    Xu Qingzhi''s expression was cold and indifferent. Without saying a word, he stepped on the Dragon Slaying Sword, transforming into a long rainbow, flying towards the distance, ignoring the inner demon.


    He needed to find a place to go into seclusion, wait for his realm to stabilize, and then come back to settle the score.


    No matter what, he had to slay that Flood Dragon.


    "Hey, hey, hey! You''re ignoring me again. How many times have I told you, you think I don''t exist, huh? I''m going to kill you!"


    The inner demon shouted angrily, stepping on the Dragon Slaying Sword, chasing after Xu Qingzhi, also transforming into a long rainbow, and the two disappeared at the horizon''s end.


    This scene was reminiscent of how Xuan Yangzi had come.


    With Xu Qingzhi''s departure, the blood-colored clouds in the sky dissipated, and the oppressive crimson feeling vanished without a trace, along with the nausea and discomfort.


    The dark clouds in the sky also disappeared, a thick cloud layer splitting open to let a warm ray of sunlight shine down, illuminating the Wu Mountain Range and the distant Wuyou City.


    Xu Hei exhaled, feeling the world spinning, and collapsed.


    He was too exhausted.


    From returning to reality until now, he hadn''t rested, from the Core Formation thunder tribulation to killing Li Si, and then to the battle with the Snake Catchers Sect, Xu Hei felt like he had been running with a boulder on his back.


    When the pressure was lifted, the taut string snapped, and Xu Hei lost consciousness as soon as he hit the ground.


    Before he fainted, he fell into a patch of green lotus, as if he were in a hibernating nest, comfortable and warm, putting his mind at ease.


    This time, his slumber didn''t last long.


    Perhaps only a stick of incense, less than half an hour.


    A rumbling explosion came from afar, shaking the heavens, as if the earth was being overturned, an indescribable surge of energy sweeping in from all directions, crashing into Xu Hei''s mind.


    The tremor was so intense that it forcibly woke Xu Hei from his slumber.


    He slowly woke up, immediately alert, looking towards the distant valley.


    That was where Wuyou City was located.


    "What happened?"


    Not only him, but all the nearby demonic beasts also looked towards Wuyou City, eyes filled with shock.


    In the direction of Wuyou City, a dazzling white light appeared, blinding to the eyes, expanding rapidly from a single point until it enveloped the entire Wuyou City!


    It was like a sun rapidly expanding, growing larger and larger, covering the entire Wuyou City.


    "Boom!!!"


    The tremor spanned the sky, leaving everyone deaf and nearly blind.


    It was a cataclysmic disaster, akin to the end of the world.


    Even from a great distance, Xu Hei felt an irresistible heavenly might, a sense of insignificance arising from the depths of his heart.


    This was a thousand times more terrifying than a full-force strike from an Elemental Infant cultivator!


    When the sun-like light disappeared, half of Wuyou City was gone, leaving only ruins and rubble.


    Xu Hei was utterly shocked.


    The scene just now replayed in Xu Hei''s mind, etched into his memory.


    "Crack, crack, crack..."


    Countless dense cracks appeared in the surrounding space, torn open by a pair of large hands, and one by one, disheveled figures emerged from the rifts, falling to the ground.


    These were the members of the Chu Tian Alliance.


    Xu Qingfeng, Ah Yin, Ku Xuan, Zhang Tie, Zhao Wenzhuo, Xiao Chou, and in addition, two more figures.


    One was Little Overlord Xiang Fei, whom Xu Hei had seen before.


    The other emitted a white halo all over, obscuring his appearance, only his silhouette visible. His stature was as tall as a mountain, limbs robust, eyes like thunder, aura like a fierce tiger, exuding an imposing presence, with an air of lifting mountains.


    The spatial rift just now was torn open by him with his bare hands.


    With just one glance, one could feel the aura of a hero from this person, definitely a giant in his own right! Comparable to Qin Xuanji!


    Xu Hei instinctively thought of one person¡ªthe leader of the Chu Tian Alliance.


    After this person appeared, he glanced at Xu Hei, without any conversation, just nodded slightly.


    Xu Qingfeng and the others also nodded in greeting to Xu Hei.


    Xiao Chou glanced at Hei Huang, instinctively shrinking his neck, showing an awkward yet polite smile.


    "Whoosh!"


    A token shot over, landing in front of Xu Hei. This token was different from the previous one; it was personally given to him by the person suspected to be the leader.


    After delivering the token, there were no extra words.


    He took out a black cauldron, quickly enlarging it, and took the members of the Chu Tian Alliance inside.


    At this moment, a pair of majestic eyes appeared in the sky, peering down from the clouds, like a human emperor in the world, reigning over all, overlooking all beings, with an irresistible imperial might.


    Just a glance would make an ordinary person tremble with fear, not daring to meet its gaze.


    However, the hero before them merely glanced calmly at those eyes, saying indifferently, "He can be replaced!"


    After saying this, the black cauldron carried everyone, soaring into the sky, heading towards the horizon.


    Before leaving, Xu Qingfeng cupped his fists and said, "Fellow Daoist Xu, Chu territory is no longer a place to linger. The universe is yet to be determined, we shall meet again!"


    The black cauldron tore through the void, disappearing into the sky.


    And those eyes filled with imperial might merely scanned the ruined Wuyou City before disappearing, as if it were all just an illusion.


    Hei Huang said, "No need to look, this place is not suitable for staying, we should leave too!"


    This indeed wasn''t a place to linger.


    Xu Qingzhi, who had left, might return at any time, and who knew what level of cultivation he would have reached by then.


    With Xu Hei''s current strength, he couldn''t contend with the Great Perfection of the Golden Core. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hei Huang whistled, and the wolf king immediately ran over. Hei Huang mounted it directly.


    Xu Bai also crawled over, using a cactus to support Xu Hei on her back.


    Er Gou followed along, looking at Xu Bai with a somewhat fearful gaze.


    Back then, Er Gou had eaten Xu Bai''s pills like meals, resulting in various mutations. Fortunately, he wasn''t poisoned to death. Later, he joined the wolf clan of the Wu Mountain Range and became a young master.


    Although still pathetically weak, only at the Foundation Establishment level, a three-colored mixed spiritual root breaking through to Foundation Establishment was already a great fortune.


    "Thank you, Boss Bai," Er Gou said, shrinking his neck in gratitude.


    Xu Bai smiled and said, "I''ve just developed a Longevity Pill and need a few testers. Do you want to try it?"


    "No, no, Boss Bai''s kindness is more than enough, I can''t bear it," Er Gou shivered in fear, quickly retreating.


    "Humph! Ungrateful!" Xu Bai rolled her eyes.

 Chapter 264: The dragon returns to the sea

    Chapter 264: The dragon returns to the sea"Boss Hei, which way are we going?" the wolf king asked.


    "To Yanluo River!" Hei Huang replied.


    "Yes!" The wolf king obediently carried Hei Huang, sprinting towards Yanluo River.


    Xu Hei had serious doubts whether this wolf king had also been subdued by Hei Huang, as he looked at Hei Huang with a mix of awe and respect.


    Xu Hei was also being carried by a giant cactus, soaring into the sky. This cactus was enormous, like an oval-shaped airship, carrying the black and white snakes.


    It seemed that the demonic beasts like Man Jin, Lei Meng, and the giant serpent had learned of Xu Hei''s departure and were following along to see them off.


    The old monkey king, who had been chasing Yin Mingzi, also returned and joined the group.


    Throughout the journey, Xu Hei remained silent.


    His mind kept replaying the scene he had just witnessed¡ªa rapidly expanding point of light that destroyed half of Wuyou City. Who could have launched such an attack?


    It wasn''t the Human Emperor. Although he was the ruler of Qin Kingdom, he didn''t possess such power.


    Nor could it have been the Elemental Infant ancestor, as an attack from someone at the Elemental Infant stage wouldn''t be this terrifying.


    "The opponents of Wuyou City are even more formidable than I imagined!" Xu Hei sighed inwardly.


    His own power was still too insignificant, not worth mentioning compared to the true might of heaven and earth.


    At least he could see the Human Emperor''s eye.


    But the master of that attack¡ªhe didn''t even have the qualification to discover them. The gap was so vast that he wasn''t even worthy of a glance.


    Xu Hei didn''t bother asking Hei Huang about it. Such questions were meaningless and would only add to his worries.


    "Xu Bai, why do you use a cactus as a weapon?"


    Xu Hei looked towards the front of the cactus, where Xu Bai was coiled.


    "Aren''t humans supposed to fly on swords? I don''t have a sword, so I have to use something pointy," Xu Bai replied.


    "So, can you stop poking me with that pointy thing?" Xu Hei said.


    "Ah? Sorry!"


    Xu Bai exclaimed, and the cactus''s spines immediately retracted.


    At this moment, Xu Hei seemed to recall something and asked the old monkey king about the Demon Lord.


    The Demon Lord was supposed to intercept the Heavenly Puppet Sect, so why didn''t he appear later? He was a being with earth-shattering cultivation!


    The old monkey king didn''t know much about the Demon Lord, only sharing some rumors he had heard.


    "In ancient times, the Demon Lord made an agreement with the City Lord of Wuyou to intercept the people of the Divine Puppet Sect."


    "However, the Demon Lord has lived too long, surpassing the limits of the world''s rules, and must make some sacrifices, such as... giving up parts of his memory."


    "The Divine Puppet Sect exploited this rule, greatly limiting the Demon Lord. His situation is likely very dire."


    The old monkey king''s expression was extremely grave.


    The Demon Lord was considered the guardian deity of the Wu Mountain Range and the entire demonic beast territory. If something happened to him, the demonic beasts would have a hard time.


    Without the Demon Lord, humans could expand recklessly, invading the demonic beast lands.


    Deforestation, mountain burning, city building¡ªthe natural environment would be utterly destroyed. Humans would expand infinitely, while demonic beasts could only retreat infinitely.


    "What should we do?" Xu Hei couldn''t help but ask.


    The old monkey king just sighed, "I don''t know the specifics. These matters can only be addressed by the demon emperors at the Demon Infant stage."


    Hei Huang sneered, "Little Xu, don''t think too much. You''ve just formed your core; this isn''t something you can concern yourself with."


    Xu Hei nodded.


    Before long, the inner demon returned, silently slipping back into the mirror, leaving the demonic beasts exchanging puzzled glances.


    ...


    With the demonic beasts'' rapid flight, they reached the vicinity of Yanluo River by nightfall.


    Ahead, beneath the cliffs, a mighty river surged, flowing from the distant horizon, its waves crashing and rolling towards the sea.


    This was the largest river in the south, stretching from the west at Kunlun to the east at the East Sea, the river of life.


    A fierce gale swept across the river''s surface, unbearable for Foundation Establishment cultivators, only those at the Core Formation stage could withstand it.


    The speed of the river was also unprecedented; without using spiritual power, a boat placed on it could reach the sea at the fastest speed.


    Provided the boat didn''t break.


    This was Hei Huang''s plan: staying in Chu territory posed risks not only from the Snake Catchers Sect but also from the Heavenly Puppet Sect, which would relentlessly pursue Xu Hei.


    Before Xu Hei could protect himself, it was better to seek refuge overseas.


    Once beyond a certain range, the Blood Source Tracking Technique would fail. The vast, boundless sea was the right place for Xu Hei.


    "Brother Xu, I''ll see you off here. Take care," Man Jin said solemnly.


    Xu Hei pondered briefly and took out a millennium-old spiritual tree laden with fruits, offering it to him.


    "How can I accept this?" Man Jin quickly declined.


    "Brother Man Jin, don''t be so polite! Consider these fruits a gift for your children," Xu Hei said earnestly.


    Man Jin couldn''t refuse and accepted it.


    Xu Bai also took out some pills, distributing them among the demonic beasts present. Although their expressions were somewhat strange, especially Er Gou, who almost bolted, they still accepted them reluctantly.


    "Brother Xu, if you need someone taken care of, just say the word, and I''ll be the first to do it," the hot-tempered Lei Meng said.


    "Definitely!" Xu Hei nodded with a smile.


    "Boss Xu, don''t forget about me when you make it big!" Er Gou said.


    Xu Hei took out a humanoid puppet and patted Er Gou''s head.


    "Hiss, you have the aura of an ancestor. Our snake clan welcomes you anytime," the old serpent said.


    Xu Hei replied, "Next time I return, I''ll help you flatten the Snake Catchers Sect."


    Hei Huang walked to the riverbank, took out a watercraft, and placed it on the river. The boat raised a protective shield, blocking the fierce gale.


    Xu Hei, Xu Bai, and Hei Huang boarded one after another. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Under the watchful eyes of the demonic beasts, the watercraft shot forward like an arrow, heading towards the distant, boundless sea.


    On the shore, the demonic beasts stood watching. Er Gou raised his head and let out a long howl, and the other demonic beasts joined in, singing the song of the demonic beasts.


    Amidst the song, Xu Hei sailed towards the sea, towards the vast, expansive world.


    "Farewell, everyone, until we meet again!"


    Xu Hei shouted, as the solitary boat drifted further away, leaving only the sound of the river wind in his ears. Unknowingly, the light boat had passed through countless mountains.


    "Finally, I can rest."


    Xu Hei lay drowsily on the watercraft, closing his eyes.


    ...


    Deep within the Wu Mountain Range, by an unfathomable pool.


    A vulture descended, landing on a crooked tree. It was Vulture Ku Ming, associated with the Chu Tian Alliance.


    "Lord Demon, they''ve all left," Vulture Ku Ming said.


    A ripple appeared on the tranquil pool, followed by a voice cursing.


    "Damn it, those bastards finally left!"


    On the pool''s surface, the reflection of a bald youth appeared, cursing with a gloomy expression, seemingly harboring deep resentment.


    "Demon Lord, please mind your image," Ku Ming said.


    "There''s no one else here, why should I care? I''ve held back for ten thousand years; do I have to pretend to be profound like some ancestors?" the Demon Lord cursed.


    "Uh..." Ku Ming was speechless. "As long as you''re happy."


    "By the way! Tell me something interesting, like that Chu Tian Alliance. It''s rare to have someone to talk to, so don''t just stand idle."


    The Demon Lord crawled out of the pool, revealing his bald youth form, hands on hips, staring at the vulture with keen interest.


    Ku Ming said, "This time, I won''t talk about the Chu Tian Alliance. This time, I''ll tell you about a bald snake."


    "Bald snake? Great! I like that!" The bald youth''s eyes lit up.


    ...


    Near Yanluo River, in the Wu Mountain Range.


    Han Te carried a bloodied white-haired youth on his back, sneaking through the bushes with cautious steps, not emitting a trace of aura.


    In a few flashes, he reached the riverbank.


    "Damn it! If the Bai Family wants to send someone, why don''t they do it themselves? Why make me run errands, almost getting caught," Han Te grumbled with resentment.


    He didn''t want to offend the Heavenly Puppet Sect again; it was like looking for death with a lantern in a latrine!


    If not for the Bai Family''s generous offer, he wouldn''t have done it.


    This Bai Qiushui was a fool, causing trouble with Bai Luo for no reason, almost getting himself killed. Now, he had offended the Heavenly Puppet Sect, and there was no place for him in Qin Kingdom.


    Of course, the Heavenly Puppet Sect didn''t explicitly say they were after him, but the Bai Family wasn''t foolish enough to bring him back for treatment openly, so they had to send him away secretly.


    "I heard your name is Bai Qiushui, and today happens to be autumn. Sending you into the water, you shouldn''t drown, right? Good luck."


    Han Te reached the riverbank, ready to throw him in.


    He hesitated, then took out an iron boat, placed it on the river, and tossed the half-dead Bai Qiushui into it.


    Han Te originally intended to leave, but after feeling the storage bag given by the Bai Family, he couldn''t bear it and jumped onto the iron boat.


    "Fine, I''ll do a good deed to the end. This time, I''ll take a loss and find you a family. Consider it an extra service, put it on the tab."


    Han Te steered the iron boat, speeding down the river, though his expression was one of great reluctance.


    ...


    Tianji Shangren arrived at the outskirts of Wu Mountain.


    As he was about to leave, he glanced back at Wu Mountain, sighed, and headed towards the distant human city.


    Beside him was a middle-aged man. This man was unremarkable in appearance, with an equally unremarkable aura, a False Core cultivator, and his talent had stopped progressing long ago.


    Liu Buqun, this was Tianji Shangren''s "good brother."


    "Old Daoist, did you find the child of destiny you mentioned?" Liu Buqun asked.


    "Don''t mention it, it was all for nothing. This is fate, the will of heaven, beyond human control!" Tianji Shangren sighed.


    Liu Buqun''s eyes flickered, and he smiled slightly, probing, "You weren''t thinking of finding an inheriting disciple, were you? Since you didn''t find a suitable one, how about me?"


    Tianji Shangren glanced at him and said irritably, "Get lost!"


    ...


    Yanluo River, with fierce gales and turbulent waters.


    The watercraft carrying Xu Hei transformed into streaks of afterimages, heading towards a new world, towards the sea, a new journey.


    The eagle soars in the sky, the dragon returns to the sea.


    Xu Hei was about to enter the sea, embarking on a new chapter.


    ¡ªEnd of Volume Two, Dragon Bone Chapter!

 Authors note – Authors note

    Author''s note ¨C Author''s note600,000 words, and the second volume has come to an end.


    The first volume was 250,000 words, and the second volume 350,000. At this pace, completing nine volumes and reaching 3 million words shouldn''t be a problem.


    Originally, I planned to end the story at the Peach Blossom Spring, but as I wrote, it naturally progressed to Wuyou City. Although it deviated from the outline, the theme remained unchanged.


    Wuyou City is akin to the Peach Blossom Spring described by Tao Yuanming¡ªa utopian society, idealistic.


    Of course, this ideal was ultimately obliterated by a mysterious big shot''s strike.


    I''m somewhat satisfied with the conclusion of the second volume.


    Compared to the first volume, the pace of this volume has noticeably quickened. The protagonist barely trained, and breakthroughs weren''t detailed into nine levels, just briefly mentioned. It has its pros and cons.


    (Mainly, I was afraid of losing readers. If I dragged out two chapters and lost readers, my mindset would collapse.)


    Some details at the beginning weren''t handled well, like the part entering Chuyang City, but when emotions rise, you just charge ahead. It wasn''t in vain, as it indirectly affected a key character like Bai Qiushui.


    In the part where the protagonist receives the inheritance in Wuyou City, the perspective kept switching, which made it hard for some readers who skim to understand. For this, I can only apologize.


    Overall, it''s not about being great, but maintaining stability.


    In the final wrap-up, I made sure every character appeared, giving them some screen time.


    Demonic Beast Group: Xu Hei, Xu Bai, Hei Huang, Man Jin, Lei Meng, Demon Lord, Er Gou, Vulture.


    Chu Tian Alliance: Xu Qingfeng, Xiao Chou, Ah Yin, Ku Xuan, Zhang Tie, Zhao Wenzhuo, Xiang Fei.


    Qin Kingdom Forces: Qin Xuanji, Xu Qingzhi, Li Si, Lei He, Bai Luo, Zhou Wendie, Bai Qiushui.


    Neutral Beings: Tianji Shangren, Han Te, Liu Buqun.


    I missed Wang Ding, I''ll add him in the next chapter.


    Due to limited space, and since this book isn''t a professional ensemble piece, I can only try to create as many interesting characters as possible within the confines.


    This is what I''m most satisfied with personally. Seeing praise from readers brings me great comfort.


    Regarding the protagonist''s combat power, some said it was broken during the Qi Refining Stage, and others said it was broken during Core Formation, but up to now, it doesn''t seem broken.


    (After all, I have experience with two long novels, so have some faith in me, okay?)


    Regarding the female lead, I don''t know if it''s a trend issue, but many beast-themed novels state in their synopsis (no female lead, no transformation), leading everyone to subconsciously believe that beast-themed novels shouldn''t have a female lead or transformations.


    I can''t guarantee anything here; I can only say that no rules or frameworks can bind me!


    Writing a good story with heart is what I aim to do, not being constantly hinted at what can''t be written due to these rules, which would greatly diminish the quality.


    In the early stages, it indeed affected me, making me afraid to create female characters, and those who appeared were mostly antagonists or cannon fodder.


    That won''t happen later.


    Of course, I won''t write a female lead for now either. Many new readers will leave immediately upon hearing there''s a female lead, which is not an exaggeration, but a reality.


    So even if I do write one, it will be through continuous development until perfection, making everyone accept her before she becomes the female lead. I can''t write those who are just given away or clingy.


    Writing the characters and stories in my heart and sharing them with everyone is my honor.


    Now, let''s talk about the third volume, Opening the Dragon Veins.


    The first volume''s dragon scales defied the heavens, mortals slaying immortals.


    The second volume''s dragon bone was born from adversity, with a heart toward the light.


    The third volume''s dragon veins will focus on humanity and nature.


    Actually, in the last chapter of the second volume, some content was hinted at. If the Demon Lord, as the guardian beast of the demonic beasts, encounters a problem, the demonic beasts will face disaster.


    This is the main conflict and theme of the third volume.


    The map shifts to the East Sea, where Penglai Island is located, the place where Emperor Qin sought the elixir of immortality according to history. sea??h th§× ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    I won''t reveal too much for now. The third volume will be the one I put the most effort into.


    I''m already eager to start writing.


    Stay tuned.


    Oh, and there''s a character I forgot to introduce. Since he didn''t get a chance in the main text, I''ll include him in a single chapter.


    Xuan Yangzi: "I, the main antagonist of the first volume, actually survived to the third volume. This deserves a perfect score!"


    "What do you think?"


    Please give a five-star review, thank you all!

 Chapter 265: Wang Ding

    Chapter 265: Wang DingDay after day.


    The turmoil in the Wu Mountain Range had subsided, and everything returned to normal.


    Outside the imperial city of the Qin Kingdom.


    A large pit had been dug here, and a group of alchemists were bound and thrown into it, huddled together back to back, trembling with fear, their faces pale.


    Surrounding them were bundles of firewood, doused with flammable materials, ready to ignite at any moment.


    A tall man, wearing a crown that reached the heavens and dressed in a black dragon robe, stood outside the pit. His eyes glowed like lightning, exuding an aura of dominance over the world. His gaze swept over the alchemists, and just one look made them shiver, not daring to meet his eyes.


    "Is this the Longevity Pill you found?"


    He held two emerald green pills in his hand, his voice full of authority.


    One of the alchemists trembled and said, "I found this... in an ancient relic."


    The Qin Emperor said nothing, waved his hand, and commanded, "Li Si, find someone to test the pill."


    "Yes!"


    Li Si, who had regained his physical form and looked pale, found a man to test the pill and had him take the Longevity Pill.


    "Ah!!"


    With a piercing scream.


    The man who took the Longevity Pill rooted himself into the ground, sprouted branches and leaves from his head, and in full view, turned into a tree.


    A human-shaped tree, three meters tall.


    The entire place fell silent. S~ea??h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Everyone stared wide-eyed, as if they were dumbfounded, their heartbeats audible.


    "Heh, very well, this is the Longevity Pill you wanted me to take!"


    The Qin Emperor crushed the other Longevity Pill in his palm with a snap, nodding, "First assassins, now alchemists, there''s always some treacherous people trying to harm me."


    "Burn them, burn these traitors to death!"


    "Yes!"


    A torch was thrown into the pit, and the fire roared to life, filling the pit with screams of agony, as hundreds cried out in unison.


    Li Si''s mouth twitched at the sight.


    These people were not Xu Qingfeng''s fellow disciples, just a group of alchemists.


    The Qin Emperor, with his unparalleled might, had swept through the six kingdoms, unifying the central plains, but unfortunately, the wars had drained his life force, leaving him with at most a decade or so to live.


    Though he appeared mighty and unscathed now, when the time came, even the supreme Human Emperor would turn to dust.


    Longevity, whether for mortals or cultivators, was an insurmountable barrier.


    The Qin Emperor had to find the Longevity Pill to extend his life.


    In no time, the hundreds of alchemists in the pit were burned to ashes.


    "Xu Fu!" the Qin Emperor called.


    "At your service."


    A plump man with a shiny face stepped forward, bowing slightly. Though his figure was stout, he exuded an ethereal aura, somewhat resembling an immortal.


    "I command you to lead a team beyond the East Sea and find the elixir of immortality," the Qin Emperor ordered.


    "At your command!"


    Xu Fu accepted the order and withdrew.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside Chen Family Town in the Southern Region.


    In the desolate wilderness, a young boy, covered in blood, was staggering through the forest, carrying a young girl on his back.


    The boy''s face was youthful, his hand gripping a dagger tightly. From behind, the growls of wolves and dogs could be heard. His face was pale, his lips tightly pressed, and a determined look flashed in his eyes.


    "Qin''er, hold on, we''re almost home," the boy gritted his teeth and said.


    The boy was once Wang Xiaoniu, now Wang Ding!


    On his back was his sister, Wang Qin.


    The Wang siblings had been servants for the Chen Family, living a hard life but at least having food and shelter.


    However, one day, a tyrant took a liking to his sister and wanted to take her as a concubine. The Chen Family accepted the tyrant''s spirit stones and planned to send his sister away.


    Wang Ding begged repeatedly, knelt, and kowtowed, but all he got was a severe beating. The tyrant even wanted to humiliate his sister in front of him.


    Seeing Wang Qin about to be defiled by the tyrant, Wang Ding suddenly erupted with a surge of power and killed the tyrant with a punch.


    This was a huge disaster!


    The tyrant was the brother of a centurion in the Qin army, a cultivator in the Qi Refining Stage, someone even the Chen Family dared not offend, let alone Wang Ding.


    To appease the Qin army''s wrath, the Chen Family planned to bind the Wang siblings and hand them over to the centurion as an apology.


    Wang Ding had no choice but to escape with his sister, both severely injured.


    "I can''t die, I can''t fall!"


    His consciousness began to blur, but he gritted his teeth, bit his tongue, and forced himself to keep moving forward.


    Behind him, the sounds of hunting dogs grew closer, along with the curses of Qin soldiers.


    The centurion''s presence was also drawing near.


    Wang Ding''s vision was blurry, but his spiritual perception was exceptionally sharp. Even from thousands of meters away, he could sense the enemy''s presence.


    This was his gift, one he had never told anyone about.


    It was also the reason why, as an ordinary mortal, he had repeatedly evaded pursuit and escaped into the mountains.


    However, he had been on the run for two days straight, his physical and mental strength at their limits. No matter how sharp his spiritual perception, there would come a day when it dulled.


    "Brother, leave me, save yourself," Wang Qin''s weak voice came.


    "I will never leave you!" Wang Ding gritted his teeth.


    Carrying Wang Qin, he continued to flee, unknowingly arriving at a village.


    Snake Village.


    This was his home.


    Returning to the familiar thatched cottage, he vaguely remembered two years ago when he had tried to hang himself in his room, only to be saved by Old Snake. From that moment, his fate began to change.


    Now, Old Snake was gone, and Wang Ding had reached a dead end.


    He knew he couldn''t hide from the Qin army here, but fleeing into the mountains was a death sentence, either killed by the Qin army or eaten by wild beasts.


    His sister couldn''t hold on any longer; he had to return home.


    Wang Ding drew water from the well to clean his sister''s wounds and his own, then found some dried herbs to apply to the injuries.


    He also picked an uneaten watermelon from the melon patch and shared it with Wang Qin.


    "Father, Mother, your son is unfilial."


    He knelt heavily before the ancestral tablets.


    Wang Ding took an iron shovel from the house and stood at the village entrance, in front of the stone stele.


    In the distance, the Qin army quickly surrounded him.


    "Well, this brat dares to come out. I''ll kill him myself to avenge my brother!"


    The centurion, a cultivator in the Qi Refining Stage, drew a large machete and approached Wang Ding without a word, aiming to slash at his neck.


    Wang Ding showed no fear in his eyes, shouting as he swung the iron shovel.


    The Qin soldiers sneered, thinking this peasant''s move was suicidal against the centurion.


    At that moment, the stone stele beside Wang Ding emitted a faint light.


    Wang Ding didn''t know.


    This stone stele was the Reverse Cultivation Stele left by Xu Hei!


    "Buzz!"


    A sense of reverse cultivation surged into Wang Ding''s sea of consciousness, making his eyes shine brightly.


    In a daze, he felt as if he had become Xu Hei, with the will to slay immortals as a mortal!


    The iron shovel in his hand cut through the air, its power surging, slicing the machete in half, and with undiminished force, it pierced the centurion''s chest.


    "Splurt!"


    The centurion was cut in half, blood gushing.


    Before dying, disbelief lingered in his eyes. He couldn''t believe he would die at the hands of a mortal boy, as if he had seen a ghost.


    Everyone was stunned, the entire place fell silent.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A thousand miles outside Snake Village.


    "Hmm?"


    An old Taoist with an immortal aura stopped in his tracks, looking towards Snake Village.


    Holding a horsetail whisk and stepping on a cloud, his eyes filled with surprise, it was Tianji Shangren.


    "Reverse cultivation? Another child of destiny?"


    Tianji Shangren''s eyes flashed, and without hesitation, he flew towards Snake Village.


    Behind him, Liu Buqun followed closely.


    Soon, they arrived at Snake Village, seeing the stone stele at the entrance and the boy lying on the ground.


    The boy had killed a centurion, and as the other soldiers swarmed him, he managed to kill two more. Ultimately, he was overwhelmed, cut down to the ground.


    His arm was severed, his body bore multiple wounds, deep enough to see bone, and one cut nearly sliced him in half, leaving him on the brink of death.


    "Father, Mother, little sister, see you in the next life."


    Wang Ding closed his eyes, tears sliding down his cheeks.


    A large blade was about to fall on his neck, ready to kill him on the spot.


    "Boom, boom, boom..."


    Suddenly, the Qin soldiers exploded into thin air.


    Before Tianji Shangren could act, Liu Buqun had already moved, killing them like squashing ants, leaving no survivors.


    "I know you cultivators can''t afford karmic burdens, but I don''t believe in that stuff. From now on, I''ll handle the dirty work of killing!" Liu Buqun sneered.


    Tianji Shangren remained silent.


    He said nothing, immediately raising his hand, and Wang Ding''s critical injuries stopped bleeding instantly.


    The boy floated into the air, landing on Tianji Shangren''s cloud.


    Before losing consciousness, the boy vaguely saw an immortal standing before him.


    "Save... my sister..."


    Wang Ding managed to say before closing his eyes.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    Consider this chapter an extra.


    By the way, I¡¯d appreciate some free gifts, just a little advertisement will do. I''ve never asked for gifts before, mainly because I''m worried about affecting the reading experience (especially with AI narration), but if I don''t ask, many won''t give.


    I hope everyone can click on the ads to support the author. I''ll try not to mention this in the future. Any unrelated content will be left for the summary at the end of the volume.

 Chapter 266: Yanluo River, the ghost fleet returns

    Chapter 266: Yanluo River, the ghost fleet returnsIn the dilapidated thatched hut.


    Wang Ding and Wang Qin lay on the bed, their injuries somewhat healed. Scattered on the ground were torn paper figures, stained with blood.


    Tianji Shangren stood by the bed, calculating something with his fingers, his brows deeply furrowed, his expression not looking good.


    "What is it? Is this seedling not suitable?" Liu Buqun asked curiously.


    "It''s suitable, but..." Tianji Shangren hesitated, "Though he has great fortune, he''s also a harbinger of doom, you understand what I mean?"


    Liu Buqun widened his eyes and shook his head, "I don''t understand."


    These two terms were obviously contradictory, how could they be combined?


    "This person lost both parents, and all those who befriended him, like the old hunter and his teacher, have died. Even the Chen Family that adopted him suffered great misfortune. Wouldn''t you call that a harbinger of doom? Yet he also has great fortune, encountering benefactors and turning danger into safety," Tianji Shangren explained.


    Liu Buqun immediately understood.


    "Sigh!" Tianji Shangren sighed deeply.


    "So, what do you plan to do?" Liu Buqun asked.


    "What else can I do? Even though he''s a harbinger of doom, he''s still a bit better than you," Tianji Shangren replied.


    Liu Buqun''s mouth twitched slightly.


    Could he stop being so harsh? After all, he was a False Core cultivator, yet he was being compared unfavorably to a mortal?


    At this moment, Wang Ding slowly woke up. Seeing the two people in the room, he hurriedly ignored his injuries, got up from the bed, and knelt on the ground, kowtowing to them.


    "Thank you, Immortal Grandfather, for saving me! Thank you for your life-saving grace!"


    Wang Ding kept kowtowing, his forehead breaking open, crying tears of gratitude.


    Liu Buqun and Tianji Shangren exchanged glances, both remaining silent.


    Wang Ding stopped kowtowing, looked at the two, hesitated for a moment, and took out a land deed from under the bed.


    "Immortal Grandfather, I, Wang Ding, have nothing but this ancestral home deed and two acres of melon fields. I now offer them to you."


    Wang Ding presented the deed. The sages said to repay kindness, and since his life was saved, he had to repay it.


    Liu Buqun''s expression was strange, and Tianji Shangren was equally speechless.


    What use was this?


    Wang Ding had never interacted with immortals in his life and had no idea what they desired, but he could only offer his most precious ancestral home and melon fields.


    "Who taught you your breathing exercise?" Tianji Shangren suddenly asked.


    "This..." Wang Ding''s expression froze.


    It was Old Snake who taught him, but he would never reveal that, as Old Snake was also his benefactor.


    "I''m sorry, Immortal Grandfather, I cannot divulge his information, as he too has saved my life," Wang Ding said, kneeling.


    This answer was clearly unexpected for Tianji Shangren.


    He could see that Wang Ding was strong and resilient, surviving severe injuries, which had a lot to do with that breathing exercise. It was not a simple breathing technique.


    Since Wang Ding wouldn''t say, he wouldn''t force it.


    "What is your name?"


    "Junior Wang Ding, and that is my younger sister Wang Qin."


    "Would you be willing to follow me to the East Sea?"


    Tianji Shangren looked at him, his tone carrying a hint of seriousness. S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "The East Sea?"


    Wang Ding had read books and knew what the East Sea meant. It was the end of the Yanluo River, an infinitely distant place that a mortal could never reach in a lifetime.


    But he didn''t hesitate, immediately kowtowing.


    "I am willing, as long as you take my sister with us!"


    Wang Ding had offended the Qin army and staying here would only lead to his execution, so he had to leave.


    Despite the long journey, he might never return in his lifetime.


    "Very well!" Tianji Shangren nodded.


    Afterward, Wang Ding burned paper for his parents, took Wang Qin, and left Snake Village, leaving behind the hometown where he had lived for over a decade.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Yanluo River, estuary.


    This place was the largest coastal city in the Eastern regions, Haiya City. As its name suggests, it stood like a pair of teeth on both banks.


    With income from ocean industries, Haiya City ranked among the top in the Eastern regions in terms of economic power and the number of cultivators.


    Today was the day for the return of ships from the sea, and many cultivators stood by the dock to welcome them.


    The two major merchant guilds, the three great families, and all the notable forces gathered by the sea to celebrate this annual return day.


    "Look, the ship is coming!"


    "This time it must be a full load!"


    Voices called out from the shore.


    In the distance on the horizon, a giant sailing ship approached from afar, laden with sea fish, the Haijiao.


    Following it was the whaling ship, the Hunter, specialized in hunting giant sea beasts.


    Next came the mining ship collecting spiritual veins from the sea, and the oil ship gathering crude oil.


    With each ship''s appearance, cheers erupted from the shore, celebrating the triumphant return.


    But gradually, the cultivators on the shore noticed something amiss.


    Why were there no cultivators appearing on the ships?


    Everyone focused their attention, only to see that all the decks of the ships were empty, filled with cargo but not a single cultivator.


    Such an eerie scene silenced everyone on the shore.


    The ships in the distance slowly approached.


    Everyone exchanged glances, and immediately a middle-aged cultivator stepped onto a flying sword, soaring into the air, flying towards the approaching sailing ship.


    Soon, he landed on the deck and entered the cabin.


    Inside, there were traces of the crew''s life¡ªthe formation in the cultivation room, the herbs in the pill furnace, all fresh, the pill furnace still warm, and freshly cooked sea fish on the table.


    There was even a half-eaten spiritual fruit rolling on the ground.


    "What happened?"


    The middle-aged cultivator''s pupils contracted.


    It gave the impression that everyone had vanished into thin air in an instant.


    Other ships were similarly inspected by cultivators, and the situation was the same¡ªeveryone had disappeared, but their belongings remained.


    There were no signs of battle; everyone had vanished into thin air, with some in the middle of refining flying swords, gone before finishing.


    The ships were in an unmanned state, yet they sailed automatically, uncontrollably.


    Seeing such a bizarre scene, a sense of fear rose from the depths of everyone''s hearts, making their skin crawl.


    Everyone immediately retreated, leaving the eerie ships and returning to the shore.


    Moments later.


    A total of eight sea ships stopped at the estuary of Yanluo River, motionless. The positions of these eight ships were very deliberate, seemingly forming a formation, but no one could understand it.


    From the crowd, an elder with an immortal demeanor stepped forward, staring at the positions of the eight ships, pondering deeply.


    Suddenly, his pupils contracted, his face changed dramatically, and he pointed at the eight ships, shouting, "Quickly, destroy these eight ships!"


    This person was a guest elder stationed in Haiya City from Penglai Island, highly respected, and his words were heeded by all.


    "Yes!"


    The numerous cultivators on the shore immediately launched the most ferocious attacks on the eight ships at the estuary, countless flying swords piercing through, various spells bombarding down.


    Even the City Lord turned the city''s cannons towards the sea ships, firing volleys of artillery, a barrage of cannon fire.


    However, it was already too late.


    "Buzz!!!"


    A silent tremor spread across the river, making no sound, yet stirring up monstrous waves, with seawater pouring in and the world turning upside down.


    Everyone vanished into thin air within the city.


    A solitary boat drifted through the middle of the eight ships, causing no ripples, yet it too disappeared without a trace.

 Chapter 267: Enter the East Sea and swallow a giant octopus

    Chapter 267: Enter the East Sea and swallow a giant octopusXu Hei had no idea how long he had been asleep on this journey.


    His mind and body were utterly exhausted, only aware that the watercraft was speeding along the river day after day, crossing endless distant mountains and rivers.


    Suddenly, the entire vessel jolted violently, as if it had entered a whirlpool, and the space around him began to shift.


    After that, he completely lost consciousness.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Several days passed.


    "Where is this?"


    Xu Hei suddenly awoke with a start.


    He found himself in a vast expanse of blue, with gentle waves lapping around him. He was at the bottom of a shallow sea.


    Coral reefs and rocks were everywhere, along with some strange fish swimming back and forth. Sunlight filtered through the water, creating a stunningly beautiful scene.


    He had arrived at the East Sea.


    But Xu Hei had no interest in admiring such beauty.


    Why was he in the sea, and where were the other two demonic beasts?


    "Xu Bai? Hei Huang?"


    Xu Hei looked around, extending his Divine Sense.


    There was no trace of the two beasts nearby, and Ji Ying was as clueless as ever.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and took out the token Hei Huang had left behind, which bore Hei Huang''s Divine Sense imprint.


    As soon as he took out the token, a phantom dog image emerged from it, standing upright with hands on its hips, looking at Xu Hei.


    "What happened?" Xu Hei asked urgently.


    "We hit a storm at sea, and the boat capsized," Hei Huang shrugged.


    "You managed to capsize the boat?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened, speechless.


    "We came across a teleportation array halfway through. I thought it could save us a lot of time, so I charged in. But the array was unstable, and the boat flipped," Hei Huang explained.


    "......"


    At that moment, Xu Hei was stunned for a while, suddenly feeling the urge to curse.


    No wonder he felt the jolts and traces of spatial displacement before losing consciousness; so that was the reason.


    "Old dog, can''t you be a bit more reliable?" Xu Hei scolded.


    "Hey, it''s just a boat; capsizing is normal. Why make a fuss? You lack experience!" Hei Huang retorted.


    Xu Hei''s face turned dark.


    He swore to himself that he would never let this old dog steer the boat again; it was utterly ridiculous.


    "Where''s Xu Bai?"


    "She''s fine. I wouldn''t let her die, even if I did. You know what I mean," Hei Huang said with a wink.


    "Then where did she go?" Xu Hei asked.


    "I don''t know. Probably ended up in the nearby sea like you. Look around, you might find her," Hei Huang replied.


    Xu Hei was speechless once again.


    This old dog never gave a straight answer. Xu Hei shook his head, intending to put the token away.


    "By the way! I discovered a shocking secret. The person who set up the teleportation array seems to be planning something big. Heh, interesting. The East Sea might not be peaceful for long."


    Hei Huang sighed.


    Xu Hei was momentarily stunned, then angrily shouted:


    "Riddler, go to hell!"


    Xu Hei slammed his head against the dog image, causing Hei Huang to retreat back into the token.


    Xu Hei spat in frustration, put away the token, and observed his surroundings.


    Having been unconscious for an unknown period, Xu Hei felt weak all over, his stomach empty. After absorbing some Spiritual Qi from the sea, he shook his head and took out a piece of Spirit Medicine to chew on.


    As soon as he took it out, it attracted the attention of many sea creatures.


    The nearby fish and distant sea demonic beasts all turned their gaze towards him.


    Xu Hei quickly devoured the Spirit Medicine and refined it completely. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "What are you looking at? Keep staring, and I''ll swallow you all!"


    Xu Hei shouted, releasing a powerful aura that scared the nearby fish into scattering, not daring to come close.


    However, a large shadow in the distance remained locked onto Xu Hei, unfazed by his aura.


    The distance was too great for Xu Hei''s Divine Sense to detect, but his keen instincts told him it was a big creature.


    After consuming the Spirit Medicine, Xu Hei still felt unsatisfied and took some pills.


    The weakness subsided somewhat, but Xu Hei felt something was missing.


    "I haven''t had meat in a long time. I need some demonic beast meat to replenish myself."


    With that thought, Xu Hei set his sights on the distant shadow.


    After a brief contemplation, Xu Hei swam towards the deep sea area.


    Since reaching the Core Formation stage, he had rarely eaten demonic beast meat, relying on pills and breathing exercises to recover his energy. This was fine for ordinary cultivators.


    But for a body cultivator, it was absolutely necessary!


    Mr. Bai had advised him that body cultivation required a focus on replenishing blood and energy, which was the foundation of the body. While spell cultivation could do without meat, body cultivation required it.


    Since Xu Hei had chosen the path of body cultivation, his diet had to change accordingly.


    As Xu Hei dove into the deep sea, the light gradually dimmed, and the large shadow continued to follow him.


    A normal Core Formation stage cultivator wouldn''t have detected this creature, but Xu Hei''s keen senses told him something was trailing him.


    "Come on, this will be my first big meal since forming my core!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Soon, Xu Hei dove into the deep sea area.


    "Whoosh!"


    In the next moment, a thick, massive tentacle shot out from the enormous shadow, which also approached at terrifying speed.


    When Xu Hei turned to look, he saw an enormous octopus!


    This was a completely different creature from the octopus he had encountered in the river. This beast''s body alone exceeded fifty meters, and a single tentacle could extend three hundred meters.


    No wonder it hadn''t entered the shallow sea.


    Such a massive body could only fully exert itself in the deep sea.


    Xu Hei had anticipated this and deliberately entered the deep sea area. Even so, he was still shocked by the creature before him.


    "I''ve heard there are hundred-meter-long whales in the sea, ordinary creatures with no cultivation, yet they have such size."


    "And this great demon with cultivation is even more outrageous in size. Quite an eye-opener."


    Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Compared to it, he was like a tiny speck, not even as large as one of its tentacles.


    "Perfect timing! Into my mouth!"


    Xu Hei opened his mouth and inhaled, the Demon God Cauldron''s suction power erupting. The tentacle that had shot towards him was swallowed whole, his stomach bulging.


    "Refine!"


    The Demon God Cauldron began to turn, and the tentacle shrank rapidly, growing smaller and smaller as a surge of immense blood and energy poured into Xu Hei''s body.


    Xu Hei was overjoyed; there was nothing like seafood, the taste was exceptional.


    The octopus seemed to sense something and quickly retracted its tentacle, but the more it pulled, the more Xu Hei advanced, as if he had latched onto the tentacle.


    The creature was decisive, severing its own tentacle.


    "Slurp!"


    The severed tentacle was slurped up like noodles by Xu Hei, refined completely, leaving nothing behind.


    "Roar!!"


    The octopus was enraged, its remaining seven tentacles flailing wildly, lashing towards Xu Hei. The sea water surged into towering waves, forming a water storm that swept out.


    At the same time, it spewed a jet of ink, transforming into sharp blades that shot towards Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei could tell that this creature''s cultivation was only at the early Core Formation stage. It relied on its large size, making it slightly stronger than land creatures, but still far inferior to him.


    Xu Hei didn''t waste words with it. His figure flashed, and the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique was fully activated. Like an arrow piercing the sky, he charged headfirst, striking the octopus''s head and penetrating it instantly.


    "Die!"


    A torrent of energy erupted, and the octopus''s head was pierced through, killing it on the spot.


    It died too quickly, without even a chance to beg for mercy. The creature had clearly underestimated Xu Hei''s toughness.


    It hadn''t expected a land-dwelling horned serpent to be stronger than a sea creature!


    Xu Hei looked at the octopus before him and shook his head.


    Such a large corpse couldn''t be stored in a Storage Bag without being cut into pieces. Only his largest Void Stone could barely contain it.


    Xu Hei had no choice but to refine the corpse on the spot.

 Chapter 268: Build a Cave Dwelling, and fate will bring us together from a thousand miles away

    Chapter 268: Build a Cave Dwelling, and fate will bring us together from a thousand miles awayDespite the octopus''s head being smashed by Xu Hei, its tentacles were still moving. Xu Hei summoned a flying sword and sliced one off.


    "Slurp!"


    Xu Hei bit into the tentacle, sucking it in one gulp, causing his body to swell into a giant stick. He quickly refined it, and his body shrank back down.


    He reminisced about the past when he wouldn''t dare approach a dead octopus, fearing it might come back to life. Now, he was so bold that he''d eat even a live one.


    After swallowing two tentacles, Xu Hei bit into the octopus''s massive head, devouring it bit by bit.


    The Demon God Cauldron also refined with full force, and Xu Hei''s vitality surged.


    He felt his physical body strengthening, his meridians becoming more resilient, and his bones elongating. A new meridian was gradually extending from his head downward.


    To open the dragon veins, one must clear nine new meridians, connecting them all.


    By then, whether it was true essence or physical strength, it could be exerted to the fullest.


    A true dragon can summon wind and rain and can also sanctify its physical body.


    Xu Hei bit into the octopus''s Golden Core, swallowing it in one gulp, crazily absorbing the true essence within and integrating it into his own body.


    This process lasted an entire day.


    After a day, Xu Hei finished eating the octopus''s head and refining the Golden Core, reaching his peak state, full of energy and vitality.


    Even better, he felt like he had grown a bit taller.


    "Still, eating more meat is the way to grow!" Xu Hei sighed.


    The remaining six large tentacles were stored in the Void Stone by Xu Hei as reserve food.


    He didn''t know how common such large octopuses were in the sea, but he figured it was best not to eat them all at once, lest he craves them later with none left to eat.


    Xu Hei searched around the area but found no trace of Xu Bai. He took out the communication token she left behind, but it also showed no response.


    Shaking his head, Xu Hei returned to the shallow sea area.


    He created an external incarnation, left the sea surface, and soared into the sky, surveying the surroundings. For a thousand miles around, it was all vast ocean, with not a soul in sight, leaving him unsure of where to go.


    However, a thousand miles away, Xu Hei spotted a small island.


    "First, find a place to retreat."


    Xu Hei immediately submerged and swam towards the island at full speed.


    The island wasn''t large, with a diameter of only about a hundred miles, which Xu Hei could circle in a few breaths. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei applied an Invisibility Talisman and landed on the island. After checking the environment to ensure no one had been there, he dug out a cave dwelling and began setting up formations.


    Since it was a place for retreat, Xu Hei couldn''t be careless, lest any passing cultivator notices something amiss.


    Before long, a shielding formation was completed.


    Next, Xu Hei set up a defensive formation and an illusion formation, layering multiple formations together as a precaution.


    Xu Hei let out a long breath.


    "Even a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator passing by wouldn''t notice this formation, unless a late-stage Core Formation cultivator scanned with divine sense, then they might detect something unusual," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He took out a pile of mechanism boxes from his storage bag and laid them on the ground. These were spoils from Wuyou City, which he hadn''t had a chance to open yet.


    Including the storage bags obtained from previous kills, he hadn''t had time to check them either.


    Finally, Xu Hei had the time now.


    "Let''s open some mystery boxes first." Xu Hei took out a mechanism jade, inserted it into a mechanism box, and it opened, revealing a glowing crescent jade stone.


    The jade was entirely purple, with a restriction inside. As long as the wearer was attacked, it could raise a shield, serving as a defensive magical treasure.


    Xu Hei put it away and proceeded to open the next one.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the sea surface.


    A piece of driftwood floated over, with a figure hidden beneath it. The figure had purple hair, was covered in Invisibility Talismans, and wore a transparent cloak from a mechanism box, rendering the entire person transparent.


    According to Hei Huang''s standards, even a Great Golden Immortal wouldn''t be able to detect it.


    "I, Han Te, have really stepped in dog poop this year. How did I get so unlucky?"


    "I just wanted to deliver someone. Who did I offend?"


    Han Te cursed inwardly.


    He carried Bai Qiushui, drifting downstream. The journey was smooth until they reached Haiya City, where he thought he had completed his mission perfectly.


    Who knew, just upon reaching Haiya City, before he could dock, he was sucked away by a strange force.


    From afar, he only saw eight ships suspended on the river, forming a formation.


    Han Te used all his strength but couldn''t escape the pull, getting sucked into the formation.


    Later, he entered a teleportation channel, and luckily, a master broke the channel, allowing him to escape midway. Otherwise, who knows where he would have been sent.


    It certainly wouldn''t have been a good place.


    Falling into the sea wasn''t the end; he was then chased by a giant octopus. Fortunately, he had enough Invisibility Talismans to escape, fleeing all the way here.


    "In this thousand-mile radius, there''s only this one island. I''ll retreat here first; I''m exhausted!"


    Han Te grumbled, climbed onto the island, put away the driftwood, and after checking around to ensure no one had been there, he relaxed and carved out a cave dwelling in the center.


    Then, he took out formation flags and began setting up formations.


    Since it was a place for retreat, Han Te couldn''t be careless, lest any passing cultivator notices something amiss.


    Before long, a shielding formation was completed.


    Next, Han Te set up a defensive formation and an illusion formation, layering multiple formations together as a precaution.


    Han Te let out a long breath.


    "I wasted so many spirit stones again. Such a loss, such a loss. When I get back, I''ll definitely have the Bai Family reimburse me," Han Te thought, heart aching.


    He took out two mechanism boxes and two mechanism jades, which were the Bai Family''s reward to him.


    "I''ve been so unlucky; I hope I can get something good to balance my luck," Han Te thought to himself.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Next to Han Te''s cave dwelling.


    Xu Hei crawled out from his cave dwelling, looked around, and frowned slightly. He seemed to have sensed something earlier, but a sweep with his divine sense revealed nothing.


    He didn''t think much of it, taking out an octopus tentacle, rubbing it with sea salt, intending to air-dry it into jerky.


    "That''s it!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes suddenly lit up, as if he had thought of a brilliant idea.


    "The butcher can merge with humans; can it merge with demonic beasts?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes sparkled.


    He immediately took out the butcher, intending to give it a try.


    He stuffed a tentacle into the butcher''s body, refining it with puppet techniques. The process was extremely long, and after two failures, Xu Hei finally got the hang of it.


    Using a Transformation Pill as an aid, supplemented by a thousand-year spirit medicine, he finally completed the fusion.


    The butcher extended a tentacle, waving it in the void.


    The tentacle was small but could expand continuously, reaching a hundred feet long, like a demon dancing wildly!


    "Success!" Xu Hei was delighted.


    With this, the butcher''s combat power would soar.


    He took out three more tentacles, stuffed them into the butcher''s body, and after a week, the butcher had completed an evolutionary upgrade.


    However, the butcher''s appearance became more abstract, its face full of tentacles, indescribable in words.


    Xu Hei wondered if humans would appreciate such a design, but he certainly didn''t.


    With two tentacles left, he planned to marinate them for slow consumption, not intending to give them all to the butcher.

 Chapter 269: At the bottom of the trench, a feast of marine life

    Chapter 269: At the bottom of the trench, a feast of marine lifeXu Hei divided the remaining two tentacles into many pieces, roasting half and curing the other half to dry in the sun. He would occasionally take them out for a snack, living quite comfortably.


    In the blink of an eye, nearly a month had passed on the island.


    The previous gains had been fully absorbed by Xu Hei, and he now had a large collection of magical treasures.


    The storage bag from the Snake Catcher didn''t contain anything valuable, except for a spell jade slip about beast control, which Xu Hei might find useful.


    The main treasures came from the mechanism boxes.


    "The Ten Thousand Poison Gourd can absorb all poisons and store them inside, releasing them at critical moments to kill enemies."


    "The Water Control Pearl, when held in the mouth, allows control over all seawater within a hundred-mile radius, speeding up underwater travel."


    "The Earth Vein Fire Seal connects to the earth''s flames, using volcanic eruptions to attack, killing and cooking simultaneously."


    The magical treasures Xu Hei could use were mainly these three.


    The others were either too low in level or too high, completely unusable.


    For instance, the highest-level magical treasure Xu Hei obtained was a tiger-headed cannon, reaching above the fourth tier, requiring a sufficient amount of spirit stones to activate.


    Even if Xu Hei used all his current spirit stones, it wouldn''t be enough to activate it once.


    "Magical treasures above the fourth tier are all mechanism puppets, likely crafted by the City Lord of Wuyou himself," Xu Hei speculated.


    He still had two mechanism jades left unused and wanted to try his luck with high-level items, not wanting to waste them on ordinary boxes.


    Although he couldn''t discern any pattern, the grade of treasures seemed entirely random.


    Xu Hei put away the treasures, planning to go out to sea and catch some seafood.


    Having finished the giant octopus, he wanted to try something different, like sharks, jellyfish, clams, sea turtles, lobsters, and even whales, which he found quite tempting.


    He didn''t want to touch the tentacles from the butcher, as they were too much of an eyesore.


    Before leaving, Xu Hei set up a killing formation to ensure he wouldn''t be discovered, erased his traces, and left the small island.


    ¡­¡­


    A few days after Xu Hei left.


    In the distance, a cloud of auspicious clouds floated on the sea surface, speeding towards the island. On the cloud stood four people: an elderly man in a Taoist robe, a middle-aged man with a beard, and two young individuals, a boy and a girl.


    The elderly man in the Taoist robe was none other than Tianji Shangren.


    The middle-aged man with the beard was Liu Buqun.


    The other two were Wang Ding and Wang Qin.


    "Penglai Island is far away, and there''s a stronghold ahead where I often rest. Let''s take a break for two days," Tianji Shangren said calmly.


    Soon, they descended onto a solitary island.


    With a wave of Tianji Shangren''s hand, a phantom pavilion appeared in the middle of the island, suspended three meters in the air, gradually solidifying. It was a cave dwelling he had meticulously crafted before.


    Wang Ding and Wang Qin were stunned; this was the power of an immortal!


    Liu Buqun looked around hesitantly and asked, "Is this place safe?"


    Tianji Shangren smiled and said, "Even if someone passes by, they won''t discover the formation on the island unless a late Core Formation stage cultivator searches inch by inch with their divine sense."


    Liu Buqun nodded slightly. This person''s cultivation wasn''t very high, but his ability to conceal was impressive.


    Tianji Shangren stepped on the auspicious cloud and flew into the pavilion, disappearing with the group. The pavilion also vanished from the island, as if it were just an illusion.


    ¡­¡­


    Deep Sea Area.


    Xu Hei wandered for two days, finding nothing but some small shrimps.


    Only then did Xu Hei realize that the giant octopus from before was purely a stroke of luck.


    Additionally, he discovered that the demonic beasts in the ocean communicated using a strange sound wave, inaudible to ordinary humans, only detectable by demonic beasts.


    Xu Hei captured a Foundation Establishment stage dolphin and studied it for two days, finally learning some tricks.


    "Tell me, where are the Core Formation stage demonic beasts?" Xu Hei demanded.


    "In that trench, there are many great demons at the demon core stage! Please don''t hurt me; I''ll tell you everything. Just don''t eat me," the dolphin pleaded pitifully.


    "Trench?" Xu Hei raised an eyebrow and said, "Lead the way, and I won''t eat you!"


    "Yes!" The dolphin quickly led the way.


    Following the guidance, Xu Hei continued forward and finally reached the trench after half a day.


    The trench stretched for ten thousand miles, located in the middle of the seabed, like a giant abyssal mouth, devouring everything, instilling a natural sense of fear.


    However, Xu Hei felt no fear.


    "You can go now."


    "Thank you, Flood Dragon Grandpa!" The dolphin quickly swam away.


    Xu Hei gazed at the trench, slowing his approach.


    The outside of the trench was dark blue, while the inside was pitch black. The deeper he went, the dimmer the light became, with only faint glimmers of light scattered around, possibly from some kind of luminescent creatures.


    Xu Hei continued to dive, spreading his divine sense. The water pressure increased, even suppressing his divine sense. His dragon scales closed, emitting a faint cracking sound.


    Xu Hei kept diving, and after an hour, he couldn''t see his hand in front of him, seeing nothing at all.


    The rocks on both sides became narrower, as if the trench had reached its bottom.


    But Xu Hei could smell traces of spiritual qi, right at the deepest point.


    After a moment of silence, Xu Hei conjured an external incarnation to lead the way.


    "If I can''t handle it, with my Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique and the Water Control Pearl, escaping shouldn''t be a problem," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    The incarnation continued to dive, passing through a narrow passage, and suddenly, the view opened up.


    He arrived at a vast bottom space.


    "Huh?"


    Xu Hei let out a soft exclamation. Beneath the trench, there was another world, vast in area, with a wide field of vision.


    Even the light here was slightly brighter, with a faint blue hue.


    When he focused his gaze downward, he was stunned.


    Below, there was a massive seabed, vast and boundless. On the seabed lay an indescribably enormous corpse.


    The corpse was a thousand meters long and five hundred meters wide, a hundred times larger than the previous octopus!


    Compared to this corpse, the octopus was tiny.


    Xu Hei was instantly shocked by the sight.


    At this moment, most of the corpse was reduced to bones, with only a small portion of flesh remaining, being gnawed on by various sea creatures.


    The sea creatures that could reach this place were not weak, at least at the Foundation Establishment stage.


    There were also some at the demon core stage, equivalent to human Core Formation cultivators, leisurely eating on the side.


    Strangely, these demonic beasts did not fight each other. After eating a portion, they would retreat to the side to refine, not disturbing others'' meals.


    "Another one has come."


    Many sea beasts noticed Xu Hei, but they only glanced at him briefly, not paying much attention. Most didn''t even look at him, continuing to eat.


    After finishing, they would retreat to the side to refine, allowing other sea beasts to take their turn.


    There were fish, shrimp, insects, and all kinds of demonic beasts.


    Their common trait was that they didn''t quarrel, seemingly following an unspoken rule, silently abiding by it.


    S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 270: Competing for territory, violently beating shrimp soldiers and crab generals

    Chapter 270: Competing for territory, violently beating shrimp soldiers and crab generalsThe scene was something Xu Hei had never witnessed in his life, leaving him speechless with shock.


    The corpse appeared to be the largest whale in the ocean, dead for some time, and in life, its cultivation was not low, possibly even reaching the Elemental Infant level.


    A whale at the Elemental Infant stage must have consumed countless sea fish and shrimp during its life, and in death, it returned everything to the ocean.


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment, then retracted his transformation and approached the massive corpse in his true form.


    The body was divided into three sections: the head, torso, and tail, with demonic beasts feeding in each area.


    There was plenty of food, so there was no need to fight over it; everyone could eat their fill.


    When Xu Hei arrived, the Foundation Establishment demonic beasts in front of him backed away, clearing a path and moving elsewhere to feed. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei bit into a piece of meat and swallowed it. The Demon God Cauldron quickly refined it, and a surge of energy, far greater than that of an octopus, flooded into Xu Hei''s body, raising his body temperature and making him feel hot all over.


    "Awesome!"


    Xu Hei blew out a string of bubbles, exclaiming in satisfaction.


    The most energy-rich part of the whale was the blubber, where the Elemental Infant essence was primarily stored. However, such a luxury had long been consumed by the stronger beings who arrived first, leaving mostly bones.


    But for Xu Hei, it was a rare treasure.


    Ordinary demonic beasts would take a long time to refine a piece of whale meat, but with the Demon God Cauldron, Xu Hei could refine it immediately, giving him a significant advantage in efficiency.


    He continued to devour the whale meat, swallowing pieces much larger than himself, yet his body showed no signs of swelling.


    Xu Hei carved his way from the whale''s back to its belly, creating a passage.


    He tried eating a piece of whale bone, hoping to absorb the marrow, but unfortunately, the digestion was too slow. Even with the Demon God Cauldron, it took a long time to refine just a bit of the surface.


    To get to the marrow, it would take at least a whole day.


    With no other choice, Xu Hei stored the bones and continued to gnaw on the whale meat.


    Xu Hei''s voracious consumption quickly caught the attention of the other sea beasts, who stared in disbelief.


    They had seen fast eaters before, but never this fast!


    In just a short while, Xu Hei had consumed the equivalent of ten Demon Core stage sea beasts! And he showed no signs of stopping.


    "Is he a reincarnated starving ghost?"


    "What species is this?"


    "This is ridiculous, is his stomach a bottomless pit?"


    The sea beasts were all shocked.


    Normally, a Demon Core stage beast would need to rest after a few bites, but Xu Hei had already surpassed the limit.


    "Hey, kid, you''re overstepping! Get lost!"


    Suddenly, a massive claw shot towards Xu Hei''s neck with lightning speed.


    Xu Hei quickly shrank back, squinting his eyes as he stared at the creature inside the whale''s belly.


    It was an East Sea Giant Claw Lobster, also at the initial Demon Core stage, feasting inside the whale''s belly, the best part of the meat.


    After missing its strike, the lobster glared at Xu Hei before turning back to its meal, its large claws quickly tearing off chunks of whale meat and stuffing them into its mouth.


    "Kid, you''ve eaten enough, scram before you regret it!"


    The Giant Claw Lobster glared at Xu Hei with its large compound eyes, threatening him.


    This action amused many demonic beasts, who were eager for Xu Hei to leave.


    Xu Hei was eating too fast. A whale this size would normally take months to a year to finish, but with Xu Hei joining in, it might be gone in less than half a month.


    Xu Hei stared at it for a while, then nodded, "Alright, I''ll leave."


    The Giant Claw Lobster''s eyes flashed with disdain as it continued eating.


    Just as it looked away.


    "Whoosh!!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei moved at full speed, opening his mouth wide and swallowing the Giant Claw Lobster whole. It was a surprise attack, and the lobster had no time to react before it was inside Xu Hei''s stomach.


    "Ah!! You tricked me!" The lobster roared in fury, thrashing inside Xu Hei''s stomach, but once refined by the Demon God Cauldron, it fell silent instantly.


    A Demon Core stage beast was swallowed by Xu Hei in an instant!


    The nearby sea beasts were all shocked, stopping their feeding to watch in fear.


    Fighting over food wasn''t unheard of, but it was rare. Weaker beings would usually give way, and those of equal strength wouldn''t clash to avoid injury and being taken advantage of by others.


    Who knew this snake was so fierce, swallowing a sea beast of the same realm in one gulp.


    "You bastard, you''re dead! How dare you eat my brother!"


    A furious shout came from afar, and a massive crab leaped from an open space, landing in front of the whale, its compound eyes locking onto Xu Hei.


    It was a Golden Armor Crab, its entire body covered in dark golden armor, its claws like tiger-headed guillotines, emitting a blade-like aura that sliced through the seawater.


    This demon''s cultivation had reached the mid Demon Core stage, having consumed enough whale meat and was digesting in the open space. Who would have thought its brother would be swallowed by a snake!


    "Your brother?"


    Xu Hei frowned, wondering how a shrimp and a crab could be brothers.


    "Die!"


    The Golden Armor Crab roared, snapping at Xu Hei from a distance, making his neck feel cold as if a guillotine was falling from the sky.


    He quickly dodged, the seawater in front of him sliced into a deep groove, striking the whale bone with a crisp sound. Xu Hei''s dragon scales sparked from the impact.


    "Blade Storm!"


    The Golden Armor Crab leaped into the air, transforming into a spinning top, creating a deep-sea whirlwind, its endless sharpness slicing towards Xu Hei.


    "Your brother tasted good."


    Xu Hei smiled slightly, compressing his true essence within his body, raising his dragon scales, and charging towards the Golden Armor Crab head-on.


    He realized the whale''s parts were divided into several grades, with only the strong having the right to occupy the highest grade.


    The weak could only eat leftovers, not even qualifying for the best parts. Without showing some strength, trouble would keep coming.


    Facing a mid Demon Core stage opponent, Xu Hei didn''t slack off, using the Diamond Suppression Technique, his body glowing with a golden hue, raising his dragon scales, and colliding with it head-on.


    "Boom!!"


    A scream echoed.


    All the sea beasts stopped, watching with wide eyes.


    The mid Demon Core stage Golden Armor Crab was sent flying, its shell shattered, spewing yellow substance into the air.


    The crab roe was knocked out!


    In contrast, Xu Hei only retreated a few feet, unscathed, the difference in strength clear.


    Xu Hei rushed forward, inhaling the crab roe into his body, exclaiming in delight.


    Crab roe was the most nutritious part of a crab, more energy-rich and absorbable than the whale''s scraps.


    And much tastier.


    Without a word, Xu Hei chased after the fleeing Golden Armor Crab, flicking his tongue, his eyes shining with excitement.


    All the onlookers were dumbfounded, never expecting this initial Demon Core stage snake to send a mid Demon Core stage opponent running for its life.


    Despite the level difference, it could crush its opponent!


    Xu Hei was now even stronger than when he had just broken through. After eating the octopus and a large amount of whale meat, his physical strength had reached a new level.


    This was the amplification brought by the Demon God Cauldron.


    Others needed to retreat to digest, but Xu Hei could eat and digest simultaneously, growing stronger and saving countless hours.


    "Crab roe, delicious!!" Xu Hei''s eyes almost glowed with fire, his tail swaying as he excitedly pursued the Golden Armor Crab.


    The Golden Armor Crab was terrified, fleeing with all its might, never imagining the snake to be so fierce. Had it known, it wouldn''t have dared provoke it even with a hundred guts!


    "Stop!"


    Suddenly, a loud shout came from ahead.


    ---------


    Hi, guys, my new book, hope you like it: Starting as a Snake: Defying Heaven with Invincibility

 Chapter 271: Competing for territory, the diversity of marine life

    Chapter 271: Competing for territory, the diversity of marine lifeThe sound waves surged with the tide, forcing Xu Hei to stop and look into the distance.


    The golden-armored crab also halted, landing nearby, trembling all over with a weak aura.


    The speaker was a slender, ring-patterned sea snake, its body covered in silver rings, with a small, narrow head and pitch-black eyes staring at Xu Hei, exuding a sense of danger.


    This snake was also at the mid-demon core stage, but close to the late stage.


    Unlike Xu Hei''s sturdy physique, the sea snake resembled a slender whip, clearly not suited for body cultivation, yet it possessed venom.


    "Are you here to cause trouble? You''ve eaten enough already, and now you want to devour others. What do you take this place for?"


    "The remains of the senior belong to everyone. If you devour them alone, what will others eat?"


    This sea snake, unlike the shrimp soldiers and crab generals who acted directly, launched a verbal attack, standing on the moral high ground to accuse Xu Hei.


    In an instant, Xu Hei was placed in opposition to all the demonic beasts.


    "Yeah, this guy has eaten too much!"


    "After eating whale meat, he still wants to devour others. Is there no order here?"


    "This place doesn''t welcome the greedy!"


    Three other sea snakes chimed in, clearly supporters of the large sea snake.


    The sea snake family had been residing here for a month, and those at the Foundation Establishment Stage had made breakthroughs. One sea snake had even just successfully formed its core, indicating the benefits of whale meat.


    But with Xu Hei''s devouring, the food they could share would be greatly reduced.


    This large sea snake was also on the verge of the late Core Formation stage. Just one more month, and it could attempt a breakthrough.


    Such a rare opportunity couldn''t be disrupted by an outsider.


    "Oh?" Xu Hei raised an eyebrow and said, "When we were dividing the whale blubber earlier, why didn''t you speak up? Now you''re here to criticize me?"


    Whale blubber was the most energy-rich substance, with ninety percent of the whale''s essence concentrated in the fat.


    The large sea snake frowned and said, "That was for the strong. What does it have to do with us?"


    "So you know it''s for the strong! Now, I''m stronger than you. If you have the ability, take me down; if not, stop whining!" Xu Hei mocked coldly.


    These words infuriated the large sea snake.


    If she had broken through to the late demon core stage, she wouldn''t need Xu Hei to say anything; she would have acted immediately.


    But now, even if she could fight Xu Hei, it would be extremely difficult, and she might get injured. In such an environment, with threats all around, getting injured was not a good idea.


    "Everyone, this snake is greedy and has started a killing spree, severely disrupting order. Why don''t we join forces to slay it and share the spoils?" the large sea snake said loudly, trying to incite others.


    The demonic beasts looked at her, but few responded.


    Only her fellow sea snakes echoed her.


    Xu Hei''s abilities were witnessed by all the demonic beasts. If anyone dared to step forward, they might be made an example of.


    Not everyone was like her, on the brink of a breakthrough, desperately needing that bit of meat. They were all here to get free benefits, to eat a few bites along the way, and no one wanted to fight.


    As time passed with no response, the sea snake''s expression turned awkward.


    "Come on, start fighting already!"


    A young dolphin said gleefully.


    "Sea snakes, don''t be cowards, attack together and take down that Big Black!"


    Another dolphin shouted, both brothers just wanting to watch the fun.


    The silver-ringed sea snake looked at the two dolphins and said, "Could you two lend a hand?"


    "Of course, we support you spiritually!"


    "Yes, we''ll cheer for you!"


    The two dolphins said in unison.


    The large sea snake''s face turned almost black with anger.


    The first part of their response pleased her, but the latter almost made her spit blood.


    Xu Hei couldn''t be bothered to argue, returning to continue eating meat. Unfortunately, the crab got away due to the interruption.


    "The sea snake family is quite a nuisance."


    Xu Hei calculated in his mind, considering his chances if a fight had broken out earlier.


    The female sea snake was at the mid-demon core stage, close to the late stage, with three early demon core stage helpers, weaker than the previous Snake Catchers Sect ambush.


    But in this deep-sea environment, with many sea beasts watching, he didn''t want to end up heavily injured like last time.


    Moreover, sea beasts of the same realm were stronger than land demonic beasts and much stronger than humans, given they were in the sea. Xu Hei was new here and hadn''t fully adapted to the environment.


    "Sister, what should we do?" sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Are we just going to let him go?"


    "This is your rare chance to break through!"


    The three sea snakes whispered.


    The large sea snake''s eyes flashed with killing intent and said, "Don''t worry, he won''t escape. My big brother recently returned from the Penglai Sea and learned some immortal techniques. With his late demon core stage cultivation, he can kill this beast effortlessly. Why should we take the risk?"


    "Big brother is coming back!"


    The sea snakes'' eyes were filled with excitement.


    The Penglai Sea, rich in Spiritual Qi, was a place of immortals that sea beasts longed for. There, it was like the ancient times in the human world, where every sea beast had terrifying cultivation.


    In the same realm, they were unmatched, let alone having an advantage over their opponents.


    The sea snakes continued eating, ignoring Xu Hei.


    The large sea snake''s eyes flickered as she secretly released a scale, which disappeared into the ocean current.


    Unlike her siblings, she had been enlightened by an immortal from Penglai Island in her childhood, possessing extraordinary intelligence, and was given a name, Hai Meng.


    Hai Meng had no deep hatred for Xu Hei. Her actions were purely out of curiosity about why Xu Hei could eat so much and fight beyond his level.


    She speculated that Xu Hei must have a great opportunity!


    "He must have a storage artifact, and the whale meat is stored in it. This opportunity comes from an immortal, and he must have an immortal inheritance!" Hai Meng speculated internally.


    Demonic beasts living in the ocean rarely encountered humans, but she knew what immortals meant, unimaginable benefits.


    Whatever it was, she had to obtain it!


    At the same time, Xu Hei also frowned, pondering the large sea snake''s actions.


    "This snake didn''t attack me directly but incited others to join in, which is unusual. Moreover, her gaze was always off, too much killing intent."


    "With such scheming, she definitely won''t let it go. She''s plotting against me!"


    Facing such an opponent, Xu Hei wouldn''t treat her as an ordinary sea beast but as a human.


    He needed to find a way to eliminate her and remove any future threats.


    "Hey, brother, could you come over for a moment?"


    At this moment, a barely audible voice came from the side; it was the dolphin speaking.


    Xu Hei glanced at him and frowned, "What is it?"


    The dolphin hesitated for a moment and approached, "Brother, do you have any human treasures?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold, wary, "What do you mean?"


    "Don''t misunderstand, brother!" The dolphin quickly waved its fin, explaining, "It''s just that my sister likes human jewels and gems. I wanted to see if you could sell me some. If not, it''s okay, I''ll leave."

 Chapter 272: Open the dragon vein, rumors of the Penglai Sea

    Chapter 272: Open the dragon vein, rumors of the Penglai SeaHis expression was tense, as if he was afraid of displeasing Xu Hei, and he quickly stepped back.


    Behind him was a slightly smaller dolphin, equally nervous, its eyes blinking rapidly. This was his sister.


    Dolphins are intelligent creatures, fundamentally different from those large shrimp and crabs. He could vaguely guess the significance of Xu Hei.


    "No," Xu Hei shook his head.


    The dolphin sighed, a hint of disappointment flashing in his eyes, but he still reminded, "By the way, big brother, that sea serpent is very vicious. She has a brother who once followed an immortal in the Penglai Sea and learned immortal spells. He''s not someone to be trifled with. I advise you to be careful."


    With that, the dolphin siblings turned and left, the sister''s eyes revealing an undeniable sense of loss.


    Xu Hei''s gaze flickered slightly as he transmitted his voice, "Do you have a grudge against that sea serpent?"


    He had no familial ties with the dolphins, and they had no reason to warn him, so this was the only explanation.


    The dolphin siblings paused, the brother turned around, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "To be honest, an elder in our dolphin family was poisoned by the sea serpent and hasn''t recovered to this day, suffering day and night."


    Xu Hei''s heart tightened. Is the sea serpent''s poison really that potent?


    What Penglai Sea, what immortal spells¡ªhe was completely in the dark about these matters. Xu Hei was new here and knew nothing about these things.


    He only knew that Tianji Shangren seemed to come from Penglai Island.


    "Can I ask you about some things?"


    Xu Hei produced a crescent-shaped purple jade stone, which he had obtained from a mechanism box, possessing defensive properties.


    This item was barely of the third-tier beginner level, useless to him, but perfect for giving away.


    The dolphin sister''s eyes immediately lit up.


    Seeing this, the dolphin brother quickly spat out a layer of water curtain, isolating the area so that outsiders couldn''t see.


    "Ask away, big brother, I''ll tell you everything I know," the dolphin brother said.


    Xu Hei tossed the jade stone over, which the dolphin sister caught in her mouth, making a joyful purring sound.


    "Here''s the thing, I come from the open sea and am not familiar with the situation here..." Xu Hei explained briefly.


    Upon hearing this, the dolphin brother immediately began to speak at length.


    "Big brother, you''ve come to the right person. Our dolphin family, if nothing else, is top-notch in intelligence. Our members are spread throughout the East Sea and often interact with humans. We know everything under the sky!"


    The dolphin sister chimed in, "We know everything under the sky!"


    ...


    At the other end of the whale''s skeleton.


    Hai Meng saw the water curtain rising in the distance, her eyes almost spitting fire. Not only did the dolphins not help, but they also started conversing with that horned serpent. It was outrageous!


    Even more infuriating was that the golden-armored crab ran off without a word, despite her saving its life.


    "When my brother returns, you''re all doomed!"


    Hai Meng''s gaze was sinister as she gnawed on whale meat, desperately pushing herself to the limit, only lamenting that her stomach was too small to eat more.


    After some time of conversation.


    Xu Hei had learned quite a bit.


    The Penglai Sea is a sacred place yearned for by sea beasts, its location unknown, with a natural massive barrier, isolated from the world. Without an immortal to lead the way, one cannot enter.


    It''s said that the spiritual qi inside is abundant, no different from ancient times. The demonic beasts that emerge from the Penglai Sea are all powerful, unmatched in the same realm.


    Hai Meng''s brother was led inside by an immortal to study, and once he returns, he will become a dominant force.


    "So there are such sacred places at sea, comparable to ancient times!"


    Xu Hei was quite surprised internally.


    The dolphin family is considered a relatively large family in the East Sea, very friendly with humans. Several members have been to the Penglai Sea, but few return.


    As for immortal spells, they can be understood as advanced spells cast by demonic beasts, only teachable by immortals, and are highly praised.


    Xu Hei had never witnessed them, so he couldn''t make a judgment, but he wasn''t afraid. The dragon clan''s ultimate techniques he possessed were stronger than any immortal spells.


    Xu Hei took out some strange items and gave them to the dolphin sister, Boqi.


    These siblings, the brother named Bopu and the sister named Boqi, were at the mid and early stages of their demon cores, respectively.


    "Wow, thank you, Brother Hei," Boqi exclaimed excitedly, making a unique squeaking sound, her eyes shining.


    Xu Hei had a good impression of these siblings. It''s said that dolphins are usually very friendly, only showing their ferocious side during group hunts.


    "Brother Hei, feel free to visit my home anytime. I''ll be here for the next month!"


    Bopu took out a simple map made from some unknown skin and handed it over.


    The map had only a few markings, indicating trenches, some islands, and seabed locations. Xu Hei glanced at it and found that the place was quite close to his cave dwelling, so he nodded.


    "I''ll visit when I have the chance."


    Xu Hei put away the map and continued to devour the whale meat.


    Boqi and Bopu only ate a few bites before leaving.


    After that, no one disturbed Xu Hei.


    After eating for an entire day, Xu Hei finally felt he had reached his limit.


    Even with the Demon God Cauldron refining, he felt a sense of fullness, his meridians and flesh were all in a saturated state, and his Golden Core had grown significantly, seemingly reaching a critical point.


    This wasn''t a breakthrough in cultivation but a breakthrough in his meridians.


    The first of the nine dragon veins was about to be opened!


    "Using this whale carcass to open the first dragon vein, now''s the time!"


    Xu Hei internally shouted, gathering all his energy, concentrating it in his head, and channeling it downward toward his abdomen.


    Opening a dragon vein is a long process.


    Xu Hei remained still on the whale''s remains, eyes closed, even his breath restrained to the extreme.


    "This guy finally had his fill."


    "I''ve never seen anyone eat so much."


    The distant sea beasts all gasped, having witnessed something extraordinary.


    Hai Meng also breathed a sigh of relief. She was really worried that Xu Hei would eat everything in one go. It seemed that this horned serpent had its limits and wasn''t a bottomless pit.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s first dragon vein was rapidly extending, moving downward. S§×ar?h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This process was neither fast nor slow. The further it went, the more difficult it became.


    As time passed, when the first dragon vein neared completion, an indescribable terrifying pressure emanated from Xu Hei''s body, causing ripples to spread.


    "What is this aura?"


    The demonic beasts immediately looked at Xu Hei, eyes filled with shock.


    Hai Meng also noticed Xu Hei''s movements, a hint of surprise flashing in her eyes. This aura was definitely not that of an ordinary demonic beast!


    "Big sister, why do I feel like that horned serpent is a flood dragon?"


    Beside Hai Meng, a sea serpent spoke in amazement.


    "What nonsense! A flood dragon, him?"


    Hai Meng was instantly angered by this, like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, almost losing her composure.


    Only her brother had the qualifications to become a flood dragon. The horned serpent before her was merely relying on its strength, learning some wild tricks from who knows where, incomparable to her brother''s orthodox immortal spells.


    Her brother was her belief, and no one could belittle him, no matter who they were!

 Chapter 273: Coral group, the Chosen of the sea snake arrives

    Chapter 273: Coral group, the Chosen of the sea snake arrives"The aura is indeed strange. Has he learned some kind of Immortal spell to try and scare me?"


    Hai Meng''s eyes flickered with suspicion about Xu Hei''s motives.


    Before long, the terrifying aura abruptly ceased.


    Xu Hei ultimately stopped at the last step, unable to fully unlock the first Dragon Vein, just a bit short.


    With so many people around, even releasing a little aura drew attention. If he truly unlocked it, who knows what might happen.


    He didn''t want to make it public knowledge.


    Not all sea beasts were simple-minded; there were cunning ones like Hai Meng.


    Reflecting on his actions over the past few days, Xu Hei realized he had been too conspicuous, constantly in the spotlight since arriving here.


    This was not a good sign.


    But there was no choice. To become stronger, consuming whale meat was necessary, and it was only a matter of time before he attracted attention.


    "I want to keep a low profile, but my strength doesn''t allow it," Xu Hei sighed inwardly.


    After a brief thought, Xu Hei dismantled some whale vertebrae, storing them in his Storage Bag, intending to refine some bone marrow later in a secluded place to officially unlock the first vein.


    He didn''t dare take too much, knowing his limits. If he took it all, it would surely incite public outrage.


    The principle of matching strength with resources applies everywhere.


    This place had never been monopolized by any family, suggesting some kind of restraint.


    Xu Hei acted discreetly, swallowing a few vertebrae before leaving in a hurry.


    "Follow him!"


    Hai Meng and three sea snakes quickly left, trailing behind Xu Hei.


    Leaving the trench, Xu Hei sped upward, holding the Water Control Pearl in his mouth, easily detecting the pursuit behind him. The sea snakes made no effort to conceal themselves, blatantly following him.


    Xu Hei immediately halted, and the sea snakes stopped too, maintaining a safe distance.


    "Courting death!"


    Xu Hei''s gaze turned cold, and he dove towards the sea snakes. However, they quickly retreated at an astonishing speed, returning to the trench''s bottom, hiding behind the whale''s corpse.


    They had no need to fight Xu Hei, avoiding unnecessary risks.


    Xu Hei didn''t continue the chase. With a swift turn, he used Ever-changing Fish and Dragon along with the Water Control Pearl to control the sea, shooting away like an arrow, disappearing above the trench in an instant.


    "What speed!"


    The three sea snakes were shocked.


    Hai Meng''s eyes flashed with surprise, murmuring, "He''s got some skills, but he''s fallen into my brother''s Ten Thousand Mile Soul Chasing Lock. It won''t matter where he runs!"


    One of the sea snakes beside her asked, "Should we still follow him?"


    "No need, my brother will handle him. You''d just be a burden!"


    Hai Meng''s eyes flickered. After Xu Hei was far away, she left the trench, quietly following behind.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After leaving, Xu Hei circled nearby, leaving various misleading scents, then created a clone, splitting in two different directions.


    However, after half an hour of this, he still felt a sense of being locked onto.


    This feeling, faint yet persistent, had been with him since leaving the trench, as if he had hit a layer of Divine Sense membrane, constantly tracked to the ends of the earth.


    "Something''s wrong! There''s no Divine Sense membrane in that trench. Who''s locking onto me? What method are they using?" Xu Hei pondered internally.


    This was definitely not Hai Meng''s doing; she wasn''t that strong!


    It was highly likely her so-called brother had made a move. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Faced with this unknown tracking method, Xu Hei didn''t take it lightly, speeding up and considering whether to return.


    He had left many killing formations on the island, but if the opponent truly had late-stage demon core cultivation, those formations might not be effective.


    "Better find a place to test things out first."


    Xu Hei made a decisive decision.


    Since he couldn''t avoid this battle, he might as well face it head-on.


    But not here, where the ocean was full of dangers, and a big threat could emerge at any moment. He didn''t want to put himself at risk.


    After a brief contemplation, Xu Hei changed direction, heading towards the dolphin territory.


    It wasn''t far, near his Cave Dwelling. If he couldn''t win, he could return to the island, using formations for assistance, waiting for the right moment to strike.


    He didn''t fully trust the dolphin clan, but he had reasons that compelled them to be friendly.


    Two hours later.


    Xu Hei arrived at the dolphin clan''s location, a coral reef area, scattered with rocks, picturesque. The dolphins'' territory wasn''t fixed, occasionally migrating, and this season, they were here.


    "Brother Xu Hei, welcome, welcome!"


    As soon as Xu Hei arrived, Bopu appeared out of nowhere, patting his belly with his fin, making a drum-like sound.


    "Welcome, welcome!" Boqi also appeared, patting her belly, creating a slapping sound, their unique welcoming ritual.


    Additionally, there were two young dolphins Xu Hei hadn''t seen before, performing the same ritual.


    "Someone''s after me. I might be in for a big fight," Xu Hei stated bluntly.


    "Huh?" Bopu was taken aback, whispering, "Are you confident?"


    "Not sure, but at least it won''t be too ugly," Xu Hei replied earnestly.


    Bopu immediately patted his chest, "Don''t worry, on my turf, even a Flood Dragon has to bow. We''ve got your back!"


    "We''ve got your back!" Boqi echoed excitedly, seemingly only capable of repeating.


    Xu Hei nodded, settling on a rock, quietly waiting for the opponent to arrive.


    He sensed a powerful aura within the dolphin territory, though very weak, appearing and disappearing, likely their poisoned elder.


    Xu Hei had antidote pills left by Xu Bai, along with various ancient Spirit Medicines, capable of curing all poisons. This was his leverage!


    Xu Hei calmed his mind, waiting for about an hour.


    In the distance, suddenly, ocean waves surged, rolling in, like a raging sea, a giant abyssal mouth, various celestial phenomena appearing.


    These phenomena weren''t real, but a manifestation of a spell.


    Simultaneously, a vast, boundless aura, accompanied by terrifying pressure, approached from afar, as if facing a real Flood Dragon, making resistance impossible.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, not showing fear but excitement instead.


    "They''re here!" Xu Hei exhaled, staring into the distance.


    At the horizon, a blue light flickered continuously, spanning thousands of meters in an instant, arriving in the distant sky.


    It was a thirty-meter-long sea snake, not overly large, its scales a deep blue, like the patterns of the sea, magnificent, its head held high, exuding an innate regal majesty, overlooking all beings.


    Just a glance gave Xu Hei a sense of urgency; this was undoubtedly a formidable opponent.


    The sea snake clan''s prodigy, Hai Teng.


    This was a sea overlord, destined to be a king by both temperament and talent!


    Upon appearing, Hai Teng immediately locked eyes with Xu Hei, his deep gaze lingering for a while, nodding in admiration, "Not bad!"

 Chapter 274: Battle at Sea Teng, forcing out the wonders of heaven and earth

    Chapter 274: Battle at Sea Teng, forcing out the wonders of heaven and earthHe stared at Xu Hei, nodding slightly, his eyes full of admiration.


    "You''re different from other snakes. In you, I see the potential of a Flood Dragon. As long as you survive, you''re destined to become a ruler."


    "Such talent is rare in the world. I''ve only seen it in one peerless king snake before, and that king snake was me!"


    Hai Teng began with a round of praise.


    But the last sentence made Xu Hei''s mouth twitch slightly.


    You''re praising yourself so seriously, don''t you feel embarrassed?


    Yet Hai Teng''s face remained calm, speaking with confidence, as if it were only natural.


    Hai Teng declared loudly, "Now, you have two choices. One, become my follower. Although one sea cannot accommodate two dragons, I, Hai Teng, wish to emulate the sages of humanity and gather talents. You will be a great general under my command."


    "Two, oppose me and face a dead end!"


    "I heard from Hai Meng that you have the ability to fight beyond your level. But defeating two shrimp soldiers and crab generals is nothing to boast about. If I were at the early stage of the demon core, I could do the same!"


    Hai Teng''s words were filled with strong confidence.


    In the ocean, even with the same level of cultivation, strength can vary greatly. Shrimps can be among the weakest sea beasts, while the mightiest whales can fight several levels above.


    Hai Teng returned from his studies with absolute confidence, ready to crush all his peers. Even against whales, he could fight!


    Xu Hei merely sneered, "You can try."


    Upon hearing this, Hai Teng laughed instead of getting angry.


    "Haha, as expected of the snake I admire, you have spirit!"


    Hai Teng laughed loudly, staring at the group of dolphins appearing behind him, "Are you waiting here to prevent me from bullying you with numbers? There''s no need!"


    "I, Hai Teng, am upright and disdain to rely on others. Let''s have a fair fight, dare you?"


    As he spoke, Hai Teng''s cultivation level suddenly plummeted, his aura retracting. In an instant, he suppressed his level from the late stage of the demon core to the early stage, matching Xu Hei''s level.


    This made Xu Hei''s eyes widen in surprise.


    Suppressing his cultivation? What a joke! Doesn''t he know the meaning of death?


    "Hai Teng, what are you doing? This is too risky!"


    Behind Hai Teng, a giant sea eel appeared, repeatedly warning him.


    This sea eel was enormous, over three times Hai Teng''s size, with a flat body and eyes that sparkled with electricity, possessing the cultivation of Great Perfection.


    "Senior brother, don''t worry. Since I, Hai Teng, want to win, I must make my opponent truly convinced!" Hai Teng said with a smile.


    Xu Hei was speechless; in terms of courting death, he had to admit defeat.


    "Are you sure you want to suppress your cultivation?" Xu Hei reminded.


    Hai Teng nodded, "Of course, I want you to be completely convinced and submit to..."


    At that moment, Xu Hei suddenly disappeared, transforming into a streak of lightning, charging towards Hai Teng.


    Xu Hei''s movement didn''t even cause a ripple in the water, reaching within an inch of Hai Teng in an instant.


    "So fast!"


    Hai Teng''s pupils contracted.


    The distant sea eel''s expression also changed drastically.


    Too fast! So fast that no one could react in time. Xu Hei''s sudden attack caught everyone off guard.


    Moreover, this speed surpassed any immortal spells they had seen.


    "Unbeatable! Unbeatable!"


    A signal of extreme danger rose in Hai Teng''s heart, making his whole body tingle, his scalp numb, as if with just a thought, he would perish immediately.


    No more holding back! This is serious!


    Finally, at the moment Xu Hei rammed into him, Hai Teng stopped suppressing his cultivation, rising to the mid-stage of the demon core, with surging true essence forming a protective barrier. Almost in the next instant, Xu Hei crashed into his chest.


    "Poof!!"


    Hai Teng''s protective true essence was shattered, the remaining force surging up, instantly creating a large hole in his chest, blood splattering, and the entire snake was sent flying like a broken whip.


    Even at the mid-stage of the demon core, he was severely injured with one strike!


    This was partly due to Xu Hei''s sneak attack, but more so, it was the perfect combination of speed and power, along with the fact that his first dragon vein was about to be opened, enhancing his strength to a new level, achieving success in one strike.


    "Weren''t you going to suppress your cultivation?"


    Xu Hei sneered, once again using the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, attacking Hai Teng, beating the snake while it was down.


    "Despicable! You ambushed me!"


    Hai Teng was furious, caught off guard while he was speaking. Otherwise, he wouldn''t have been so embarrassed.


    However, Xu Hei''s strength was indeed beyond expectations, forcing him to get serious.


    "Immortal spell, Water Tornado!"


    Hai Teng shouted, and the surrounding seawater surged, forming tornadoes that circled around him, integrating offense and defense, making it impossible to get close.


    However, Xu Hei''s Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique had already reached the fifth level, allowing him to traverse any terrain as if it were flat ground, even ignoring some formations. This water tornado was useless!


    "Boom!!"


    In the next second, Hai Teng was hit again, blood spurting out as he was sent flying, while a large piece of flesh appeared in Xu Hei''s mouth, which he swallowed in one gulp.


    "This sea snake doesn''t taste great, not as good as lobster," Xu Hei commented.


    "You wretched creature, courting death!"


    In the distance, the sea eel was utterly enraged, lightning sparking in its eyes, ready to act. The dolphin army was also prepared to intercept.


    Hai Teng shouted, "Senior brother, don''t intervene, leave it to me!"


    The sea eel halted, the lightning in its eyes retracting.


    At this moment, Hai Teng hovered ten meters below the sea surface, the water tornado vanished, the churning seawater calmed, and his eyes were unprecedentedly calm.


    He stared at Xu Hei, took a deep breath, and released his cultivation, finally returning to the late stage of the demon core.


    The missing piece of flesh on his body was covered with a layer of sea beast leather. Instead of anger, a rare excitement appeared in Hai Teng''s eyes.


    "Body cultivation, it''s actually the rare body cultivation, and the cultivation technique you practice is the ancient White Emperor''s Diamond Suppression Technique, isn''t it?" Hai Teng said.


    This statement left Xu Hei stunned, and even the sea eel was taken aback.


    "I spent three years in the Scripture Repository, reading extensively, and hold great respect for the sages of humanity, so of course, I know the name of the White Emperor."


    Hai Teng stared at Xu Hei, speaking solemnly, "You have the qualification to make me go all out!"


    Xu Hei just shook his head, "You sure talk a lot of nonsense."


    At this moment, Hai Teng closed his eyes, and strange scenes appeared around him, images shifting, vaguely revealing the shadow of a giant dragon rising from the sea, its majestic gaze surveying the world, the dragon swimming across the seas, summoning winds and rain, lightning and thunder, the sea flooding, and all demons submitting.


    This scene seemed almost real, captivating and genuinely awe-inspiring. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Phenomenon! Junior Brother Hai Teng has actually cultivated a phenomenon of heaven and earth, this should be the Dragon King Patrolling the Seas phenomenon!" the sea eel exclaimed.


    Dragon King Patrolling the Seas, a phenomenon of heaven and earth.


    It was the first time Xu Hei heard such a term, sparking his curiosity.


    His eyes flashed, and he once again took the initiative to attack, using his pure physical body to charge into the phenomenon.


    However, this time, his movement was hindered, as if trapped in a muddy swamp, unable to move an inch, his speed slowing down.


    "Within my phenomenon, I am the absolute ruler!" Hai Teng declared.

 Chapter 275: Battle Sea Teng, Xu Heis strongest strike

    Chapter 275: Battle Sea Teng, Xu Hei''s strongest strike"Immortal Spell, Overturning Mountains and Seas!"


    Hai Teng shouted, and the seawater surged up like a towering mountain, crashing down on Xu Hei with the force of a collapsing sky. Within the phenomenon of the Dragon King Patrolling the Seas, the shadow of a giant dragon roared towards the heavens, its claw pressing forward with unstoppable might.


    At this moment, Hai Teng seemed to transform into a flood dragon, every movement carrying the power to destroy the heavens, making others feel insignificant, a stark contrast to before.


    "Xu Hei, watch out!" Bopu shouted.


    "Be careful!" Boqi echoed.


    This was Hai Teng''s full-force attack, with the strength of the late stage of the demon core, truly formidable.


    Xu Hei felt an intense sense of danger. He quickly held the Water Control Pearl in his mouth, gathering all the seawater in front of him to form a vortex. At the same time, he compressed his true essence madly, a faint golden hue appearing on his skin, a sign of his Diamond Suppression Technique reaching minor success!


    "Blood God Armor!"


    The Blood God Armor appeared on Xu Hei''s body, activating his strongest defense. He charged forward fearlessly, colliding with Hai Teng''s immortal spell like a blood dragon.


    "Boom!!"


    The earth shattered, mountains shook, and in that instant, it was as if a massive tsunami had been triggered, reducing the coral reefs below to dust.


    A sea eel snorted coldly, and the surging waves immediately halted, stabilizing the area.


    Within the dolphin group, experts also acted to steady the seawater.


    The scene ahead was obscured, only the clash of two giant serpents visible, followed by energy waves sweeping in all directions, creating terrifying heat waves that evaporated large swathes of seawater.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei was sent flying backward, crashing into the rocks on the seabed, creating a large pit, his bones nearly shattering. Hai Teng was also in bad shape, the phenomenon of heaven and earth blurred, and he spat blood, his aura weakened.


    Being injured by a wild serpent, and fighting beyond his level, was originally a great humiliation, but instead of being angry, Hai Teng laughed wildly.


    "Hahaha! Good! This is truly the heir of the White Emperor, such a body cultivator, I acknowledge you!" Hai Teng laughed maniacally.


    Xu Hei hid among the rocks, quickly swallowing an ancient spirit medicine to heal, his expression extremely grave.


    Although Hai Teng''s words were somewhat deranged, and he loudly announced his spells every time, making one speechless, he was indeed a formidable opponent, his strength rivaling even Lei He.


    As these thoughts flashed through his mind, Hai Teng shouted again, "Immortal Spell, Yellow Springs Burial!"


    With this move, Hai Teng''s aura plummeted rapidly, becoming weak.


    Xu Hei''s heart tightened, sensing imminent danger.


    "Not good!"


    He quickly summoned the Black Dragon Pagoda, merging with it without hesitation.


    "Boom!"


    At that moment, the circle of rocks and reefs on the seabed turned liquid, darkening in color to form a pitch-black surface, like the legendary Yellow Springs River, threatening to bury Xu Hei.


    The Black Dragon Pagoda was also trapped in the Yellow Springs River, sinking deeper, as the light of the world dimmed.


    "This is my strongest attack, Yellow Springs Burial. Once fully submerged, it will erase the soul directly, a certain death for anyone at the Demon Core Stage! How will you respond?" Hai Teng laughed.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s vision blurred, his consciousness fading, as if he truly would be erased by the Yellow Springs.


    Yet, Xu Hei''s mind calmed. He opened his mouth, revealing a tiny black light.


    This light, smaller than a grain of sand, was formed by compressing his true essence hundreds of times.


    As it appeared, all nearby light vanished, even creating a blank area in the Yellow Springs water, as if devoured.


    "What?" Hai Teng''s pupils contracted.


    "Whoosh!"


    The Black Dragon Pagoda disappeared, and Xu Hei reappeared.


    At this moment, a black light appeared on his horn, devouring everything around it. The Yellow Springs water couldn''t approach, and anything within thirty meters was silently consumed.


    Whether seawater or light, nothing could come near. That area, except for Xu Hei, turned black, as if even space was collapsing.


    "This is also my strongest attack!"


    Xu Hei''s gaze was grim, his body feeling weak, but in the next second, he rose up, charging at Hai Teng.


    Where the black light passed, seawater vanished, creating a vacuum world around Xu Hei. This terror was indescribable, enough to make anyone''s scalp tingle at a glance.


    "Hai Teng, retreat!" the sea eel urgently shouted.


    However, Hai Teng ignored it, his gaze fixed on the light, laughing excitedly.


    "Hahaha! This is the power of the White Emperor, the true body cultivation!"


    Hai Teng''s laughter grew more frenzied, and under the intense battle spirit, the Dragon King Patrolling the Seas phenomenon behind him became more solid, the dragon king''s shadow almost tangible, gradually merging with Hai Teng.


    At this moment, Hai Teng''s aura soared to its peak.


    "Xu Hei, among all the snake demons I''ve fought, I, Hai Teng, acknowledge you as the strongest!"


    With a shout, Hai Teng advanced instead of retreating, charging at Xu Hei with unstoppable momentum, like a moth to a flame.


    "You''re courting death!"


    The sea eel could no longer endure, rushing towards Hai Teng.


    His master had instructed him to follow Hai Teng, to prevent him from entering a berserk state, which even immortals couldn''t stop. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This condition, said to only appear in teenagers, was especially evident in Hai Teng.


    The master''s words were indeed true...


    At the same time, Hai Meng and a group of sea snakes arrived at the farthest point.


    "They''re fighting!"


    "How far has it gone?"


    They arrived late, too far to see which side was Hai Teng and which was Xu Hei.


    "The one with the upper hand must be my brother. He will surely win and crush the horned serpent to dust!" Hai Meng said confidently.


    The power ahead was too terrifying, one side devouring all light, the other with a phenomenon of heaven and earth, making them afraid to approach for fear of being caught in the crossfire.


    The dolphin army also charged out, ready to assist at any moment.


    "Whoosh!"


    In an instant, Xu Hei, with the black light above his head, crashed into the phenomenon of heaven and earth. Even the phenomenon was absorbed, leaving a void, space completely collapsing.


    Hai Teng also entered the void, his eyes filled not with fear, but extreme excitement.


    "Boom!!!"


    The black light suddenly contracted, as if reaching its limit, then exploded with a world-shaking blast.


    "Boom!!!"


    Seawater soared, shockwaves shook the sky, the earth crumbled, sun and moon dimmed, as if the entire seabed would collapse. Even the stability maintained by the dolphins was broken, scattering them in all directions with cries of alarm.


    In the chaos, a glimpse of an eel''s silhouette could be seen, rushing into the explosion''s center to rescue the unconscious Hai Teng, while Xu Hei also suffered a heavy blow, sent flying, caught by Bopu and Boqi.

 Chapter 276: Dolphin Clan, Xu Hei has benefited greatly

    Chapter 276: Dolphin Clan, Xu Hei has benefited greatlyThis time, the tremor was so intense that it created a deep abyss-like crack in the space within the seawater, resembling a void world, with seawater frantically pouring in.


    Staring at the pitch-black spatial rift, everyone fell silent, their eyes filled with shock.


    "What a terrifying strike, what kind of power is this?"


    "It''s too frightening! Even space can be torn apart. I''ve only heard that a human''s Minor Annihilation Talisman can achieve this!"


    All the demonic beasts held their breath, their eyes wide open.


    After about ten breaths, the rift slowly healed, and the space returned to its original state.


    The sea eel''s gaze was terrifyingly gloomy, with a clear intent to kill in its eyes.


    It was a close call! If he hadn''t rescued in time, a disaster might have occurred.


    This Hai Teng is a madman; he could have just dodged, but instead, he charged head-on, practically courting death!


    He quickly took out a pill and injected it into the unconscious Hai Teng, instantly stopping the bleeding.


    At this moment, Hai Teng''s entire body was covered in tattered scales, his flesh and blood a mess, with no intact area, and his internal organs severely damaged.


    "What a madman," the sea eel cursed inwardly.


    On the other side, Xu Hei was supported by Boqi, too weak to even move, his whole body limp and powerless, barely staying conscious.


    Xu Hei had dragon scales protecting his body, so externally he seemed fine, but internally he was severely injured, mostly self-inflicted.


    The opponent was at the late stage of the demon core, and Xu Hei had no other choice but to fight desperately.


    At all costs, compressing his true essence led to such consequences. It was his first time compressing his true essence so many times.


    The most severely injured part was his meridians. Except for that one dragon vein, all of Xu Hei''s other meridians were fractured, even shattered, making healing extremely troublesome.


    However, to Xu Hei''s surprise, that one dragon vein seemed to show signs of opening up?


    This brought him some joy, but his physical injuries didn''t allow him to be too happy too soon.


    "Xu Hei, how are you feeling, are you okay?" Bopu asked anxiously.


    "Are you okay?" Boqi echoed.


    Xu Hei barely mustered a breath and said, "I have a way to cure the poison affecting your elder."


    After saying this, Xu Hei fell into a state of unconsciousness.


    Before passing out, he also reminded Ji Ying to rush out and kill if he encountered danger.


    This was a double insurance.


    "He can cure Grandpa''s poison!?" Bopu was surprised.


    Bopu had no doubt about Xu Hei''s words. Anyone could see from the recent battle that Xu Hei had a significant background, rumored to be a descendant of the ancient White Emperor.


    They hadn''t heard of the White Emperor, but from Hai Teng''s tone, it was clear that the White Emperor''s descendant was no ordinary person and wouldn''t lie about such things!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, Hai Meng led a group of sea snakes to the scene.


    Seeing Hai Teng severely injured and unconscious, they were all thunderstruck, dumbfounded.


    "How could this happen?"


    "How could my brother be severely injured!?"


    Hai Meng couldn''t believe her eyes.


    In her eyes, her brother was invincible, unmatched among his peers, the future Flood Dragon, a kingly figure, how could he be beaten into unconsciousness?


    And by an unremarkable horned serpent!


    Such a stark contrast brought a violent shock, making Hai Meng feel like she was dreaming.


    "Senior Lei Man, what exactly happened? Why is my brother severely injured? The opponent must have had help, they must have used despicable means to ambush him, right?" Hai Meng hurriedly asked.


    Lei Man, however, had no mind to entertain her, carrying Hai Teng on his back, swimming towards the dolphin group.


    Seeing this, the dolphin group quickly gathered together, forming a wall of flesh, blocking the front.


    "Hand him over!"


    Lei Man stopped in front, uttering just two words.


    "This is the territory of the dolphins, sea eels are not welcome here!" Bopu said.


    "Not welcome!" Boqi echoed.


    Lei Man''s face darkened, coldly saying, "You are just a small branch of the dolphin family, and you dare to challenge me. Do you know who I am?"


    "I don''t care who you are!" Bopu said.


    "Don''t care who you are!"


    "Who are you!"


    "Who!"


    A group of dolphins echoed.


    Lei Man''s face twitched, revealing a row of sinister teeth, with thunderous anger brewing in his eyes. As an electric eel, his temper was not good at all.


    At this moment, an old dolphin swam up behind the group of young dolphins.


    "Friend Lei, apologies, but we cannot hand over this horned serpent to you!" The old dolphin''s voice was calm, yet his tone left no room for doubt.


    Lei Man''s gaze shifted, staring at the old dolphin for a long time before nodding.


    "In that case, I won''t insist, farewell!"


    Without any extra words, Lei Man supported Hai Teng and turned to leave, leaving only a silhouette behind.


    This large sea eel, twenty meters long, with a flat body and a mouth full of sharp teeth, was a bad-tempered thunder-type sea eel, definitely not one to be trifled with.


    The old dolphin''s eyes were solemn, waving his fin, he said, "Retreat, let''s go home."


    "Yes!"


    The dolphins carried Xu Hei back to their territory.


    The recent battle had wreaked havoc on the coral group, but fortunately, their territory was vast, with countless underwater nests and cave dwellings, all with beautiful scenery.


    They placed Xu Hei in a sea cave, cared for by the siblings Bopu and Boqi, while the other dolphins returned home.


    This sea cave was Boqi''s nest, filled with human objects, various emeralds, diamonds, and shiny things, placed everywhere.


    There was also a moonstone hanging at the top, making the sea cave as bright as daylight.


    "I don''t know what Xu Hei likes to eat, Boqi, go catch a turtle for him to nourish himself," Bopu said.


    "Okay."


    Boqi swam out to hunt, and soon brought back a snapping turtle.


    The snapping turtle was still alive, placed next to Xu Hei.


    "But he''s still unconscious, how do we feed him?" Bopu pondered.


    Suddenly, the snapping turtle opened its mouth and bit towards Xu Hei''s tail.


    "Swish!"


    In an instant, a pitch-black shadow darted out from the gap between Xu Hei''s dragon scales and then darted back.


    In just a moment, the snapping turtle was reduced to a skeleton.


    This startled the siblings.


    "What was that just now?"


    "What was that?"


    The siblings looked at each other in confusion, unable to see anything clearly.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­ S§×ar?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In the blink of an eye, a night passed.


    The next day, Xu Hei slowly woke up, his whole body in unbearable pain. He took a thousand-year-old Spirit Medicine, along with healing pills and meridian-repairing pills, and meditated for another half day. It wasn''t until noon that he felt rejuvenated.


    To fully recover would still take some time.


    The Diamond Suppression Technique, forcibly compressing true essence hundreds of times, came at a great cost, no wonder it was exclusive to body cultivators. If it were someone with a weak body, it wouldn''t just be a matter of fractured meridians.


    Their entire body might collapse and die.


    "Those black particles have immense destructive power, but the cost is equally great, ordinary meridians simply can''t withstand it!"


    Xu Hei thought to himself, that was an ultimate technique that could only be performed when the Diamond Suppression Technique was mastered to a minor level.


    At this moment, his first dragon vein showed signs of being opened, just one step away, and with a day of seclusion, he could complete it.


    This was an unexpected joy.


    The battle with Hai Teng had benefited him greatly.

 Chapter 277: Dolphin Clan, Healing the Great Poisoning

    Chapter 277: Dolphin Clan, Healing the Great PoisoningXu Hei spread out his Divine Sense to observe the surroundings.


    This was a dolphin''s cave dwelling, located underwater, with bright lighting. From the interior setup, it seemed to be Boqi''s cave dwelling, adorned with decorations only seen in the human world.


    Various pearls and gemstones, anything colorful, were collected and hung on the walls.


    The crescent-shaped purple jade that Xu Hei had gifted earlier was hung in the most conspicuous spot.


    Xu Hei thought for a moment and took out some more human items to embellish the surroundings.


    "Brother Xu Hei, you''re awake!"


    A voice came from outside the cave. S§×arch* The n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bopu swam over with a basket of box turtles and entered the cave.


    Boqi followed beside him but remained silent and listless.


    "I heard you love eating turtles, so I specially brought you a specialty from Turtle Island. Come and try it." Bopu placed the box turtles on the ground.


    "I love eating turtles?" Xu Hei was taken aback. He had no idea.


    "You don''t know, but when you were unconscious, as soon as a turtle was placed beside you, it would be devoured in seconds. It was that fast," Bopu laughed.


    "..." Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    He immediately guessed that it was Ji Ying''s doing.


    After Ji Ying formed its core, its intelligence was high, and it wouldn''t miss such food delivered to its mouth.


    "Huh?" Xu Hei glanced at Boqi and asked in confusion, "Why isn''t she repeating?"


    Upon hearing this, Boqi lowered her head, eyes full of grievance, almost on the verge of tears.


    Bopu sighed and said, "At the family meeting earlier, she mimicked the elders speaking and got punished."


    "..." Xu Hei was speechless.


    He could already imagine what the family meeting looked like.


    The elders speaking above, the younger ones repeating below, caught red-handed, how embarrassing.


    "I just mimicked her for a couple of sentences, and they punished me with a month of confinement, boohoo!" Boqi''s eyes were brimming with tears, her fins touching each other.


    At this moment, Xu Hei suddenly had a flash of inspiration and remembered a joke he learned in human life.


    "Boqi, let me tell you a joke," Xu Hei said with a smile.


    "What joke?"


    Boqi''s eyes lit up, eagerly looking over, and Bopu also listened curiously.


    Xu Hei said, "Once upon a time, there was a pufferfish, it swam and swam, swam into the sea, and then... it turned into a dolphin."


    "Puff puff puff!"


    "Hahaha!"


    The two dolphins laughed in unison, Boqi laughed until tears came out, rolling on the ground.


    Xu Hei just watched them quietly, saying nothing.


    To be honest, he didn''t find the joke particularly funny, but since it was dolphin-related, he told it, not expecting such a good effect.


    So, Xu Hei laughed along with them.


    The inheritance of Wuyou City, Xu Hei, having lived a life as a human, though just a void memory, unknowingly influenced him, adding something extra to him.


    Even Xu Hei himself didn''t know what it was.


    "By the way, the elder specifically instructed me to bring you over once you woke up," Bopu said.


    Xu Hei nodded, glanced at Boqi, who was still laughing uncontrollably, and helplessly turned to leave.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the dolphin territory, there was a dolphin palace.


    Dome-shaped and square, entirely blue, its appearance was not much different from a human palace, just with more entrances and exits for easy access.


    Led by Bopu, Xu Hei entered the palace. He could sense that the weak aura was inside the palace.


    An older dolphin appeared before Xu Hei, the same one that negotiated with Lei Man yesterday.


    "Young friend Xu Hei, I am the patriarch of the Bo clan of the dolphin family, Bo Xi," the old dolphin introduced himself.


    "Greetings, sir," Xu Hei replied.


    "I heard that you can cure the poison afflicting our elder. If it''s true, how can we ask for your help?" Bo Xi asked sincerely.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and said, "I can''t guarantee a cure, but I can give it a try."


    He didn''t make any absolute promises, leaving a way out.


    Bo Xi was overjoyed and said, "As long as there''s a chance, whether or not you can cure him, as long as you can alleviate the pain, our Bo clan is willing to offer any reward."


    "Please follow me."


    Bo Xi quickly led the way, and Xu Hei followed.


    Inside the palace, there were some basements and small rooms.


    They entered a dark entrance and came into a room.


    The room was isolated from the outside, with no seawater, and the air was dry. However, dolphins at the Demon Core Stage could already float without needing water.


    On a bare stone slab lay a dolphin with a shriveled body. His body was covered with various purple spots, emitting a strong, pungent odor. His once massive body had shrunk, and long without contact with water, his vitality was nearly depleted.


    "What a strong poison," Xu Hei''s heart sank.


    This dolphin''s cultivation had reached the Elemental Infant Stage, stronger than the patriarch.


    At least, this Bo Xi patriarch had not yet successfully formed a Nascent Soul, only at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, close to a false infant state.


    To poison an Elemental Infant Stage demonic beast, the toxicity must be incredibly potent.


    "This is my brother, Bonan, also the only Demon Infant Stage genius of our clan. He was ambushed by an assassin from the sea serpent family during his Nascent Soul formation. Although he succeeded, he was severely injured."


    "He doesn''t dare enter the sea, as the poison would spread with the seawater, penetrating every dolphin''s body, possibly leading to a catastrophe. He can only seal himself on land, but as a result, his vitality is dwindling."


    Bo Xi''s voice was heavy, filled with anger and helplessness.


    Xu Hei stared at Bonan''s body, his Divine Sense probing for a long time before moving closer.


    "Young friend Xu Hei, be careful, this poison can also permeate the air!" Bo Xi reminded.


    Xu Hei approached Bonan. This Demon Infant Stage powerhouse seemed to sense a presence nearby, a look of vigilance appearing between his brows, his power surging. But after Bo Xi secretly transmitted a message, he calmed down.


    "Young friend, don''t blame me for being cautious. I don''t know your background or true identity, so some precautions are inevitable. Please refrain from any actions that might be misunderstood as dangerous during the treatment, as I fear I might unintentionally harm someone," Bonan said.


    Although he was poisoned, he still had some strength. For the safety of the clan, he had to be cautious. If anything happened to him, the entire Bo clan would face big trouble.


    "I understand."


    Xu Hei nodded and took out an ancient Spirit Medicine of ten thousand years.


    In Wuyou City, he had obtained a total of ten Spirit Medicines over ten thousand years, which were also useful for the Elemental Infant Stage. What he took out was the Purifying Lotus, capable of purifying the body.


    "This is..." Bonan immediately fell silent.


    Xu Hei only clipped a small petal from the Purifying Lotus, put away the main body, and used the Gravity Technique to deliver the petal.


    "Take this medicine and try to expel the poison from your body."


    Xu Hei didn''t start with Xu Bai''s pill but first used a small amount of ancient Spirit Medicine to assist in expelling the toxin, the safest approach.


    "Alright!"


    Bonan took a deep breath, eyes filled with determination, and absorbed the petal into his body. Then, he circulated the nearly exhausted power of his Demon Infant, fully refining it, concentrating the toxin on the surface of his skin.


    "Ha!" Bonan let out a low shout, cold sweat oozing from his body, veins bulging.


    Gradually, a large purple spot appeared on his abdomen, the color becoming more vivid and dark, as if it would turn into poisonous water and drip out.


    Xu Hei stepped back slightly, his eyes flashing, and took out a purple gourd.


    This gourd was the Magical Treasure he had obtained from the mechanism box, the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, capable of storing all kinds of poisons.

 Chapter 278: Encountering pursuit, Xu Hei fled at full speed

    Chapter 278: Encountering pursuit, Xu Hei fled at full speedXu Hei activated the gourd, drawing in the air from a distance. The purple mark on Bonan''s abdomen gradually seeped out, releasing wisps of mist that were absorbed into the gourd.


    As time passed, more and more mist was drawn out, forming a visible bridge of purple energy between the gourd and Bonan.


    The poisonous mist was continuously extracted, and the poison spots on Bonan''s skin began to fade.


    "It really works!"


    Bo Xi, watching from behind, was shocked, his heart filled with excitement and joy.


    After about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, Xu Hei took out a small piece of petal and had Bonan consume it, continuing the extraction process. This step was repeated three times before he finally stopped.


    At this moment, the poison spots on Bonan''s body had reduced by half, and their color had significantly lightened.


    Bonan gasped for breath, drenched in sweat from the effort of expelling the poison, which was a great strain on him.


    "This poison is too stubborn to be removed in a short time. Rest for now, and I''ll return in three days."


    Xu Hei put away the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd.


    Bonan took a long time to catch his breath before nodding.


    "Alright! As you say."


    Bonan got up and looked towards the clan leader in the distance, "Brother, prepare some food for me."


    Bo Xi was momentarily stunned and said, "You can eat now?"


    "That''s right, this young friend''s detoxification is effective. I feel hungry," Bonan replied.


    Bo Xi was moved to tears. Since Bonan had sealed himself, he hadn''t touched a drop of water or a morsel of food, and his vitality was nearly exhausted.


    He wiped away his tears and nodded heavily, "I''ll prepare it right away."


    Xu Hei also left the room.


    "Young friend," Bonan called out, hesitating for a moment before lowering his head, "Thank you."


    Xu Hei said nothing, just smiled calmly.


    Being thanked was extremely rare in his life. He had spent most of his life plundering and killing, rarely helping others voluntarily.


    Even this time, he acted because the Dolphin Clan had helped him.


    "I have some pills here, but their effects are too strong. Your body is too weak now to handle them. I''ll give them to you once you''ve recovered enough."


    Xu Hei said this to increase his importance.


    Bonan nodded repeatedly, "Alright! During this time, if you have any needs, just let me know, and I''ll arrange it."


    "Yes, our Dolphin Clan has plenty of resources. Whatever you need, just say the word, no need to be polite!" Bo Xi chimed in.


    "We''ll talk after the treatment is complete," Xu Hei smiled, flew out of the room, and left the Dolphin Palace.


    Only then did he realize that a large group of dolphins had gathered outside the palace, waiting for the results.


    "Chief, how is it?"


    "Is Bonan alright?"


    The dolphins hurriedly gathered to ask.


    Bo Xi smiled, "No need to worry, Bonan''s condition has improved, thanks to this young friend who drove out the poison!"


    Upon hearing this, all the dolphins were moved to tears, looking at Xu Hei with gratitude.


    "Thank you, young friend!"


    "You''re our savior!"


    "You saved our Bo clan."


    Voices of gratitude filled the air.


    Xu Hei felt a bit uncomfortable and quickly swam away from the place.


    His small island wasn''t far from here, only an hour''s full-speed journey. He planned to return and meditate for two days, open the first dragon vein, and then come back to continue the detoxification.


    Although he was reluctant to part with the Purifying Lotus, a rare spirit medicine, he had made up his mind to help to the end. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "People have connections, dragons have dragon veins, the Dolphin Clan is my first dragon vein," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Hearing that Xu Hei was leaving, Bopu initially wanted to see him off but thought better of it, considering Xu Hei might not like being followed, and decided against it.


    He just reminded Xu Hei to be careful on the road.


    ...


    Xu Hei rested for a night, enjoyed a sumptuous meal, and quietly left the Dolphin Clan early the next morning.


    He split into an external incarnation, taking two routes and leaving various misleading signs, circling the Dolphin Clan several times before heading to his island.


    He wasn''t worried about the Dolphin Clan; it was just a habit.


    Xu Hei moved at full speed, swimming for more than half an hour, getting closer to his island.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei felt a chill, as if he was being targeted. This feeling was familiar; he had experienced it after coming out of the trench.


    "Being watched again! Who is it?"


    Xu Hei''s mind flashed, quickly thinking of Hai Teng, Hai Meng, and that sea eel.


    It couldn''t be the Dolphin Clan; if they wanted to act, they wouldn''t have waited until now. Besides, after these two days of interaction, Xu Hei didn''t believe anyone in the Dolphin Clan harbored ill intentions.


    Moreover, Xu Hei''s departure was silent, from an inconspicuous spot, absolutely unnoticed.


    "I didn''t notify anyone, nor did I leave any signs. How did they lock onto me?"


    "And last time, after coming out of the trench, it was the same. How did they find me?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were serious. He had to understand the principle behind this tracking ability and find a way to counter it, or he could be ambushed at any time.


    Xu Hei''s mind raced. Whether it was Hai Teng or Hai Meng, he didn''t intend to fight.


    Xu Hei pushed his speed to the limit, activating the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique to the extreme, his tail thrashing wildly, stirring up waves, while biting the Water Control Pearl to manipulate the sea, maximizing his speed!


    "Whoosh!"


    A streak of light cut through the sea, heading towards the island at full speed, creating waves a thousand feet high in its wake. Such speed was astonishing.


    "Friend, please wait, I mean no harm!"


    A shout came from the distant sky.


    The next moment, a bolt of lightning struck from the distant seabed, turning the entire sea surface blue and purple, electric arcs dancing, aiming at Xu Hei''s back.


    Xu Hei''s expression changed, and he quickly leaped out of the water.


    "Boom!!"


    A thunderous explosion sounded beneath him, blasting the sea into a thousand-foot abyss, water splashing like a torrential rain. Xu Hei had just left the water when he was struck by lightning, his body paralyzed, flung forward.


    No harm, this was supposed to be no harm? Fortunately, Xu Hei didn''t hesitate for even a second, or he would have taken a direct hit.


    "I can''t stay in the water; I must get to the sky!"


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth, soared into the air, and continued at full speed without slowing down.


    The opponent was Lei Man, that Great Perfection Golden Core sea eel. He was definitely not a match. Xu Hei hadn''t expected to be so cautious, yet still be targeted.


    "Whoosh!"


    Another bolt of lightning shot from an unknown distance, exploding in the water. However, Xu Hei was already in mid-air, dodging the attack in time.


    Xu Hei breathed a sigh of relief. This lightning technique traveled far in water but couldn''t effectively hit him in the air.


    "Beast, stop!"


    The opponent stopped pretending, shouting arrogantly. The sea eel frantically flapped its fins, electric arcs dancing all over its body, charging forward with sparks and lightning.


    Lei Man''s speed was among the top tier among sea beasts, with lightning-enhanced movement, few in the same realm could surpass him. He was confident in chasing down Xu Hei.


    But to Lei Man''s shock, Xu Hei''s speed wasn''t slow either!


    Despite being at a much lower realm, he could keep up! How was this possible?

 Chapter 279: Return to the Small Island, King of Survival Competition

    chapter 279: return to the small island, king of survival competition"what terrifying speed! no wonder hai teng lost to him; there''s definitely something special about him!"


    lei man squinted his eyes, the killing intent in his gaze growing even stronger.


    being pursued, xu hei couldn''t afford to hesitate. he took out a conch shell and blew into it.


    this was the summoning conch given to him by bo xi, the chieftain of the dolphin clan, at last night''s banquet. bo xi had said that as long as the conch was blown, any dolphin that heard it would quickly spread the word, and the dolphin clan would rush to his aid at top speed.


    he hadn''t expected to use it so soon after leaving the dolphin clan.


    "a summoning conch? the dolphin clan even gave him this? what exactly did this serpent do?"


    lei man''s heart sank. he gritted his teeth and accelerated, the lightning around his body becoming even more dazzling.


    xu hei also increased his speed. for every bit lei man sped up, xu hei matched it, maintaining the distance between them.


    at this range, unless they were in the sea, lei man''s lightning couldn''t strike from such a distance.


    "hmph! let''s see how long you can keep up with this endurance game!"


    lei man wasn''t in a hurry. his opponent was only at the early stage of the demon core, while he was at the great perfection. even if xu hei could match his speed, how could he compete in endurance? their true essence reserves were at least ten times apart.


    xu hei realized this too.


    the greatest advantage of the great perfection of the golden core was endurance. with countless years of accumulation, although they hadn''t broken through to the elemental infant stage, their true essence had become increasingly profound.


    xu hei''s eyes flashed. facing such a formidable enemy, ordinary magical treasures were useless, and even the black dragon pagoda might not work.


    he thought of the ten thousand poison gourd.


    this gourd wasn''t considered a top-tier treasure, but the toxins it contained were potent enough to poison even those at the elemental infant stage. xu hei had studied it last night and didn''t dare touch it directly, which showed its power.


    the downside was that the poison was difficult to control, essentially borrowing external force.


    "let''s test it on you first."


    with a thought, the ten thousand poison gourd appeared, releasing a cloud of purple mist that spread backward. it wasn''t long before lei man charged straight into the purple mist.


    "ahhh!!"


    the next second, a blood-curdling scream came from behind, more harrowing than a pig being slaughtered.


    xu hei didn''t look back, nor did he care if the opponent was truly poisoned. he released another wisp of purple mist and shot forward, widening the distance.


    "you wretched beast, you''ll die a horrible death!"


    curses came from behind, but the voice gradually faded away.


    with this obstruction, xu hei managed to shake off his pursuer.


    "what a fierce poison!"


    xu hei was secretly alarmed, looking at the gourd in his hand. suddenly, he felt a burning pain all over his body, and quickly put the gourd away in shock.


    "could it be that even i''m getting poisoned?"


    his vision darkened, and his consciousness spun. he took a deep breath, fully activating the demon god cauldron to absorb the toxins within him and refine them.


    after several breaths, xu hei stabilized and continued forward.


    however, lei man was nowhere to be seen.


    that faint sense of being locked onto still lingered, so xu hei didn''t dare be careless. he accelerated, returning to his island at top speed.


    ...


    at this moment, lei man stood in place, taking several breaths to suppress the deadly poison within him.


    his expression grew darker, the killing intent in his eyes almost tangible.


    he had seen the purple poison mist and hadn''t paid it much mind, nor had he intended to avoid it, merely holding an obstacle-avoiding pill. who knew it would be useless, and he would suffer because of a single misstep?


    "what kind of poison is this? why is it so bizarre that even i''ve never encountered it?"


    lei man squinted his eyes. he had tried various antidote pills earlier, all ineffective, and had to rely solely on his cultivation to expel the poison.


    why hadn''t xu hei used such poison in his earlier battle with hai teng, only to bring it out now?


    either xu hei had just obtained it, or the poison had significant limitations, or perhaps both.


    "i must use my trump card. even if it means burning my lifespan, i must capture you today."


    lei man''s gaze was sinister. from his back, bones extended, transforming into a pair of thunderous wings. in the next second, his figure flashed explosively, the wings vibrating, creating a sound of wind and thunder as he broke through the air, his speed doubling from before!


    ...


    on the island, in the sky pavilion.


    tianji shangren had rested for two days and planned to go out today, but upon calculating, he found that today was not a good day.


    he had previously calculated that today was suitable for travel, so why the sudden change? he felt a shadow looming, as if a disaster was imminent.


    "better reinforce the formation."


    tianji shangren never doubted his intuition, quickly taking out formation flags and placing them around the pavilion.


    meanwhile, in another cave dwelling.


    han te also felt something was off recently. he wasn''t sure if it was just his imagination, but he always felt like someone had been on the island.


    sometimes, while deep in cultivation, he even heard human voices.


    "damn it, could someone have come up here? but my formation clearly hasn''t detected anything!"


    han te immediately donned a transparent cloak, stuck on an invisibility talisman, and searched the island, but didn''t see a soul. s~ea??h the n??el fire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "could it be a ghost?"


    han te''s expression was uncertain.


    his eyes flickered, and he immediately took out a large pile of homemade landmines, burying them underground. numerous bombs were also hidden around the cave dwelling, ready to detonate at any moment.


    these were his handmade creations, and with his artifact refining skills, they could easily kill a core formation stage cultivator.


    against stronger opponents, he could use smoke bombs to trap them and escape.


    he had finally reached a critical point in his breakthrough, and this was a feng shui treasure land; he didn''t want to relocate.


    thus, one person set up formations, and the other buried mines, proceeding methodically on the island.


    time slowly passed, about half an hour later.


    unknowingly, han te had buried mines in a corner of the island, and tianji shangren had also walked there.


    suddenly, han te''s heart tightened, and he looked to the sky.


    at the same time, tianji shangren''s eyelid twitched, and he looked at the ground.


    at that moment, time seemed to freeze.


    in mid-air, the white-bearded elder was shrouded in smoke and clouds, concealing all his aura, like an immortal descending to the mortal world. on the ground, the purple-haired youth was covered in invisibility talismans, completely transparent, like a ghost walking.


    their distance was almost face-to-face, just shy of mouth-to-mouth.


    had they not bumped into each other, so close that they could smell each other''s breath, they would never have discovered the other''s presence.


    "too close!"


    a signal of caution simultaneously flashed in both their minds, their expressions changing drastically as they quickly retreated a hundred feet away.


    "it''s that old man who steals people''s fortunes!"


    "it''s that purple-haired charlatan?"


    both had seen each other before, and the same thought crossed their minds.


    "why am i encountering him here?"


    "what is he doing?"


    staring at each other, they were momentarily bewildered.


    no time to ponder further, suddenly, from afar, there was a flash of lightning and thunder, rapidly approaching, the sound like a terrifying wave, the momentum overwhelming.


    they looked up to see a massive electric eel, filled with rage, speeding towards them.


    the eel''s cultivation had reached the great perfection of the golden core, seemingly tracking something.


    "wretched beast, you''re at death''s door. once i catch you, i''ll skin you alive and pull out your tendons. no matter what tricks you have, it''s a dead end!" lei man''s voice thundered like a storm.


    "whoosh!"


    a black horned serpent shot past them in an instant.


    only then did they see clearly that the eel was chasing xu hei!


    and just as xu hei arrived, the formation in the cave dwelling he had left behind lit up, space rippling as a teleportation array appeared.


    as the light brightened, a dog-headed phantom gradually solidified, emerging from the spatial rift.


    "little xu actually found such a place, not bad, a feng shui treasure land, truly rare!" the dog head praised.

 Chapter 280: Return to the island, Lei Man suffers persecution

    chapter 280: return to the island, lei man suffers persecutionhei huang arrived and first sniffed around with his dog nose, his eyes widening in surprise.


    "what is this place? did i come to the wrong spot?"


    with a sweep of his divine sense, hei huang discovered numerous dangerous formations scattered everywhere, left behind by who knows whom.


    underground, there were countless landmines and explosives.


    at the edge of the island, there were also the auras of two humans.


    in the far distance, a great perfection golden core stage electric sea eel was roaring and charging towards them.


    hei huang was completely bewildered. would xu hei really choose such a place as a foothold?


    "body swap!"


    suddenly, a puppet inside the cave dwelling vanished, replaced by xu hei''s figure, looking rather disheveled.


    "what on earth happened on this island?"


    xu hei''s face was grim as he recalled the recent encounter, feeling cold sweat all over, having narrowly escaped death. s§×ar?h the n?vel(f)ire.n§×t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    if not for his ever-changing fish and dragon technique that allowed him to bypass formations, and if he hadn''t left a puppet in the cave dwelling, he might not have made it back.


    moreover, he seemed to have seen two familiar figures just now.


    "old dog, what''s going on on this island?" xu hei shouted.


    "how the hell should i know?" hei huang retorted angrily.


    as they spoke, the giant sea eel outside leaped from the sea, its thunderous wings shaking as it charged towards xu hei''s location.


    "vile beast, prepare to die!"


    lei man''s roar echoed across the island.


    "boom!!"


    suddenly, he collided with a formation, producing a bell-like sound that left him dizzy and seeing stars.


    immediately after, it felt as if a mountain was pressing down on him, with gravity increasing sharply, nearly pinning him to the ground.


    "heh, there''s still a formation left? such a child''s play can''t trap me?"


    lei man sneered inwardly. when he was learning to counter formations in the penglai sea, his opponent hadn''t even been born yet.


    "lightning burst!"


    lei man shouted, his body exploding with dazzling lightning, sweeping in all directions, causing thunderous roars, sending dust flying, and churning the sea, destroying large swathes of formations.


    this resistance triggered countless restrictions, setting off another wave of formations that exploded towards him.


    "boom! boom! boom!..."


    the continuous explosions left lei man charred all over, his blood and energy surging, with countless wind blades slicing across him, leaving scars.


    lei man''s eyes were red with anger.


    "i''ll swallow you alive!"


    though there were many third-tier formations, they posed no threat to him. as a demon core stage sea beast, his golden core was already full, storing an unknown amount of true essence.


    outlast him? how many formations do you have that can exhaust him? ridiculous!


    "vile beast, you can''t escape!"


    lei man gritted his teeth, a layer of thunder armor appearing on his body, like a thunder god descending, charging towards the depths of the island.


    this scene left han te and tianji shangren dumbfounded from afar.


    they weren''t fools; it was clear that lei man was targeting xu hei. but their cave dwelling was also on this island, and if a battle broke out, they would be caught in the crossfire.


    "this has nothing to do with me, you guys have fun, i''m out."


    without a second thought, han te decided to flee. his cave dwelling was valuable, but his life was more important, and this was clearly beyond his involvement.


    he didn''t flee immediately but first created an external incarnation to scout ahead.


    but as soon as his incarnation left the island and swam a short distance from the sea, a poisonous arrow suddenly shot from the water.


    the arrow pierced his incarnation, which struggled briefly before dissolving into a puddle of spiritual liquid.


    "damn it! there are sea snakes here too!" han te''s face turned dark.


    these sea snakes were clearly targeting xu hei, surrounding the island to prevent escape.


    even he got caught in the crossfire!


    "you guys fight, what does it have to do with me? i''m just a passerby!" han te shouted angrily at the sea.


    "whoosh! whoosh!"


    two more jets of poison shot towards him, and han te quickly dodged, his face turning as black as coal.


    "you bastards, trying to drag me down with you? you won''t get away with it!" han te fumed.


    tianji shangren''s face was even darker. liu buqun, wang qin, and wang ding were in his cave dwelling, which he had spent a fortune to build. how could it be destroyed?


    "vile beast, you''re courting death!" tianji shangren''s gaze was sinister as he formed a spell.


    xu hei, hiding in the cave dwelling, also formed a spell, activating the nine-square grid killing formation, bombarding lei man outside.


    at the same time.


    the sea eel was surrounded by countless formations, with various booming sounds descending, wind blades, fireballs, thunder and lightning, underworld corpse dissolution, yellow spring devouring, tai chi divine light... all bombarding it, leaving it unable to approach, dazzled, enduring at least a thousand different attacks in just a moment!


    the next second, another wave of destruction arrived, with thousands of destructive formations descending from the sky, each reaching the third tier.


    lei man''s expression finally changed.


    ten formations could be endured, a hundred could be barely managed, but how to withstand a thousand? wasn''t this exaggerated?


    was this the work of a snake?


    "what kind of place is this, what kind of island is this?" lei man''s face turned black.


    as a great perfection golden core, ordinary third-tier formations were nothing to him, his true essence shield could block them, but so many piled together, was this something a human could do?


    even he, facing so many formations, would be skinned alive if not killed.


    "no, i need to hide!"


    lei man gritted his teeth, intending to burrow into the ground.


    but as soon as he touched the ground, a white light suddenly lit up.


    this white light wasn''t just one or two, nor ten or a hundred, but thousands, densely packed, covering the island in a white glow.


    at the same time, countless destructive waves crashed towards him, all the white lights converging here.


    "no!!!"


    lei man let out a piercing scream.


    "boom!!" "boom!!" "boom!!" "boom!!"...


    the earth shook, tsunamis roared, the entire island trembled as if it would be blasted into the sky. if not for the numerous defensive formations left here, it would have been destroyed.


    attacks came from above and below, leaving no place to hide, with formations everywhere, rocks flying, dust rising, the tremors spreading for miles, even the fish in the sea fled in all directions, trying to escape this apocalyptic zone.


    "ah!!"


    a scream came from the center of the island, quickly drowned out by more violent explosions.


    lei man''s protective true essence was shattered, his skin blasted open, his flesh torn apart, his bones charred black, with no part of his body unscathed, even his wings were blown off.


    normally, attacks that felt like a tickle, when multiplied by thousands, caused a qualitative change, even he couldn''t withstand it, leaving him severely injured and on the brink of death.


    "damn, you guys made such a big fuss just to catch a fish?"


    hei huang was dumbfounded.


    he felt like he couldn''t keep up with the pace of events.

 Chapter 281: Grilled eel, a heavenly delicacy

    chapter 281: grilled eel, a heavenly delicacyoutside the island, in the sea.


    hai meng stared at the island ahead, which was constantly shaking, and gasped in shock, "what a terrifying commotion. why do i have a bad feeling about this?"


    she had followed lei man''s orders all the way here, not letting any creature escape, but it seemed lei man had run into big trouble and couldn''t even protect himself.


    "elder sister, what should we do?"


    the other three sea serpents hesitated.


    "how should i know?"


    hai meng gritted her teeth. she also wanted to avenge her brother and take down that damned horned serpent.


    after a brief moment of contemplation, she steeled her heart, took out a snake scale, and flung it into the depths of the sea.


    calling for family support was only to be used in emergencies, but for revenge, she didn''t hesitate to use it.


    "this should be a safe bet," hai meng said with a fierce look in her eyes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    at this moment.


    after enduring a barrage of attacks, lei man had used a pile of protective magical treasures, even resorting to his ultimate moves, yet he was still severely injured, his life hanging by a thread.


    he finally realized that the formations and traps on this island were not set by one person but by three.


    he had been tricked, and badly!


    even more absurd was that the three parties seemed not to know each other and were wary of one another. he was merely passing by and accidentally became the target of everyone''s concentrated fire.


    "fellow daoist, it''s a misunderstanding! i just accidentally intruded here, with no ill intentions. please let me leave!"


    lei man''s body was stiff, his breath weak, as he anxiously shouted at tianji shangren, who was looking down from the sky.


    at this moment, countless formations were suspended above him, various trapping formations, dragon-locking formations, and pitfall formations, surrounding him so tightly that he couldn''t move.


    tianji shangren and han te were both watching him from a distance, their expressions not looking good.


    xu hei was also hiding in his cave dwelling, staring at lei man with a ruthless look in his eyes.


    "alright! i never kill, you may leave."


    tianji shangren nodded and waved his hand, releasing the three sealing formations.


    "thank you! thank you, fellow daoist!"


    lei man, as if granted amnesty, breathed a long sigh of relief and got up to leave.


    but just as he let his guard down, tianji shangren cast another spell, and the sealing formations instantly transformed into a guillotine that fell with lightning speed, leaving a slash on his back, nearly cutting him in half.


    "ah!!"


    lei man screamed miserably, slashed to the ground, triggering several more landmines that exploded with a burst of blood and a heartrending wail.


    xu hei remained expressionless as the blood killing sword flew out, slashing lei man relentlessly.


    "you despicable scoundrels, worse than pigs and dogs, you''ll all die horribly!"


    lei man howled in despair, his voice filled with hatred and hopelessness.


    he regretted it, regretted coming to this damned place, regretted encountering such unreasonable people.


    "who taught you those lines? demonic beasts don''t talk like that!" tianji shangren said indifferently.


    he originally didn''t want to get involved, but this demonic beast was clearly ruthless and vengeful, letting it go would lead to future troubles, so he decided to eliminate it completely.


    lei man''s voice was miserable as he cursed, "old bastard, purple-headed man, and that beast, you''re all finished. dare to kill me, you''ll all die!"


    with a thought, he spat out a mouthful of soul blood, imprinting the images of the three figures before him into the soul blood.


    han te cursed, "what does this have to do with me? you stepped on it yourself, i didn''t do anything!"


    "whoosh!"


    lei man didn''t care, the soul blood shot out at an incredible speed, traversing the void, about to fly away, unstoppable by any formation.


    everyone''s expressions changed simultaneously.


    but in the next second, the drop of soul blood suddenly froze in mid-air, as if attracted by something.


    then, the soul blood flew back, swallowed by a dog''s head.


    "soul blood is such a precious thing, don''t waste it," hei huang said with a smile, patting his belly contentedly.


    "what?!"


    lei man was dumbfounded as if struck by lightning.


    where did this dog''s head come from?


    would it ever end?


    and judging by the expressions of the other two, it seemed they didn''t know this dog''s head either.


    "recently, i''ve been feeling a bit weak, wanted to eat some seafood to replenish," hei huang''s eyes glowed red as he stared at the sea eel.


    "you want to eat me, just you?"


    lei man''s sinister gaze swept around, scanning the four figures surrounding him.


    though he was at his wit''s end, as a strong cultivator at the demon core stage, he could still take down these low-level beings in a desperate counterattack. if he was going to die, he''d take them with him. did they really think he was easy prey?


    moments later¡ª


    lei man lay in a large pit, lifeless, surrounded by shattered space, the entire island in ruins.


    just before lei man''s death, an illusory figure emerged from his body, glanced at everyone, but was swallowed by hei huang in less than a second.


    the identity of that figure was unknown, but its true form was definitely an elemental infant stage cultivator.


    everyone looked at each other, eyes wide, the atmosphere unusually silent.


    "this has nothing to do with me, farewell!"


    tianji shangren didn''t want to linger for a moment, quickly returning to the pavilion and leaving with the three people inside, stepping on clouds, swiftly retreating.


    "you can''t escape, you were part of killing this eel too!" han te shouted.


    "i''ve transferred the karma to you, even the cave dwelling on the island is yours, it has nothing to do with me," tianji shangren said.


    at this moment, han te could clearly feel that all the formations set up on the island were connected to his mind and could be controlled at will.


    and at the center of the island, there was a pavilion cave dwelling, also within his control range, rich in spiritual energy, a spiritual eye.


    "old bastard, you''ll die horribly!" han te cursed.


    tianji shangren had already gone far, disappearing from sight.


    and in that brief moment of distraction.


    hei huang had already set up a fire, cutting lei man into small pieces, with one piece roasting over the fire, sprinkled with cumin, sea salt, chili, and other seasonings, sizzling with oil.


    "damn it, i''m so unlucky, why is this happening to me?" han te roared.


    "stop shouting, why not have a bite," hei huang laughed.


    at this moment, xu hei also crawled closer, squatting by the fire pit, staring at the roasting eel meat.


    the energy in this eel meat was far richer than the whale in the trench. s§×arch* the nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    although the whale''s cultivation was higher, most of it had been taken by others, leaving only scraps, while this eel was full of essence, a single bite could send one soaring, even the oil dripping from the roast was rich in spiritual energy.


    especially that great perfection golden core...


    "huh?"


    xu hei glanced at the corpse, the golden core inside the eel was nowhere to be found.


    "old dog, where''s the golden core?"


    "huh? it''s gone, did that old taoist take it? it must be, damn old taoist, stealing our stuff!" hei huang cursed.


    xu hei was immune to such low-level lies by now. that old taoist had just said it had nothing to do with him, why would he take the golden core? this old dog was too shameless.


    at this moment, xu hei''s gaze shifted to the distant sea.


    beneath the sea, many powerful auras suddenly appeared, coming from different directions, seemingly in a standoff.

 Chapter 282: Come to help, good deeds will be rewarded

    chapter 282: come to help, good deeds will be rewardedbeneath the sea.


    a line of dolphins stood together, with four sea snakes tied up behind them, bound tightly with ropes and wrapped in fishing nets. these were hai meng and her three companions.


    among the dolphins were many familiar figures.


    chieftain bo xi, bopu, and the renowned elder guardians of the dolphin clan were all present.


    floating opposite the dolphins was a group of sea snakes, also the high-ranking members of the sea snake clan.


    "bo xi, why have you captured my clansmen?"


    the speaker was hai yuntian, the chieftain of the sea snake clan, his voice cold as a ghost.


    he had rushed over as soon as he received the message from the snake scales, but he was still a step too late, resulting in hai meng''s capture.


    "your clansmen plotted against a friend of my dolphin clan, intending to kill him, so i had no choice but to capture them," bo xi replied coldly.


    hai yuntian squinted his eyes and stared at hai meng, "hai meng, what exactly happened?"


    bound by the fishing net, hai meng stammered, her face extremely pale.


    "chieftain, it has nothing to do with us. we were just following sister hai meng''s orders to hunt a horned serpent, and that''s how we got caught."


    "yeah, we were just following orders. please save us, i don''t want to be eaten by dolphins!"


    the sea snakes captured alongside hai meng hurriedly pleaded for help. they had never been captured in their lives and thought they were doomed, crying out in fear.


    hai yuntian ignored them, focusing solely on hai meng.


    at this point, hai meng dared not hide anything anymore. gritting her teeth, she said, "that horned serpent injured my brother with despicable means. my brother is still unconscious. i was furious and asked senior lei man to take revenge. senior lei man was also willing, so..."


    she recounted the events.


    she and lei man had teamed up to hunt xu hei, chasing him all the way to the island.


    after hearing this, hai yuntian''s pupils contracted, "lei man?"


    "where is lei man?"


    his expression changed immediately, rising into the air and looking towards the island.


    on the island, the aroma of grilled fish wafted through the air, a mouthwatering scent.


    by the bonfire, three figures sat together.


    hei huang held a skewer of meat, xu hei was gnawing on a fish fillet, and han te quickly burrowed into the ground, covering his face with a coconut shell.


    seeing the skewered meat on the bonfire, hai yuntian''s eyes nearly popped out.


    "lei man, eaten?"


    a tidal wave of shock surged within hai yuntian.


    he could never have imagined that lei man, at the great perfection of the golden core, a master of the penglai sea, would die in such a desolate place, devoured by a group of unknown individuals.


    "come on, join us! it''s delicious," hei huang waved the skewer in his hand, shouting.


    hai yuntian''s mouth twitched, gritting his teeth, "you''re courting death!"


    he no longer paid attention to the people on the island. these reckless fools would be dealt with by someone of higher status.


    hai yuntian returned to the sea, addressing bo xi, "i don''t care what hai meng did, release them immediately, or don''t blame me for being ruthless!"


    "hmph! i won''t release them today. what can you do? i don''t intend to take her life, just to bring her back and imprison her for a while to prevent further mischief!"


    bo xi was unyielding. he knew that this snake woman harbored murderous intent towards xu hei and could not be allowed to leave.


    as for whether to kill or not, that was up to xu hei.


    "you seek death!"


    hai yuntian''s voice was icy, and the sea snakes beside him quickly spread out, forming a surrounding formation, eyes filled with killing intent, encircling the dolphin group.


    the dolphins were not to be outdone, brandishing fish spears and other weapons, ready to fight at any moment.


    "your dolphin clan''s top expert seems to be injured. without someone at the demon infant stage to hold the fort, you dare to challenge my clan? i think you''re tired of living!"


    hai yuntian squinted his eyes, a cold gleam flashing.


    and at that moment.


    suddenly, a long black shadow appeared behind hai yuntian. it was a sea snake shrouded in shadows, its appearance indistinct, with only a pair of hollow black eyes visible.


    as soon as this snake appeared, chieftain bo xi''s pupils contracted instantly.


    "it''s him!"


    he recognized it. this black serpent was the very culprit that poisoned his brother, an assassin at the elemental infant stage!


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "hmm?"


    on the island, hei huang, who had been gnawing on an eel skewer, suddenly stood up, his dog eyes wide open, fixed on the sea below, unblinking.


    "what''s wrong?" xu hei asked.


    hei huang replied, "i smell something that makes me sick, makes me want to vomit."


    hei huang gritted his teeth, his fists clenched, a hint of crimson in his eyes, the eel skewer falling to the ground.


    seeing hei huang''s expression, even xu hei was taken aback. it was the first time he had seen hei huang like this.


    this primal anger was something he had never witnessed before.


    xu hei''s eyes flashed, and he made a quick decision, rushing towards the water.


    "wait!"


    hei huang stopped him, solemnly saying, "don''t go over there, it''s not something you can handle!"


    "what do you mean?" xu hei frowned.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    "boom!!"


    the sea surface erupted with waves a thousand feet high, exploding with overwhelming ripples, violent energy sweeping across. hei huang''s mind moved, erecting a formation to block the surging tides.


    beneath the water, a massive dolphin appeared, its flesh full and vibrant, eyes bright and spirited, exuding a powerful aura.


    it was bo xi''s brother, the great demon at the demon infant stage, bonan!


    bonan had emerged as well!


    "how is this possible? weren''t you poisoned?" hai yuntian''s voice echoed in shock.


    in front of bonan, layers of ripple-like waves emerged, blocking the black serpent outside.


    both sides displayed their cultivation perfectly, both reaching the demon infant level, equivalent to the human elemental infant stage, evenly matched.


    the black serpent''s eyes were sharp, staring at the creature before it, sneering, "oh? i didn''t expect you to have the strength to emerge. did you find a way to detoxify? or are you forcing yourself out, regardless of the consequences?"


    "that''s none of your concern!"


    bonan snorted coldly, spitting out a colorful bubble that drifted towards the dark serpent.


    the bubble moved swiftly, exploding near the serpent.


    "boom!!!"


    a thunderous explosion resounded, the shockwave concentrating at a point, transforming into a colorful sword, stabbing towards the dark serpent. this technique of concentrating explosions was bonan''s specialty.


    the serpent did not linger, retreating like a ghost, its form flashing past, grabbing hai meng''s fishing net, and withdrawing swiftly. however, it was still grazed by the sword, letting out a muffled groan, and flew back into the sea snake group.


    "bonan, you''re lucky this time. next time, you won''t be so fortunate!"


    the dark serpent''s figure vanished like a ghost, retreating rapidly.


    the sea snake clan also withdrew completely, disappearing into the distance. sear?h the novelfire.net* website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    bonan hovered in the water, his expression calm, watching the sea snake clan retreat.


    only after all the sea snakes had left, disappearing from his perception range.


    bonan shuddered, a trickle of blood seeping from the corner of his mouth, his body emanating waves of weakness.


    "are you alright?" bo xi hurriedly approached, asking anxiously.


    "no worries!" bonan waved his fin, saying, "this injury is nothing compared to when i was poisoned. i''m much better now."


    this time, he had taken a significant risk by forcing himself out, further aggravating his injuries, but it was all worth it.


    at this moment, xu hei also descended, arriving in the sea.


    "xu hei, my young friend, they didn''t hurt you just now, did they?" bonan asked.


    "i''m fine." xu hei swam closer, saying seriously, "you should head back first. in a day, i''ll come to perform the second detoxification for you."

 Chapter 283: Sea God Sect, Han Te is forced to join the game

    chapter 283: sea god sect, han te is forced to join the gamebonan nodded, "alright, take care of yourself. it''s fine to wait a few more days; i can hold on!"


    before leaving, xu hei took out some healing medicine and gave it to bonan, who was immensely grateful. the dolphins bid him farewell one by one.


    "help! i don''t want to be eaten!"


    "woo woo woo! i don''t want to die, i''m still young."


    three sea snakes were bound by fishing nets, crying out in pain as bopu dragged them away from the scene. the black serpent only managed to save one, hai meng.


    xu hei returned to the shore, looked at hei huang, and asked, "what was that disgusting thing you mentioned earlier? was it the demon infant stage sea snake fighting bonan?"


    hei huang gazed at the distant horizon and shook his head.


    "it''s a long story. do you remember when we first entered the east sea and accidentally stumbled into a teleportation array?" hei huang said.


    xu hei frowned, "don''t ask me about that. i was unconscious and know nothing."


    "then you should know," hei huang turned to han te, smiling.


    at this moment, han te had already packed up his belongings and was ready to escape on a small boat. he hadn''t even touched the sea eel, not using his chopsticks once.


    "don''t talk to me. i''m not interested in anything, nor do i want to hear it. farewell!"


    han te cupped his hands, jumped onto the boat, and started rowing away.


    the more you know, the more trouble it brings. he didn''t want to hear or get involved in anything.


    "look at this!" hei huang suddenly shouted.


    he took out a recording jade slip, and with a tap of his paw, an image appeared in the sky.


    han te instinctively turned back to look and was stunned, his rowing stopped.


    "this is..." han te''s face was filled with shock, his mouth agape.


    ...


    in the depths of the ocean.


    a group of sea snakes was swimming at full speed, returning to their territory.


    the clan leader, hai yuntian, approached a dark shadow and asked, "ancestor, why didn''t you act earlier and destroy bonan directly? he forcibly exited seclusion and must be severely injured, definitely not your match!"


    the shadowy sea snake remained silent, only shaking its head, its expression extremely grave.


    after a long time, it finally spoke, "earlier, i smelled something that made me nauseous."


    "what?" hai yuntian was stunned.


    "it shouldn''t be me that''s nauseated, but the power within me. i don''t know what it is yet, but i advise you all not to approach that island again," the shadowy sea snake said.


    ...


    by the island, han te stared at the image in the sky, his mind buzzing.


    in the image, a group of people was nailed with iron spikes all over their bodies, shackled and chained, driven forward like slaves. there were men, women, old, and young, mostly cultivators captured from haiya city.


    they seemed to be on an island.


    among them, han te saw a familiar figure, bai qiushui. the moment he saw this person, han te''s breathing became rapid.


    "weren''t you responsible for escorting this person? now that they''ve been abducted, do you still want to go back and collect your payment?"


    hei huang sneered, "if i send this recording jade slip back to the bai family, you won''t get a single copper coin, and you might even be hunted by the bai family."


    hearing this, han te trembled all over.


    especially when he heard "won''t get a single copper coin," his eyes turned blood-red, veins bulging on his face, on the verge of collapse. he trembled as he asked, "where is bai qiushui?"


    hei huang waved his paw, and the image disappeared. he sat back down, picked up a skewer of eel, and happily munched on it.


    han te was on the brink of collapse.


    after a moment of silence, he rowed the boat back, put it away, and sat down by the campfire.


    "um... senior dog, where is bai qiushui?" han te asked with a smile, but hei huang ignored him, making him sweat with anxiety.


    he had worked so hard, stranded on a deserted island, coming to this godforsaken place. if it all ended up being for nothing, and he got nothing, and was even hunted by the bai family...


    he might as well just bash his head in.


    the bai family had promised that as long as he escorted successfully, he would receive five hundred top-grade spirit stones upon return.


    those were top-grade spirit stones! five hundred of them! worth all his income, five times more than the deposit!


    seeing hei huang silent, han te was as anxious as ants on a hot pan.


    fortunately, he was a clever person, having dealt with many people over the years. he chuckled awkwardly, tore off a piece of fish meat to eat, and took out some bamboo skewers to skewer the eel meat.


    "actually, i wasn''t trying to escape just now, just temporarily avoiding danger. after all, there was a big battle here, not suitable for staying long. if the enemy has reinforcements, they will definitely come to investigate. it''s safer to leave early," han te explained with a smile.


    xu hei also thought it made sense and nodded, "i agree, leaving early is better."


    "oh?" hei huang raised an eyebrow, "didn''t i run?" sea??h th§× n?vel_fire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    as he spoke, xu hei and han te suddenly noticed that although the scenery on both sides was still the sea, the occasional bird flying by was rapidly retreating!


    the clouds in the sky were also constantly moving backward.


    it wasn''t the scenery moving; it was them moving quickly!


    "my goodness! this island can move?" han te was shocked.


    only now did he realize that the ground beneath him was moving rapidly in one direction, the entire island floating on the sea.


    "a mere mountain-moving formation, nothing to brag about," hei huang laughed.


    xu hei then noticed that the corpse of the mountain-moving patriarch had been taken out at some point, sitting cross-legged in the center of the island, stealing the island''s formation.


    at this moment, han te finally relaxed.


    "dog friend, what was that image about?" han te asked urgently.


    this was what he was most concerned about. bai qiushui meant spirit stones, and he couldn''t let it go. it was his faith! of all the world''s sins, lack of money was the greatest.


    hei huang, munching on grilled fish skewers, pondered for a moment and said, "simply put, there''s an evil faction capturing people everywhere, claiming to offer sacrifices to some sea god, needing live offerings. the exact number is unknown, but the more, the better, all kinds of cultivation levels, including mortals."


    "they used to only capture islanders, fishermen, and cultivators from the sea, but now they don''t even spare coastal cities. many cities on the mainland of shenzhou have suffered, and the qin kingdom is taking it seriously."


    "we happened to run into the evil faction capturing people that day, which is why we were teleported away. luckily, i broke the teleportation channel, or we would have been caught too."


    hei huang explained the cause of the events.


    han te suddenly understood. no wonder he was sucked in too; it turned out to be the evil faction''s doing.


    so, he managed to escape halfway because hei huang broke the channel.


    "sea god?"


    han te''s eyes flickered, "i''ve heard of the sea god before, but the sea god would never need sacrifices. what''s going on?"


    "heh heh," hei huang chuckled sinisterly, "that''s the key issue, that mysterious evil faction!"


    "by the way, the nauseating power i mentioned earlier is the power used by that evil faction."


    hei huang looked at xu hei.


    xu hei''s heart skipped a beat, as if he had thought of something. he quickly took out the ten thousand poison gourd and said, "check if there''s anything wrong with the poison in this gourd!"

 Chapter 284: Dolphin Clan, the last detox

    chapter 284: dolphin clan, the last detox"what''s this?"


    hei huang squinted his eyes, took the gourd, and opened its stopper, releasing a purple gas.


    "this is the poison i extracted from bonan. he was injured by a sea snake. take a look and see if there''s any problem."


    xu hei briefly explained bonan''s situation.


    hei huang said nothing, walked to the seaside, and stopped the island.


    "go!"


    hei huang raised the gourd, and a wisp of purple gas flew out, falling into the sea.


    even though it was just a wisp, the color of the seawater visibly darkened.


    the poison quickly spread, forming an arc. wherever it passed, seaweed withered, and small fish and shrimp died instantly.


    even some sentient sea beasts, upon contact with the darkened seawater, shriveled up and died rapidly, as if their flesh and blood were drained.


    the dark area spread faster, soon reaching a thousand feet.


    "stop it now!" xu hei shouted.


    hei huang waved his hand, injecting a surge of powerful true qi into the seawater, forcing the trace of poison out, and it quickly evaporated, restoring the seawater to normal.


    xu hei''s face changed drastically and he said, "what kind of poison is this, spreading so quickly, and this is just a small drop!"


    no wonder bonan dared not enter the seawater. if the poison were to spread, the entire dolphin clan would be in grave danger. this is no exaggeration!


    at the same time, xu hei discovered the method to counteract this poison.


    it was to use more powerful true qi to force the poison out of the water, where it couldn''t spread in the air and would slowly dissipate.


    this was also why bonan sealed himself in a dry room.


    a question arose in xu hei''s mind¡ªwas this really the poison of a sea snake?


    "indeed, it''s the work of the evil sect!" hei huang''s eyes flashed with ferocity.


    how could such a strange poison be naturally occurring? it was cultivated by evil sect cultivators.


    han te watched with his heart pounding and said, "what is this thing? i''m timid, don''t scare me."


    hei huang tossed the ten thousand poison gourd to xu hei and said, "it''s best not to use this poison in water. although it''s a rootless poison and will disappear quickly, if a strong person gets hit, it becomes a rooted poison, spreading infinitely with endless consequences."


    xu hei took the gourd and nodded, "i understand what you mean."


    rootless poison refers to the bit he released from the gourd, which would disappear over time.


    rooted poison refers to when a creature is poisoned and becomes the source, continuously releasing toxins until the creature dies.


    hei huang''s expression turned exceptionally serious, raising questions in xu hei''s mind, prompting him to ask, "do you have some grudge with that evil sect?"


    "mind your own business, kid." hei huang replied.


    "you!" xu hei''s face darkened, almost biting back.


    han te chimed in, "i''m an adult, i can ask, right?"


    "you too!" hei huang said.


    ...


    next, hei huang controlled the mountain-moving patriarch, who in turn controlled the island, heading north.


    before long, they arrived at a shallow sea area filled with reefs, where they stopped the island, letting it take root.


    after inquiring about xu bai''s location, xu hei returned to his cave dwelling to cultivate in seclusion.


    han te also returned to his cave dwelling to train.


    as for the pavilion gifted by tianji shangren, he didn''t even glance at it, so naturally, hei huang took it over.


    during this seclusion, xu hei spent only half a day successfully opening the first dragon vein.


    "roar!!"


    a loud dragon roar echoed within xu hei''s body. a crystalline meridian appeared, winding from the dragon''s head to its tail, encircling the golden core like a meandering true dragon, far surpassing ordinary meridians in both toughness and strength.


    xu hei felt that even someone a whole realm higher couldn''t destroy this meridian.


    "with the first dragon vein, using the diamond suppression technique will be much easier," xu hei thought.


    compressing true qi puts a huge burden on the meridians. his previous severe injury had left his meridians shattered, still not fully healed.


    with the dragon vein sharing the pressure, he wouldn''t be as helpless as last time.


    with the first dragon vein opened, xu hei''s cultivation level increased significantly, reaching the mid-stage of the early demon core.


    half the time had passed, and he needed to return to the dolphin clan.


    xu hei glanced back at the pavilion, shook his head, and sighed, "the old dog is very secretive about his matters. that evil sect must be deeply connected to him, better not to ask."


    xu hei noted the island''s location, flashed into the seawater, and swam towards the dolphin clan.


    on the way, he released an external incarnation to the place where he had previously poisoned, finding the seawater normal and no sea beasts poisoned, he breathed a sigh of relief.


    "strange, why did i send an incarnation here? this is a risky move."


    xu hei shook his head, quickly withdrawing the incarnation to a deserted place before detonating it.


    xu hei noticed subtle changes in his behavior since forming his core, even he wasn''t fully aware of them. sear?h the n??elfir§×.net website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    the journey was smooth.


    before long, xu hei returned to the dolphin clan. he didn''t enter directly but circled a few times before going in.


    since it was late at night, only the clan leader and a few members noticed xu hei''s arrival.


    xu hei said nothing and went straight to the dolphin palace, arriving at bonan''s seclusion place.


    this time, bonan was exceptionally cooperative.


    xu hei used three purifying lotus petals, spending two hours to expel the poison, with the ten thousand poison gourd absorbing it eight times before it was done.


    bonan was exhausted, drenched in sweat, nearly collapsing, and had visibly lost weight.


    xu hei didn''t leave, temporarily staying with the dolphin clan.


    three days later, he used the same method to expel the poison from bonan again, completely depleting the purifying lotus petals.


    this time, bonan finally expelled ninety percent of the toxins.


    bonan let out a long breath. three detoxifications nearly cost him half his life, but it was worth it. the stubborn poison was reduced to ten percent, and he could suppress it with his own strength without external help.


    "words can''t express my gratitude. from now on, as long as xu hei asks, i, bonan, will do anything, even at the cost of my life!"


    bonan stood up to give a grand salute, but xu hei quickly stopped him.


    "this poison ignores antidote pills and can only be expelled through one''s cultivation. what i did was merely assist," xu hei said.


    bonan knew xu hei was being modest. without the ancient spirit medicine and xu hei''s help, he could never have detoxified himself and might have died here.


    and if he died, without a demon infant stage cultivator, the fate of the dolphin clan was unimaginable.


    clan leader bo xi, upon hearing the news, was moved to tears, crying on the spot.


    xu hei took out some pills and handed them over.


    "these pills are made by a friend of mine and can help you completely rid the remaining stubborn poison, but they might have some side effects. i suggest taking them when you''re at full strength."


    xu hei said solemnly, his expression more serious than ever before.


    bonan took the pills, glanced at them, and seeing they were third-tier pills, he smiled slightly. xu hei said, "i''m not joking, i''m serious."

 Chapter 285: Water mine wings, Xu Hei collects heavy treasures

    chapter 285: water mine wings, xu hei collects heavy treasuresseeing xu hei like this, bonan also put away the thought of immediately taking a pill, deciding to wait until he recovered.


    "detoxification pill, marrow cleansing pill, meridian clearing pill... quite a collection."


    bonan carefully stored the pills away. although he was at the demon infant stage and should ideally use fourth-tier pills, he had unconditional trust in xu hei.


    "bo xi, take him to the treasure vault," bonan instructed.


    bo xi nodded and said to xu hei, "young friend, please follow me."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    east sea, sea serpent clan.


    the sea serpent clan''s habitat was a vast shallow area, with a central snake island. the island was the heart of their territory, extending a thousand miles in every direction.


    a full week had passed since hai teng fell unconscious.


    today, he finally awoke, his entire body in excruciating pain, with broken bones and torn muscles. he was covered in various ointments and bandages, wrapped up like a sack, yet he maintained a cold and arrogant demeanor.


    "young master, the clan leader has forbidden you from leaving until you recover."


    "i am the future flood dragon, and you dare to defy me, committing insubordination?"


    faced with hai teng''s authoritative gaze, the guards at the cave entrance had no choice but to relent.


    "a king bound like this, what a disgrace."


    hai teng crawled out of the cave dwelling, unwrapped all the bandages, and burned them to ashes with true fire. however, when his injuries touched water, the pain made him grimace.


    after a while of adjusting, he continued to swim forward.


    he hadn''t gone far when he encountered hai yuntian, who seemed to be waiting for him.


    "oh? old clan leader, what do you want with me? handing over the leadership now seems a bit premature, doesn''t it?" hai teng mocked.


    hai yuntian glared at him and then recounted in detail what had happened after he fell unconscious.


    "what? my senior brother was roasted, and my sister captured? such a formidable opponent!" hai teng''s expression turned serious.


    "hai meng brought this upon herself, but from the penglai sea, a jade slip has arrived, instructing you to return immediately once you recover," hai yuntian said, tossing over a communication jade slip.


    hai teng glanced at it and then smirked coldly, saying, "the sect is afraid i''ll recklessly seek out xu hei for revenge? haha, am i that foolish?"


    hai yuntian gave him a peculiar look, scrutinizing him from head to toe.


    "hmm? what does that look mean?" hai teng glared.


    after a moment of silence, hai yuntian explained, "i mean, you''re still gravely injured, so you should go back and rest."


    "rest..." hai teng sneered, "after death, there''s plenty of time to rest. as long as i''m alive, how can i stop here?"


    hai yuntian was left speechless, shaking his head silently.


    this kind of madness was incurable, only left to luck. fortunately, he had anticipated this, knowing the guards couldn''t hold him, so he waited here. otherwise, hai teng would likely have slipped away.


    "by the way, you don''t need to watch me all the time. i''m planning to... dismantle my core and start over," hai teng suddenly said.


    "dismantle your core and start over?"


    hai yuntian''s eyes widened, thinking he had misheard.


    dismantling one''s core to start over meant dispersing the golden core and rebuilding the golden elixir realm, starting from the early stage of the demon core.


    hai teng was already at the late stage of the demon core, painstakingly accumulated to this point. why start over?


    "to face an early-stage opponent with my late-stage realm and still fall unconscious made me realize my shortcomings. my golden core is not perfect!"


    hai teng said earnestly, "there are many chosen in this world stronger than me. their golden cores might be deep blue, even purple. as a king, i must reach or even surpass them. otherwise, how can i live up to the name of flood dragon?"


    his words were passionate, his eyes red, veins bulging.


    but hai yuntian was completely speechless at such madness. in all his years, he''d never heard of anyone dismantling their core to start over. cultivation was hard-earned, and only a madman like the one before him would consider such a thing.


    "i can''t persuade you, decide for yourself. just don''t bring trouble to our clan," hai yuntian said.


    hai teng returned to his cave dwelling to go into seclusion and dismantle his core.


    not long after he left, a shadow appeared from afar, pitch black as ink, with only a pair of eyes, revealing itself as a black serpent.


    "hehe, what a fine seedling. if he joined the sea god..." the black serpent stared in the direction hai teng had gone, flicking its tongue.


    "ancestor, hai teng is a celestial seedling from the penglai sea!" hai yuntian''s face darkened, gritting his teeth.


    "oh? why so tense? i was just praising him," the black serpent said expressionlessly.


    hai yuntian breathed a sigh of relief, bowing his head, "please don''t take offense, ancestor."


    the black serpent merely chuckled sinisterly, not minding, and slowly said, "the entire east sea will eventually belong to the sea god, including the penglai sea. believe it or not, that''s the truth."


    hai yuntian said nothing, merely staring into the distant deep sea, lost in thought.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    dolphin clan, beneath the palace.


    xu hei was led into an underwater tunnel, advancing a hundred miles before reaching the end.


    here lay a massive spiritual vein, hidden beneath the dolphin clan, making the area rich in spiritual qi, which was why the dolphin clan had rooted themselves here.


    compared to the half spiritual vein of the mountain movers sect, this was much more magnificent. xu hei took a deep breath, feeling instantly refreshed.


    "this is where our dolphin clan stores its treasures. many clan treasures are here, inaccessible to outsiders, only openable by direct descendants," bo xi explained.


    with a point, the door opened, revealing a spacious stone chamber inside.


    the interior was filled with an array of magical treasures, mostly around the third tier.


    the higher the placement, the higher the grade, arranged like an equilateral triangle.


    xu hei''s gaze immediately locked onto a pair of wings at the top. the wings had two colors, blue and purple, exuding a terrifying aura even from a distance, at least third-tier top grade.


    "this was obtained by our clan''s former leader from a cave dwelling. it places a great burden on the physical body, and no one has dared to use it until now," bo xi said.


    xu hei''s eyes were fixed on the item, "may i try it?"


    "of course!" bo xi waved, and the wings descended, landing before xu hei.


    the wings had no feathers, resembling the fins of a marine creature, with delicate bone patterns, akin to a flying fish''s fins.


    xu hei infused his divine sense into them and immediately received information.


    "water thunder wings, greatly enhance stealth speed, ignore terrain obstacles, usable in sea, land, and air..."


    "they can also serve as lethal weapons, their sharpness comparable to a third-tier top-grade flying sword."


    xu hei opened his eyes, refining the wings, which appeared on either side of his body, thin as cicada wings, sharp as blades.


    in an instant, a terrifying force of lightning surged from the wings into his body, accompanied by crushing water pressure. xu hei felt as if he were being electrocuted in the deep sea, his body paralyzed, trembling.


    bo xi''s expression changed, "xu hei, young friend..."


    "no worries!"


    xu hei gritted his teeth, enduring for about ten breaths before the wings fell off, nearly causing him to faint. s~ea??h the n?vel(f)ire.¦Çet website on google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 286: Fish grows legs, Xu Bai defies the heavens with a pill

    Chapter 286: Fish grows legs, Xu Bai defies the heavens with a pillXu Hei felt dizzy and his body tingled, taking a long time to catch his breath.


    "What a powerful burden. What kind of Demonic Beast''s wings are these, to possess such might!" Xu Hei was secretly astonished.


    It wasn''t just the lightning and water pressure; there was also a powerful bloodline suppression, as if it originated from some ancient beast.


    No wonder it was left to gather dust in the treasury; hardly anyone could withstand it.


    Bo Xi said, "According to the former clan leader''s speculation, the material used for these Water Thunder Wings comes from the fins of an ancient fierce beast, carrying an inherent bloodline pressure. No one in our Dolphin Clan can bear it. If it doesn''t work out, young friend, you can choose another Magical Treasure."


    "No!" Xu Hei shook his head firmly, "I''ll take this one!"


    With a complete dragon bone, he had no fear of any bloodline suppression. As long as his Physical Body was strong enough, he could fully withstand it.


    The reason he could only maintain it for a dozen breaths now was purely because he wasn''t strong enough yet; he needed to temper his Physical Body more.


    Once he consumed the eel''s corpse and secluded himself for a while, he''d be able to endure longer.


    "Good! If the Water Thunder Wings can realize their true value on you, it would be a worthy use of them," Bo Xi sighed.


    Xu Hei glanced at the other treasures, most of which were of lower grade and didn''t catch his eye, far inferior to the Water Thunder Wings, so he left the place directly.


    Xu Hei retraced his steps back to the Dolphin Palace.


    Suddenly, he heard an urgent cry, which was Bonan''s voice.


    "Bonan?"


    He exchanged a glance with Bo Xi and immediately headed to where Bonan was in seclusion.


    At this moment, Bonan was suspended in mid-air, staring at a spot on his body, mouth agape, his face changing drastically.


    On his abdomen, two marks had risen, vaguely forming the shape of feet, as if they were about to grow out.


    "What... what is this?!"


    Bonan stared at the feet about to grow from his abdomen, his eyes bulging as if he''d seen a ghost.


    Bo Xi was also dumbfounded.


    Xu Hei felt a buzzing in his mind and quickly asked, "Did you take a Pill?"


    Bonan nodded, "Yes, I took a healing Pill. It worked great; all my old injuries healed. But this..."


    He was already incoherent.


    Xu Hei had warned that Pills have side effects and shouldn''t be taken recklessly. He had been very restrained, only taking a healing Pill.


    It was just a healing Pill, and he had checked it beforehand; the medicinal power was very mild, so it should have been fine!


    But he hadn''t expected such a side effect to occur.


    "Xu Hei, what should I do? Think of something!" Bonan was anxious.


    Xu Hei immediately realized that this healing Pill was the Blood Spirit Pill, capable of healing any injury, regenerating flesh and bones, even restoring lost limbs!


    It was the highest-grade healing medicine refined by Xu Bai! It could regenerate severed limbs.


    But the only problem was¡ª


    The Blood Spirit Pill was designed for land creatures, not considering marine life.


    If a marine creature lost a limb, it would grow back too!


    Just as Xu Hei was pondering, Bonan''s body changed again. Below his fins, handprints seemed to appear, as if arms were about to grow! S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ah!!" Bonan screamed in fright.


    Xu Hei''s face darkened, and he quickly said, "Calm down, and use all your strength to expel the Pill''s power from your body."


    "Okay!"


    Bonan calmed his mind, his Demon Infant operating at full speed, opening his mouth as wisps of red mist flew out.


    Xu Hei could feel that the red mist was the aura of the Blood Spirit Pill.


    As the red mist drifted out, the footprints on Bonan''s abdomen slowly retracted, and the handprints below his fins gradually disappeared.


    Bo Xi watched in shock, dumbfounded.


    This process lasted for two full hours before it finally ended.


    Bonan was exhausted, collapsing to the ground.


    "Phew! Finally saved!" Bonan gasped.


    Xu Hei''s mouth twitched.


    Xu Bai''s Pills really shouldn''t be taken lightly; one mistake could lead to problems. Fortunately, this was a Demon Infant Stage expert. If it were a Core Formation Stage cultivator, without the strength to expel the Pill, the outcome...


    Xu Hei shuddered, thankful that he hadn''t given out many Pills, with only one healing Pill.


    "I''ll stay with the Dolphin Clan for a few days until you take the Detoxification Pill before leaving."


    Xu Hei was worried about more problems arising, so he decided to help to the end.


    "That would be great, thank you, young friend," Bonan expressed his gratitude.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the following three days, Xu Hei stayed with the Dolphin Clan.


    During these three days, Bo Xi hosted a banquet every day, bringing out the Dolphin Clan''s treasured wine, Fishman Drunk.


    However, Xu Hei didn''t touch a drop.


    Because he recalled some unpleasant memories, he would never drink alcohol.


    Instead, he spent time studying the Water Thunder Wings.


    After consuming the Dolphin Clan''s food, Xu Hei''s Physical Body strength also progressed rapidly.


    "Go!"


    With a thought, the Water Thunder Wings shot out, transforming into two sharp swords, like a thunderous vortex, slicing a patch of coral into powder before returning to rest at Xu Hei''s sides.


    "One water, one thunder, quite powerful, but the burden on the Physical Body is too great. It requires constant endurance of water pressure and lightning erosion. I''ll need a stronger Physical Body to master it perfectly."


    Xu Hei put away the Water Thunder Wings, contemplating.


    Then, he took out a set of nine blood-colored flying swords.


    This was Zhou Qing''s blood-killing sword formation!


    Each one was a third-tier high-grade Magical Treasure, and combined, the nine reached the peak of the third tier.


    With Xu Hei''s current cultivation, he still couldn''t master it perfectly; he could only control three at most.


    "Whether it''s the Water Thunder Wings or the blood-killing sword formation, they''re both too challenging for me. And the ivory flying sword is too weak..."


    Xu Hei pondered briefly and took out a half-finished sword embryo.


    This was a flying sword he had personally refined.


    Although Xu Hei primarily focused on cultivating his Physical Body, he couldn''t neglect the art of flying sword combat, especially since he planned to visit a human island where flying swords were essential for communication.


    "Xu Hei, Bonan is ready," Bo Xi came over and said to Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei put away the flying sword and said, "Alright, I''m coming."


    Moments later.


    Xu Hei appeared in the Cave Dwelling, where Bonan was at the center, surrounded by a Formation, with two fourth-tier Magical Treasures nearby and two Dolphin Clan elders guarding, fully armed.


    Although the last time had been quite a mess, at least the hidden injuries were healed. As long as the last bit of poison was cleared, he would be fully recovered.


    "I''m starting," Bonan took a deep breath and swallowed the Detoxification Pill.


    Xu Hei immediately held his breath, observing closely.


    "Boom!!"


    Bonan''s body suddenly trembled, and thick black substances began to seep from his skin.


    The initial seepage was slow, but gradually it accelerated, starting to spray out.


    "Pop, pop, pop..."


    Bonan''s entire body erupted, spraying various impurities that crashed around the room, causing loud booms.


    Xu Hei and Bo Xi quickly raised a light shield to block the spraying substances.


    Before long, the Cave Dwelling was filled with a foul stench, with all sorts of black substances piling up, not just toxins but all sorts of junk.


    Bonan''s body shrank a size, even spitting black blood, with his True Qi dissipating and signs of his cultivation level dropping.


    Bo Xi was dumbfounded, and Xu Hei was stunned.

 Chapter 287: Twin Islands, butcher enters the island to sell stolen goods

    Chapter 287: Twin Islands, butcher enters the island to sell stolen goodsAn hour later.


    Xu Hei left Bonan''s cave dwelling with mixed feelings.


    The poison had been completely eradicated, leaving no hidden dangers, but the dolphin was also on the brink of death.


    In the end, it was the two elders of the clan who helped clean up the scene.


    Days passed, and the story of Bonan spread through the Dolphin Clan like the wind, becoming exaggerated and mythical.


    Some busybody even gave Bonan the nickname "Jet Warrior."


    This infuriated the person involved, but it was said that the nickname came from the clan leader after he got drunk.


    Of course, that''s all in the past now. Xu Hei left the Dolphin Clan that very day, not staying a second longer.


    ...


    This time, Xu Hei was no longer being tracked. With the Water Thunder Wings, unless someone at the Elemental Infant level personally acted, no one could catch up to him.


    Back on the island, Hei Huang handed him a jade talisman.


    "What is this?" Xu Hei asked, puzzled.


    "This is something to shield your fortune. With this, you can become ordinary, blending in with the crowd, and no one can find you just by your fortune," Hei Huang explained.


    This was clearly a magical treasure aimed at cultivators like Tianji Shangren.


    Hei Huang continued, taking out a fish-skin armor made from fish skin, entirely blue with ocean patterns and inscribed with various runes.


    Despite the modifications to its appearance, Xu Hei recognized it at a glance as being made from Lei Man''s skin.


    "Wearing this armor will erase all traces of you in the water, making it impossible to track you by water currents."


    "Additionally, this is a stone that disrupts direction, called the Chaos Magnet Stone, which can make you immune to certain demonic beasts'' tracking abilities."


    Hei Huang presented three different magical treasures, all designed to prevent tracking, leaving Xu Hei dazzled and speechless.


    Previously, he had told Hei Huang about being continuously tracked, and Hei Huang provided a solution.


    "With these magical treasures, can I rest easy?" Xu Hei quickly asked.


    "Of course not. If you encounter someone much stronger, they can ignore these, but you won''t be dealing with that level for now."


    Hei Huang crossed his arms proudly and said, "Even if that evil faction makes a move, as long as it''s not the highest level so-called sea god, you can avoid being tracked."


    Xu Hei carefully stored the three magical treasures.


    His experience was still too shallow, and when faced with unfamiliar methods, he didn''t know how to respond. This old dog was more reliable.


    At this moment, Han Te emerged from the cave dwelling.


    He still had the same appearance, with flying swords all over his body, flowing purple hair, and metal objects all over his robe and pants.


    Although his cultivation was still at the initial Core Formation stage, unchanged, Xu Hei bet that this person had definitely made a breakthrough.


    "Brother Hei, could you tell me where Bai Qiushui is?" Han Te asked with an awkward smile.


    Hei Huang took out a map jade slip and tossed it over. Han Te caught it and his expression froze.


    "That far?" Han Te''s face turned pale. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not only is it far, but there are also at least three Elemental Infant stage guards on that island. If you''re brave enough, you can try rescuing someone," Hei Huang mocked.


    Han Te immediately fell silent.


    Xu Hei went to the seaside and took out a boat, boarding it.


    He took out a map, an East Sea map given to him by the Dolphin Clan, marking most of the East Sea regions.


    One location, Twin Islands, was the largest island nearby and the most prosperous place for sea trade, known as one of the three major islands of the East Sea.


    Xu Hei had accumulated too many miscellaneous items and urgently needed a place to offload them. Twin Islands was the most suitable.


    Coincidentally, Xu Bai was also near Twin Islands.


    "Let''s go!"


    Xu Hei steered the boat, transforming into a streak of light heading towards Twin Islands.


    He took out the butcher puppet, covering it with armor to conceal its face, making it easier to act.


    The journey was long, taking at least three days, and using a boat was the most effortless way.


    Han Te, stepping on a flying sword, hurriedly caught up and shouted from outside, "Brother, are you heading to a human island in that outfit? I, Han, have extensive connections and have been to most of the islands in the East Sea. I can be your guide, and... forget it, for an old customer, it''s free!"


    Seeing Xu Hei remain silent, Han Te stepped aboard the boat.


    Actually, he also needed to replenish supplies in a city, so it was convenient to travel together.


    Han Te sat cross-legged next to the butcher, smiling, "Is this your first time going to sea?"


    Xu Hei ignored him.


    Han Te''s eyes flickered, and he praised, "Your sailing skills are impressive, truly a chosen one among thousands, mastering everything."


    Xu Hei stepped back a few steps, expressionless, and said, "You steer."


    "Uh..." Han Te''s expression stiffened, but he nodded, "Alright!"


    He was frustrated, as flattery seemed ineffective on this demonic beast, putting even a social expert like him in a bind.


    Xu Hei retreated to the cabin, taking out a sword embryo and a large amount of star meteorite, beginning to forge his first flying sword.


    Hei Huang, appearing in the cabin at some point, took out the bones of an electric eel, inscribing formation patterns, seemingly crafting some kind of magical treasure.


    And so, with Han Te as the toolman steering the boat, the two demonic beasts crafted treasures in the cabin, undisturbed by wind or rain.


    It must be said, Han Te''s sailing skills were quite steady. They arrived a day earlier than Xu Hei had expected, reaching their destination in two days.


    ...


    In the distance, a dense foggy area appeared, impossible to see from afar. Only upon approaching and passing through a restriction could the full view be seen.


    It was a grand and majestic large island!


    The island was covered with towering mountains, shrouded in clouds and mist, resembling a massive city in the human world.


    One of the three major islands of the East Sea, Twin Islands.


    Twin Islands consisted of a main island and a secondary island. The main island was a mix of mortals and cultivators, with mortals making up over seventy percent. Most cultivators were in the Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment stages, with few Core Formation stage cultivators, less than one in a thousand.


    On the secondary island, all were cultivators, and only those with certain status could enter.


    Before the boat even approached, two cultivators flew over to conduct a routine inspection.


    Han Te quickly stood up and greeted them with a smile, "Oh, isn''t this Brother Li and Brother Zhao? It''s me, Han Te, do you remember?"


    As he spoke, Han Te handed over a storage bag, suppressing his cultivation to the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage.


    "Oh? It''s you?"


    The two glanced at him, ignoring the storage bag, and the cultivator named Zhao stepped forward to search the boat.


    "Apologies, Brother Han, the evil faction has been rampant lately, and we have to strengthen our defenses. Any potential evil faction cultivators must be stopped at the gate; it''s the island master''s order, and we''re just following orders," Li Yu said, clasping his hands.


    Han Te quickly clasped his hands in return, "I understand, I understand."


    He had no confidence in the demonic beasts entering the city and could only hope they wouldn''t cause any trouble.


    "Ah! Ouch!"


    Suddenly, a scream came from the side. Zhao Xing had just stepped onto the boat when his leg was bitten, bleeding profusely with teeth marks.


    "Fing hell, where did this dog come from! Ah!"


    As he spoke, he was bitten again.

 Chapter 288: Twin Islands, Xu Hei transforms into a sword

    Chapter 288: Twin Islands, Xu Hei transforms into a sword"Crack!"


    "Ah!!"


    A piercing scream echoed as Zhao Xing''s leg was bitten and broken. He crawled and rolled out of the cabin, his face filled with terror.


    Hei Huang stood with his hands on his hips, striding out of the cabin with a massive set of dentures in his mouth, teeth sharp as saw blades.


    "Did I give you permission to board? You really don''t know the rules. Get lost quickly, or I''ll let you taste these sawtooth steel teeth!" Hei Huang scolded.


    Han Te swallowed hard.


    He immediately recognized the dentures, clearly crafted from Lei Man''s teeth, those sawtooth teeth that could grind anything to dust, now fitted into a dog''s mouth.


    "Friend Han, where did this dog come from? Is it your spirit pet?"


    Zhao Xing''s face turned ashen. Such an ordinary-looking black dog had actually reached the Core Formation Stage, and even he couldn''t withstand a single bite.


    Han Te''s face changed dramatically, and he hurriedly said, "No, don''t say that!"


    "Spirit pet? I''m here today to collect a human pet for fun!"


    Hei Huang lunged forward, biting down. Zhao Xing quickly retreated, simultaneously summoning a copper bell. But Hei Huang''s dog mouth was extremely sharp, biting through the air and shattering the copper bell along with it. Zhao Xing screamed again, his rear end blooming like a flower, as he fell from the sky into the water below.


    "Stop!"


    Li Yu took out a formation disk, raised his hand, and a light from the formation appeared in the sky.


    Within the formation, a pair of eyes faintly appeared, gazing at the scene.


    "This... dog friend, we apologize for the offense earlier. We are merely following orders to register every cultivator entering the island, especially those above the Foundation Establishment Stage. We ask for your cooperation!" Li Yu said sternly.


    Though they were gatekeepers, they were only at the Foundation Establishment Stage and dared not be too presumptuous in front of such a Core Formation monster. However, with the formation in place, they still had to follow procedure.


    Zhao Xing climbed out of the water, his face pale with fear, not daring to utter a word.


    "You are the spirit pet, your whole family are spirit pets! Can''t you speak properly? If you dare speak nonsense again, I''ll bite your neck off!"


    Hei Huang pointed at Zhao Xing and cursed, but he didn''t continue biting and retreated back onto the ship.


    Zhao Xing shivered, thinking to himself that one shouldn''t stoop to a dog''s level, and swallowed his anger.


    "Since this demon brother is Friend Han''s... companion, a simple registration will suffice, and you may enter the city. Please have the other person reveal themselves as well."


    Li Yu said, gripping the formation disk a bit tighter.


    At this moment, Xu Hei also emerged from the ship, disguised as a butcher, his face covered tightly.


    Li Yu activated the formation disk, and a faint light swept over the butcher.


    Li Yu frowned slightly, "A puppet?"


    "What, got a problem?" Hei Huang asked.


    "No... no problem."


    Li Yu''s brow furrowed tightly. He had a persistent feeling that there was a third person present, but after scanning with the formation disk several times, he couldn''t find any trace of anyone.


    Behind the butcher, there was a sword, entirely black as ink, with fine dragon scales on its surface and a pair of eyes on the hilt.


    Upon closer inspection, it looked like a snake.


    Li Yu shook his head, tapped the formation disk, and imprinted the images of Han Te and Hei Huang into it.


    "Registration complete. The two of you may freely enter and exit Twin Islands within a month without needing to register again," Li Yu said.


    "Thank you, Friend Li!"


    Han Te cupped his fists and handed over a storage bag.


    Li Yu took the storage bag, weighed it, and smiled, "Friend Han, you''re always so courteous. Once this evil faction''s influence wanes, I''ll definitely invite you for a drink."


    "I wouldn''t refuse," Han Te smiled.


    And so, the group successfully entered the island.


    ...


    At the peak of the highest mountain on Twin Islands.


    A middle-aged man in fine clothes stared at the screen in front of him, his brows furrowed. It displayed the scene of Xu Hei and his group entering the island.


    Beside him stood a graceful woman, with phoenix eyes, black hair, and elegant Emei brows.


    These two were the island masters of Twin Islands, the Gemini Twins, Jiang Chong and Jiang Ying.


    "So, is there a problem with this man and dog?" Jiang Ying asked.


    Jiang Chong shook his head, "No problem, it''s just that with these two, the number of Foundation Establishment cultivators on the island has reached nine hundred ninety-eight, and Core Formation cultivators have reached twenty-six. Since the founding of Twin Islands, we''ve never gathered so many top-tier cultivators."


    Since the rise of the Sea God Sect and the rampage of the evil faction, countless islands have suffered, and most cultivators have flocked to larger islands seeking refuge.


    And Twin Islands, as one of the three major islands in the East Sea, has become a popular sanctuary, with its population growing ever larger.


    "Isn''t that a good thing? The more people, the more prosperous. The trade on this island has increased several times compared to before," Jiang Ying smiled.


    "Sigh, that''s not what I''m worried about."


    Jiang Chong shook his head, a sense of foreboding lingering in his heart, though he couldn''t pinpoint what it was.


    As an experienced Elemental Infant stage cultivator, he always trusted his intuition, which is why he scrutinized every person entering the port, especially those above the Foundation Establishment Stage, to investigate thoroughly and leave no one unchecked.


    "Has Xu Fu made any moves recently?" Jiang Chong asked.


    "What moves could he make? Ever since he came to Twin Islands, he''s been buying Longevity Pills, and now he''s hosting some trade fair to acquire materials rich in vitality," Jiang Ying replied.


    Jiang Chong hesitated for a moment, then took out an emerald green pill bottle, sealed with a pill seal, with rich life essence swirling inside.


    "If we really encounter trouble, we''ll use this pill as a bargaining chip to ask Xu Fu for help," Jiang Chong murmured to himself.


    ...


    To be honest, this was Xu Hei''s first time in such a large city.


    Twin Islands, whether in terms of size, concentration of Spiritual Qi, or the number of cultivators, far surpassed any city Xu Hei had visited before, even much larger than Chuyang City.


    Here, immortals and mortals mingled, and mortals had long been accustomed to the presence of cultivators, living together in harmony.


    And on Twin Islands, there were no restrictions on flying; one could fly freely, just not at excessive speeds, or else face fines in spirit stones if caught by the enforcement team.


    "Xu Hei, where''s your snake? I don''t see it," Hei Huang asked.


    At this moment, Xu Hei was controlling the butcher, walking in front, while he himself lay on the butcher''s back.


    That''s right, he was the sword! S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    When Xu Hei was crafting the flying sword, he inadvertently fused himself into it, without even realizing it.


    By the time he discovered it, it was too late.


    However, he had a feeling that if he fully activated the Diamond Suppression Technique, he could break out of the flying sword and emerge.


    But to remain hidden, he didn''t do so.


    Although he had become a sword, his divine sense was unaffected, allowing him to still control the puppet and cast spells, and his hardness far exceeded normal.


    A single strike was much more powerful than when he used the dragon horn.


    Perhaps the only downside was the strange appearance and limited mobility.


    Xu Hei didn''t answer Hei Huang''s question, instead smiling and saying, "Take a guess."


    Hei Huang sniffed hard with his dog nose, his brows deeply furrowed, staring at the butcher''s back, muttering, "Strange! Your illusion is so good that even I can''t see through it."

 Chapter 289: Open a clinic, Xu Bai offers her skills to help the world

    Chapter 289: Open a clinic, Xu Bai offers her skills to help the worldXu Hei''s eyes flickered as he asked, "Is there a way to make it so people can''t tell I''m a puppet and think I''m a real person?"


    When Li Yu examined him earlier, he discovered that Xu Hei was a puppet, which left Xu Hei quite frustrated.


    Hei Huang chuckled, "Isn''t it simple? Just put a living person inside."


    "..." Xu Hei was speechless.


    "Use this straw hat for now. Even a Great Golden Immortal won''t be able to see through your identity."


    Hei Huang tossed over a straw hat and put one on himself.


    ...


    Led by Han Te, they continued forward and arrived at the island''s central Sea Commerce Guild.


    This was the largest trade organization on the sea, with a status far surpassing the Myriad Treasure Pavilion of the Qin Kingdom, and it was present on all the cultivator islands of the East Sea.


    From the person in charge of the Sea Commerce Guild, they obtained an important piece of information.


    "In a week, there will be a large trade fair held here. Everyone on the island at the Foundation Establishment Stage and above will participate, even the big shots from the secondary island will be present."


    "If you wish to sell treasures, it will be more convenient to do so then. Of course, if you want to sell directly to our Sea Commerce Guild, you can, but the price might not be to your liking," the guild leader said with a smile.


    He was an elderly man with graying hair, a kind smile, and sharp eyes, sizing up the butcher beside him.


    "In a week?"


    Xu Hei frowned slightly. Staying on the Twin Islands for so long wasn''t his intention.


    But now, to maximize profits, he had no choice but to wait a week.


    "Hehe, I have a little insider information. It''s said that the envoy from the Qin Kingdom, Lord Xu Fu, will also be present, buying all materials containing life essence at high prices, especially those that can extend life. If you have any, you might want to prepare more, as you could sell them for more than three times the usual price," the elderly man said with a smile.


    Han Te''s eyes lit up; he had acquired quite a few spirit medicines from the ancient relic.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and said, "Is the emperor about to die and in a hurry to extend his life?"


    As soon as he said this, everyone''s faces changed.


    "Friend, be careful with your words!"


    "Watch your mouth!"


    Not only did the elderly man hurriedly warn him, but even the guards beside him turned pale and trembled.


    Although the Qin Emperor''s reach didn''t extend to the sea, Xu Fu was on the Twin Islands, and if he heard this, heads would roll.


    Xu Hei was also speechless. What''s wrong with saying that? Zhou Qing and the Thirteenth Ancestor of the Snake Catchers Sect were all fighting tooth and nail for the Longevity Pill, sending people to the sea to seek medicine. Isn''t it obvious?


    Coincidentally, he still had two Longevity Pills from Xu Bai, which might fetch a good price.


    ...


    Twin Islands, eastern edge.


    This was a gathering place for mortals, with flat and open terrain, houses everywhere, and fishermen often going out to sea to fish. But recently, with demonic winds rising and evil factions causing trouble, few fishermen dared to venture out.


    Inside a simple clinic sat a young woman in white clothes and white hair. She was beautiful, with fair skin, a graceful figure, and an extraordinary presence that would be considered a rare beauty in the human world.


    However, her attire was simple, showing no signs of wealth.


    At this moment, she was holding a clay pot, grinding medicinal herbs.


    "Doctor Xu, there''s another patient."


    A girl who looked like a maid ran over and spoke to the woman in white.


    "Alright, bring the patient over," Xu Bai nodded.


    This time, it was a man stung by a jellyfish, already in a deep coma, his body cold.


    Xu Bai took out some ointment and applied it to the wound. Before long, the man''s complexion turned rosy, showing signs of life.


    "Take him back to rest for a week, and he should recover," Xu Bai said.


    "Miracle doctor! Thank you, miracle doctor!"


    Two elderly people hurriedly knelt down and took out a copper coin.


    The maid quietly watched the busy Xu Bai and asked in confusion, "Doctor Xu, you treat them for just one copper coin, what do you gain?"


    Since Xu Bai''s arrival, it had been a month, and her clinic had gone from unknown to famous in just a month.


    One copper coin per person was her rule.


    The mortals here could more or less guess that she was a cultivator, but no one pried. Who would disturb someone doing charity?


    "Must saving people have a motive?" Xu Bai asked in return.


    The maid was stunned and fell into deep thought.


    "I heard you can cure anything here. My junior brother was just bitten by a sea snake. Can you treat him?"


    At this moment, three people arrived outside, two men and a woman, all appearing young.


    These three were adorned with jade pendants, swords on their backs, and had an extraordinary aura. Their cultivation had reached the Foundation Establishment Stage, which was rare among mortals.


    At this moment, the young man who was bitten had a blackened body, festering wounds, and signs of the blackness spreading to his head.


    "Sang Sang, bring the patient in."


    Xu Bai''s voice remained indifferent, treating everyone equally.


    "Yes!"


    Sang Sang quickly went to help.


    "No need, my junior brother''s body will fester if touched by ordinary people, so it''s best not to touch him lightly," the older young man said seriously.


    He moved his junior brother into the clinic from a distance.


    Xu Bai stared at the person before her for a long time, then took out a pill from her bosom, crushed it, and fed it to the junior brother.


    "Splurt, splurt, splurt..."


    In an instant, the junior brother''s body began to expel viscous substances. Xu Bai waved her hand, creating a light barrier to contain the substances, preventing them from affecting others.


    After an hour, the expulsion stopped, and the junior brother slowly regained consciousness. His face was pale, but he could speak.


    "Amazing! Thank you, miracle doctor!"


    The senior brother was overjoyed, quickly placing a copper coin on the table, and then left.


    Xu Bai watched the three leave and sighed, "It''s time to go."


    ...


    Not far away, by the sea near the Twin Islands.


    The senior brother and sister who had just sought medical help arrived here, their faces dark and eyes heavy.


    "Strange, this woman can even dispel the sea god''s poison. It''s truly bizarre!"


    "Should we..."


    The two exchanged a glance, a ruthless glint in their eyes.


    "Better not alert her for now, lest we ruin our plans. But we must keep an eye on her," the sister in green said.


    Their eyes flickered as they exchanged thoughts, then took out a jade slip, which contained a secretly recorded scene.


    With a flick, the jade slip turned into a stream of light and flew into the depths of the sea.


    Suddenly!


    The jade slip stopped mid-air, caught by a powerful hand.


    "Who?!"


    The two''s faces changed drastically, staring at the figure gradually appearing in the void. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    It was a giant man, tall and burly, wearing a straw hat and fully armed. Though they couldn''t sense any aura, both felt their hairs stand on end, as if facing a life-and-death crisis, and immediately took out communication talismans.


    "Come here!"


    Two octopus tentacles shot out from Xu Hei, instantly grabbing the two, who screamed in agony as they were pulled into the butcher''s body.


    "Crunch, crunch..."


    The chilling sound of chewing echoed as the two merged with the butcher.


    However, Xu Hei spared one, leaving him unconscious.

 Chapter 290: Sea God Sect, name of the Nightmare Demon Lord

    Chapter 290: Sea God Sect, name of the Nightmare Demon LordXu Hei didn''t plan to interrogate these two people for anything; he just wanted to eliminate some hidden dangers, nothing more.


    Too much curiosity is a big taboo for demonic beasts. Xu Hei didn''t even intend to check their storage bags.


    After cleaning up the scene, Xu Hei quietly returned to the clinic, but Xu Bai had already left, leaving only a box of copper coins.


    When Xu Hei entered the room, the copper coins flew up automatically, hovering in front of him, and he reached out to catch them.


    "This is Xu Bai''s consultation fee."


    Xu Hei looked at the copper coins in his hand, lost in thought.


    Treating one person, collecting one coin, this box had about three hundred coins¡ªwas this Xu Bai''s deliberate gesture?


    Xu Hei felt that these copper coins were not simple and carefully put them away.


    He didn''t want to disturb Xu Bai''s life too much. When he came yesterday, he found Xu Bai treating patients, so he didn''t show himself and only observed in secret, leading to the scene just now.


    As Hei Huang said, Xu Bai also had her own inheritance, a path unique to her.


    Xu Hei sighed and left the clinic.


    ...


    Before long, Xu Hei returned to his cave dwelling, which he rented. It was located halfway up a mountain, abundant in spiritual qi, well-lit, equipped with formation restrictions, and quite expensive.


    Xu Hei took out eel meat, cut it into strips, marinated it with sea salt, and hung it on a drying rack in the yard.


    Most of Lei Man''s fish bones were integrated into the butcher''s body, giving it a significant enhancement.


    "Ha!"


    With a low shout, countless fish spines erupted from Xu Hei''s body, transforming him into a porcupine.


    "Mm, this look should be enough to scare people."


    With a thought, Xu Hei retracted the spikes.


    A demonic beast at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core was a treasure in itself, and Xu Hei wouldn''t waste it.


    "Where are the storage bags of those two you killed?" Hei Huang suddenly appeared and asked.


    Xu Hei took out the storage bags and placed them on the ground.


    Hei Huang stared at the two storage bags, sniffed them hard, and his eyes glowed red.


    "Yes! It''s that disgusting smell, no mistake!"


    Hei Huang''s gaze turned cold as he took out a large number of formation flags and placed them around, inscribing immortal patterns. It took him an hour to set up an unknown formation.


    The structure of this formation was vastly different from what Xu Hei was familiar with, unlike the formation systems of this world.


    Xu Hei watched intently, not blinking.


    "Open it and see," Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei nodded and controlled the butcher to step forward and open the storage bags.


    The contents scattered on the ground were all ordinary items for a cultivator, spirit stones, and magical treasures, all fitting the level of a Foundation Establishment cultivator.


    However, one item caught the attention of the two demons.


    It was a token with a black sun pattern on it.


    "Black Sun?" Xu Hei frowned.


    From this token, he sensed a familiar power, the same source as the poison in Bonan''s body.


    "Hmph! This is the so-called emblem of the Sea God Sect!"


    Hei Huang''s gaze was icy.


    At that moment, the token suddenly vibrated, and a sinister and evil force seeped out, turning the space pitch black. Both humans and demonic beasts could feel the extreme malevolence!


    Hei Huang formed a hand seal, and in an instant, the formation activated, the scenery changed, and Hei Huang''s figure vanished, while the butcher transformed into the appearance of the surviving senior brother.


    At this moment, the black sun on the token rose into the air, materializing into a human shadow.


    This person was entirely black, covered with hideous giant mouths full of sharp teeth, and his limbs were covered in bone spurs. From his appearance, he didn''t look human at all, more like a monster born from the fusion of a human and a fierce beast.


    In terms of fright, only the butcher in full form could compare.


    "Ye Kong, why has your junior sister''s soul lamp extinguished? Give me an explanation!" the demonic shadow asked, staring at the butcher.


    Xu Hei thought things were not looking good; he had killed one of the two, leaving only one alive!


    If he had known, he would have left two alive! This was indeed his oversight.


    In a split second, Xu Hei''s thoughts raced, and he seemed to have thought of something.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and he sneered, "The junior sister was more of a hindrance than a help, so I ate her!"


    This response was clearly unexpected for the demonic shadow.


    "Oh? You ate her?"


    The demonic shadow stared at Hei Huang, eyes narrowing, and the world turned dark in an instant, with boundless fear descending, light swallowed, dark clouds pressing down, and darkness reigning.


    Xu Hei involuntarily tensed up, his transformed Ye Kong figure''s hair stood on end, face pale, yet he continued to meet the demonic shadow''s gaze without fear.


    Time ticked by, and Xu Hei was drenched in sweat, yet he maintained eye contact for several breaths without flinching.


    Xu Hei''s performance even surprised the demonic shadow.


    "Heh, not bad, to maintain such composure in front of me, you''re a promising talent!"


    The demonic shadow nodded and said, "If you can form a core, I can promote you to a steward!"


    Xu Hei appropriately showed a look of surprise and said humbly, "Thank you, my lord!" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    In an instant, the boundless fear vanished without a trace, and the demonic shadow disappeared.


    "Remember, at such critical moments, don''t cause any more trouble, or else, death!" The voice faded away, and the sky cleared up.


    A gentle breeze blew, and the sun shone brightly,


    As if what just happened was merely an illusion.


    Xu Hei slumped to the ground, drenched in sweat. Even though it was just a puppet, facing that supreme demonic shadow brought an indescribable pressure, like an ant facing the ocean, fear arising from the heart.


    "Was that the Sea God Sect''s leader just now?" Xu Hei asked, his face pale.


    "Heh, not the leader, just one of the Sea God Sect''s four guardians, the Nightmare Demon Lord, at the peak of the mid-stage Elemental Infant," Hei Huang said disdainfully.


    "Mid-stage Elemental Infant..."


    Xu Hei drew a sharp breath; this was even more terrifying than the ancestor of the Qin Kingdom.


    If the mid-stage Elemental Infant was so frightening, what about the later stages, or even the Divine Transformation stage?


    "This Nightmare Demon Lord specializes in the Dao of Fear. As long as he can induce fear, he can exert the power of his intent. It''s normal for you to feel this way. In terms of fright, even some late-stage Elemental Infants can''t compare to him," Hei Huang said.


    "Fear..." Xu Hei mused.


    At the Elemental Infant stage, it''s not just about cultivation and realm; there''s also intent and the Dao.


    This is the fundamental measure of an Elemental Infant cultivator''s strength.


    With Xu Hei''s current strength, facing an Elemental Infant stage was still too challenging.


    "You seem quite familiar with them?" Xu Hei felt he had discovered a blind spot.


    "Such tricks, anyone with a bit of common sense can see through," Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei naturally didn''t believe this, but he didn''t press further.


    Having gone through all this, Xu Hei felt increasingly aware of his own insignificance in terms of strength.


    Xu Qingzhi of the Snake Catchers Sect, Qin Xuanji of the Heavenly Puppet Sect, and now the Sea God Sect has appeared.


    "Still too weak," Xu Hei shook his head silently.


    In the days that followed, everything was calm, and in the blink of an eye, it was the day of the trade fair.


    During this time, Xu Hei did nothing but strengthen the butcher.


    Lei Man''s fish bones were completely refined by Xu Hei, including a piece of whale spine, which was also integrated into the butcher''s body.


    Now, the butcher''s physical strength had reached an astonishing level, capable of tearing apart a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator with bare hands, without exaggeration!


    Compared to the original body using the Diamond Suppression Technique, it was not much different, and in terms of durability, it was unmatched.

 Chapter 291: Trade fair, chance encounter with the Chosen of the Qin Kingdom

    Chapter 291: Trade fair, chance encounter with the Chosen of the Qin Kingdom"Let''s go!"


    Xu Hei left the cave dwelling, carrying his flying sword, and soared through the air towards the Sea Commerce Guild.


    The trading venue for this trip was located at the center of the main island. Along the way, Xu Hei saw many cultivators, all riding their flying swords, heading towards the Sea Commerce Guild.


    The mortals and low-level cultivators on Twin Islands, upon witnessing such a grand scene, quickly stepped aside.


    When Xu Hei arrived, the vast venue was already packed with hundreds of people, their heads bobbing like a sea of waves. However, the venue was spacious enough to accommodate more than ten thousand people, so it didn''t feel crowded.


    Only those with some standing, at least at the Foundation Establishment stage, were qualified to participate in the trading event.


    "Almost all the Foundation Establishment cultivators on this island have gathered..." Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Above the trading venue, there were thirty private rooms reserved for Core Formation cultivators.


    Xu Hei found an empty seat below and sat down, keeping a certain distance from others.


    Han Te also didn''t go to the so-called private rooms and sat near Xu Hei.


    Keeping a low profile was a consistent style for these two.


    Hei Huang, however, wearing a straw hat, swaggered into one of the private rooms, "inviting" the cultivators inside to leave. Inside were Zhao Xing and Li Yu.


    "Who dares to barge in, courting death!"


    "Oh, it''s... Brother Hei, my apologies, we''ll leave this room to you!"


    The two sensibly left and found another room, with Zhao Xing limping as he walked, seemingly bitten again.


    "This old dog really knows how to stir up trouble!" Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s gaze suddenly sharpened.


    He saw another person entering through the main door. This person appeared young, dressed in a white robe, with a gentle and refined demeanor. It was none other than Bai Luo, the top Chosen of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    "Why is he here?" Xu Hei frowned deeply.


    Bai Luo''s cultivation had evidently made significant progress compared to before. After entering, he didn''t attract attention by going to a private room but instead sat in the main hall.


    However, his attempt at low profile was clearly inadequate, as many in the hall recognized him. Although no one said it aloud, their gazes were all focused on Bai Luo.


    This made Bai Luo frown slightly.


    In the battle at Wuyou City, he and Bai Qiushui ended in a draw, with his puppets defeated by physical techniques, which he considered a great humiliation, making it impossible for him to focus on cultivation. He vowed to find Bai Qiushui and settle the score.


    Thus, he disregarded the sect''s objections and ventured out to sea alone to search.


    However, his lack of experience showed, as he didn''t know how to conceal himself on his first long journey.


    "Though I haven''t encountered any danger so far, I must remain low-key. Next time, I''ll wear a disguise mask," Bai Luo thought to himself.


    The only trouble he encountered after going to sea was a group of ignorant bandits, whom he easily defeated.


    This also boosted his confidence, making him believe no one would trouble him.


    Shortly after Bai Luo entered, about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, a masked figure in a black robe quietly entered and sat not far behind Bai Luo.


    Despite the person''s concealed aura and appearance, Xu Hei still recognized him from the faint murderous aura¡ªLei He.


    "Bringing a bodyguard on a training trip, truly worthy of a major sect," Xu Hei mused.


    However, Bai Luo was evidently unaware of this.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    As the important figures gradually entered, the trading event soon began.


    Xu Hei also saw the legendary envoy from the Qin Kingdom, Xu Fu.


    This person was rotund, with broad shoulders and a plump body, his face glowing with health, and a kind smile. The large "Fu" character on his robe made him look like a wealthy family''s patriarch to those unaware.


    But everyone knew that this person was a top expert of the Qin Kingdom, an Elemental Infant stage powerhouse, deserving of utmost respect.


    "Welcome, everyone, to our Twin Islands. I will be hosting this trading event!"


    In the center of the circular venue appeared a middle-aged woman with phoenix eyes, willow-leaf eyebrows, and a touch of crimson on her forehead¡ªa charming and graceful beauty.


    One of the two island masters of Twin Islands, Jiang Ying.


    This immediately caused a stir in the venue, but considering today''s unprecedented gathering, with over twenty Core Formation cultivators and even an Elemental Infant cultivator present, it was only natural to alarm the island master.


    "Let''s keep it short; we''ll start with the first round, the auction."


    After some pleasantries, Jiang Ying waved her hand, and a crack opened in the ground, from which a giant conch emerged.


    "A specialty of the Dolphin Clan from the East Sea, Fishman Drunk. One drop can intoxicate a Foundation Establishment cultivator, and one cup can intoxicate a Core Formation cultivator."


    As Jiang Ying spoke, a wisp of wine aroma wafted from the conch.


    In an instant, many in the venue had flushed faces, feeling slightly tipsy, which greatly shocked them.


    Jiang Ying raised her hand, and the wine aroma vanished.


    "What a terrifying strength of the wine!"


    "This wine is truly remarkable, whether for personal consumption or as a gift, it''s excellent!"


    The eyes of the crowd flickered, their hearts filled with excitement.


    But clearly, this was a lot that only Core Formation cultivators were eligible to bid on.


    "According to the seller''s requirements, he only accepts top-grade spirit stones, starting at ten top-grade spirit stones," Jiang Ying announced.


    As soon as she finished speaking, someone shouted, "I''ll bid twenty!"


    "Thirty!"


    "Fifty!"


    In a matter of moments, the price reached fifty top-grade spirit stones.


    Xu Hei exhaled and reclined in his chair.


    This conch of Fishman Drunk was his auction item, placed first to set the mood.


    Although he didn''t drink, he gladly accepted the wine gifted by the Dolphin Clan to sell.


    Of course, he kept a gourd for himself as a backup. Sear?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Sixty!"


    "Sixty-five!"


    "I''ll bid eighty!"


    When the price reached eighty, the room fell silent for a moment, clearly hesitating.


    This price already satisfied Xu Hei, as he had spent only a hundred to activate the Dragon Shatter Roar.


    "I''ll bid one hundred top-grade spirit stones!"


    Suddenly, as a voice rang out, everyone turned to look.


    The bidder was Bai Luo.


    "Him?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened. What''s this kid buying Fishman Drunk for?


    Bai Luo''s bid was too high, leaving no competition, making him the center of attention.


    "Alright, congratulations to this fellow Daoist for winning the Fishman Drunk."


    Jiang Ying waved her hand, and the conch flew to Bai Luo, who stored it away, while Bai Luo promptly handed over a hundred top-grade spirit stones with his storage bag.


    Auction items were bought and received on the spot, and one could leave at any time after the transaction.


    Bai Luo sniffed the Fishman Drunk and carefully stored it away.


    "Before I came of age, Uncle Lei He protected me for over ten years, working hard. I heard he likes to drink, so this Fishman Drunk will be a gift for him," Bai Luo thought to himself.


    Behind Bai Luo, not far away, the black-clad figure sighed deeply.


    If not for his mission, he would have bid just now, but Bai Luo bought it, leaving him with a wry smile.


    He had no hobbies, living a solitary life, with only drinking as a pleasure besides fighting. Bai Luo''s purpose for buying the wine was obvious.


    The auction continued.


    The subsequent lots were mostly around the second tier, contested by Foundation Establishment cultivators, with few above the third tier.


    Apart from buying a compass to identify directions, Xu Hei didn''t make any more bids.

 Chapter 292: Trade fair, a disagreement leads to a fight

    Chapter 292: Trade fair, a disagreement leads to a fightThe reason for buying this compass was because Hei Huang bid once, but was quickly outbid by someone else.


    Xu Hei, curious, bought it at a higher price.


    Once he got the compass, it was only palm-sized, plain and unremarkable, with nothing unusual about it. Xu Hei shook his head and put it into his storage bag.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time flew by, and before he knew it, two hours had passed.


    To speed things up, Jiang Ying brought out over a hundred auction items at once, placing them in front, each marked with a price for the cultivators present to choose from.


    These low-level treasures were quickly swept away.


    Xu Hei also sold quite a few magical treasures, all spoils from previous killings, which were useless to him.


    As his realm improved, many magical treasures became too low-level for him, and rather than letting them gather dust, he decided to sell them for spirit stones.


    By the end of it, Xu Hei had gained a total of 350 top-grade spirit stones.


    Including his previous stock, Xu Hei now had over 500 top-grade spirit stones!


    "The next dragon clan technique requires a thousand top-grade spirit stones, still half short, damn it," Xu Hei sighed inwardly.


    His current wealth was unmatched among Core Formation cultivators. Most of his fortune came from the "gift" from the Snake Catchers Sect, that time when the entire sect besieged him, making him rich in one go.


    "The next treasure is called the Minor Annihilation Talisman. Its power speaks for itself, being one of the rare talismans capable of tearing space! If used well, it can threaten cultivators at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage, and even Elemental Infant stage cultivators must retreat!"


    Jiang Ying brought out three gray talismans, placing them in the void, emanating destructive waves.


    "Minor Annihilation Talisman!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed. This talisman was precisely what he had seized from Xuan Yangzi, used to deal with Zhou Qing, forcing him to swallow the Longevity Pill.


    Having used it once, he knew its power could tear open space, ignoring any defenses below the fourth tier, making it a formidable weapon.


    Not only Xu Hei, but everyone''s eyes were also filled with fervor.


    In terms of sheer power, the Minor Annihilation Talisman even surpassed the Thunder Tribulation Pearl, and it was easy to activate, requiring only the infusion of spiritual qi, much more convenient than some high-tier magical treasures.


    Of course, low-tier cultivators dreaming of using this talisman to kill high-tier cultivators was wishful thinking; the opponent wouldn''t just stand there and let you kill them.


    "There are three Minor Annihilation Talismans in total, auctioned separately. Now, for the first one," Jiang Ying announced.


    "I bid 30,000 spirit stones!"


    "I bid 50,000!"


    "60,000!"


    The price climbed rapidly, soon surpassing 80,000 spirit stones. Of course, these prices were in lower-grade spirit stones, the common currency, as only a few possessed top-grade spirit stones.


    Ultimately, the first Minor Annihilation Talisman was sold for 90,000 spirit stones, which was the entire fortune of an ordinary Core Formation cultivator.


    The second one sold for a high price of 100,000, bought by Xu Hei.


    The third one also went for 100,000, purchased by Bai Luo.


    "Made a fortune, nearly 300,000 spirit stones, haha."


    Han Te grinned.


    Xu Hei glanced at Han Te curiously, wondering why this guy seemed happier than anyone else.


    Moreover, since entering, he hadn''t placed a single bid; could he be here just to sell things?


    After the Minor Annihilation Talismans, the level of the auction items rose significantly, all above the third tier, with transaction prices often exceeding 100,000. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei placed a few bids, but only tentatively. Even if he fancied a magical treasure and had the means to buy it, he would back off if someone competed with him.


    He really didn''t want to draw attention.


    "The next magical treasure is one of the highlights of this auction, the Ancient Pill Refining Insights!"


    Jiang Ying clapped her hands.


    In an instant, a sealing formation rose from the ground, enveloping a space, within which appeared an ancient jade engraved with countless runes.


    On the jade was a symbol¡ªa small cyan cauldron.


    The moment Xu Hei saw the small cauldron, his pupils contracted sharply.


    This small cauldron looked so familiar, it was identical to Xu Bai''s medicine cauldron!


    Xu Hei''s breathing became rapid, and he suppressed his inner turmoil, listening intently.


    "This ancient jade was discovered by my husband and me in an underwater ruin. The jade is extremely ancient, from a period even older than the ancient times. Despite this, the jade still contains a powerful seal. We have spent a hundred years deciphering it, yet have only managed to unlock less than ten percent of its content."


    "And this ten percent is the insights of an ancient pill refiner, including three ancient pill recipes."


    Jiang Ying''s words caused an uproar in the audience.


    The insights of an ancient pill refiner, including three pill recipes, were undoubtedly treasures for a pill refiner.


    Moreover, according to Jiang Ying''s description, the jade held enormous hidden value, which was the remaining ninety percent of the content.


    If even Elemental Infant cultivators couldn''t decipher it, what kind of heaven-defying secrets could the remaining content hold?


    Of course, the people present weren''t fools. Since it couldn''t be deciphered, buying it would be useless and might even bring disaster.


    "Island Master Jiang, we naturally trust your words, but could you tell us what those three pill recipes are?"


    At this moment, a gentle voice came from a private room, it was Xu Fu speaking.


    As an Elemental Infant cultivator and a pill refiner, he could gauge the value of the jade just by the pill recipes.


    Jiang Ying replied, "Qing Tian Pill, Nine Yang Powder, and Five Poison Heart Devouring Pill."


    Xu Fu squinted his eyes, nodded, and said, "They''re all third-tier pills, nothing particularly valuable. I''ll offer 200,000 spirit stones to buy it and take it back for research."


    Hearing Xu Fu''s words, the crowd calmed down.


    If it only contained third-tier pill recipes, it indeed wasn''t very valuable. 200,000 spirit stones was quite reasonable.


    Even among Core Formation cultivators, few had assets exceeding 200,000.


    Xu Fu glanced around the quiet hall and smiled, "If any of you fancy it, feel free to compete. I''m not a petty person."


    Despite his words, no one dared to compete.


    Xu Hei''s expression was grim. He certainly wanted to buy it, but risking offending an Elemental Infant cultivator wasn''t worth it.


    Xu Fu appeared amiable, but who knew what he was like behind the scenes?


    "200,100."


    Suddenly, a voice came from the box above.


    It was that dog, Hei Huang, speaking.


    This immediately drew everyone''s attention. Raising the bid by just a hundred, was this a deliberate challenge to Xu Fu?


    "Oh?"


    Xu Fu was taken aback. He had anticipated competition, but not in this manner. He chuckled, "I''ll bid 250,000."


    "300,000!"


    This time, it was Xu Hei who spoke up. With someone leading the charge, what was there to fear?


    At this moment, the entire audience was in an uproar, all eyes on the tall giant wearing a straw hat. This person had previously bid a few times, always backing off, showing caution. But what was with him now? Had he gone mad?


    300,000, the highest price since the auction began!


    Han Te shuddered, quickly moving two seats away, sitting far off.


    Xu Fu squinted his eyes and said, "350,000."


    "350,100!" Hei Huang said.


    "400,000!" Xu Hei continued to raise the price, clearly going all out.


    To hell with Xu Fu, I want this treasure, so what? Try and kill me if you can!

 Chapter 293: Trade fair, a gift with a hidden price

    Chapter 293: Trade fair, a gift with a hidden priceEveryone was wide-eyed and breathless, stunned by the sudden turn of events.


    Was someone actually competing for something Xu Fu had his eyes on? Were these two courting death?


    Xu Hei was understandable, at least it was fair competition, but the person in the private room was clearly just trying to annoy the other party.


    Everyone here had at least reached the Foundation Establishment stage, and the minimum bid increment was set at a hundred spirit stones, designed for Foundation Establishment cultivators.


    As a Core Formation cultivator, no one would shamelessly increase by just a hundred at a time; this person was clearly doing it on purpose.


    Xu Fu squinted his eyes, about to raise the bid again.


    Hei Huang shouted, "Four hundred thousand and one hundred."


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly and called out, "Four hundred and ten thousand!"


    Hei Huang: "Four hundred and ten thousand and one hundred."


    Seeing Hei Huang''s stance, Xu Fu fell silent and reclined back in his chair.


    Xu Hei coldly said, "Fellow Daoist, are you here to cause trouble on purpose?"


    This was exactly what Xu Fu wanted to ask, but someone else had beaten him to it.


    "The minimum bid increment is a hundred spirit stones, I''m following the rules, why not? If you have the guts, kick me out!" Hei Huang sneered.


    Han Te looked at the two with a bewildered expression, then suddenly realized something and cursed inwardly at their shamelessness, playing a double act.


    Xu Fu''s gaze lingered on Xu Hei for a moment before he withdrew it and closed his eyes to rest.


    "Four hundred and twenty thousand," Xu Hei said.


    This time, Hei Huang remained silent.


    Time ticked by second by second.


    Moments later, the price was finalized at four hundred and twenty thousand spirit stones.


    With a wave of Jiang Ying''s hand, the ancient jade, surrounded by layers of seals, was sent to Xu Hei, who caught it in one swift motion.


    The four hundred and twenty thousand lower-grade spirit stones almost depleted all of Xu Hei''s reserves.


    But he didn''t feel any regret, believing it was worth every bit.


    Xu Hei''s divine sense probed into the jade, immediately obtaining a tenth of the deciphered content, insights on pill refining, and three pill recipes.


    Over ninety percent remained sealed.


    "This item is crucial for Xu Bai, it must be kept safe."


    Xu Hei had a feeling that while others might not be able to decipher this ancient jade, Xu Bai might just be able to.


    The jade was incredibly dense, and what was sealed inside might not just be information; there could be other items as well.


    Through the dark green exterior, a faint light could be seen flickering inside. Xu Hei stored the jade in a Void Stone.


    There were two more highlight auction items to come.


    The first was a treasure of unknown grade, named the Giant Demon Battle Axe. It was said to be an ancient relic unearthed from a meteorite, devoid of spiritual power but incredibly heavy, even Core Formation cultivators couldn''t wield it, and it was bought by a mysterious cultivator.


    The second treasure was a Nine-Turn Rebirth Pill, a fourth-grade pill. It was said to bring the dead back to life, snatching people from the hands of the King of Hell, and was purchased by Xu Fu.


    The prices of these two highlight items, one at three hundred thousand and the other at five hundred thousand, were no less than the ancient jade Xu Hei acquired.


    "The auction process ends here, now begins the acquisition phase!"


    Jiang Ying took out a large number of jade slips, waved her hand, and they lined up in mid-air, each marked with requirements, clearly visible.


    Everyone immediately focused their attention.


    "Seeking entry qualification to the Penglai Sea, willing to offer fifty thousand spirit stones as a reward."


    "Seeking a life-saving magical treasure, bell-type, capable of withstanding a Core Formation stage attack, reward five thousand spirit stones, plus a Qingyuan Pill."


    "Seeking offensive talismans, mid-stage Foundation Establishment and above, one thousand spirit stones each."


    "¡­"


    Xu Hei''s gaze swept over the jade slips, most were left by Foundation Establishment cultivators, with few from the Core Formation stage.


    If someone could meet the requirements, they could retrieve the jade slip from a distance and provide the item listed.


    Before long, half of the jade slips were taken.


    Some people, unafraid of exposure, contacted buyers on the spot to trade. More preferred to go through Jiang Ying to conceal their identities.


    Xu Hei also noticed some people poisoned by the sea god, seeking antidotes at exorbitant prices. Although tempted, Xu Hei could only shake his head and sigh, as he couldn''t help with detoxification.


    At that moment, a strange phenomenon occurred.


    The remaining jade slips either had harsh requirements or low offers, attracting no interest.


    Yet, all these unattended jade slips were taken by Xu Fu!


    "Fellow Daoists, meeting at Twin Islands is a fate in itself. If someone is in trouble, why not lend a hand if I, Xu Fu, am able?"


    Xu Fu smiled warmly, exuding a spring breeze-like charm that made it hard for anyone to harbor ill feelings.


    He took out a large number of treasures, fulfilling the requirements on the jade slips, and handed them to Jiang Ying, who then passed them to the buyers.


    Those who received the treasures were all stunned.


    Someone immediately cupped their fists and bowed to Xu Fu: "Thank you, Senior Xu!"


    "Thank you, Senior!"


    "I will forever remember Senior Xu''s kindness!"


    Once someone led the way, the remaining people were all visibly moved, bowing to Xu Fu.


    Xu Fu''s generosity helped many, earning him a great deal of goodwill.


    Especially a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, who spent fifty thousand spirit stones to acquire breakthrough pills, a price almost impossible to achieve, yet Xu Fu provided it.


    The person was just trying their luck, who knew there would be such a generous benefactor.


    But this cultivator dared not show any disrespect, quickly bowing in gratitude.


    Even the jade slips of those poisoned by the sea god were taken by Xu Fu, who provided pills to suppress the poison, leaving Xu Hei dumbfounded.


    In a short time, all the jade slip requirements were met, no matter how harsh, Xu Fu could handle it.


    "Alright, since everyone''s needs are met, it''s time for mine." Xu Fu announced loudly.


    He stood up, walked out of the private room, and came to the center of the hall.


    Jiang Ying also stepped aside.


    This trade fair was secretly orchestrated by Xu Fu, with the well-known purpose of acquiring Longevity Pills. Xu Fu had publicly sought them multiple times.


    At any cost, with the power of a nation, this was Xu Fu''s confidence.


    "What I, Xu, seek is well known."


    "Fellow Daoists, even if you don''t have Longevity Pills, any treasure with life essence, I will purchase at triple the price, from second to fourth grade, all are welcome."


    Xu Fu surveyed the room, laughing loudly.


    His words elicited a chorus of agreement.


    "Of course, I came prepared."


    "Please, Senior Xu, have a look!"


    Most cultivators present took out prepared items, sending them to the center of the hall.


    Various spirit medicines, magical treasures, spirit plants, and spirit springs, all containing life essence, flew over, landing before Xu Fu, filling the hall with rich life energy.


    These treasures varied in grade, dazzling the eyes.


    Everyone had heard the news, so they were well-prepared, showing full sincerity.


    Xu Fu inspected each one, then handed out spirit stones to those who provided spirit medicines.


    Xu Hei intended to offer the Longevity Pill but suddenly held back, his eyes flickering, and instead, like Han Te, he took out a thousand-year-old spirit medicine and offered it to Xu Fu.


    A thousand-year-old spirit medicine, though rare, had been offered by others earlier, so Xu Hei''s wasn''t unique. Cultivators with some wealth at the Core Formation stage could usually obtain such spirit medicines.


    "Excellent!"


    Xu Fu accepted the spirit medicine, nodding in satisfaction, and handed over a storage bag containing two hundred and forty top-grade spirit stones, surprising Xu Hei as it was indeed three times his expectation.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The process wasn''t long, lasting about the time it takes two incense sticks to burn, and no one else offered spirit medicines.


    With the transaction complete, Xu Fu nodded in satisfaction, his smile as bright as a chrysanthemum.


    "Today''s trade pleases me greatly. Does anyone else have treasures with life essence?"


    Xu Fu scanned the room again, smiling broadly.


    Most people shook their heads; what they had to offer had already been given, they wouldn''t wait until now.


    Xu Hei did have ten-thousand-year-old spirit medicine, but he would never offer it, as even Elemental Infant cultivators coveted such items.


    "Oh? Truly nothing more?" sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Fu asked once more, still smiling.


    By now, some had already left the trade hall, reducing the number by a fifth.


    Xu Hei also planned to leave, rising to depart, with Han Te having left a step ahead.


    As Xu Hei reached the entrance of the hall, about to step out, he suddenly stopped.


    He stared at the vast, empty street outside, his heart tightening with a sudden sense of foreboding.


    Han Te''s expression also changed dramatically, retreating back inside, panting heavily, his face drenched in sweat.

 Chapter 294: Evil faction arrives, great crisis at Twin Islands

    Chapter 294: Evil faction arrives, great crisis at Twin Islands"What happened?"


    Xu Hei quickly asked.


    Han Te''s face was pale, and it took him a while to catch his breath before he said, "The people who went out just now, they''ve all disappeared, not even a trace left!"


    His words were almost trembling.


    Previously in Haiya City, Han Te had experienced this scene and was on guard. The moment he sensed something was wrong, he used a teleportation talisman to retreat instantly, narrowly escaping disaster.


    Xu Hei stared at the empty street outside, his Divine Sense shot out like a sharp sword, but he couldn''t find a single shadow. The area was completely empty. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    By this time, others had also noticed something was amiss and stopped at the entrance, looking at each other and observing their surroundings.


    "Do none of you truly have any life-rich treasures left?"


    Xu Fu spoke again, asking for the third time, his tone still gentle, his smile still kind.


    At this moment, another group of three flew out, stepping on flying swords, clearly unaware of the situation.


    Xu Hei held his breath, his Divine Sense locked onto the three.


    When the three flew thousands of feet away, about to exceed the range of Xu Hei''s Divine Sense.


    Suddenly, they vanished.


    Under Xu Hei''s Divine Sense, they disappeared without a trace, not even ashes left! It was impossible to tell how they vanished!


    "What?" Xu Hei''s heart surged with a tidal wave of shock.


    He had heard Hei Huang mention such a situation before; it had happened in Haiya City, disappearing into thin air without warning!


    Xu Hei immediately thought of one person¡ªthe Nightmare Demon Lord!


    Creating fear, using fear as a realm, the more frightened people are, the stronger the Nightmare Demon Lord becomes.


    Looking at Han Te''s pale face, trembling body, and stammering speech, it was clear he was overwhelmed by inexplicable fear, precisely the realm of the Nightmare Demon Lord.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, another person vanished into thin air, not far from the venue.


    Everyone saw this scene, their faces changed dramatically, expressions filled with horror, and some even screamed.


    "Ah!! What was that just now!"


    "Someone disappeared into thin air!"


    "This technique, it''s the Sea God Sect!"


    In an instant, chaos erupted, screams echoed, and some people, out of fear, fell to the ground, trembling all over.


    At this moment, the sky darkened, as if an invisible cloud covered the sun, casting a shadow over everyone''s heart.


    "Enemy invasion, the whole city on alert!"


    A loud shout echoed from the sky, like thunder, reverberating in everyone''s ears, awakening them.


    It was the voice of Island Lord Jiang Chong.


    "Swish, swish, swish..."


    Countless city guards rushed toward the trading venue, all elite, at least at the late Foundation Establishment stage, with ten Core Formation stage cultivators leading.


    This group of city guards controlled the protective formation of Twin Islands, capable of contending with Elemental Infant stage opponents!


    Jiang Ying also rushed out of the trading venue, a delicate pagoda appearing in her hand. With a wave, the pagoda flew into the sky, emitting a hazy light, forming a giant defensive shield covering a hundred miles around the venue.


    Golden light poured down, dispelling the gloom, as if returning from hell to the human world.


    Facing the Sea God Sect''s invasion, the two island lords quickly responded.


    "Everyone, stay within the pagoda''s range, don''t act rashly!" Jiang Ying said sternly.


    "Yes!"


    Under the pagoda''s light, the crowd''s fear subsided somewhat, but their breathing remained rapid, faces pale.


    Jiang Chong appeared beside Jiang Ying, his gaze scanning the sky, eyes growing more solemn.


    He couldn''t see, couldn''t see at all!


    He didn''t even know where the enemy was, nor where the disappeared people had gone.


    This crisis was unprecedented for Twin Islands, but as one of the three major islands of the East Sea, Jiang Chong and Jiang Ying were no ordinary figures.


    "Who are you, esteemed one? Please show yourself!"


    Jiang Chong held a thunder spear, shouting in a deep voice.


    The sky remained dark and silent, with no response.


    "All troops, heed my command!"


    Jiang Chong waved his hand, about to issue orders.


    But at that moment, he froze!


    The city guards he had summoned, over a hundred people, had all vanished without a trace.


    He didn''t know when they disappeared, as if they had evaporated in an instant!


    "When... did they disappear?" Jiang Chong''s voice trembled slightly.


    "I don''t know."


    Jiang Ying shook her head, her palms sweating.


    The opponent''s methods were too bizarre, making people disappear without a trace, like a powerful figure far beyond them toying with them.


    Under this invisible pressure, a trace of fear inevitably arose in both their hearts.


    This fear stemmed from the unknown, and once it appeared, it spread uncontrollably.


    "Damn it!!"


    Jiang Chong gritted his teeth, holding the spear, stabbing his palm fiercely, the intense pain bringing him back to clarity.


    "Too late!"


    A sinister voice echoed from the distant sky.


    In an instant, Jiang Chong''s world was filled with countless illusions, the distant deep sea like a giant mouth devouring the sky, biting toward him, the gloomy sky seemed about to collapse, hideous eyes emerged from the dark clouds, black tentacles sweeping in, trying to penetrate his body.


    Countless bizarre scenes appeared in his mind.


    These scenes stemmed from the cultivator''s inner fears, the more one feared, the more they appeared.


    This was the Nightmare Demon Lord''s Divine Ability!


    Facing this person, once fear arose, even a trace, one would fall into endless nightmares.


    In just one encounter, Jiang Chong, the city lord of Twin Islands, at the mid-Elemental Infant stage, was unable to withstand it.


    The other city lord, Jiang Ying, under the pagoda''s protection, also fell into darkness, her body trembling, eyes filled with terror, also suffering from nightmares.


    Just as Jiang Chong was about to be swallowed by endless fear.


    A bright light suddenly lit up within him, bringing him back to clarity.


    "Kill!"


    Jiang Chong let out a low shout, thrusting his thunder spear into the void, piercing the sky, instantly tearing a hole in the dark clouds, and most of the fear-born monsters vanished.


    Taking this opportunity, Jiang Chong took out a pill bottle and threw it toward the trading venue behind him.


    "Daoist Xu Fu, please lend a hand!"


    Jiang Chong shouted, the pill bottle landing accurately in front of Xu Fu. Facing such an opponent, he couldn''t hold back, he had to go all out!


    Then, he charged into the dark void ahead, spear in hand, eyes devoid of fear.


    Xu Fu caught the pill bottle, opened it, and smiled brightly, "Oh? Isn''t this the Longevity Pill? I''ve seen it before, it''s very effective."


    "But this alone isn''t enough!"


    He put away the pill bottle, looking at the panicked crowd in the trading venue, and said with a smile, "Earlier, I extended a helping hand, assisting all of you, but you refused to repay me, which is quite disappointing!"


    Xu Fu''s actions greatly surprised everyone. They had thought his kind appearance meant he would help them through the crisis. But who would have thought he would remain indifferent, still thinking about collecting his life materials in such a dire situation.


    "Senior Xu Fu, we really have nothing left!"


    "All life-rich treasures have been given to you, there''s really nothing left!"


    The crowd lamented, beginning to plead.


    "Lord Xu Fu, these are the treasures from our Sea Commerce Guild, I wonder if they are enough!"


    The head of the Sea Commerce Guild also appeared, an elder at the peak of the Core Formation stage, offering the guild''s treasured items, all rich in life energy, to Xu Fu.


    Xu Fu took a look and still shook his head.


    "Not enough! Not enough! Not enough!"


    Xu Fu said "not enough" three times, his eyes flashing as he looked at the crowd in the trading venue, smiling, "I said I need materials rich in life energy, life energy!"


    "So much life energy, yet no one is willing to offer it, how disappointing!"


    With these words, the venue fell silent, the crowd stared wide-eyed in horror at Xu Fu, who wore a harmless smile, looking at everyone.


    Life energy! Was Xu Fu referring to them?


    This trading event, Xu Fu promised to buy treasures at three times the price, and with various promotions, he attracted almost all the Foundation Establishment cultivators on Twin Islands!


    It was a rare gathering.


    Over a thousand Foundation Establishment stage, more than twenty Core Formation stage, so many cultivators gathered in one place, wasn''t it perfect for a catch-all?


    This might not be a benefit at all, but a trap, a complete conspiracy!


    Many clever individuals immediately realized the logic behind this, their faces turning pale with shock, but still unwilling to believe the truth, looking at Xu Fu, trembling, "Senior Xu Fu, you must be joking."


    They all knew Xu Fu was collecting Spirit Medicine for the Qin Emperor to make Longevity Pills, to prolong his life.


    But what did that have to do with their lives? Killing them would make the Qin Emperor live longer? How could that be possible?


    Besides, this was the Sea Commerce Guild, there were so many of them, and there was a formation. Even if Xu Fu was an Elemental Infant cultivator, he couldn''t possibly oppose thousands of people, right?


    "Joking?"


    Xu Fu chuckled and said, "I''m not joking. What I need is you, all of you!"


    "Boom!" "Boom!" "Boom!"...


    Suddenly, several private rooms in the trading venue erupted with explosions, figures rushing out, attacking the crowd.


    These people were shrouded in gloom, filled with ghostly aura, their eyes glowing with demonic light, a black sun appearing on their foreheads.


    They were the followers of the Sea God Sect!


    So many Sea God Sect members had infiltrated Twin Islands, even entering the trading venue, yet no one knew!

 Chapter 295: Rebels, seeking survival in desperate circumstances

    Chapter 295: Rebels, seeking survival in desperate circumstancesIn just a brief moment, the entire trading venue descended into chaos. Shouts of killing, cries for help, and screams of escape echoed incessantly, blood splattered everywhere, and the screams were piercing.


    Xu Hei suddenly noticed that both Li Yu and Zhao Xing had a black sun symbol on their foreheads, indicating that they were also members of the Sea God Sect.


    No wonder so many outsiders had infiltrated Twin Islands; even those responsible for inspections had been bribed.


    After killing several people, the two exchanged a glance and simultaneously charged toward the box where Hei Huang was.


    Clearly, these two held a grudge against Hei Huang and seized this opportunity to exact revenge and wipe away their humiliation!


    "You filthy beast, still daring to bite? Today, I''ll stew you and eat black dog meat!" Zhao Xing''s eyes were cold, and the long knife in his hand gleamed with a chilling light, exuding a bloodthirsty killing intent.


    Having been bitten twice, he had long harbored a deep hatred for Hei Huang. If it weren''t for the task at hand, he wouldn''t have tolerated it until now.


    Li Yu remained calm, producing countless talismans in his hand, which he hurled toward Hei Huang''s box, intending to seal it first and then capture him like a turtle in a jar.


    Compared to the chaos in the hall, this small detail went unnoticed by anyone.


    The slaughter began, and in just a moment, nearly a hundred cultivators were slain out of a thousand.


    Every deceased person''s body emitted a red glow, and then the corpse turned into a dried husk, its life essence completely drained.


    Without exception, the floating red glow was absorbed into Xu Fu''s body, causing his already plump figure to swell even more.


    Xu Fu patted his belly and laughed heartily, "Haha, this is true life essence. What you provided before doesn''t count at all!"


    This scene terrified everyone, filling their hearts with intense fear, prompting them to turn and flee.


    Panic spread among the crowd; no one expected such a terrifying attack on Twin Islands, one of the three major islands of the East Sea, and even the trading venue of the Sea Commerce Guild had fallen!


    However, they had nowhere to escape!


    Once they left the trading venue and the range of the pagoda''s light, they would disappear into thin air, meeting the same fate as those who left earlier.


    "Activate the formation!"


    Suddenly, a loud shout echoed through the venue.


    An elderly man in luxurious robes appeared, holding a formation disk in his hand, which he slammed into the ground. Instantly, a towering formation emerged within the venue, and the phantom of a sea flood dragon appeared, coiling in the void and letting out a deafening roar.


    Each branch of the Sea Commerce Guild had a fourth-tier formation spirit underground, capable of holding its own even against Elemental Infant stage cultivators.


    This elderly man in luxurious robes was Hong Yuan, the branch president of the Sea Commerce Guild''s Twin Islands branch, whose cultivation had reached the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage, having long been in sync with the formation spirit.


    "Fellow Daoists, we are a thousand strong; how can we fear mere dozens? Channel your spiritual power into this formation and help me slay the old thief Xu Fu!"


    Hong Yuan shouted, pointing forward, and the phantom of the sea flood dragon charged, opening its massive jaws to bite Xu Fu.


    "Fight, we have no retreat!"


    A mid-stage Core Formation cultivator also shouted, joining the resistance.


    With someone leading, the other cultivators quickly steadied themselves, eyes fierce, no longer fleeing but instead attacking the evil faction cultivators within the venue.


    "We cultivators cannot bow to the evil faction!"


    "That''s right! We have the numbers; we need not fear them!"


    "Kill! Fight our way out!"


    More and more people joined the resistance, either channeling spiritual power into the formation or attacking the evil faction cultivators.


    Rather than fleeing the venue and disappearing into thin air, it was better to turn back and fight to the death for a chance at survival!


    Xu Hei also joined the resistance, blending in with the crowd, not standing out, which was his usual style. Of course, he remained vigilant, knowing things wouldn''t be so simple.


    Xu Fu''s smile grew even brighter, "Fellow Daoists, I, Xu Fu, have always repaid kindness with kindness. I gave you gifts before, and now it''s time to return them!"


    Xu Fu clapped his hands.


    At this moment, a pitch-black demonic mark appeared on his forehead, a symbol of flames.


    "Sow the seed, reap the fruit; good and evil have their rewards, blessings and misfortunes are intertwined..."


    Xu Fu chanted, pointing forward.


    Suddenly, the phantom of the sea flood dragon froze mid-air, and its illusory form began to burn.


    Not only the formation spirit but also the charging cultivators were engulfed in flames.


    "Ah!!"


    "No, save me!"


    "Ahhh!"


    In an instant, the hall was filled with horrific screams. In just a moment, most of the thousand present were engulfed in flames, turning into firemen as the flames consumed their bodies.


    All forward-charging figures halted, their faces turning pale, lips white, eyes wide like copper bells.


    Xu Hei was stunned, his heart in turmoil.


    He had always been attentive to details. S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If observed closely, it could be seen that those engulfed in flames were precisely those who had received Xu Fu''s favors.


    The greater the favor received, the fiercer the flames! Especially the mid-stage Core Formation cultivator who had bought a Qingyuan Pill needed for a breakthrough with fifty thousand spirit stones; now, the flames within him had turned deep purple, burning him to the point of heart-wrenching agony.


    Even the magical treasures and spells mid-flight were engulfed in flames, consumed entirely.


    Xu Hei also felt a discomfort, as if flames were igniting within him, but they extinguished in the blink of an eye.


    "Did I also receive a favor?"


    Xu Hei thought of the two hundred and forty top-grade spirit stones, the price for selling his millennium spirit medicine.


    However, he didn''t consider it a great bargain, as it was obtained from Wuyou City and was inherently more valuable.


    What surprised him was that Han Te remained completely unaffected, not a single spark igniting. Previously, he had sold several millennium spirit medicines to Xu Fu, making a significant profit, so why was there no reaction?


    Similarly, a few other cultivators present, who had also received Xu Fu''s favors, were unaffected by the flames, only showing slight discomfort.


    "How... could this happen?"


    Hong Yuan''s face turned pale, panting heavily, drenched in sweat, and even the formation spirit was engulfed in flames.


    "Hong Yuan, during my time on Twin Islands, you''ve received quite a bit of care from me, with profits exceeding the sum of the past ten years. So, where''s your return?"


    Xu Fu smiled, looking at Hong Yuan.


    Hong Yuan trembled all over, the pallor on his face growing stronger, and suddenly, he spat out a mouthful of blood, which ignited in flames.


    He too was attacked by flames, even more intensely than others, tenfold!


    More terrifyingly, the few evil faction cultivators who had been killed in the previous battle stood up again, their injuries healed, as if they were immortal.


    This plunged everyone into the depths of despair, completely losing hope.


    Bai Luo stood in a corner against the wall, clutching a pile of escape items in his hands, such as void talismans, teleportation talismans, and divine travel shuttles, all used to no avail.


    "What do we do? What do we do?"


    Bai Luo broke out in cold sweat, his body trembling uncontrollably.


    He was afraid, experiencing fear for the second time in his life.

 Chapter 296: A cup of wine, no regrets in this life

    Chapter 296: A cup of wine, no regrets in this lifeLeaving the Heavenly Puppet Sect and the Qin Kingdom, Bai Luo ventured far overseas. Although Bai Luo was powerful and lived up to his genius reputation, without allies or backing here, he was no different from an ordinary rogue cultivator.


    The evil faction cultivators had no fear of the forces behind him and would kill him without hesitation!


    Especially now, it seemed Xu Fu had set his sights on him, making Bai Luo feel a chill down his spine, as if thorns were pressing against his back.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    Countless cold glints shot towards him like a downpour. Bai Luo, without hesitation, summoned a giant mechanical puppet behind him. It raised its palms, and flames surged from the nozzles in its hands, incinerating the incoming needles to ashes.


    Suddenly, among the needles, there was a Thunder Pearl that exploded upon ignition. It detonated instantly, blasting the summoned puppet into pieces. The terrifying shockwave swept across, even blowing a huge crater in the venue''s sturdy walls. Bai Luo was also caught in the blast, spitting blood as the light of his magical treasures shattered, sending him flying backward.


    "An External Incarnation?!"


    Bai Luo''s face changed dramatically as he saw an assassin with Xu Fu''s face, moving like a ghost, wielding a curved blade aimed at his neck.


    Bai Luo summoned a large number of mechanical puppets to block behind him, but they all fell with a clang under the sweep of the blade''s glint, the cold light heading straight for his face.


    "It''s over."


    Bai Luo''s heart sank to the bottom. The opponent was an Elemental Infant cultivator, and even if it was just an incarnation, it was not something he could resist!


    A sense of despair welled up in his heart. The opponent knew he was Bai Luo and would never let him leave.


    "Clang!!!"


    Suddenly, a deafening clash sounded ahead, metal against metal, weapons colliding, and the shockwave swept across the ground.


    A black-clad, masked cultivator stood in front of Bai Luo, holding a war halberd, intercepting the curved blade in front.


    With one clash, the shockwave spread from the center, cracking the ground and sending sparks flying, forcing the black-clad cultivator to retreat several steps, blood oozing from the corner of his mouth.


    "You are..."


    Bai Luo was shocked, looking at the masked figure ahead.


    The faint killing intent emanating from him was not something an ordinary cultivator could possess. It was more like that of a general who had experienced countless battles and killed many!


    At this moment, the masked man also removed his mask, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and with a cold gaze, stared at the assassin ahead, his eyes showing no fear, only a fierce killing intent.


    A resolute face, a tall silhouette, familiar scars on his face, and a rough beard, like a towering mountain, stood in front of Bai Luo, bringing an endless sense of security.


    It was Lei He, General Lei, who had protected Bai Luo for over a decade!


    "Uncle Lei?"


    Bai Luo''s voice trembled.


    At this moment, all eyes in the venue were focused on them.


    A peak Core Formation Stage cultivator, who would have thought there was such a hidden expert in the auction house!


    "Xu Fu, you collude with the evil faction, disregard human life, and plot against the Chosen of my Qin Kingdom. Aren''t you afraid of the Qin Emperor''s wrath, exterminating your entire clan?" Lei He shouted sternly.


    "Hahaha!" Xu Fu laughed upon hearing this and said, "General Lei, are you joking? This is the East Sea! In the Qin Kingdom, he is the supreme Human Emperor, but outside the borders, without the support of national fortune and the dragon vein, what can he do to me?"


    These words made Lei He furious.


    He couldn''t believe Xu Fu would betray the Qin Kingdom, colluding with the Sea God Sect to harm so many people.


    Even collecting these life spirit medicines was probably not for the Qin Emperor but for himself.


    "Xu Fu, your crimes are monstrous! Today, according to the laws of the Great Qin, I sentence you to death!" Lei He shouted, producing a golden decree and pressing it to his forehead.


    In an instant, a towering crimson figure appeared behind him, holding a long halberd, its eyes opening, and an overwhelming killing intent spread out, engulfing the entire trading venue, even affecting the outside space, turning the sky crimson. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Elemental Infant intent, slaughter intent.


    This was Lei He''s strongest trump card, the God of War Avatar!


    And it was fully activated, its power far surpassing the last battle with Xu Qingfeng!


    As the God of War Avatar appeared, Lei He''s skin began to crack, blood flowing out, as if unable to withstand the terrifying backlash, but there was not a hint of hesitation in his eyes.


    "Uncle Lei!" Bai Luo shouted, his eyes red.


    Xu Fu''s eyes also flashed with a hint of surprise.


    Only an Elemental Infant intent could counter an Elemental Infant intent. If Lei He was willing to risk his life to stop him, it could indeed cause some trouble.


    "Bai Luo, this is a mechanical teleportation array left by Qin Xuanji. It can only be used once, but regardless of any restrictions outside, it can take you thousands of miles away, but it requires three breaths of preparation time."


    Lei He tossed a complexly shaped array disk to Bai Luo, landing in front of him.


    Bai Luo took the mechanical teleportation array and was about to activate it, but his body suddenly trembled, looking at the tall figure he had been with day and night.


    "Uncle Lei, you..."


    His eyes were red, and he felt as if struck by lightning, frozen in place.


    Three breaths of preparation time, then, these three breaths...


    Lei He said nothing more, his expression remained calm, only asking slowly, "Do you have wine?"


    At this moment.


    Bai Luo could no longer hold back his emotions, tears streaming down his face like rain.


    "I have wine! Yes, I have!"


    Bai Luo hurriedly took out the Fishman Drunk he had just acquired at the auction and handed it to Lei He.


    Lei He took the conch, raised the cup high, and drank it all in one go.


    "Clang!"


    The conch shattered on the ground, turning to dust, and Lei He''s entire body turned crimson, the surging alcohol in his body making his blood even more vigorous, his killing intent becoming tangible.


    "Hahaha! Good wine, good wine! To drink this wine, I have no regrets in this life!"


    Lei He laughed wildly to the sky, his laughter like thunder, and even the God of War Avatar seemed to laugh along.


    The deafening laughter echoed in the hall, spread beyond the sky, resounding through the heavens, infecting everyone''s emotions, filling their hearts with hot blood, fearless!


    The next second, Lei He''s figure moved, carrying overwhelming killing intent, with an unshakable divine might, charged towards Xu Fu.


    Good wine, the goodness was not in the wine, but in the person!


    He had protected Bai Luo for over ten years, and this was the first time he received a return. Unknowingly, the little master from back then had grown up.


    Mission accomplished, no regrets in this life!


    Bai Luo''s emotions had already broken through the dam, but he suppressed the grief and endless hatred in his heart, activating the mechanical teleportation array disk in his hand.


    "I, Bai Luo, swear to the heavens, today''s events will be repaid a thousandfold in the future!"


    In a flash of formation light, Bai Luo gritted his teeth, countless complex patterns activated, the light enveloping him, space tearing apart.


    One breath!


    Flames ignited on Lei He''s body, countless vengeful spirits surrounded him, all those he had killed, roaring as they pounced on Lei He, but were swept away by the long halberd of the God of War Avatar behind him, disappearing without a trace.


    Lei He''s aura weakened, his gaze fierce, advancing once more.


    Two breaths!


    "Truly worthy of the God of War Avatar, even karma can be blocked!"


    Xu Fu murmured to himself, raising his hand to point again.


    This time, the number of vengeful spirits reached a hundred thousand, stacked together, their sheer number making one''s scalp tingle, capable of completely devouring Lei He.


    "Boom!!"


    "Ah!!"


    Suddenly, a heart-wrenching scream came from afar.


    The sound originated from the sealed box.


    Earlier, Li Yu, Zhao Xing, and an evil Core Formation Stage cultivator had rushed in, seemingly to join forces against a spirit beast, never to return.


    Until now, there was finally a commotion from inside.

 Chapter 297: Decapitate the incarnation, Xu Fus true identity

    Chapter 297: Decapitate the incarnation, Xu Fu''s true identityTaking advantage of the opportunity, Lei He pushed the God of War Avatar to its limits, his entire body covered in cracks, even his skull seemed about to split.


    With a grim smile, amidst the roars of countless vengeful spirits and his own wild laughter, his body exploded with a thunderous boom.


    "Boom!!!"


    Lei He self-destructed.


    His body shattered, releasing the surging true essence within, sweeping across the hall. The Golden Core exploded, transforming into an endless, overwhelming force, concentrated in one direction, charging towards Xu Fu''s avatar.


    Even though the latter was an Elemental Infant stage cultivator''s avatar, under such terrifying impact, it was blown backward, its form completely shattered, along with several evil cultivators, reduced to ashes.


    Three breaths!


    As a general of the Qin Kingdom, Lei He had long disregarded life and death since stepping onto the battlefield.


    Obeying military orders, exterminating evil spirits, protecting the king, safeguarding the Dao heart, even if burdened with sins, he was worthy of the title of general.


    Bai Luo''s gaze was fixed on Lei He''s dying figure, on Xu Fu''s true self, whose indifferent eyes and smiling lips etched this scene forever in his heart.


    "Xu Fu, I will remember this, I, Bai Luo, will spend my life avenging this!" Bai Luo swore to the heavens.


    "Buzz!"


    The light of the formation flickered, and Bai Luo''s figure disappeared.


    However, Xu Fu paid no attention to Bai Luo''s disappearance; his true self''s gaze was locked onto the box over there, indifferent to Lei He''s self-destruction.


    With a mere wave of his hand, the terrifying self-destruction that could have destroyed a hundred miles was mostly dissipated, like a breeze, causing no ripples.


    Xu Fu even concealed his strength.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, the box shattered, revealing the scene within the seal.


    The three who had just entered let out heart-wrenching screams as their bodies melted, disintegrated, and vanished inch by inch, as if being erased from existence.


    After being killed, evil cultivators could revive on the spot, but these three were completely erased, not even leaving a trace.


    "Master Xu Fu, save me, save me!"


    "I don''t want to die!"


    The three screamed simultaneously.


    Without needing a reminder, Xu Fu raised his hand, an invisible hand grabbing the three, swiftly pulling them back.


    "Hehe, go ahead and save them, if you can save them, I''ll admit defeat."


    Hei Huang sneered inwardly.


    Suddenly, Zhao Xing''s leg wound rapidly festered, emitting overwhelming black energy that swept out, affecting the two beside him, who turned to ashes without even a scream.


    The black energy spread too quickly, even affecting Xu Fu, whose face darkened as he retreated rapidly, still getting slightly contaminated.


    His contaminated arm rapidly melted, and he decisively severed it, the fallen hand turning into a pool of blood.


    "What!?"


    Everyone was shocked.


    The black energy came and went quickly, disappearing before anyone could take a closer look.


    What was this gas? Even Xu Fu, at the Elemental Infant stage, lost an arm to it?


    No one knew what it was, but the shock it brought was unparalleled.


    Xu Fu squinted his eyes, coldly saying, "Demonic energy?"


    Demonic energy, existing only in legends, was said to be possessed only by the most evil demons in the world. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hei Huang had seen through Zhao Xing and Li Yu as members of the evil faction a week ago, and his bite wasn''t simple; he had left a seed of demonic energy within them.


    Once the time was right, the demonic seed would erupt, rapidly generating demonic energy, affecting others, with no one spared.


    Unfortunately, Xu Fu reacted too quickly, avoiding it in time, otherwise, he could have been severely injured.


    Xu Fu hadn''t expected that in trying to save people, he almost got tricked, his face darkening, his smile disappearing.


    "This old dog had discovered it long ago, why didn''t he say anything earlier!"


    Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    What surprised him even more was that Hei Huang, instead of fleeing as usual, stood his ground. The difference in strength was significant; where did he get the confidence?


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he made up his mind.


    In the past, he would have prioritized escaping, but now, since even the dog was fighting, there was no need to hide. He decided to go all out. With Hei Huang''s nature, he wouldn''t risk his life without confidence.


    "Xu Hei, this is my personal vendetta, you don''t need to get involved!" Hei Huang transmitted secretly.


    The voice was extremely serious.


    "Personal vendetta?"


    Xu Hei was taken aback, the answer was unexpected.


    "Then this is my personal vendetta too." Xu Hei responded with a cold laugh.


    Hei Huang fell silent.


    Xu Fu looked at Hei Huang for a long time, asking, "You have a scent on you that I find repulsive, who exactly are you?"


    Hei Huang mocked, "I''m your ancestor!"


    Xu Fu was momentarily stunned.


    Such a master, yet cursing like a child, was truly speechless.


    "Yehuo Demon Lord, you don''t even recognize your ancestor, truly rebellious!" Hei Huang sneered.


    Xu Fu initially felt disdain, but then surprise flashed in his eyes.


    "Yehuo Demon Lord?"


    Everyone was puzzled upon hearing this name.


    The half-dead president of the Sea Commerce Guild, Hong Yuan, gasped upon hearing the name.


    "Yehuo Demon Lord, one of the four guardians of the Sea God Sect!"


    Hong Yuan exclaimed, as the branch president of the Sea Commerce Guild, he was well-informed about the Sea God Sect and had heard of this figure.


    But no one expected that Xu Fu was actually the renowned guardian of the Sea God Sect!


    "Silence!"


    Xu Fu raised his hand, and Hong Yuan was immediately engulfed in karmic fire, his sins descending upon him, burning him to nothing.


    Yehuo Demon Lord specialized in punishing sins with sins, creating karma; if caught by him, one would die a terrible death.


    Like the Nightmare Demon Lord, he was a cultivator who killed using rules.


    "Hehe, I didn''t expect to be recognized! Since that''s the case, I don''t need to hide anymore!"


    Xu Fu glanced around, a cold smile on his face, his aura suddenly rising, skyrocketing to the limit.


    His cultivation broke through the early Elemental Infant stage, reaching the mid-stage, then the mid-stage peak, similar to the Nightmare Demon Lord!


    To deal with the Twin Islands, the Sea God Sect actually dispatched two guardians! An unprecedented move!


    No wonder Xu Fu had such terrifying combat power; he had joined the Sea God Sect long ago!


    "Nightmare, I''ve been exposed, let''s end this quickly!"


    Xu Fu looked towards the sky outside the trade venue, speaking to the clouds.


    "Oh? There''s a twist, interesting!"


    A cold laugh came from the gloomy sky, like a demon from hell, just the voice instilling fear.


    Countless thoughts flashed through Xu Hei''s mind.


    Facing Elemental Infant cultivators, what could he do?


    The Heavenly Demon Mirror, once used, was still unusable.


    The Minor Annihilation Talisman? It could threaten the Elemental Infant stage, but the opponent was at the mid-stage peak, a Sea God Sect guardian! Even if it could hit, would it work?


    Blow the conch, call for help? Let Bonan come to die?


    "Xu Hei, you don''t need to do anything, you have a more important task, listen to me, you won''t go wrong!" Hei Huang transmitted again.


    "What task?" Xu Hei asked urgently.


    "Stay where you are, do nothing!" Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei: "..."


    At this moment, Hei Huang soared into the sky, flying out of the venue, into the air.


    His claws moved rapidly, casting various complex, unseen spells, unknown what technique it was. Gradually, a long-dormant power within Hei Huang seemed to awaken.


    Sensing that power, both the Nightmare Demon Lord, who was about to unleash a massacre, and Xu Fu, had their expressions change drastically.

 Chapter 298: War Demon Lord, the Gate of Hell Descends

    Chapter 298: War Demon Lord, the Gate of Hell DescendsEarlier, they had sensed a nauseating power emanating from Hei Huang''s body. Now, that power was expanding wildly, growing stronger and causing them intense unease.


    This kind of unease, they had only ever seen in one person¡ªthe Sea God.


    They all thought of the Sea God at the same time!


    For the thousand cultivators on Twin Islands, the Sea God Sect had made thorough preparations, laying plans in advance, deploying two protectors, and bribing insiders, ensuring a foolproof operation.


    Even if the defensive forces on Twin Islands doubled, it would be to no avail.


    However, with the unexpected variable of Hei Huang, both of them felt a heavy weight in their hearts and dared not hold back any longer, immediately unleashing their full power.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord unleashed the Devouring Sky Black Curtain, transforming into a ferocious, devouring maw that lunged toward the trading venue. But Jiang Chong and Jiang Ying immediately sensed the situation. Ignoring their injuries, they advanced instead of retreating, attacking the Nightmare Demon Lord together.


    Jiang Chong wielded a thunder spear, its energy piercing the sky, transforming into a roaring thunder dragon, purple lightning coming from the west! Meanwhile, seven jade beads appeared on Jiang Ying''s bracelet, radiating a seven-colored light, transforming into a seven-colored phoenix, with dragon and phoenix in harmony, striking the Devouring Sky Black Curtain.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord had already figured out the tactics of these Twin City Lords.


    These two, their lives were interconnected, endlessly regenerating. As long as one of them remained alive, the other would resurrect even if their entire physical body was destroyed. They had to be killed simultaneously in a single breath, or they could never be killed.


    Their concept was twin birth, twin death. Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The reason the Nightmare Demon Lord had been delayed for so long was due to the bizarre tactics of these Twin City Lords.


    "Two mere mid-stage Elemental Infants trying to stop me? Courting death!"


    The Nightmare Demon Lord transformed into fear, countless bats appearing in the clouds, forming a black wind tornado that crashed into the two. The dragon and phoenix harmony scene was instantly shattered. Both spat blood, their bodies enveloped in shadows, their minds plunging into an endless deep sea, about to be overwhelmed by the terror within the trench.


    On the other side, Xu Fu raised his hand and pointed swiftly, igniting karmic fire on everyone present. As long as they were cultivators, they had some degree of karmic hindrance.


    At this moment, those hindrances materialized into flames, emerging from the void, devouring everyone.


    Xu Hei saw the people he had killed before, transformed into surging karmic fire attacking him, many of them still bearing parts of the butcher.


    Members of the Iron Mountain Gang, disciples of the Snake Catchers Sect, people from the Heavenly Dragon Casino... even the giant octopus he had taken down appeared in the void, hideous and terrifying, with fierce flames rushing toward Xu Hei.


    "Karmic fire?"


    Xu Hei had no idea what these things were. The target of the karmic fire seemed not to be the butcher but his true self¡ªthe sword!


    Of course, his true self was bound to the butcher, and no one could distinguish them except himself.


    "Whoosh!"


    Xu Hei instantly dashed out of the trading venue, the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon fully activated, but the flames followed him like a shadow, never leaving.


    Xu Hei immediately realized that appearances were born from the heart. These karmic fires were not summoned by outsiders but were born from within him. Xu Fu couldn''t possibly see through his memories.


    "Wait, why do I have demonic beasts here, while others don''t?" Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he noticed something unusual again.


    He could see the karmic fires on others, all of them human cultivators, but he had demonic beasts on him, which was different.


    Han Te''s karmic fire was rather strange, consisting of piles of spirit stones, gold, and silver jewels.


    Xu Hei''s mind raced, and just as the karmic fire was about to reach him, something in his storage bag suddenly trembled.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    A string of copper coins flew out, quickly assembling into a money sword before Xu Hei''s eyes, radiating brilliant light!


    "Is this... the copper coins Xu Bai left me?" Xu Hei''s expression changed.


    At this moment, the money sword''s size matched Xu Hei''s true self, three feet long, almost overlapping.


    The butcher held two swords, looking at the endless karmic fire coming at him, and a bold idea formed in his mind. Without changing his expression, he raised the sword and slashed forward!


    "Slash!"


    The money sword and Xu Hei''s true self swung simultaneously, cutting into the vast sea of flames.


    In an instant, the karmic hindrances emitted a mournful scream, wisps of smoke rising from their bodies, turning into clouds and dissipating.


    With just one slash, he severed the cause and effect, cleansing himself!


    Xu Hei was filled with shock.


    Looking around, among the nearly thousand people present, he was the only one who had broken through the karmic hindrances. The others were burned beyond recognition, each consumed by the karmic fire, dying a miserable death.


    Some cast pleading glances at him, but Xu Hei had no time to spare, nor any intention of helping others clear their karmic hindrances, as Xu Fu had already set his sights on him.


    "Daring to be distracted, Yehuo Demon Lord, you don''t know the meaning of death!"


    Hei Huang sneered coldly, changing his hand seals, and slammed a palm into the void.


    "Gate of Hell!"


    In an instant, space cracked open, void spreading, and from the other side of that void world, a massive shadow emerged, coming from another world, descending upon this realm.


    The eyes of the two protectors immediately turned toward this place, their hearts surging with tidal waves.


    From that cracked space, a pitch-black door slowly descended, its surface burning with demonic flames, demonic energy surging, carved with scenes of hellish Asura, hideous and terrifying. Even though only a small part was exposed, just one glance was enough to draw one''s mind in!


    "Ah!!"


    Xu Fu''s eyes suddenly burst with two streams of blood.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord suffered backlash, forcibly retracting his thoughts, and the two city lords, who were about to be consumed by fear, narrowly seized a chance at survival.


    As the space continued to crack, the door from beyond the world was about to descend upon the world, the heavens and earth seemed on the verge of collapse, trembling endlessly, the world shaking, sun and moon losing light.


    "Retreat!"


    The two protectors simultaneously thought of one word.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord spat out a stream of black blood, performing a mid-air transformation, his indescribable demonic body shrinking by half, as if activating some life-burning secret technique!


    In the next moment, an invisible ripple swept across the entire venue, and those cultivators burning in karmic fire vanished one by one, being teleported away. The evil cultivators retreated in droves, rushing out of the trading venue, disappearing into thin air.


    Xu Fu also tapped his brow, his corpulent body shrinking, rising into the air, about to escape into the void.


    But his gaze was locked onto Xu Hei, reaching out to grab him, Xu Hei''s body was immediately locked in place, about to be taken away with him.


    "Trying to leave?" Hei Huang snorted coldly.


    At this moment, the demonic flames on the exposed corner of the Gate of Hell suddenly rose into the air, transforming into a tornado, burning toward the escaping Xu Fu, touching the hem of his garment.


    The demonic flames quickly spread upward, burning from his feet to his chest, and in an instant, most of his body was gone.


    "Ah!!!"


    Xu Fu let out a blood-curdling scream, the remaining small portion of his body escaping into the void, disappearing without a trace.


    Xu Hei broke free from control, just letting out a sigh of relief, but was immediately locked by a teleportation force.


    "Whoosh!"


    A demonic flame swiftly swept toward Xu Hei and the Nightmare Demon Lord in the sky.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord spat out black blood, his demonic body shrinking again, pointing forward, a strong spatial fluctuation flashed by, and Xu Hei uncontrollably escaped into the void, disappearing in an instant.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord followed closely, but he was a step slower, burned by the demonic flames, leaving a large blank space in the gloomy sky.


    With a muffled grunt, the Nightmare Demon Lord slipped into the space rift, vanishing completely.


    The dark and gloomy sky dispersed, light returning, sunlight once again shining on Twin Islands, illuminating every survivor.

 Chapter 299: Teleportation array, unfamiliar land overseas

    Chapter 299: Teleportation array, unfamiliar land overseasThe sun shone brightly, the blue sky stretching endlessly.


    The trading venue of the Sea Commerce Guild had collapsed, reduced to ruins.


    The formation guarding the place was also destroyed, its spirit burned to ashes.


    With Xu Fu''s retreat, the karmic fire extinguished. Over a thousand cultivators had died, with more than seventy percent perishing, and a large number being teleported away, leaving only a hundred behind, wailing in agony amidst the charred remains.


    It wouldn''t be long before this group succumbed to their severe injuries, with even fewer surviving.


    Fortunately, it was over!


    The invasion of the Sea God Sect had finally ended.


    Twin Islands did not end up like other invaded islands, where everyone vanished without a trace; many survived, becoming rare witnesses to the evil faction''s invasion.


    Previously, no one knew the true faces of the evil faction''s protectors, because the Sea God Sect left no survivors each time they struck. The fearsome aura of the Nightmare Demon Lord and Xu Fu''s identity were mysteries.


    But this time, they made an unprecedented breakthrough, revealing the true faces of the two protectors.


    In the sky, the dark, boundless gate of hell had disappeared, returning to the other side of the spatial rift. Hei Huang''s body had shrunk significantly, turning into a skinny old dog, falling from the sky to the ground.


    Han Te crawled out from the pile of corpses, poked his head out, glanced around, then closed his eyes and lay back down.


    On the coast, Jiang Chong and Jiang Ying supported each other, flying out from the deep sea, returning to Twin Islands, landing at the trading venue.


    Their eyes were blank, and upon closer inspection, they had lost consciousness, falling into a deep coma. Yet, an inexplicable force was supporting their advance.


    Supporting each other, they staggered to the venue, Jiang Chong looking at the vast expanse of corpses on the ground, at the cultivators in agony, whose lives were nearing their end.


    Suddenly, a flash of sorrow appeared in his hollow eyes, a glimmer of consciousness emerging.


    With a thud, Jiang Chong knelt on the ground.


    "I have failed Twin Islands! Failed all the islanders!"


    Kneeling on the ground, Jiang Chong kowtowed heavily to the deceased cultivators, gritting his teeth and growling, "I, Jiang Chong, swear to the heavens, one day, I will personally slay the Sea God Sect and avenge this hatred!"


    "I, Jiang Ying, swear to slaughter the Sea God Sect and avenge this hatred!"


    After shouting these words, the two collapsed to the ground, unable to move.


    In the distance, a woman in white with white hair, as light as smoke, rushed over, landing in front of the venue within a few breaths.


    She looked at the severely injured crowd before her, without hesitation, she produced a pill and injected it into a critically injured cultivator.


    The nearly exhausted heart vein of the cultivator immediately regained vitality, starting to beat again.


    Though the frequency of the beats was a bit high.


    From her sleeve flew out a green medicine cauldron, suspended in mid-air, emitting waves of emerald light. Xu Bai took out spirit medicine, placing it under the light, which quickly decomposed into specks of green light, falling on the severely injured, keeping them from dying.


    "Senior Cauldron Spirit, why didn''t you act earlier?"


    Xu Bai asked while saving people, her tone always indifferent, devoid of emotional fluctuation.


    A crisp sigh came from within the medicine cauldron, "My soul is incomplete, missing three souls. Even if I had one more soul, such a tragedy wouldn''t have occurred."


    Xu Bai nodded at these words, saying nothing. Her hands never stopped moving, scattering spirit medicine, refining it into pills, saving lives one by one.


    With Xu Bai''s help, more and more people on the brink of death were saved, life reappearing within them.


    Even the two City Lords, though unconscious, were injected with spirit medicine. Although their lives were no longer in danger, their divine senses were severely damaged, and their cultivation might decline, but with such treatment, there was a chance of recovery.


    Although Xu Bai''s pills had side effects, as long as they could survive, what did those side effects matter?


    In fact, it was precisely because the medicine cauldron was missing three souls that these strange effects occurred.


    "Thank you, divine healer!"


    "Your great kindness, I will never forget!"


    "A living Bodhisattva!"


    Some who had the strength shed tears of excitement, sincerely thanking Xu Bai. In the face of disaster, having survived, they had no other thoughts, only gratitude in their hearts.


    Suddenly, a pile of corpses was pushed aside, and Han Te jumped out, joining the rescue efforts.


    Although he wasn''t skilled in healing, as a cultivator, he could perform the simple task of injecting spiritual power to sustain life.


    "Don''t rush to thank me; I charge for saving lives!"


    A cultivator was about to express gratitude, but Han Te''s words left him speechless.


    And those who received treatment, upon waking, took a deep breath and joined the ranks of rescuing others.


    Soon, the injured but not dead cultivators were mostly treated, stabilizing their vital signs, ensuring no more deaths.


    This crisis, from the moment Xu Bai arrived, was resolved in just a few breaths.


    Only then did everyone realize someone was missing.


    The black dog that fought fiercely with the two protectors, making the Sea God Sect flee in defeat, the hero who saved Twin Islands, had disappeared without a trace.


    No one knew when he left.


    "Where''s that black dog, did anyone see?" S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Not sure, it was just there, then vanished in the blink of an eye."


    "Sigh, this senior is indeed a peerless expert, unwilling to show his face, understandable."


    "To make the Sea God Sect so embarrassed, he''s the first."


    "We don''t know his name, let''s call him Senior Hei."


    Everyone discussed, deeply admiring Hei Huang''s deeds.


    No matter what, today''s events would surely spread, the Sea God Sect''s defeat was a cause for celebration for all.


    The evil faction was not invincible, it could be defeated!


    Especially having exposed the abilities of the two protectors, this was of great significance to the cultivators living in the East Sea.


    Many cultivators bowed and worshiped in the direction where Hei Huang disappeared, expressing heartfelt gratitude.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the depths of the East Sea, on an island of unknown distance from Twin Islands.


    The island wasn''t large, entirely pitch black, made of black mysterious iron rock, indestructible, ordinary artillery couldn''t penetrate a single stone.


    At the center of this island, complex patterns were engraved, countless top-grade spirit stones buried underground, and a spiritual vein buried a thousand feet below.


    These patterns connected together, linked with the spiritual vein, forming a long-distance teleportation array.


    Only a spiritual vein could support such a distance for teleportation.


    "Buzz!"


    Suddenly, the teleportation array lit up, space cracked open, and one by one, human figures were transmitted over, landing on the island.


    At the same time, figures burned by karmic fire fell from the void, but shortly after landing, the flames extinguished, the screams ceased, and all those people died.


    These cultivators were all those captured from Twin Islands.


    Besides the Foundation Establishment cultivators from the auction, there were also a large number of Qi Refining stage cultivators, over a thousand in number, but compared to previous times, the number captured this time was more than ten times less.


    The harvest from Twin Islands was not even as much as some ordinary small islands.


    Among them, Xu Hei''s butcher was also in the crowd, carrying his true form on his back, his eyes vigilantly scanning the surroundings.

 Chapter 300: Captured, Xu Hei pretends to be crazy and foolish

    Chapter 300: Captured, Xu Hei pretends to be crazy and foolishThis was a pitch-black island, with a gloomy sky and the roar of the sea echoing from afar. Not far from the ocean, Divine Sense was not suppressed and could easily spread out for miles.


    Beside Xu Hei, the teleportation array remained active, and another group of evil faction cultivators emerged from it.


    These people were all members of the Sea God Sect who had attacked the Twin Islands and were now returning.


    Xu Hei assessed his physical condition, found he could move freely, and immediately applied an Invisibility Talisman, using the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique to distance himself from the group.


    He didn''t act rashly; this might be a stronghold of the Sea God Sect, and one wrong move could lead to death.


    The evil faction cultivators rose into the air, landing in the eastern area of the teleportation array, sitting cross-legged.


    Only then did Xu Hei notice that those who had been captured seemed unable to move, their bodies bound by some restraint, while the evil faction cultivators moved freely.


    "Why can I move?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he thought of a reasonable explanation: he was the only uninjured Core Formation cultivator; the others were either too weak or severely injured by karmic fire.


    Of course, Xu Hei also considered another possibility.


    At this moment, a violent spatial fluctuation appeared above the teleportation array, and a pitch-black figure emerged, shrouded in a terrifying mist, with only a pair of hollow eyes visible.


    All the evil faction cultivators lowered their heads, not daring to look at him.


    "Nightmare Demon Lord..."


    Xu Hei held his breath, not daring to move.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord appeared without saying a word, raised a hand to his chest, and extracted a piece of compressed flesh, burning with flames and emitting black mist.


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed; these flames were the same demonic flames from the door summoned by Hei Huang.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord tossed the flesh into the air, and with a point, it quickly disintegrated, turning to ash along with the demonic flames.


    He exhaled deeply, his aura rapidly declining, and the terrifying atmosphere dissipated significantly.


    Only then could his appearance be seen clearly: a middle-aged cultivator in black robes, with hair like a waterfall, a pale complexion, a slender build, and bloodless skin, his features indistinct.


    Xu Hei couldn''t shake the feeling that he had a scholarly air.


    But this appearance was fleeting, as the Nightmare Demon Lord was once again enveloped in a mist of terror, with various ominous visions¡ªferocious beasts, ghostly apparitions, demonic tentacles¡ªmaking one afraid to look directly.


    "One of the Sea God Sect''s protectors is Xu Fu. This one seems to have some background too!"


    Xu Hei speculated silently.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord opened his mouth and inhaled, drawing in a large amount of Spiritual Qi from the ground, meditating for the time it takes to burn a stick of incense before opening his eyes to look at the captured crowd.


    His gaze swept over those burned by karmic fire, cursing, "Finally caught some, and Xu Fu burned most of them to death. Damn it!"


    This complaint was not hidden, and everyone could hear it clearly.


    "Even if they weren''t burned to death, they''d be scared to death by you. What''s the difference?"


    A mocking voice came from the air, and Xu Fu appeared at some point.


    However, Xu Fu was left with only a head, attached to an arm, his torso burned away by demonic flames, his aura barely perceptible.


    Beneath his mangled body, a glowing little figure was holding up his head, his Elemental Infant.


    An Elemental Infant cultivator, even if their physical body is destroyed, can still rebuild it as long as the Elemental Infant remains, fundamentally different from a Core Formation cultivator''s Golden Core.


    Reaching the Elemental Infant stage means initially breaking free from the shackles of the physical body; reaching the Divine Transformation Stage allows the primordial spirit to leave the body and live independently.


    The Diamond Suppression Technique, when fully cultivated, focuses not just on the physical body but on mental will.


    Of course, the physical body is the vessel for the spirit and equally important, and a honed body combined with spirit can transcend the mundane and shatter the void.


    Xu Hei eyed the glowing little figure, a hint of fervor in his eyes despite his caution.


    This was an Elemental Infant; if he could devour and refine it, how much would his cultivation improve? It was richer in energy than whale blubber, the essence of an Elemental Infant cultivator''s lifetime. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, the Elemental Infant seemed to sense Xu Hei''s gaze and looked over, Xu Fu''s eyes turning cold, a sneer forming at his lips.


    "Whoosh!"


    A flame mark appeared on his brow, spewing a wisp of karmic fire towards Xu Hei. The Invisibility Talisman was child''s play in front of an Elemental Infant mid-stage.


    "Enough!"


    The Nightmare Demon Lord snorted coldly, waving his hand to extinguish the karmic fire.


    "Oh?" Xu Fu raised an eyebrow, sneering, "What use is there in keeping a Sea God Sect traitor if not eliminated?"


    Sea God Sect traitor? Xu Hei frowned slightly.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord didn''t explain, only coldly said, "Get lost! If you don''t, I''ll absorb your Elemental Infant!"


    In that instant, Xu Fu felt a wave of fear and didn''t dare hesitate, quickly leaving, his Elemental Infant carrying his head off into the distance.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord''s gaze shifted to Xu Hei, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.


    "Boom!!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei felt as if struck by a heavy blow, his Invisibility Talisman shattered, revealing his true form, and the heavy armor wrapping his body also broke apart, the mask exploding to reveal the butcher''s true face.


    Some of the evil faction cultivators couldn''t help but glance over, quickly averting their eyes, their faces turning pale.


    This was a giant, broad-shouldered man, like a small giant, covered in faces, with a grotesque head on his neck, eyes scattered everywhere, facial features twisted together, mouths and noses all over.


    His neck had four octopus tentacles, and his body had whale-like skeletal organs forming a keratin layer on the skin.


    His limbs were thick, with many branching arms growing in unexpected places, like a fusion monster!


    Just from his appearance, he was undoubtedly a peerless fiend!


    This was not an illusion caused by the Nightmare Demon Lord''s terrifying atmosphere but a real person.


    Many evil faction cultivators curiously glanced but regretted it, quickly looking away.


    "Ye Kong, the young master of the Whale Hunting Gang, one of the infiltrators among the Twin Islands'' followers."


    The Nightmare Demon Lord stared at the butcher, speaking slowly, "You said before that you ate your junior sister. So that''s what you meant."


    He looked at a certain part of the butcher''s face, where the face of a female evil faction cultivator, killed by Xu Hei, was located.


    Xu Hei remained silent, knowing that saying too much could lead to mistakes, and silence was the best option.


    "Explain to me why you attacked your own people during the Twin Islands operation?" the Nightmare Demon Lord asked coldly.


    He had observed the butcher, and there was only one living entity inside, Ye Kong; the rest were corpses, ruling out the possibility of impersonation.


    Even if his judgment might be wrong, the teleportation array wouldn''t be; it was set up by the Sea God himself, and any outsider would be restrained, only Sea God Sect members could move freely.


    This person was indeed Ye Kong, yet for some reason, he had turned into this form.


    Xu Hei remained silent, looking in the direction Xu Fu had left, a hint of greed in his eyes.


    "Daring to covet Xu Fu''s Elemental Infant, could he be insane..." the Nightmare Demon Lord thought to himself.

 Chapter 301: A week later, Xu Qingzhi arrived at the East Sea

    Chapter 301: A week later, Xu Qingzhi arrived at the East SeaNo wonder Xu Fu was so furious earlier and immediately took action¡ªit turns out his Elemental Infant was being targeted, which is his lifeline. If it were him, he wouldn''t be able to resist striking either.


    Xu Hei remained silent, his body writhing, and the sound of countless mouths chewing could be heard, enough to make any normal person shudder with just one glance.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord glanced at the butcher again, frowning secretly.


    He didn''t know what had happened to Ye Kong, but the other party''s mental state seemed problematic. Of course, it might also be an act.


    "Hmph."


    The Nightmare Demon Lord pressed down with his hand, and the butcher was immediately crushed to the ground by a gravitational force, his bones creaking and cracking.


    This was the spiritual pressure of an Elemental Infant stage cultivator, and Xu Hei couldn''t withstand even the pure spiritual pressure.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord raised his hand again and slashed, sending the butcher''s two arms flying, but then two new arms grew back immediately.


    "Hmm? Interesting."


    The Nightmare Demon Lord squinted his eyes and continued to attack with precision, striking just at the edge of severe injury. However, the butcher''s healing ability was so strong that after several rounds, he remained unscathed.


    Throughout this process, Xu Hei didn''t move a muscle, showing no reaction.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord pondered briefly, then ignored the butcher and said to the evil cultivators in the distance, "Take everyone away."


    "Yes!"


    The evil cultivators immediately took action, chaining the captured people and taking them away one by one, flying into the distance.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord also left, quickly disappearing from sight.


    In an instant, Xu Hei was the only one left on this pitch-black island.


    Xu Hei hurriedly got up, picked up the severed limbs from the ground, reattached them, and sat cross-legged to heal quickly.


    Although the place was deserted, Xu Hei could feel a sense of being watched, indicating that the Nightmare Demon Lord was still monitoring him.


    Unbeknownst to him, a brand had appeared inside the butcher''s body, located at Ye Kong''s brow.


    Although the brand was extremely subtle, Xu Hei still noticed it¡ªit was left by the Nightmare Demon Lord.


    "Is he trying to test me?" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Clearly, the Nightmare Demon Lord had developed a strong interest in the butcher, which was obvious.


    But Xu Hei didn''t want to be used as research material. If things went wrong, he could be locked up and dissected, which would be disastrous.


    Xu Hei needed to avoid this situation at all costs, but he didn''t know the Nightmare Demon Lord''s temperament.


    His only advantage at the moment was that his true form had turned into a sword, and no one knew, not even the Nightmare Demon Lord, who only detected Ye Kong as a living being.


    He naturally assumed Ye Kong was Xu Hei''s true form.


    Ji Ying was also locked within the sword, and due to the special nature of the Corpse Beetle, it too went unnoticed.


    Xu Hei did nothing, sitting quietly to absorb the spiritual qi from the underground spiritual vein. The spiritual qi here could be directly extracted, making it a good place for secluded cultivation.


    "If it really doesn''t work, I''ll have to abandon the butcher and escape on my own. That''s the last resort," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Although the butcher was just a puppet, it had followed him for quite some time and had been continuously strengthened to have combat power from mid-stage to late-stage Core Formation. He didn''t want to give it up easily.


    Moreover, Xu Hei had a feeling that even if he had another batch of corpses and a Transformation Pill, he might not be able to create a second butcher.


    How the butcher was born, he had already forgotten.


    As Xu Hei secluded himself, days passed by.


    A week had passed since Xu Hei was captured.


    When the news of the Twin Islands spread from the East Sea, it caused a huge uproar, like a tidal wave.


    The Twin Islands, one of the three major islands in the East Sea, was attacked by the Sea God Sect, deploying two protectors and almost being wiped out.


    Hearing this news, no matter which faction, everyone was shocked.


    Although the Twin Islands narrowly escaped disaster, it gave the world a deep understanding of the Sea God Sect''s power.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord alone could suppress two mid-stage Elemental Infants, almost killing them both with his own strength. The gap in power at the same realm was astonishing.


    Yehuo Demon Lord Xu Fu fought alone against a thousand, even while hiding his cultivation, and easily destroyed a fourth-tier formation spirit.


    If not for the appearance of a mysterious old dog that repelled the two demon lords, the Twin Islands might have ceased to exist, and not a single resident would have survived.


    Jiang Chong and Jiang Ying were unconscious for a full week before waking up.


    Although their cultivation hadn''t regressed, they were severely weakened, with their primordial spirits injured. This wasn''t a simple wound that could heal easily; it was a serious injury affecting their foundation.


    Recalling the events of that day left the two of them with lingering fear.


    "Even with the two of us working together and the protective formation, we could fight a late-stage Elemental Infant, but against that demon lord, we had no chance to retaliate," Jiang Chong said gravely.


    "Lack of intelligence, caught off guard. Next time we meet, we won''t be so helpless," Jiang Ying replied.


    On this day, a guest arrived at the Twin Islands.


    The visitor was a middle-aged man in a red robe, exuding a strong vitality as he walked, with a large knife at his waist engraved with a blood-gold dragon pattern. The blood energy was overwhelming, and the surrounding space had a faint red hue.


    Although this man''s cultivation hadn''t reached the Nascent Soul stage, he had shed the Golden Core and was on the verge of the Elemental Infant stage, known as the false infant realm.


    This red-robed middle-aged man was none other than Xu Qingzhi, the head of the Snake Catchers Sect.


    He came to the East Sea with only one purpose: to hunt down Xu Hei! S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Blood Source Tracking Technique had failed due to the distance, but at the moment of his breakthrough, he sensed Xu Hei in the far east, in the East Sea.


    That''s why he pursued him all the way here.


    The reason he hadn''t successfully formed a Nascent Soul wasn''t due to a lack of ability but because he deliberately suppressed it.


    "The blood of others'' dragon slaying is not my path. I want to slay the dragon myself, bathe in the blood of a Flood Dragon, and achieve a perfect Nascent Soul, reaching the Great Perfection of intent!"


    Xu Qingzhi''s eyes were fierce.


    His previous defeat by Xu Hei was like a knot in his heart, constantly disturbing him. How could he break through with the mindset of a loser?


    "What brings you to the Twin Islands, fellow Daoist?" Jiang Chong appeared before Xu Qingzhi and asked.


    "I am Xu Qingzhi, head of the Snake Catchers Sect. I came to the East Sea to track down a person, or rather, a snake!"


    Xu Qingzhi took out a picture and handed it over.


    Jiang Chong glanced at it. The picture depicted several things.


    There was the ugly butcher with dozens of faces on his head and a horned serpent covered in Black Gold Scales.


    Below the two pictures were illustrations of magical treasures Xu Hei had used.


    The Black Dragon Pagoda, Heavenly Demon Mirror, ivory flying sword, Blood God Armor, and more¡ªnone were missing.


    Even Hei Huang, who killed the Fifteenth Ancestor in the final battle, and Xu Bai, who appeared during the pill refining session, were depicted. Any clues related to Xu Hei were not overlooked.


    "Does the City Lord recognize these?" Xu Qingzhi asked with cupped fists.


    Jiang Chong looked through it all, his expression turning strange, and said, "I''ve heard of the Snake Catchers Sect. Is this your first time in the East Sea?"


    Xu Qingzhi nodded, "First time here."


    The Twin Islands, being one of the three major islands in the East Sea, was his first stop to expedite his search, avoiding smaller places.


    "Is this your enemy?" Jiang Chong''s tone turned cold.


    Xu Qingzhi''s eyes showed confusion, but he nodded, "Naturally, a mortal enemy. Does the Island Lord have any information?"


    Jiang Chong''s face instantly hardened, a cold gleam in his eyes, and his right hand rested on his storage bag.


    "You have one breath''s time to get off the Twin Islands!"

 Chapter 302: Prison Island, the evil faction offers a toast

    Chapter 302: Prison Island, the evil faction offers a toastXu Qingzhi''s expression changed, and he hurriedly asked, "Why is this happening?"


    Before he could react, Jiang Chong suddenly wielded a thunder spear, and without a word, thrust it forward. The spear tip transformed into a roaring thunder dragon, its momentum terrifying, and the sky echoed with its rumble.


    ...


    Xu Hei was unaware of the events occurring outside.


    He had been in seclusion on the island for about ten days. During this time, he wasn''t completely immobile and would occasionally go to the seaside.


    However, the feeling of being watched lingered on him, especially when he moved, the sensation was extremely intense.


    "The Nightmare Demon Lord must be nearby, or perhaps he has the ability to teleport here at any moment," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Escaping just like that wasn''t realistic, but Xu Hei could slowly probe.


    The first time, he dived ten miles into the sea and captured some fish.


    The second time, he went thirty miles into the sea, even unleashing his flying sword to kill some sea beasts.


    The third time, he ventured fifty miles away.


    In this manner, even when Xu Hei left the island''s hundred-mile range, the other party still made no move. Xu Hei''s flying sword could even take a trip out and return.


    "What would be the consequences if I just escaped like this?" Xu Hei pondered silently.


    After thinking for a long time, Xu Hei decided against it and returned, either devouring the captured sea beasts or absorbing them into his body, thus providing an explanation for his actions.


    In any case, the spiritual qi here was abundant, allowing Xu Hei to remain in seclusion and stabilize his realm while gaining some benefits.


    Gradually, his second dragon vein showed signs of activity. Although it had transformed into a sword, it did not hinder his cultivation.


    A month later.


    Xu Hei''s second dragon vein had been opened about a third of the way.


    At this pace, it would likely take at least half a year.


    Xu Hei was not in a hurry. Many cultivators remained in the Core Formation Stage for decades or even centuries. Even prodigies like Qin Xuanji were stuck at Great Perfection.


    Xu Hei had long prepared himself mentally.


    That day, a black dot appeared in the distance, rapidly approaching.


    Xu Hei focused his gaze and saw a black-robed cultivator, unkempt with a square face and large ears, whose cultivation was at the late Core Formation stage. In the Sea God Sect, he was considered high-level combat power.


    "Fellow Daoist Ye Kong, the Protector has issued an order, please come with me."


    The black-robed cultivator cupped his hands slightly, maintaining a certain distance from Xu Hei, and spoke calmly.


    Xu Hei nodded and followed.


    Under the guidance of the black-robed cultivator, they left the dark island, traveling eastward for hundreds of miles, passing through a foggy area, and arriving at a larger island.


    This island was about the same size as the main island of the Twin Islands, with a towering mountain in the center.


    "This place is..." Xu Hei''s pupils contracted as he looked at the island''s environment.


    The island seemed familiar; it was the one shown in Hei Huang''s projection, where cultivators were imprisoned.


    Hei Huang had also informed him of the island''s location, so once Xu Hei left, he could fly northwest for ten days to half a month and return to one of the three major islands of the East Sea, Star Island.


    By then, he would have successfully escaped.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, his expression calm, and landed on the island.


    There was a clear formation here, isolating it from the outside world. Upon entering the island, even the feeling of being watched diminished significantly.


    Ahead was a large mountain, and Xu Hei followed the cultivator into a cave.


    Inside the cave was a vast space, where Xu Hei saw numerous cages, formations everywhere, each holding the silhouette of a cultivator.


    "This place is where Foundation Establishment and Core Formation cultivators are imprisoned. Only second-level stewards are allowed inside. I''ll first show you around to familiarize yourself with the environment," the black-robed cultivator said indifferently.


    This person seemed indifferent to the butcher''s appearance, treating him like any normal cultivator, likely someone who worked with the Nightmare Demon Lord.


    "Familiarize myself with the environment?" Xu Hei frowned.


    "Hehe, Fellow Daoist Ye Kong just reached Core Formation, so it''s normal not to know. Everyone in the Sea God Sect who reaches the Core Formation Stage is assigned a corresponding position."


    The black-robed cultivator smiled, "I forgot to introduce myself. I am Meng Hao, a third-level steward of this prison."


    Listening to the black-robed cultivator''s explanation, Xu Hei had various speculations in his mind, but he didn''t ask much. Speaking less was a golden rule.


    Xu Hei hadn''t interacted much with humans and knew little about many things, so staying silent was the best approach.


    Meanwhile, his divine sense swept through the cages in the prison, looking for familiar faces.


    After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Xu Hei spotted Bai Qiushui, who was imprisoned in an unremarkable corner cage.


    At this moment, the young master of the Bai Family was meditating with his eyes closed, looking calm and composed, though noticeably thinner than before.


    Xu Hei didn''t observe for long, just a quick glance, and followed Meng Hao into a room.


    The room was large, with prayer mats on the floor and a censer in the middle, emitting wisps of black smoke. Three people sat nearby, two men and one woman, two at mid-stage Core Formation, and one at late Core Formation.


    "Is this the newcomer?"


    "Ye Kong, hehe, quite a unique appearance. One might think he''s the Protector''s avatar."


    "What if he is?"


    The three discussed among themselves, with two merely glancing at Xu Hei before continuing their cultivation, while a young man stood up to greet him.


    Meng Hao said, "Let me introduce you. These three are second-level stewards of this prison, each responsible for a different area."


    "I am Xu Sheng, and these two are Yun Yan and Xiao Ran," the young man who stood up to greet him said with a smile.


    Yun Yan and Xiao Ran merely nodded in acknowledgment.


    It seemed these three were immune to the butcher''s appearance, likely subordinates of the Nightmare Demon Lord.


    Xu Hei stood stiffly in place, expressionless, making no movements. He ignored human etiquette whenever possible.


    Meng Hao said, "To be brief, Ye Kong is appointed by the Protector as a steward, starting from the first level. This is your steward token, which contains detailed work arrangements."


    With a wave of his hand, a black token flew out from the censer in the center and landed in front of Xu Hei.


    It bore the Sea God Sect''s emblem, with the character "one" on the back, indicating a first-level steward.


    Instantly, a stream of information entered Xu Hei''s mind, detailing his work arrangements.


    "So, I''m to be a slave overseer..." Xu Hei thought to himself.


    The job was simple: lead the imprisoned cultivators to mine in the sea, collect deep-sea spirit medicines, and periodically extract their blood, squeezing them to the limit.


    As for what Hei Huang mentioned about offering sacrifices to the sea god, the token did not mention it yet.


    The steward''s rewards were also straightforward. The censer before him was one of the rewards; cultivating beside it for a day was equivalent to a month of seclusion outside. Additionally, accumulating enough contributions would earn extra benefits.


    "Haha, congratulations to Fellow Daoist Ye Kong for joining us. From now on, we''re colleagues. Everyone, here''s my collection of Fishman Drunk, let''s toast to him!"


    Xu Sheng enthusiastically took out a wine jug and filled five cups. The aroma was that of the famous East Sea wine, Fishman Drunk.


    Seeing the Fishman Drunk, the two who were meditating reluctantly stood up, took the cups, and put on professional smiles.


    All five present picked up their cups, including Xu Hei.


    "Let''s toast to Fellow Daoist Ye! Cheers!"


    Led by Xu Sheng, they raised their cups, and everyone drank in one go.


    Xu Hei looked at the wine in his cup, remaining silent.


    "Hmm?" Xu Sheng''s gaze sharpened, "What do you mean, Fellow Daoist Ye? We''ve all finished our drinks."


    The other two curiously looked over.


    Third-level steward Meng Hao also looked at Xu Hei with confusion, slightly frowning.


    Xu Hei remained silent for a long time, then suddenly raised his head, staring at Xu Sheng, with all the mouths on his head curling into a smile.


    "Boom!!"


    In the next second, countless large hands shot out like lightning, suddenly attacking, instantly gripping all of Xu Sheng''s joints, with one hand clasping his neck.


    "Stop!"


    Meng Hao''s face changed dramatically, hurriedly attacking Xu Hei, while the other two unanimously retreated to avoid being caught in the crossfire. S§×arch* The ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Hmph, poisoning me as soon as I arrive, truly heartless!"


    Xu Hei''s expression remained unchanged, his smile growing more sinister, his hand exerting force. A series of cracking sounds followed, and Xu Sheng let out a piercing scream, but it was abruptly silenced as an octopus tentacle plunged into his mouth, reducing his cries to muffled whimpers.


    Xu Hei''s sinister words caused Meng Hao to pause, but his actions didn''t stop. He unleashed a series of sealing spells, activating the restrictions in the area, with various spell fluctuations rushing toward Xu Hei.

 Chapter 303: Prison Island, Xu Hei violently rises to kill

    Chapter 303: Prison Island, Xu Hei violently rises to killXu Hei''s body suddenly expanded, and the keratin layer on his skin grew wildly, forming a thick, circular shell that blocked all spells and restrictions from the outside.


    This was precisely the whale vertebra that Xu Hei had fused with.


    The vertebra came from the corpse of a giant whale in the trench, which ordinary demonic beasts couldn''t refine. Xu Hei had spent a long time integrating it into his body. Meng Hao clearly hadn''t used his full strength, and Xu Hei easily blocked him.


    "You want to poison me? Then you die first!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were cold as four octopus tentacles shot out, instantly piercing through Xu Sheng''s body, aiming to extract his Golden Core.


    "I didn''t..."


    Xu Sheng seemed to want to explain something, but Xu Hei didn''t give him a chance. The holes on his face were blocked, leaving him unable to speak, and the Golden Core was already pulled out by a tentacle.


    In fact, Xu Hei didn''t know if he had been poisoned.


    However, he sensed a faint hostility.


    Fishman Drunk was so expensive that after detoxifying Bonan three times, the Dolphin Clan finally brought it out to entertain him. It was sold at a high price of a hundred top-grade spirit stones at the auction.


    This person, just a steward of an evil faction, with a meager monthly salary, would he really be willing to offer it to him?


    Drinking a year''s salary in one gulp was no exaggeration.


    Offering unsolicited kindness is either treacherous or thieving! Tianji Shangren and Xu Fu both proved this point, and Xu Hei, being naturally wary, had no good feelings toward the cultivators here.


    Moreover, he never drank alcohol and didn''t know how to refuse.


    Xu Hei seriously suspected that if he refused, the other party would spout some nonsense like "not giving face" or "the newcomer doesn''t know what''s good for him," so he might as well strike directly and skip the intermediate steps.


    "Bang!"


    A Golden Core was pulled out, about to be taken by Xu Hei.


    Xu Sheng''s face turned pale, his life rapidly fading.


    "Buzz!"


    Suddenly, from Xu Sheng''s brow, an illusory hand reached out, grabbing at the Golden Core that Xu Hei had just extracted. The tentacle was engulfed in raging flames, sizzling and smoking, accompanied by various illusory ghostly figures rushing forward.


    "Yehuo?!"


    Everyone was shocked; this was the move of the Yehuo Demon Lord, Xu Fu''s technique!


    This place was the territory of the Nightmare Demon Lord, so why was Xu Fu''s hand reaching here?


    Meng Hao had intended to continue his attack, but upon seeing the Yehuo, he stopped, his eyes flickering as he retreated far away.


    "The person I want to kill, you can''t stop!"


    Xu Hei shouted coldly, and the flying sword behind him instantly unsheathed, transforming into a golden stream of light, cutting through the illusory ghostly figures. The ghostly figures let out a shrill scream and vanished one by one.


    From Xu Sheng''s brow emerged an illusory face, kind-eyed and round-faced, it was Xu Fu.


    "Ye Kong, show mercy when possible, you..."


    Before Xu Fu could finish, Xu Hei swung his sword, slicing off Xu Sheng''s head, along with Xu Fu''s illusory face, splitting it in two.


    The Golden Core naturally fell into Xu Hei''s hand and was quickly refined into the butcher''s body.


    This was merely a divine sense left behind by Xu Fu, hidden within Xu Sheng. After releasing the Yehuo, it vanished into thin air.


    Such a situation was completely unexpected for Xu Hei, but he was quick-witted and immediately guessed something, his eyes growing colder. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Kill!"


    Xu Hei''s tentacles shot up, grabbing Xu Sheng''s corpse, absorbing it into his body, and merging it as one.


    Before long, Xu Sheng''s various body parts, hands, feet, face, etc., emerged from Xu Hei''s corpulent body, in a gruesome death state.


    This scene made the three people nearby gasp, their eyes nearly popping out.


    They couldn''t have imagined that Xu Hei''s method of killing was like this. Even though they had been subordinates of the Nightmare Demon Lord for years and were used to all sorts of horrific methods, the butcher before them still overturned their understanding!


    Meng Hao was the only one who remained calm. He reacted quickly, immediately taking out a soul banner, waving it in the air, and countless light spots floated in from all directions, converging to form Xu Sheng''s image.


    This was Xu Sheng''s soul body.


    But his eyes were lifeless, clearly having lost consciousness.


    "Explain what happened!" Meng Hao said coldly.


    Killing and questioning the soul was a method unique to Meng Hao, who was originally an elder of the Overseas Yin Demon Sect and had only joined the Sea God Sect last year.


    The emergence of Xu Fu''s divine sense within Xu Sheng was extremely abnormal.


    Xu Sheng''s soul body said dully, "The Yehuo Demon Lord bribed me to find an opportunity to eliminate the newcomer Ye Kong."


    "To be safe, I planned to first build a good relationship with him, gain his trust, and then make a move while mining at sea, where I had set up a Soul Fixing Array."


    Xu Sheng''s response matched Xu Hei''s suspicions.


    This person was indeed acting under Xu Fu''s orders.


    But he underestimated Xu Hei''s vigilance; any abnormal behavior would arouse Xu Hei''s suspicion. More fatally, once Xu Hei decided to kill, he acted without hesitation, skipping all steps and leaving the opponent no chance to react.


    Although there was a possibility of killing the wrong person, Xu Hei had never failed.


    "What about that cup of wine?"


    Meng Hao was taken aback, looking at the cup of wine on the ground that no one had drunk.


    "I didn''t poison the wine; he slandered me."


    Xu Sheng said numbly, his consciousness about to dissipate.


    Meng Hao''s mouth twitched slightly as he glanced at the calm Xu Hei, saying no more, and absorbed Xu Sheng''s soul body into the soul banner.


    Xu Hei had just arrived on his first day, and such an incident had already occurred, making Meng Hao''s expression extremely unpleasant.


    "How did you figure it out?" Meng Hao asked.


    "He harbored murderous intent toward me, and my intuition is quite sharp," Xu Hei explained.


    This explanation was quite far-fetched, leaving Meng Hao momentarily speechless, but the facts were before him, and he couldn''t pursue it further.


    "In any place, rules must be followed! You acted without evidence and killed someone, which has already violated the Sea God Sect''s rules." Meng Hao said coldly, holding the soul banner.


    Xu Hei stared at Meng Hao for a moment, then suddenly a slight smile appeared at the corners of his dozen mouths.


    Meng Hao''s whole body tensed, retreating a few steps as if facing a formidable enemy, ready to deploy his magical treasure at any moment.


    "I don''t believe in evidence; I only trust my judgment. And you, if you show hostility toward me again, as long as you''re not an Elemental Infant cultivator, I''ll still make a move."


    Leaving behind these words, Xu Hei put away his token and left the room.


    The cup of wine on the ground was wrapped up by his tentacle and stored in his storage bag, to be sold for money in the future.


    Yun Yan and Xiao Ran had maintained a spectator''s stance from beginning to end.


    In fact, they had long noticed something amiss; under normal circumstances, who would use Fishman Drunk to welcome a newcomer?


    But neither of them asked a single question, nor did they show any surprise. When Xu Hei made his move, they quickly retreated, not getting involved.


    They''re just here to earn money, why risk their lives?

 Chapter 304: First venture into the sea, exploring deep-sea heavy oil

    Chapter 304: First venture into the sea, exploring deep-sea heavy oilMeng Hao stared at Xu Hei''s back, his eyes particularly grave. Despite being at the late Core Formation stage, he felt a faint pressure.


    The techniques Xu Hei had just displayed were enough to make him treat him as an equal; this was an opponent of the same level.


    Especially that sword, which could even cut through Yehuo, something even he couldn''t accomplish.


    "Having a method to counter Yehuo, no wonder Xu Fu is targeting him," Meng Hao''s eyes flickered.


    He was deep in thought, aware of the overt and covert struggles among the four guardians. The Nightmare Demon Lord had instructed him to pay special attention to this person, likely with ulterior motives.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei left the prison and arrived at a cave dwelling on the outskirts of the mountain.


    This was the location indicated on the token. From afar, the cave dwellings appeared like a beehive on the mountain''s surface, where all the stewards resided.


    Following the directions, Xu Hei entered a cave dwelling on the edge.


    Compared to the eerie environment of the prison, this place was relatively peaceful, facing the sea with a pleasant climate, equipped with a Gathering Spirit Array to extract Spiritual Qi from the underground spiritual vein.


    Xu Hei discovered that the underground spiritual vein here seemed to be the same as the one on the teleportation array island.


    If so, the size of this spiritual vein was quite large.


    Xu Hei estimated that the distance from the prison island to the teleportation island was about five hundred miles. Could this spiritual vein really stretch five hundred miles?


    Xu Hei shook his head; no matter how massive the spiritual vein, it had nothing to do with him.


    "I need to find a way to escape quickly. Just arriving here and already being targeted by Xu Fu, who sent people to assassinate me, the troubles will only keep coming."


    Xu Hei knew that after killing Xu Sheng and destroying Xu Fu''s divine sense, the other side wouldn''t let it go easily.


    Every second spent here made him restless, as if ants were crawling all over his body.


    However, Xu Fu wanting to kill him wasn''t that easy.


    This prison island was under the jurisdiction of the Nightmare Demon Lord, and the cultivators here were all his subordinates. The four guardians each had their own territories.


    Xu Fu couldn''t just charge into someone else''s territory to kill. S~ea??h the n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Moreover, according to Hei Huang, there were at least three Elemental Infant stage cultivators stationed on this island, besides the Nightmare Demon Lord.


    Although Xu Hei hadn''t sensed any Elemental Infant cultivators, it was normal for someone at the Core Formation stage not to detect them. With such defenses, as long as he wasn''t betrayed by his own people, there wouldn''t be any problems.


    Xu Hei closed his eyes and quietly performed his breathing exercises.


    Not long after, it was late at night.


    Yun Yan and Xiao Ran returned, and Meng Hao also went back to his cave dwelling.


    Besides them, some stewards he hadn''t seen before also returned to their respective cave dwellings.


    Xu Hei had two neighbors, one being Yun Yan, located directly above him.


    The other was on the left, a scholarly-looking man, frail and weak, with pale skin. If it weren''t for his Adam''s apple, Xu Hei might have mistaken him for a woman.


    Of course, appearances could be deceiving, like the butcher.


    Xu Hei paid special attention to his neighbors, as assassins could strike at any time.


    He reinforced the stone walls of his cave dwelling with heavy restrictions to prevent anyone from digging through.


    "There are fifteen stewards in total, three at the late Core Formation stage, six at the mid-stage, five at the early stage, and one at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage."


    "This wretched place, I don''t want to stay a moment longer."


    Xu Hei noted down each person, but could only gauge their cultivation level, knowing nothing about their true capabilities.


    To avoid drawing attention, Xu Hei planned to refine a new set of clothes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the blink of an eye, three days passed, and it was the day of their first outing.


    Xu Hei followed the crowd out of the cave dwelling.


    At this moment, he wore a bamboo hat and a raincoat, carrying a bamboo pole, resembling an old fisherman. His physique was compressed, slightly larger than an average person.


    Many stewards glanced at him briefly, not lingering, and headed straight for the prison gate.


    However, the scholarly man with a gentle demeanor looked at Xu Hei twice and cupped his fists, asking, "I haven''t seen you before, may I know your name?"


    Xu Hei ignored him and quickly followed the crowd to the prison gate.


    The scholarly man shook his head helplessly and didn''t pursue further.


    At this moment, all the prisoners inside the prison came out, each wearing shackles, with restrictions on their bodies, draining their True Qi.


    Core Formation cultivators had their true essence sealed, their Golden Cores shriveled, leaving them powerless, like walking corpses.


    Including Xu Hei, there were sixteen stewards in total, all present.


    Meng Hao stood at the front of the crowd and announced loudly, "This outing''s task is to extract deep-sea heavy oil. Foundation Establishment stage cultivators must extract ten barrels, Core Formation stage cultivators one hundred barrels, within a month."


    "Fail to meet the quota, and you''ll have your blood drawn as a substitute."


    Upon hearing this, all the cultivators trembled, fear evident in their eyes.


    Clearly, they had heard of the dangers of oil extraction, where a single mistake could cost lives. The prospect of having blood drawn for missing a barrel made their faces pale.


    "Extracting oil..."


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, remaining silent as he stood in the area assigned to him.


    There were fifteen stewards present, each responsible for over a hundred people.


    Xu Hei''s group consisted of one hundred and five Foundation Establishment stage cultivators and three Core Formation stage cultivators. Many were newcomers, venturing out for the first time, their eyes filled with anxiety.


    Some seasoned veterans were much calmer, eyeing Xu Hei, unsure of their intentions.


    Next, Meng Hao distributed an oil ship to each steward.


    The ship was enormous, a hundred zhang long, capable of holding over a thousand people, though most of the space was for storing oil. It was said that heavy oil couldn''t be stored in a Storage Bag, as it would leak out, a peculiar phenomenon.


    Xu Hei stood on the deck, waiting for everyone to board.


    At Meng Hao''s command, the sixteen oil ships roared to life, heading towards the deep sea.


    The ship was equipped with a large formation, the sea breeze brushing against it, producing a rustling sound.


    Xu Hei sat cross-legged.


    Behind him, eyes constantly scrutinized him, filled with fear and anxiety, faint sobs echoing.


    Fellow cultivators had different temperaments; some took a hundred years to reach Foundation Establishment, while others, Chosen, reached Core Formation at twenty. Their attitudes towards danger varied greatly.


    Before long, a frail-looking woman approached, speaking softly, "Sir, I am a disciple of the Melodic Sect, physically weak. I hope you can assign me some lighter tasks during work. I can serve you at night."


    This woman was clearly an experienced hand, her voice soft and charming, every gesture exuding allure. Her cultivation technique had similar attributes, stirring restlessness in one''s heart.


    Her name was Su Xue''er, and she had used this tactic on the previous steward to secure lighter work and survive.


    However, this was of no use to Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei glanced back at her, and Su Xue''er immediately put on a pitiful expression, sitting on the ground like a duck, her tattered robe revealing her fair skin.


    "Are you sure?"


    Xu Hei removed half of his bamboo hat, revealing a menacing face, with a large patch of tentacles writhing on it. Each mouth emitted a sinister laugh, and a dozen eyes locked onto her.


    Su Xue''er froze for a second, then let out a piercing scream.


    "Ah!!"


    Su Xue''er screamed in terror, falling to the ground, her face pale, dizzy, nearly fainting from fright.


    She screamed, scrambling away, hiding back in the crowd.


    The crowd behind was in an uproar, but apart from Su Xue''er, no one else saw Xu Hei''s appearance. In the blink of an eye, Xu Hei had put his bamboo hat back on.


    Someone asked Su Xue''er why she screamed and what she saw.


    But how could Su Xue''er dare speak ill of Xu Hei? She just shook her head repeatedly, her body trembling, saying nothing, cold sweat drenching her entire body.

 Chapter 305: Grant the Pill, allow Xu Heis escape plan

    Chapter 305: Grant the Pill, allow Xu Hei''s escape planAfter a long time, no one else dared to step forward and speak.


    They didn''t want to be scared half to death like Su Xue''er.


    Xu Hei sighed helplessly. He had no ties to these people, but they were innocent, and everything they did was just to survive.


    If he could, he would have let them all go and slipped away in the chaos.


    However, the faint sensation inside him remained. The only possible way to get rid of it was to bring Ye Kong out and perform a golden cicada shell escape.


    But during this process, the other side would definitely become alert.


    The risk was too great, and he still didn''t know what the Nightmare Demon Lord was planning.


    ...


    It wasn''t long before they reached their destination that night.


    It was a massive blue hole in the middle of the ocean. The surrounding water was light blue, but the center was a large black circle, so deep that even Divine Sense couldn''t reach the bottom.


    It looked like a giant, devouring mouth. Just one glance made one''s heart feel as if it were being swallowed.


    According to the Sea God Sect''s description, this place was called the Sea Eye, also a site for extracting heavy oil.


    Meng Hao''s oil ship was at the forefront. He took out his token, clasped his hands in respect towards the void, and said, "I am Meng Hao, here under the orders of the Protector to extract heavy oil. I hope the lord will grant passage!"


    From beneath the Sea Eye, a voice like that from the depths of the Nine Hells responded, "Granted!"


    Xu Hei didn''t sense anyone''s presence, but he knew at a glance that this was another Protector''s domain.


    Meng Hao respectfully clasped his hands and ordered the sixteen ships to stop above the Sea Eye, forming a circle.


    "Into the sea!" Meng Hao shouted.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    The cultivators on the ships, with water-repelling pearls in their mouths, leaped into the Sea Eye.


    Once in the water, the pearls emitted a faint light, repelling the seawater. They continued to sink, the water pressure increasing, the light dimming, as if they were being swallowed.


    No one knew how deep the Sea Eye was, like a cylindrical passage leading straight to the Nine Hells. S~ea??h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The group huddled together, no longer wary of each other, just wanting to drive away the fear. Many closed their eyes in terror.


    On Xu Hei''s side, everyone instinctively moved closer to him, including Su Xue''er. In such an environment, Xu Hei seemed to provide a sense of security.


    This descent lasted a full hour before they reached the bottom.


    Xu Hei felt as if he had dived ten thousand miles, deeper than the trench where the whale had fallen last time!


    At the bottom of the Sea Eye was a massive metal structure, spanning ten thousand feet, inscribed with various formations, supporting a giant light shield that repelled the heavy water pressure.


    Once inside the light shield, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Some Foundation Establishment cultivators fainted on the spot, collapsing in a heap.


    Just this journey alone had exhausted them, both mentally and physically. One could only imagine how arduous the heavy oil extraction would be.


    Xu Hei landed on the ground. Although it was isolated from the seawater, the ground wasn''t dry. There were water stains, and the surface was uneven, full of pits and man-made wells, hundreds and thousands of them, remnants of heavy oil extraction.


    Xu Hei tried to extend his Divine Sense underground, but it could only penetrate about ten meters before being blocked.


    To his surprise, once inside the formation, the faint sense of being watched disappeared!


    "Heh, even the Nightmare Demon Lord can''t reach here. It''s a good place," Xu Hei chuckled to himself.


    However, he guessed that once he left the formation and returned to the sea, he would be discovered again.


    Sixteen stewards, each with their own team, stood like a group of ants at the dark bottom of the Sea Eye.


    "Oil extraction begins, lasting one month. After a month, the formation will close. Those who fail to meet the quota will be severely punished, including the stewards!" Meng Hao announced loudly.


    No one dared to slack off, immediately dispersing to start the extraction.


    Xu Hei wasn''t in a hurry. He wasn''t thinking about completing the task but about how to escape.


    "Is this your first time here? Do you know anything about this heavy oil?"


    A gentle voice came from beside him.


    Xu Hei looked up to see the scholarly man who lived next door, smiling kindly at him.


    "Who are you calling a friend?" Xu Hei replied.


    The scholarly man froze instantly.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to engage with him and quickly led his team to a remote spot to sit down.


    The scholarly man''s mouth twitched, cursing inwardly as he left.


    "You, come here!"


    Xu Hei pointed to an elderly man with white hair, one of the three Core Formation Stage cultivators, who had remained calm and seemed knowledgeable.


    "Me?" The old man''s body trembled, and he quickly approached, not daring to delay.


    "Tell me about this heavy oil, in as much detail as possible," Xu Hei said in a deep voice.


    "Yes!"


    The old man immediately began to explain.


    "Steward, this is your first time here, so you might not know much about heavy oil. In fact, it''s a rare treasure from the ocean, originating from the ancient times, even the prehistoric and primeval eras," the white-haired old man said.


    "Ancient, prehistoric?" Xu Hei was puzzled.


    "The ancient era was tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of years ago. The prehistoric era was millions of years ago, and the primeval era was over a billion years ago."


    The white-haired old man patiently explained.


    In those ancient times, many powerful creatures were born on the cultivation star, including world-devouring beasts, ferocious flood dragons, ancient giants, and even true dragons.


    But these beasts went extinct in one cataclysm after another, their bodies buried deep in the earth''s crust, undiscovered, eventually turning into heavy oil.


    Because they were formed from ancient beasts, this heavy oil contained extremely rich Spiritual Qi, but it was also highly polluted.


    Utilizing it was very difficult. Even if extracted, it was mostly used for refining treasures or crafting talismans, not for direct absorption.


    It''s said that the powerful Minor Annihilation Talisman is refined from heavy oil.


    "To my knowledge, there are a few who practice demonic arts and can ignore the pollution in heavy oil, absorbing it directly to enhance their cultivation. The so-called sea god of the Sea God Sect is likely such a cultivator," the white-haired old man whispered.


    Xu Hei raised an eyebrow and said, "You''re speaking ill of the sea god in front of me. Aren''t you afraid I''ll kill you?"


    The white-haired old man quickly nodded and clasped his hands, saying, "Though I am not talented, I have some skill in recognizing people. Steward, you probably didn''t join willingly, did you?"


    "You''ve got some nerve!" Xu Hei said coldly.


    "Please calm down, my lord!" The white-haired old man quickly knelt.


    Xu Hei glanced at him, then softened his tone, "What''s your name?"


    "I am Tian Zang, an elder of the Kunlun Sect in the Western regions of the Qin Kingdom," the white-haired old man replied.


    Xu Hei hadn''t expected him to be from Kunlun. He pondered for a moment, then took out a gourd of pills and slipped it into the old man''s sleeve.


    "This..." The old man looked surprised.


    "Distribute these Revitalizing Pills secretly, give each person one, so they have the strength to work and don''t die in the oil wells," Xu Hei said.


    Tian Zang was stunned.


    He knew that as slaves, they were forbidden to consume pills. If given pills, not only would they be punished, but the steward would also be penalized.


    "My lord, I appreciate your kindness, but the risk is too great. I dare not accept."


    "I told you to take them, so take them. If anything happens, I''ll take responsibility!" Xu Hei said coldly.


    Tian Zang broke into a sweat, feeling troubled. He didn''t know what the steward''s intentions were, whether it was pure goodwill or something else, but he had no choice but to agree.

 Chapter 306: Ambushed, the Demon God Cauldron unexpectedly unleashes its power

    Chapter 306: Ambushed, the Demon God Cauldron unexpectedly unleashes its powerXu Hei did have a plan, but whether to implement it depended on how things developed next.


    On the first day, Xu Hei didn''t assign anyone to work.


    He simply gave them time to rest and adjust their state.


    And on this first day, Xu Hei saw that other teams suffered considerable casualties. Some teams even lost nearly twenty people on the first day.


    Those who ventured deep into the oil wells never returned.


    Taking advantage of this, Xu Hei gained a profound understanding of the dangers of heavy oil, which could be broadly categorized into two types.


    First, gravity.


    Wherever heavy oil gathered, there was an extremely strong gravitational pull that would suck people in, completely devouring them, making escape impossible.


    Therefore, the extracted heavy oil was stored separately in small barrels instead of being gathered together.


    Second, pollution.


    This was a kind of ancient pollution that no one could explain. Those who came into contact with it too much would have their bodies turn black, and both their bloodline and physical body would gradually darken until they lost their lives.


    Moreover, this pollution did not discriminate based on cultivation level, affecting both the Foundation Establishment Stage and Core Formation Stage equally.


    Deacons would never personally extract heavy oil, always sending others instead, for this very reason.


    "Pollution, gravity?"


    Xu Hei pondered for a long time, his eyes flashing, as he walked to an oil well.


    He stared at the bottomless oil well, leaped, and jumped directly into it, sinking into the abyss.


    Such an action not only surprised his team but also caught the attention of the distant deacons, who looked over with strange glints in their eyes.


    "This newcomer actually went down the well himself."


    "Hmph, doesn''t know what''s good for him!"


    "Maybe he''s curious, thinking heavy oil is some kind of rare treasure."


    "Ignorance is fearless! Letting his team sit idle for a day, and then jumping down himself, haha, if he dies, it''ll be amusing."


    At this moment, five deacons gathered together, pointing and discussing Xu Hei.


    Every time they went out, the five of them would gather, not for any other pleasure but gambling.


    They bet on which side would have more deaths, which side would gain more, whether the number of deaths would be odd or even, male or female. One person would act as the banker, and the other four would place bets, having a great time.


    Seeing Xu Hei jump into the oil well, their gambling instincts were immediately triggered.


    The banker smiled and said, "Why don''t we bet on how long this person will stay down there? I''ll be the banker. If he stays for less than an hour, three to one odds; one hour to a day, even odds; more than a day, three to one."


    A horse-faced man among them cursed, "Those odds are too low. What if he dies down there?"


    The banker hesitated for a moment and said, "Ten to one!"


    The horse-faced man immediately grinned, "Not bad, ten times the odds, now that''s worth playing. I bet he dies, fifty thousand spirit stones."


    "Fifty thousand!"


    Everyone exclaimed, if he really died, they''d have to pay out five hundred thousand, enough to bankrupt someone at the late Core Formation stage.


    Even though they were part of the evil faction and usually had plenty of ill-gotten gains, it was still a significant amount.


    But the banker just smiled slightly and said, "Alright, I don''t believe a deacon could die down there, that would be utterly ridiculous."


    The other three also placed their bets, most of them believing Xu Hei would return within an hour, thinking that even with three to one odds, betting more would yield more profit.


    The horse-faced young man just coldly smiled, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After Xu Hei jumped into the oil well, he continued to fall, the pressure around him increasing exponentially, and his Divine Sense could only extend a little.


    However, the sense of being watched inside him disappeared, which was what excited him. He could take this opportunity to get rid of Ye Kong.


    From now on, the sky would be the limit, and he would no longer be monitored.


    After diving a thousand feet, Xu Hei finally reached the bottom of the oil well. Black substances seeped out from the rock layers here, giving a sticky feeling.


    "Is this heavy oil?"


    At this moment, Xu Hei felt a faint suction coming from below. If he went any further down, he feared he would be swallowed and never return.


    Xu Hei summoned the Blood Killing Sword and began chiseling into the stone wall beside him, creating a small pit from which heavy oil immediately seeped out.


    Xu Hei quickly took out an iron bucket and filled it with oil.


    During this process, a pungent smell continuously assaulted him, making it hard to breathe, and even the butcher''s skin gradually turned black.


    The ancient pollution penetrated deep into the bone marrow, and no one would stay down the well for too long, needing to return within an hour at most.


    However, only the butcher showed such symptoms; Xu Hei''s true body had no reaction.


    After filling three buckets of oil, Xu Hei dug out a large pit.


    With a thought, a huge mouth opened on the butcher''s body, spitting out a person, who was Ye Kong.


    Xu Hei grabbed Ye Kong and stuffed him into the pit, then filled it with rocks.


    "Ye Kong, you can sleep here, and no one will disturb you."


    Xu Hei did not kill him to avoid triggering the mark inside him, but leaving him in such a place, he would eventually die from heavy oil pollution.


    By then, Xu Hei would have long escaped the Sea God Sect, and even if the Nightmare Demon Lord discovered it, it would be too late.


    After dealing with Ye Kong, Xu Hei planned to return.


    This place wasn''t as terrifying as imagined; as long as he was careful, extracting a few barrels at a time wasn''t difficult.


    But just then, above Xu Hei, a large mass of black stuff suddenly fell rapidly, making a rushing sound like a waterfall.


    Xu Hei''s Divine Sense turned into a sharp sword to probe, and his face changed dramatically.


    "Heavy oil?"


    Xu Hei was shocked. How could heavy oil be poured down from above the oil well? And such a large amount.


    There was only one explanation: someone did it on purpose!


    Once this oil touched the body, it would immediately penetrate inside, corroding all meridians and organs.


    Just smelling it from a distance would cause the body to blacken, and direct contact would have unimaginable consequences!


    Even without pollution, the terrifying gravitational pull would make it difficult to move, let alone fly, until one fell into the abyss.


    Xu Hei made a decisive move, chiseling out a hole beside him, crawling inside, and setting up a light shield outside, letting the heavy oil slide past.


    But the light shield Xu Hei left was corroded clean in minutes.


    Immediately after, a huge oil barrel fell, exploding violently outside the hole with a "boom," sending heavy oil splattering everywhere!


    Xu Hei kept moving, chiseling deeper and deeper, using his true body''s sword to speed up, finally diving into the deepest part, avoiding the explosion behind him.


    "This damned place, I don''t want to stay a moment longer!" Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    He thought that even if someone plotted against him, it wouldn''t be so urgent, but he didn''t expect it to happen so quickly.


    During the chiseling, Xu Hei''s true body inevitably touched some oil stains, causing a slight pollution even to his true body.


    "Buzz!"


    Suddenly, the Demon God Cauldron inside his true body emitted a buzzing sound.


    The trace of heavy oil he touched was absorbed into the Demon God Cauldron, which began to refine it on its own, the cauldron spinning rapidly, emitting wisps of smoke.


    "This..." Xu Hei was momentarily stunned. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Meanwhile, outside.


    The five people who had been gambling were still sitting together, staring at the oil well Xu Hei had gone down, waiting quietly.


    Time ticked by, and after an hour, Xu Hei still hadn''t appeared.


    "An hour has passed, you two lost," the banker said with a smile.


    "Damn it! What an idiot."


    The two immediately cursed.


    The horse-faced man sitting on the side had a sinister cold smile on his lips.


    No one knew that these oil wells, which seemed to number in the hundreds or thousands, were actually connected by a secret passage.


    Just now, he had arranged for a trusted subordinate to go down the well, follow the passage, and pour several barrels of oil directly into the well where Xu Hei was.


    Moreover, he had placed heavy seals at the wellhead.


    Once touched by this heavy oil, even a tiny bit, there would be no burial place. He had done this extremely covertly, and it was impossible for anyone to find out.

 Chapter 307: Ambushed, both sides disregard martial ethics

    Chapter 307: Ambushed, both sides disregard martial ethicsThe man with the horse face was named Ma Fugui. He and Xu Sheng came from the same sect, and the two often called each other brothers, frequently gathering to indulge in drinking, gambling, and other vices.


    His reason for dealing with Xu Hei wasn''t because someone else arranged it, nor was it for some nonsense like avenging Xu Sheng.


    It was because there were two items in Xu Sheng''s cave dwelling that required Xu Sheng''s token to access.


    Not many people knew about Xu Hei killing Xu Sheng. Yun Yan and Xiao Ran wouldn''t speak carelessly, and Ma Fugui only found out because he was curious about Xu Sheng''s absence, asked Meng Hao, and greased some palms with a fair amount of spirit stones. But he also didn''t reveal it to others to avoid suspicion about his motives.


    Even when his gambling friends asked about Xu Sheng''s whereabouts, he claimed ignorance.


    "I hope Ye Kong doesn''t fall into the trap. It''d be best if he dies outside, that way I can get his storage bag," Ma Fugui thought to himself, confident that his plan was flawless and that he had set up multiple contingencies, leaving his opponent with no chance of survival.


    ...


    At this moment, Xu Hei was deep within a cave, sitting cross-legged. His sword stood by his side, its surface pollution slowly dissolving into countless strands of black mist, floating within the Demon God Cauldron.


    The Demon God Cauldron could refine anything under heaven and earth, even removing heavy oil pollution, transforming it into pure power.


    This left Xu Hei quite astonished.


    Moreover, this time he hadn''t activated it; the Demon God Cauldron was operating and refining on its own, which was intriguing.


    "The pollution from the ancient beast... Could the Demon God Cauldron also be a product of that era?" Xu Hei speculated.


    However, although the Demon God Cauldron could refine the pollution, the process was extremely slow, taking a full hour to complete.


    Xu Hei felt his cultivation level had increased slightly.


    The pollution, once refined, turned into wisps of black smoke, lingering within the Demon God Cauldron. This smoke was harmless to Xu Hei, seemingly under his control at will. sea??h th§× ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Condense!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei caused the black mist to form a thin line, which emerged from the cauldron and attached itself to the sword''s blade.


    However, it only lasted a few breaths before the black line faded and disappeared.


    "Is it because there''s too little of it?" Xu Hei frowned.


    The thin line formed from the pollution was quite powerful but could only be maintained for a few seconds.


    "Perhaps I can try storing it in the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd," Xu Hei mused.


    Without delay, Xu Hei took out a barrel of freshly collected heavy oil, intending to pour some out and use the Demon God Cauldron to refine it, testing the effect.


    But just then, Xu Hei was startled, quickly putting away the heavy oil, his eyes cold as he stared outside the cave.


    At that moment, a shadowy figure was rapidly descending from above at the cave''s entrance. Xu Hei''s divine sense quickly scanned and retracted to avoid detection.


    "Someone actually came down here, are they here to collect the corpse?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he guessed some of the reasons.


    The mastermind was certain he wouldn''t easily fall into the oil well and might dig a hole to hide. In this way, although Xu Hei would still be doomed, his body would remain intact.


    Xu Hei simply lay on the ground, motionless, and swallowed a Breath Suppressing Pill, reducing his aura to the lowest point, as if he were dead.


    Before long, a sneaky figure appeared at the cave entrance.


    This person was a slave, thin as a skeleton, with shifty eyes and graying hair, his cultivation at the late Core Formation stage.


    Among those captured, he was considered a top expert, but with a restriction seal in his body, he could exert less than a tenth of his strength.


    However, this person was also cunning. After gaining Ma Fugui''s trust, he had secretly broken the restriction, swapping it with a self-imposed seal on his cultivation.


    He could release the seal whenever he wished.


    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have become Ma Fugui''s confidant.


    The skinny man stood at the cave entrance, observing the towering butcher figure, who was entirely black, clearly heavily polluted.


    His eyes flickered, and after a moment, he didn''t rush in but instead took out an oil barrel, swung it around a couple of times, and then threw it towards the butcher.


    He then shouted, "Explode!"


    The oil barrel traced an arc, landing near the butcher, about to explode.


    Suddenly, the butcher opened all his eyes, and a terrifying repulsive force acted on the oil barrel, pushing it back. It was Xu Hei''s full-powered Gravity Technique!


    "Whoosh!"


    The oil barrel returned along its original path, flying back to the skinny man''s front and exploded violently.


    "Boom!!!"


    Shattered iron pieces flew everywhere, shaking the surroundings, and the explosion created an open area at the cave entrance.


    However, not a drop of oil appeared.


    It was just an empty barrel, a trick to successfully rouse Xu Hei.


    "He''s pretending to be dead!"


    The skinny man''s expression changed, and without a word, he turned to flee.


    In such a narrow area, he couldn''t throw heavy oil to blow someone up; one wrong move and he could trap himself, getting polluted by the heavy oil.


    But he was also cautious, worried that the opponent wasn''t completely dead, so he devised this plan for safety.


    Even though he estimated there was over a ninety percent chance the opponent was dead, as long as there was a ten percent risk, he had to test it.


    Unexpectedly, the opponent was indeed alive and capable of counterattack!


    "Whoosh!"


    The man returned to the cave entrance, grabbed a rope, and swiftly ascended with astonishing speed.


    Xu Hei''s face was grim as he floated up, gathering his strength. With a loud shout, he shot forward like an arrow, reaching an extreme speed.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s speed reached an unprecedented level.


    The Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique had reached the sixth level!


    A low-grade dragon clan secret technique, the sixth level was enough to affect space, traverse formations effortlessly. Wherever Xu Hei passed, even space began to distort.


    This cunning person had used an empty oil barrel to trick Xu Hei, making him furious. Against such a cultivator, there was no need for flashy tactics; sheer power was the right way.


    "Dare to trick me, damn it, I''ll kill you!"


    Xu Hei''s heart surged with killing intent.


    Hou Siping felt a chill down his spine, his hair standing on end, and during his escape, he unhesitatingly released the seal.


    Then, he swallowed a pill given by Ma Fugui, the Explosive True Pill, fully refining it to restore his combat power as quickly as possible.


    Releasing the seal only restored his cultivation, but his true essence was still empty; he needed time.


    "This guy is only at the early Core Formation stage, yet his speed is so fast!"


    "No, there''s not enough time, I can''t escape! My true essence hasn''t recovered, and I can''t face him head-on. I must think of a way!"


    Hou Siping''s eyes flickered as he quickly calculated, his mind racing with thoughts. In an instant, he stopped fleeing and formed several hand seals, quickly imprinting them on the surrounding stone walls.

 Chapter 308: Black Dragon Sword, specializes in treating flashy nonsense

    Chapter 308: Black Dragon Sword, specializes in treating flashy nonsenseXu Hei''s heart tightened immediately, and he halted his steps. In the next second, a fierce blade of wind swept past in front of him, slicing a gap into the stone wall.


    "A killing formation?" sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei frowned slightly, and his true sword silently flew out, embedding itself into the stone wall. At the same time, a thick layer of whale bone armor formed on the butcher''s body, charging forward and ignoring the interception of the killing formation, directly grabbing at the opponent.


    "Stop immediately! Otherwise, I''ll destroy this place. Even if I die, you won''t survive either!"


    Hou Siping''s gaze was cold as he shouted, "I know the killing formation can''t do anything to you, but destroying this place is no problem!"


    Upon hearing this, Xu Hei immediately stopped, halting ten meters away from him.


    Hou Siping remained expressionless, pointing to the wellhead above, "I''ve placed ten seals at the wellhead. If the oil well collapses, you won''t be able to escape in a short time and will be buried. This place is full of heavy oil; you don''t want to face such a perilous situation, do you?"


    "Even if your skills are extraordinary, you have a fifty percent chance of surviving, but you must bear the other fifty percent risk!"


    Hou Siping stared at Xu Hei, his eyes calm.


    His cultivation was at the late Core Formation stage, but after long suppression, he couldn''t exert even half his strength, and he didn''t have a single magical treasure. Without a magical treasure, a cultivator is like a warrior without a weapon, facing Xu Hei at full strength would be a dead end.


    Yet, in such a short time, he found a way to survive.


    Of course, this was what he considered a way out.


    In his view, Xu Hei wouldn''t risk everything for a possible danger.


    Xu Hei remained expressionless, inwardly sneering.


    He had to admit, this person was indeed cunning. All the arrangements were reasonable. Being sent to assassinate him and gaining the trust of the steward was itself a testament to his abilities.


    Such an opponent, if at their peak, would be far more troublesome than Hai Teng.


    This was a strong survivor who had faced life and death, not one of those favored by the heavens.


    "Speak, who sent you!" Xu Hei said coldly.


    Hou Siping looked troubled, "If I tell you, will you let me go?"


    "If you don''t speak, I''ll risk everything to kill you. Whether I survive or not is none of your concern, but you definitely won''t live!"


    Xu Hei''s tone was icy, his eyes filled with killing intent, ready to strike at any moment.


    Hou Siping gritted his teeth, struggling for a while, "I can tell you, but you must let me go."


    Xu Hei locked his gaze on him, nodded, "Alright!"


    "Good!" Hou Siping took a deep breath, "It was the scholar living next to you, Lin Ziye, who sent me."


    "Him..." Xu Hei squinted his eyes.


    Immediately, he felt something was off. This villain was so cunning, could he be randomly naming someone to deceive him?


    Although Xu Hei already had suspicions about that scholar, he wouldn''t easily believe it based on a few words.


    "What evidence do you have?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Evidence?"


    Hou Siping''s face stiffened, "I have nothing on me, no evidence. But Lin Ziye doesn''t associate with anyone, yet he approached you. Isn''t that unusual?"


    "And as far as I know, he arrived a week ago, just three days before you."


    At this point, Hou Siping stopped speaking, leaving room for Xu Hei''s imagination.


    Hou Siping knew not to say too much, allowing room for imagination. Some things, when others say them, are useless; they must be imagined by oneself to be truly believed.


    Xu Hei fell into contemplation.


    "My friend, I''ve told you everything, you should keep your promise."


    Hou Siping smiled slightly, retreating.


    Xu Hei remained unmoved, as if truly pondering.


    When Hou Siping retreated to a certain position, his gaze suddenly turned cold, and he pointed at the void.


    In an instant, the hidden killing formation on the stone wall activated, targeting Xu Hei. The formation layered upon itself, reaching over nine layers.


    "I was waiting for my true essence to recover, what were you waiting for?" Hou Siping sneered inwardly.


    He had said so much just to stall for time, waiting for the formation to complete and his true essence to recover to a critical point, delivering a fatal blow!


    With his current cultivation, relying on spells was not feasible; he could only depend on formations. Simultaneously activating nine advanced third-tier killing formations consumed a tremendous amount of true essence.


    Now, it was barely enough, but he was confident it would succeed in one strike!


    "Swish, swish, swish..."


    In an instant, blades and shadows filled the air, fierce winds howled, and sharp blades sliced through the stone wall, attacking Xu Hei endlessly. Even a mountain of flesh would be cut into pieces.


    Xu Hei remained expressionless, a slight cold smile on his lips.


    "I was waiting for the flying sword to pierce through, what were you waiting for?" Xu Hei said coldly.


    "Wha..."


    Hou Siping''s pupils shrank, and at the same moment he activated the killing formation, a cold light suddenly shot from behind him.


    It was a flying sword, breaking through the stone wall behind him, slashing towards him at a speed far surpassing the killing formation!


    This flying sword was entirely pitch black, shaped like a curved serpent, covered in sharp scales, with a head and tail. It was more like a flood dragon than a sword!


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    Xu Hei''s true form, with Ever-changing Fish and Dragon fully activated, crossed the killing formation''s barrier, ignoring all formation restrictions, as if walking on flat ground.


    The power of the sixth layer of Ever-changing Fish and Dragon was unleashed to the fullest.


    This sword, he named it the Black Dragon Sword!


    "Poof!"


    Hou Siping didn''t even have time to scream before his throat was pierced by the sword, his head flying off, and even the Golden Core within him was picked out by Xu Hei with a single strike.


    It was too fast, faster than any killing formation, this was Xu Hei''s full-force strike!


    After Hou Siping''s death, the killing formation''s residual power fell on the butcher, cutting blood marks, but it only lasted a moment before quickly dissipating.


    The nine killing formations completely calmed down.


    Hou Siping died with his eyes open, unable to believe his foolproof setup failed here.


    His pupils contracted, eyes bulging, mouth agape, eyes filled with despair, powerless to resist death''s arrival.


    "Speak, who sent you! Otherwise, I''ll turn your body into a corpse puppet, and your soul will be trapped in the soul banner, never to reincarnate!" Xu Hei coldly shouted at Hou Siping''s head.


    "I didn''t lie to you, it was Lin Ziye..."


    Hou Siping closed his eyes.


    Xu Hei nodded, absorbing the headless corpse into the butcher''s body. The wounds on the butcher quickly healed after absorbing Hou Siping, restoring completely.


    Though the contamination remained, the wounds were healed.


    Xu Hei then used his true form to swallow the shriveled Golden Core. Although Hou Siping''s true essence had been suppressed for a long time, it was still of good quality for a late Core Formation stage.


    "There''s no rush to leave. I''ll refine the Golden Core here, and maybe some heavy oil, and hopefully break through to mid-stage Core Formation. Meanwhile, I''ll see if anyone comes down to check," Xu Hei thought.


    After consuming the Golden Cores of Xu Sheng and Hou Siping, Xu Hei felt his cultivation loosening. With ten days to half a month of closed-door cultivation, he might gain something.


    Even if he couldn''t break through to mid-stage Core Formation, stabilizing at the peak of the early stage shouldn''t be a problem. After leaving, he could take a Qingyuan Pill, close-door cultivate for a month, and break through to the mid-stage in one go.


    The early Core Formation stage was far from enough for Xu Hei now; it wasn''t reliable against late-stage cultivators. The encounters with Hai Teng and Hou Siping made him realize this deeply.


    "Hehehe..."


    Suddenly, an eerie laughter echoed in the empty oil well.


    Xu Hei shivered, his gaze shifting to lock onto Hou Siping''s remaining head.


    The laughter was coming from that head.


    Xu Hei''s gaze was fixed, his brows furrowed, he hadn''t misheard.


    "Hehehe..."


    The laughter appeared again, Hou Siping opened his eyes, a sinister smile on his lips, his pale gaze fixed on Xu Hei, emitting an eerie laugh.

 Chapter 309: Exterminate Ghost Infants, Enrollments in Penglai Sea

    Chapter 309: Exterminate Ghost Infants, Enrollments in Penglai Sea"What the hell is this?"


    This kind of thing couldn''t scare Xu Hei, but it certainly piqued his curiosity.


    With a wave of his hand, he used the Gravity Technique to grab Hou Siping''s head from a distance and brought it back into the cave.


    Along the way, the eerie head kept laughing, its pupil-less eyes staring intently at Xu Hei, meeting the butcher''s ugly face.


    Xu Hei brought it back to the cave, intending to study it further.


    Suddenly, a bloody hole appeared in the center of Hou Siping''s forehead, and a ghostly infant figure with sharp fangs emerged, lunging at Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei remained unfazed, raised his hand, and pointed. His Flying Sword sliced through the air but hit nothing.


    The ghostly figure split into several parts, transforming into countless streams of light that burrowed into the butcher''s body from all directions. Xu Hei immediately felt his body go numb, his skin swelling with countless boils, and his limbs moving chaotically. The numerous corpse puppets within him seemed to gain their own consciousness, trying to break free.


    It felt like losing control!


    "How does this person still have such a trick?"


    Xu Hei''s expression changed. He had killed Hou Siping, and his Golden Core was gone, so he couldn''t possibly have any strength left to resist.


    There was only one possibility: this ghostly figure was placed inside him by someone else.


    Xu Hei made a quick decision, taking out Xu Bai''s box of copper coins, transforming them into a Money Sword that merged with his Flying Sword, emitting a dazzling golden light, protecting him with auspicious energy, and exterminating all evil!


    "Slash!" Xu Hei shouted, thrusting his Flying Sword into the butcher.


    "Splurt!"


    A crisp sound echoed, as if stabbing into a barrel of water. A sharp, piercing scream erupted from within the butcher, and the chaos within immediately ceased.


    The sound was like a baby''s cry, like nails scraping on a metal board, making Xu Hei''s scalp tingle.


    He thought of an evil faction spell, the Ghost Infant!


    He had discovered it in some jade slip miscellanea he found in the storage bag of an elder from the Snake Catchers Sect during his idle time.


    The process of refining a Ghost Infant was extremely vicious and utterly depraved, something Xu Hei couldn''t even describe.


    But one thing was certain: this Ghost Infant was placed in Hou Siping''s sea of consciousness by someone else. It fed on the nutrients of the sea of consciousness until it grew strong enough to devour the entire primordial spirit, taking its place.


    By then, Hou Siping would no longer be Hou Siping, but the grown Ghost Infant.


    Xu Hei''s eyes were cold and merciless. The Money Sword slashed again, and the Ghost Infant howled in agony, unable to withstand it, and emerged from the butcher''s body, turning into a wisp of ghostly spirit, attempting to escape.


    Xu Hei pursued, throwing all the copper coins, forming a large net of money that sealed off the Ghost Infant''s escape route.


    Then, he brought down his sword.


    "Ah!!"


    With a sharp, piercing scream, the Ghost Infant''s body became illusory, vanishing into smoke, leaving only some Divine Sense fluctuations.


    Xu Hei considered capturing it with the Soul-absorbing Flag but decided against it after some thought. He ignited a fire, burning it completely.


    With that, the eerie feeling disappeared without a trace, thoroughly eradicated!


    Xu Hei looked at the remnants of Hou Siping''s head and sighed, casting a flame to set it ablaze.


    "This person was so cunning and deceitful, yet unaware of his own situation, reduced to a vessel for a Ghost Infant. How pitiful," Xu Hei lamented.


    Those captured as slaves not only risked their lives mining and drilling at sea but also had to have their blood drawn regularly.


    In the end, those with profound cultivation were reduced to vessels for nurturing Ghost Infants.


    Their lives were completely drained, every usable part exploited.


    Their flesh devoured, bones gnawed, blood drunk, and even their Divine Sense wasn''t spared. The Sea God Sect was utterly depraved.


    Xu Hei suddenly felt a sense of desolation. Initially, he was furious with this person, but after witnessing the Ghost Infant''s parasitism, he felt a twinge of sympathy.


    Even if Xu Hei didn''t kill him today, Hou Siping would have died eventually.


    However, this person insisted until his death that it was the scholar Lin Ziye who sent him, which made Xu Hei even more suspicious.


    "Whether you''re lying or not, I won''t spare the mastermind behind this!" Xu Hei vowed silently. Sear?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He decided not to worry about whether it was Lin Ziye or someone else and would investigate once he got out.


    The method of cultivating Ghost Infants must have been done by a protector, but which one of the four protectors was it? So far, only the Nightmare Demon Lord and the Yehuo Demon Lord were known.


    Additionally, Xu Bai''s copper coins were indeed effective, seemingly having a strong restraining effect on evil spirits.


    With a thought, the Money Sword within Xu Hei''s body separated and transformed back into individual copper coins, returning to the box.


    Good deeds yield good returns. Reflecting on the past, when he traveled a thousand miles to save Xu Bai, the rewards he reaped continued to this day.


    "First, set up a formation, then refine this person''s Golden Core."


    Learning from past lessons, Xu Hei spent the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn setting up an illusion formation at the cave entrance and blocked it with rocks.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    East Sea, Penglai Sea.


    This was a secluded secret realm, existing since ancient times, continuing to this day, and giving birth to many exceptionally talented great demons.


    The outside world was lacking in Spiritual Qi, gradually thinning, but the Penglai Sea remained as abundant in Spiritual Qi as in ancient times, a paradise everyone yearned for.


    Today marked the annual day for recruiting demonic beasts, and the Penglai Sea was bustling once again.


    "Have you heard? A genius demonic beast has appeared in the Penglai Sea, a white snake with incredible strength."


    "Of course, I know. This white snake single-handedly wiped out a ship of Sea God Sect members and was discovered by Elder Green Turtle, who took it as a personal disciple."


    "That''s terrifying! Compared to her, Hai Meng, Bopu, Qingluan, and Er Gou are nothing!"


    "This is undoubtedly the strongest immortal seedling of the year!"


    "The strongest in years!"


    In the Penglai Sea, a group of seagulls gathered on an island, chattering non-stop. Their discussion centered around the newly joined white snake in the Penglai Sea.


    One seagull with a sly appearance chuckled, "I also heard that the elders of the sea snake lineage were in an uproar upon hearing the news, planning to snatch the white snake away!"


    "Snatch? She''s already been taken as a personal disciple by Elder Green Turtle. How can they snatch her?" a seagull asked.


    The demonic beasts of the Penglai Sea were not from a single lineage but divided into multiple factions. Conflicts often erupted over the competition for quality disciples, becoming a common practice.


    After all, as long as a disciple achieved victory in the year-end competition, their faction would receive a massive amount of resources, fostering healthy competition.


    "I guess they might use some underhanded methods."


    The sly seagull laughed, "As long as that white snake willingly leaves Elder Green Turtle''s tutelage, it''s just a matter of words since the recruitment isn''t over yet."

 Chapter 310: Swallowing heavy oil, Xu Heis cultivation advances rapidly

    Chapter 310: Swallowing heavy oil, Xu Hei''s cultivation advances rapidlyAt the same time, within the Sea Serpent lineage.


    After a long period of seclusion, Hai Teng finally emerged from his cave dwelling.


    His entire being was brimming with energy, his vitality surging like a furnace, causing the surrounding seawater to heat up and bubble.


    "I, Hai Teng, have successfully formed a purple Golden Core. This is a perfect Golden Core! In my life, I, Hai Teng, am not inferior to anyone!!"


    At this moment, Hai Teng was filled with boundless pride, almost unable to resist letting out a long howl to the sky.


    After successfully dispersing his core, he had secluded himself for two months, consuming countless rare treasures, and finally today, he reformed his core and achieved the long-desired purple core!


    Even in ancient times, he would have been a top-tier Chosen!


    Although his cultivation had fallen from the late Core Formation stage to the early Core Formation stage, his true strength had not diminished much. Instead, the formation of the purple core had given him even greater potential for progress!


    "Xu Hei, once I find you, I will fight you at the same realm and wash away my past humiliation!" Hai Teng''s eyes were filled with a fierce battle intent.


    "Hai Teng, the elders are calling for you!" A voice came from nearby.


    "Alright!"


    Hai Teng understood that the elders had discovered his successful core formation and had prepared a celebration banquet for him, which he could not miss.


    A stick of incense later¡ª


    "What? A white snake took down an entire ship of evil faction followers, including five Core Formation stage cultivators, all dead without a trace."


    Hai Teng gasped, his eyes filled with shock.


    Elder Jin in front of him merely smiled slightly and said, "Such a white snake, are you tempted?"


    The surrounding elders all turned their gaze towards Hai Teng, waiting for his response.


    They had already discussed it, planning to send Hai Teng to propose marriage, thus legitimately drawing the white snake to their side.


    Such a high-quality immortal seedling couldn''t be given away to the Turtle lineage, could it?


    After all, they were all of the serpent species, practically half-relatives. A marriage between land snakes and sea snakes was reasonable.


    Competing for high-quality disciples had always been a tradition, and this was a legitimate method; no one dared to object.


    Hai Teng took a deep breath, nodded heavily, and praised, "Not bad!"


    The elders immediately broke into smiles, and Elder Jin''s eyes were filled with joy.


    "Not bad, a formidable opponent!" Hai Teng praised.


    All the elders'' expressions froze instantly.


    Hai Teng praised, "I didn''t expect that after Xu Hei, another Chosen has appeared, worthy of being my opponent!"


    The elders'' faces darkened, and Elder Jin almost spat out a mouthful of water.


    Elder Jin hurriedly explained, "That white snake is female, and her beauty is unmatched even among the serpent tribe. Many clansmen are smitten!"


    Hai Teng pondered, "Then I misspoke, I should call her a Chosen Maiden."


    "So, aren''t you tempted?" Elder Jin pressed again.


    Hai Teng pondered for a long time, a hint of heat rising in his eyes. He immediately set off, swimming towards the Turtle lineage.


    The elders were overjoyed and hurried to follow. Elder Jin even took out invitations, planning to invite guests to witness the birth of two newcomers.


    The heat in Hai Teng''s eyes was visible to every serpent, a sign of intense passion, clearly indicating his interest.


    "Good! Excellent!"


    Hai Teng''s eyes blazed with fire as he shouted, "Just out of seclusion today, and I''ve encountered a peerless Chosen. I''ll take you as my first opponent! I''ll defeat you first, then go and defeat Xu Hei!"


    "¡­¡­"


    All the elders were wide-eyed and speechless, and Elder Jin directly spat out a mouthful of old blood.


    "Hai Teng, all you know is fighting? I''m here to help you propose marriage, propose marriage! Do you understand?" Elder Jin roared. S§×arch* The N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Propose marriage?" Hai Teng squinted his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them, and said, "What kind of spell is that? Why have I never heard of it?"


    "¡­¡­"


    The entire room fell silent.


    Elder Jin felt dizzy and fainted on the spot, causing a commotion.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the depths of the East Sea, within the dark and sunless Sea Eye.


    "It''s been two days, why hasn''t Hou Siping come out yet?"


    Ma Fugui paced back and forth, anxious.


    He appeared calm on the surface, but his inner panic caused sweat to form on his forehead.


    "Hou Siping is at the late Core Formation stage. With his cunning, even if that kid is at his peak, he couldn''t possibly be Hou Siping''s match."


    "But why hasn''t he come out yet? Could it be that Hou Siping is secretly cultivating in the oil well behind my back?"


    Various thoughts flashed through Ma Fugui''s mind. He wanted to check personally but felt that doing so would surely arouse suspicion.


    As for sending someone else, he didn''t trust anyone; Hou Siping was his only confidant.


    He had absolute trust in Hou Siping; this person would never betray him, not even in death. There must have been some unforeseen event!


    "Damn it, could that kid have been hiding his strength?"


    Gradually, Ma Fugui began to suspect that Xu Hei might have hidden his strength and turned the tables on Hou Siping.


    Even though the possibility was slim.


    "Two days without coming out, could that kid have died in the oil well?" someone asked with a laugh.


    "Dead or not, why don''t you go and see?" the banker joked.


    "Tch! I''m not going!"


    "You go if you want!"


    Everyone pushed the responsibility onto each other; no one would easily go down the oil well, as it was fraught with danger. Anything could happen, and if there was a collapse or someone with ill intentions, it would be too late for regrets.


    "If another day passes without him coming out, I''ll have won, tenfold odds, five hundred thousand spirit stones!" Ma Fugui laughed.


    The banker nodded and said, "Alright, I can afford to pay five hundred thousand spirit stones."


    Thus, another day passed, and Xu Hei still hadn''t come out. The banker sent someone down to check, but they found nothing.


    In the end, Ma Fugui won five hundred thousand spirit stones.


    But there was always a string taut in his heart, unable to relax, with a sense of foreboding.


    He suspected that the other party might be hiding somewhere, secretly growing. Sending a slave down, what could they possibly find?


    "In a few more days, even if it raises suspicion, I''ll have to go down personally to see what Hou Siping is up to!" Ma Fugui gritted his teeth in secret.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Deep beneath the oil well.


    Xu Hei hid in a cave, having refined his Golden Core and a small amount of heavy oil.


    His cultivation advanced rapidly, reaching the peak of the early Core Formation stage.


    He was just a step away from the mid-stage Core Formation.


    As long as he consumed a Qingyuan Pill or a similar breakthrough pill, he was confident he could reach the mid-stage Core Formation. But in such a dangerous environment, Xu Hei dared not do so.


    "Breaking through to the mid-stage Core Formation requires at least half a month of seclusion, possibly several months. This place is not suitable."


    Xu Hei contemplated.


    He deeply understood the energy contained in the heavy oil, which greatly aided in improving his cultivation.


    Just by refining three barrels, Xu Hei reached the peak of the early Core Formation stage.


    If the sea god truly absorbed heavy oil to enhance his cultivation, sending so many people to extract it, ten barrels for the Foundation Establishment stage, a hundred barrels for the Core Formation stage...


    What kind of cultivation would the sea god have to need such a vast quantity?


    Even if it wasn''t for absorption, what else could it be used for that required so much?


    Just thinking about it made Xu Hei''s scalp tingle.


    And the Ghost Infant''s methods also concerned him.


    "Take this opportunity to collect more heavy oil..."


    "And as for the person behind the scenes, they''ve delayed so long without coming down to investigate. I don''t believe they can hold back forever."


    "Let''s create a bit of a commotion later to lure them down."

 Chapter 311: Do your best, even in killing, one must scatter the ashes

    Chapter 311: Do your best, even in killing, one must scatter the ashesThree days passed in a flash.


    During this time, Xu Hei dug out fifty barrels of oil from underground. This layer of oil was nearly exhausted, so he had to continue digging deeper.


    The deeper he went, the more dangerous it became. Xu Hei tried sending a puppet down the well, but it was soon pulled into the abyss by a tremendous force.


    After three days, the butcher''s body was completely blackened, severely contaminated.


    Xu Hei took a Detoxification Pill and used the Demon God Cauldron to refine it, preventing the contamination from worsening.


    The black smoke inside the Demon God Cauldron had also gathered to a certain concentration.


    "Let''s see if the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd can absorb it."


    With a thought, Xu Hei summoned the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, guiding the black smoke from the Demon God Cauldron into the gourd.


    Inside the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, there was originally a wisp of poisonous smoke, taken from Bonan.


    When this wisp of poisonous smoke came into contact with the black smoke, it rapidly expanded and merged with it, turning into a deep purple color.


    "Oh?"


    Xu Hei raised an eyebrow.


    He hadn''t expected the poisonous smoke he collected earlier to actively merge with the black smoke. This suggested that the Sea God Sect''s poison was refined using heavy oil? Since they originated from the same source, they didn''t repel each other!


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered. He tapped the gourd, and a wisp of purple smoke flew out, transforming into a thin thread.


    Originally, Xu Hei couldn''t control this purple smoke and it was easy to harm his own people. But ever since it merged with the black smoke, his control over it had greatly increased.


    "Go!"


    Xu Hei pointed forward, and the thin thread rose into the air, randomly sweeping across the air and striking the stone wall, corroding small pits into it.


    This poisonous mist thread wasn''t very aggressive towards objects, but it was extremely polluting, posing a devastating threat to living beings.


    Xu Hei seriously doubted that even Elemental Infant cultivators would want to be contaminated by this poison.


    "Return!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei recalled the thread back into the gourd.


    "The poison from Bonan, combined with the fusion of heavy oil black smoke, is yet another powerful weapon for me!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Next, Xu Hei continued to channel the black smoke from the Demon God Cauldron into the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd.


    This was a delicate task, requiring meticulous control over both magical treasures. It took Xu Hei two days to complete, leaving him exhausted.


    After a brief rest, he was about to dig for more oil.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei''s expression shifted as he looked toward the cave entrance.


    The cave was blocked, but he could clearly sense that people had come down, and not just one.


    "More slaves... Since that person doesn''t dare to come down personally, I''ll give you a push!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold. He tossed out some Spirit Stones and flicked his fingers, causing the stones to explode and release a surge of Spiritual Qi.


    The people outside, upon approaching, immediately felt the long-lost surge of Spiritual Qi. But they didn''t dare to absorb it, their faces changing dramatically as they retreated cautiously.


    How could Spiritual Qi appear out of nowhere in an oil well?


    This oil well had been deserted for a week because people had died here. Was it haunted?


    No one dared to approach, and they all retreated. Two bold individuals, tempted by greed, wanted to move forward to absorb the Qi, but with everyone else leaving, they stood out and had to retreat as well.


    Not long after, about an hour later, a figure clad in a black robe descended from the well.


    This person had a gloomy expression, slightly plump, and was protected by a golden Talisman that temporarily shielded him from the heavy oil''s contamination. He also used an Invisibility Talisman, fully armed, as he entered the oil well.


    This person was Ma Fugui, who had drawn lots to investigate the anomaly.


    He moved swiftly, quickly reaching the source of the Spiritual Qi eruption, and looked around, indeed finding faint traces of a Formation on the stone wall.


    "So it''s hidden here!"


    Ma Fugui''s eyes turned cold. He retreated slightly and summoned five Formation flags, placing them around the Formation.


    Then, with a change of hand gestures, the Five Elemental Formation flags connected, outlining complex patterns that intertwined with the Formation left by Xu Hei.


    In just a few breaths, Ma Fugui successfully hijacked the illusion Formation!


    Stealing Formations was Ma Fugui''s specialty, allowing him to do so without the other party noticing.


    In fact, Xu Hei hadn''t sensed the loss of the Formation, nor did he notice anyone coming down.


    But from an hour ago, he had been highly focused, all his attention on the cave entrance.


    His Black Dragon Sword, Blood Killing Sword Formation, Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, and even the Minor Annihilation Talisman he acquired at auction were all aimed forward, ready to unleash a deadly strike at any moment. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He knew that the person behind the scenes might come down without him sensing it, possibly sneaking into the cave silently.


    Having suffered once at the hands of Hou Siping, Xu Hei wouldn''t make the same mistake twice. No matter what kind of demon or monster it was, as long as his firepower was strong enough, he''d turn them to dust.


    "This Formation doesn''t seem like Hou Siping''s work..."


    Ma Fugui squinted his eyes, and with a bit of thought, he immediately guessed that Hou Siping had been harmed. The other party might have deliberately released Spiritual Qi to lure him down and then kill him.


    This made him extremely cautious.


    "Just an early Core Formation stage, even if you suppress your cultivation, so what? Who hasn''t hidden their strength?"


    Ma Fugui sneered. On the surface, he was at the mid-stage Core Formation, but in reality, he had late-stage cultivation, and with a magical treasure, he could rival someone at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage.


    However, he was always cautious. To be safe, he took out a lamp.


    This lamp was called the Seven Star Lamp, using the soul as oil, it could preserve his soul from destruction. Even if he died here, he could be resurrected within the Seven Star Lamp, at the cost of burning his soul.


    The Seven Star Lamp lit up, rising with the wind, floating to the well entrance.


    After doing all this, Ma Fugui''s figure flashed, rushing into the illusion Formation, holding a string of ancient beads.


    "Kill!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes focused. At the moment the disturbance appeared in front, the Black Dragon Sword instantly thrust out. Simultaneously, a thin line shot out from the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, directly forward, and six Blood Killing Swords unsheathed simultaneously.


    He also threw out a Minor Annihilation Talisman, ready to detonate!


    No matter who came down, daring to intrude into his Cave Dwelling, killing them was the simplest solution.


    Xu Hei hadn''t considered capturing them alive, as the risk was too great. He didn''t want to be played with again by someone like Hou Siping. Killing was the safest option.


    Ma Fugui had just stepped into the cave, the string of beads in his hand not yet activated, when a massive wave of attacks hit him.


    This was an attack Xu Hei had been preparing for a long time. Normally, he wouldn''t be able to unleash so many magical treasures in an instant. But after meticulously preparing for an hour, it had become a Formation, revealing all his trump cards, killing anyone who dared to block his path!


    Xu Hei would no longer underestimate anyone, even if it was just a small fry, he''d turn them to dust!


    "Poof!"


    Ma Fugui was first pierced by the six Blood Killing Swords, breaking through his outer defenses, then the Black Dragon Sword shattered his protective golden light.


    The ancient beads in his hand had just been raised when they were pierced by the thin line from the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, directly stabbing into his body, the poison penetrating him.


    And with the Minor Annihilation Talisman about to hit, Ma Fugui''s face changed dramatically, his pupils contracting to a point.

 Chapter 312: Seven Star Lamp, able to act without speaking

    Chapter 312: Seven Star Lamp, able to act without speakingIn just a moment, a strong sense of despair surged in his heart.


    It was too sudden. The barrage of magical treasures came too quickly. Ma Fugui didn''t even have a chance to resist. He had just stepped into the cave dwelling and was immediately finished.


    His trump cards, his talismans and magical treasures, all the strategies he had meticulously prepared, didn''t even have a chance to be used before he died instantly.


    To prevent this person from faking death, Xu Hei even threw out his only Minor Annihilation Talisman.


    "Thud, thud, thud..."


    Under the chaotic slashing of the Blood Killing Sword and the Black Dragon Sword, combined with the effects of the poison, Ma Fugui died instantly, his body torn to pieces, turning into a pile of minced flesh, emitting wisps of toxic gas.


    His blood was drained by the Blood Killing Sword, his physical body corroded by the poison, and his Golden Core pierced by the Black Dragon Sword, dead beyond any doubt.


    Xu Hei quickly retrieved the Minor Annihilation Talisman.


    Just now, if there had been even a sliver of a chance that this person survived, he would have unhesitatingly activated the Minor Annihilation Talisman to deliver a massive blow.


    "Who is this person?"


    Only then did Xu Hei focus his attention, and from the shattered remains, he could vaguely discern that it was a steward, at mid-stage Core Formation, but had concealed his cultivation, clearly possessing a Golden Core of the late Core Formation stage.


    It seemed that this person had just summoned a string of ancient beads, but they immediately lost their effect upon contact with the poison.


    Xu Hei beckoned the ancient beads into his hand, and upon a brief inspection, found it to be a top-tier third-grade magical treasure.


    "This person isn''t completely dead?"


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted, and he instantly leaped up, rushing out of the cave.


    He discovered that the string of ancient beads bore the opponent''s Divine Sense imprint, indicating that the opponent wasn''t dead, and the imprint remained stubbornly intact!


    Xu Hei didn''t even have time to pick up the storage bag before he dashed out of the cave, speeding towards the wellhead.


    From the moment Ma Fugui entered the cave and died, to Xu Hei rushing out, it all happened within a single breath.


    As soon as Xu Hei exited the cave, he headed straight for the wellhead. Both his true self and the butcher moved simultaneously, and soon, they spotted a lit Seven Star Lamp floating out of the wellhead, flying into the distance.


    "Look, what is that?"


    "A Seven Star Lamp? Ma Fugui''s Seven Star Lamp?"


    "Even using his life-saving item, what danger did he encounter?"


    The appearance of the Seven Star Lamp caused a stir among the stewards, and Ma Fugui''s familiar group of gamblers all widened their eyes, knowing what the Seven Star Lamp signified, especially a lit one.


    After the oil well anomaly earlier, Ma Fugui suggested drawing lots to decide who would go down, and it ended up being Ma Fugui himself.


    He was just supposed to go down and investigate, but who knew it would result in a fatality!


    "Take action!"


    The banker of the gamblers was the first to move, flashing to the wellhead, and the other three gamblers immediately followed suit.


    The Seven Star Lamp flickered with a ghostly light, quickly burning out, transforming into a phantom figure, which was Ma Fugui''s soul. He targeted the nearest person, his figure flashing as he rushed into that person''s forehead.


    This was a slave in Xu Hei''s team, at early Core Formation stage, who was now clutching his head and screaming in agony, desperately resisting Ma Fugui''s body snatching.


    "Boom!!"


    The wellhead exploded, and a burly figure burst out, none other than the butcher, along with Xu Hei''s true self, the Black Dragon Sword.


    "It''s you!?"


    The gamblers recognized Xu Hei immediately, realizing he was the one presumed dead in the well a week ago, unexpectedly still alive.


    After Xu Hei appeared, his gaze shifted, instantly locking onto a Core Formation cultivator in his team.


    "Body snatching? Let''s see how you do it!"


    A ruthless glint flashed in Xu Hei''s eyes as his flying sword shot out, and the butcher also unleashed a barrage of tentacles, attacking Ma Fugui, while the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd was ready to be deployed at any moment.


    "Stop!"


    The banker shouted, summoning a large flag, which whipped up a fierce wind, blowing away the butcher''s tentacles and even severely hindering the true self Black Dragon Sword, reducing its speed as if trapped in a quagmire. sea??h th§× n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Do you dare to stop me?" Xu Hei''s gaze turned icy.


    The banker, named Blood Vengeance, was the leader of this group and the strongest in cultivation, being the only one among the sixteen stewards who hadn''t concealed his Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage.


    Such a powerful cultivator, when fully exerting his strength, would indeed be difficult for Xu Hei to take down, forcing him to watch helplessly as Ma Fugui attempted to snatch another''s body.


    "Ma Fugui was just going down to investigate, yet you suddenly killed him. Why? Give me an explanation!" Blood Vengeance demanded.


    Meng Hao also arrived, demanding, "What''s going on?"


    As the only third-level steward here, Meng Hao was the main person in charge of extracting heavy oil, and everyone had to follow his orders.


    "Meng Hao, you''re just in time. You know about the drawing lots earlier, right? Ma Fugui went down to investigate, but this person destroyed his physical body and now wants to pursue his soul. I had to intervene!"


    Blood Vengeance''s face was grim as he stared intently at Xu Hei.


    Meng Hao looked at Xu Hei, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes, and said, "Give me an explanation!"


    Killing a fellow steward was a capital offense.


    Previously, killing Xu Sheng could be explained as Xu Sheng harboring ill intentions and plotting against Xu Hei, with only two witnesses, the impact was minimal and could barely be glossed over.


    But now, in front of all the stewards and slaves, killing a fellow steward was far more severe than before!


    If this wasn''t handled impartially and was covered up privately, it would cause huge trouble.


    Moreover, the Nightmare Demon Lord only mentioned giving him some care, not covering up a capital offense, which was a completely different matter.


    Meng Hao held a token in his hand, his third-level steward token, and he locked his gaze on Xu Hei, shouting, "I give you three breaths to explain, or face immediate execution!"


    Within the Sea God Sect, the hierarchy was strict. A third-level steward had the authority to mobilize forces, could request the intervention of Elemental Infant cultivators, and could directly contact protectors! No one dared to disobey!


    Xu Hei, however, couldn''t be bothered to explain. After three breaths, Ma Fugui would have successfully snatched a body, and he wasn''t skilled in words. Engaging in verbal sparring with humans was undoubtedly foolish.


    He didn''t believe he could out-argue Ma Fugui. Once the other party completed the body snatching and made a few clever arguments, it would all be in vain.


    Moreover, what reasoning could be had with a group of evil faction cultivators?


    Xu Hei directly summoned the Minor Annihilation Talisman, activating the incantation.


    "Stop!" Meng Hao''s face changed.


    Blood Vengeance''s expression also shifted dramatically, and he rapidly retreated. While he wanted to stand up for Ma Fugui, it didn''t mean he was willing to take such a huge risk.


    The other gamblers were all panicked, retreating en masse to avoid being caught in the blast. Clearly, the Minor Annihilation Talisman had a formidable reputation within the Sea God Sect! It was a deadly weapon that didn''t differentiate between friend and foe!


    "Stop immediately! If you persist in your folly, I will have no choice but to summon the protector!" Meng Hao coldly warned.


    Xu Hei remained unfazed, having already decided to abandon the butcher and have his true self escape, with a plan in mind.


    "Capture!"


    Suddenly, a low shout came from afar, and a spell seal was cast, flying into the head of the Core Formation slave.


    The next moment, Ma Fugui''s soul phantom was forcibly extracted by a large hand, held in its palm. On the soul''s forehead appeared a large "Capture" character.


    The owner of this large hand was none other than the scholarly Lin Ziye.


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted as he stared at the character on Ma Fugui''s forehead, but he quickly regained his composure.


    "Meng Hao, don''t you have the ability to kill and interrogate souls? Just kill this person and interrogate the soul, won''t that suffice?" Lin Ziye''s lips curled into a bright smile.


    Meng Hao replied, "Are you joking with me?"


    Interrogating a soul required killing the person first. Without evidence, killing Ma Fugui would be absurd.

 Chapter 313: Law enforcers have always upheld justice impartially

    Chapter 313: Law enforcers have always upheld justice impartially"As an enforcer, it''s my duty to uphold justice. Coincidentally, I''ve served as an enforcer before and am quite adept at handling such disputes."


    Lin Ziye glanced at Xu Hei and smiled slightly, "Fellow Daoist, tell us, why are you pursuing this person?" Sear?h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An enforcer... Xu Hei initially didn''t want to explain, but suddenly, someone came to his mind.


    Thus, Xu Hei slowly said, "This person trespassed on my cultivation ground. Shouldn''t he be killed for that?"


    Hearing this explanation, Meng Hao was left speechless.


    Cultivation ground? You call an oil well a cultivation ground?


    Fing Hell, who would open a cave dwelling in an oil well to cultivate?


    Lin Ziye''s mouth twitched slightly... This reason doesn''t even qualify as a reason.


    "Deacon Meng, I''m innocent! I have no enmity with this person. I merely discovered an unusual formation, and as soon as I went in to investigate, this person destroyed my physical body."


    Ma Fugui cried with tears streaming down his face, "This person was clearly fishing for trouble. He had already ambushed the entrance. Anyone who entered was doomed. If you had gone down, you might not have escaped death either."


    With a few words, Ma Fugui painted Xu Hei as a villain who killed for treasure, making it seem like anyone who encountered him would be killed.


    Moreover, Xu Hei wasn''t good with words, which only solidified the accusations against him.


    Xu Hei''s face turned livid. He regretted not acting immediately instead of talking.


    "Alright, the evidence is clear. Death penalty!"


    Lin Ziye smiled slightly and snapped his fingers, producing a crisp sound.


    In the next moment, the character "imprison" above Ma Fugui''s head transformed into "destroy". His eyes filled with terror, and he let out a piercing scream, struggling continuously.


    In an instant, Ma Fugui''s soul shattered, disintegrating in terror, dying on the spot.


    Ma Fugui was dead, his form and spirit completely annihilated, with no chance of revival!


    Everyone was stunned.


    This sudden reversal made everyone think they were seeing things. Clearly, Xu Hei''s guilt was established, so how did Ma Fugui end up being executed?


    Xu Hei was also dumbfounded.


    This was supposed to be impartial justice? This is what you call impartial justice?


    "You... courting death!"


    Meng Hao''s expression stiffened, then he flew into a rage. Killing a deacon in front of so many people, what did that make of him?


    "What are you waiting for? If we don''t question the spirit, it''ll be too late." Lin Ziye laughed.


    "Men, seize these two criminals!"


    Meng Hao shouted in fury.


    In an instant, numerous deacons sprang into action, surrounding Xu Hei and Lin Ziye, whether they were willing or not.


    At the same time, a powerful will emanated from Meng Hao''s token, locking onto the two of them.


    Xu Hei was about to resist when Lin Ziye transmitted a message, "Don''t be impulsive. He won''t do anything to us."


    At this moment, everyone surrounded Xu Hei and Lin Ziye but didn''t make a move, instead turning their gaze to Meng Hao.


    Meng Hao took a deep breath, suppressing his anger, "I''ll summon the soul and question it! If I can''t get a satisfactory answer, you''ll all die!"


    He glared fiercely at Lin Ziye and raised the soul banner.


    Countless soul fragments floated in the void, gathering together to form a phantom humanoid shape.


    But compared to before, Ma Fugui''s eyes were lifeless, clearly having lost self-awareness.


    Meng Hao asked sternly, "Ma Fugui, is what you said just now true?"


    "Mostly true," Ma Fugui replied numbly.


    As soon as he said this, Meng Hao squinted his eyes, "What do you mean by ''mostly true''?"


    Everyone noticed something was off, turning their gaze to Ma Fugui, waiting for his answer.


    A struggle flashed in Ma Fugui''s eyes, but under Meng Hao''s stern gaze, he returned to a blank state, "Most of what I said is true, except for the part about having no enmity with this person, which is false."


    "Then what grudge do you have with this person?" Meng Hao asked.


    Ma Fugui paused for a long while before saying blankly, "I sent my confidant Hou Siping to infiltrate the oil well and assassinate this person..."


    He recounted the details of sending Hou Siping.


    At this moment, the entire place fell silent, deathly quiet.


    Goodness! And he called that no enmity? This was a deep-seated grudge. Ma Fugui had deceived everyone. If it weren''t for the spirit questioning, they would have been kept in the dark.


    What''s more baffling was that Xu Hei didn''t say a word in his defense, only thinking of killing.


    "Hou Siping?" Meng Hao squinted his eyes, "A slave with sealed cultivation, why did you send him?"


    "Hou Siping''s cultivation was sealed on the surface, but with my help, he broke the seal. I provided him with a large number of spirit stones for formations and an Explosive True Pill. With his abilities, he was more than enough to deal with this person," Ma Fugui said slowly.


    "......"


    Everyone was left speechless, stunned by such words.


    Secretly cultivating a confidant, unsealing a slave, gifting pills¡ªthese crimes combined were enough to sentence Ma Fugui to death.


    Even though none of them were clean, all having some dirty dealings.


    But doing it secretly is one thing, being exposed publicly is another.


    "Why did you want to kill him?" Meng Hao asked again.


    Xu Hei also looked over, as this was what concerned him.


    "Because I have something important, with Xu Sheng..."


    At this point, Ma Fugui''s eyes suddenly bulged, showing a look of terror. His soul shattered with a bang, leaving nothing behind.


    "What?" Meng Hao''s face changed.


    The soul summoning and questioning were broken. Was there something unspeakable that couldn''t be said?


    Everyone exchanged glances, shocked by what had just happened.


    No matter what, the truth was revealed. Ma Fugui was in the wrong first; he plotted against Xu Hei, who then retaliated and killed him.


    Even without this incident, just the exposure of his dealings with Hou Siping was a death sentence.


    The only mystery was Ma Fugui''s last half-sentence, which he didn''t finish before suddenly exploding.


    Yet, in this strange situation, everyone present surprisingly didn''t ask more, didn''t think more, and didn''t discuss it privately.


    This made Xu Hei thoughtful.


    Earlier, he faintly sensed a powerful force infiltrating from the outside, acting on Ma Fugui''s soul, causing his sudden death mid-sentence.


    Seeing everyone''s tacit agreement not to pursue the matter further, Xu Hei quickly had a hunch.


    It was the demon lord''s guardian of this place who didn''t want him to finish speaking!


    The deacons present were all smart people. Realizing this, no one dwelled on the meaning of Ma Fugui''s last words. It''s better not to ask what shouldn''t be asked.


    "Alright, the truth is out. Disperse," Meng Hao said.


    The deacons dispersed, returning to their respective groups.


    In the distance, the slaves were somewhat reluctant to leave. It was their first time seeing a deacon killed in public, and many were gloating, especially the over a hundred under Ma Fugui''s command.


    They had suffered enough humiliation and couldn''t wait for Ma Fugui to die.


    Xu Hei cupped his fists, "Thank you for earlier."


    "No problem. As an enforcer, it''s my duty to uphold justice," Lin Ziye said with a smile.


    Uphold justice¡ªXu Hei didn''t believe a word of it.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, not thinking Lin Ziye would help him for no reason. There must be some reason.


    He lowered his voice and transmitted, "Are you Xu Qingfeng?"


    Lin Ziye put away his smile and asked in return, "Do you think, with his nature, he would join the Sea God Sect?"


    Xu Hei was speechless.


    Xu Qingfeng was upright and unyielding, the only absolutely righteous person Xu Hei had ever seen. He would never associate with the evil faction.


    "Heh, I''m not the same kind of person as him," Lin Ziye said with a smile.

 Chapter 314: A good strategist does not get bogged down by trivial matters

    Chapter 314: A good strategist does not get bogged down by trivial mattersAlthough Xu Hei had his doubts, he couldn''t shake the feeling that Lin Ziye wasn''t some kind of evil cultist. At least, he hadn''t seen any evidence of that so far.


    "Then why did you join the Sea God Sect?" Xu Hei couldn''t help but ask.


    Lin Ziye smiled slightly and didn''t answer the question. Instead, he asked, "May I know your name, Fellow Daoist?"


    "Xu Hei," Xu Hei replied without hesitation.


    "Fellow Daoist Xu, if you were an enforcer who believed in fairness and justice, would you think the process is more important, or the result?" Lin Ziye asked again.


    Xu Hei couldn''t answer.


    The question was too profound, leaving him completely puzzled.


    Lin Ziye smiled openly and said, "For example, if the process is important, just now, Fellow Daoist Xu should have defended himself, justified his killing of Ma Fugui, and then acted!"


    "But if the result is important, you would skip all the formalities and just cut down Ma Fugui directly."


    Hearing this, Xu Hei quickly said, "Of course, the result is more important."


    Lin Ziye nodded in satisfaction.


    He didn''t converse with Xu Hei for long. The two quickly parted ways and each led their own teams.


    With more than half a month left, Xu Hei first retrieved Ma Fugui''s storage bag and then gathered his men to start extracting heavy oil.


    The Core Formation cultivator who had narrowly escaped death earlier clasped his fists and thanked Xu Hei, "Thank you, sir!"


    This person was Tian Zang, who had almost been body-snatched by Ma Fugui. His gratitude was sincere.


    "No need for formalities, just do your job well," Xu Hei said.


    "Yes!" Tian Zang bowed.


    Initially, he had some reservations about Xu Hei distributing pills privately, but now, since Xu Hei had saved his life, he would do anything Xu Hei asked.


    After receiving the pills, although everyone was tense, they didn''t reveal anything and quietly took them, increasing their chances of survival.


    Compared to Xu Hei, Lin Ziye next door was much stricter. His actions were no different from other enforcers.


    Under his command, the slaves were full of complaints, and many had died.


    Xu Hei had initially suspected that this person might be Xu Qingfeng in disguise, but seeing this, he completely dismissed the idea.


    "This person and Xu Qingfeng are from the same sect, both are enforcement elders of the Astrology Bureau."


    Xu Hei reluctantly came to this conclusion.


    He couldn''t see what Lin Ziye''s purpose was for now, but he was much less wary of him.


    At this moment, Xu Hei suddenly recalled Ma Fugui''s last words.


    The reason for killing him was because he had something important, in Xu Sheng...


    Xu Sheng''s storage bag? Xu Hei had already gone through it thoroughly. Other than having several times the wealth of a typical Core Formation cultivator, there was nothing special.


    So, what was the next part?


    "Xu Sheng''s cave dwelling?" Xu Hei''s eyes flashed.


    A token is needed to enter a cave dwelling, which made much more sense.


    However, what the demon lord''s protector wanted to cover up was likely more than just this.


    "The cave dwelling... forget it." Xu Hei shook his head, giving up on the idea of exploring it, as it wasn''t part of his plan.


    ...


    Days passed by.


    During this time, Xu Hei continuously distributed pills. After half a month, his team had only lost five people, the lowest mortality rate among all teams.


    This was in stark contrast to other teams.


    Some noticed the anomaly, but having witnessed Xu Hei''s fierce reputation, no one dared to report it. If the report failed and Xu Hei retaliated, the unlucky one would be themselves.


    However, Blood Vengeance secretly recorded the anomaly in a jade slip, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.


    He and Ma Fugui weren''t life-and-death friends, but he knew how much wealth Ma Fugui had. Now, this person had acquired Ma Fugui''s storage bag, and it was said that Xu Sheng had also died at his hands.


    The amount of spirit stones this person had was unimaginable.


    "Blood Vengeance, you''ve been watching this person for over half a month. If you have any ideas, just say it, and we''ll help you."


    Three gamblers gathered around, their eyes flashing with murderous intent.


    Blood Vengeance said, "What ideas could I have? Don''t try to pry words out of me!"


    "Heh, don''t pretend with us. We''re not outsiders."


    "This person has all of Ma Fugui''s wealth, including the fifty thousand spirit stones he just won from you. Don''t you want to take it back?" the two gamblers beside him laughed.


    Blood Vengeance''s gaze turned cold, and he scolded, "Stop talking nonsense. I''ll pretend I didn''t hear what you just said."


    "Yeah, right, I don''t believe you!"


    The three of them cursed loudly.


    ...


    Barrel after barrel of heavy oil was drawn from the well, piling up on the ground.


    Ten barrels for the Foundation Establishment Stage, one hundred barrels for the Core Formation Stage.


    Xu Hei also went down the well multiple times to collect heavy oil. He alone dug up three hundred barrels, storing them in void stones. Heavy oil couldn''t be stored in storage bags, but it could be kept in void stones.


    During this period, his skin grew darker, and the butcher had already turned black from pollution, making everyone secretly click their tongues and call him a madman.


    Of course, Xu Hei was still somewhat restrained; otherwise, he could have collected over a thousand barrels without needing to rest.


    Bai Qiushui, whom Xu Hei observed secretly, completed the task of one hundred barrels on the twenty-eighth day, barely passing, but he clearly held back. In his spare time, he was reading a small booklet, though it was unclear what the content was.


    ...


    Unknowingly, the month-long period had ended.


    "The deadline has arrived, now let''s check if everyone has met the standard!" Meng Hao announced loudly. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He first inspected Xu Hei''s team, and everyone had met the standard, while other teams had various issues.


    Those who hadn''t met the standard turned pale and were dragged out of their teams, detained and taken away in panic.


    Then, everyone moved the heavy oil onto the oil ship, stacking it in the cargo hold. Each barrel of oil was placed at a distance from the others, with formations set up to isolate them, to prevent accidents from gravitational attraction if they were too close.


    "Upon returning this time, the protector will reward based on the amount of heavy oil provided by each team," Meng Hao said.


    He gave Xu Hei an extra glance and said, "Your performance is the best, and you might be promoted to a second-level enforcer."


    Xu Hei remained unmoved.


    He knew that once Ye Kong was extracted, the Nightmare Demon Lord could no longer sense him. As soon as he left the Sea Eye, he would be immediately discovered.


    Xu Hei''s plan was to escape the moment he left the Sea Eye.


    He still had six Small Teleportation Talismans on him, and with the Water Thunder Wings at full speed, even an Elemental Infant stage cultivator might not be able to catch up with him.


    However, the butcher would inevitably have to be abandoned.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord wasn''t an ordinary Elemental Infant stage cultivator, and using the butcher to draw attention to increase the chances of a successful escape was very necessary.


    As long as his true self left the Nightmare Demon Lord''s range of perception, he had more than a ninety percent chance of escaping.


    And with the three anti-tracking magical artifacts given by Hei Huang, it was impossible to be caught afterward.


    "Let''s do it! I can''t stay in this cursed place for another moment."


    Xu Hei glanced at Blood Vengeance''s position, where the four of them were gathered, discussing something, which made Xu Hei''s expression darken.

 Chapter 315: To hear the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening!

    Chapter 315: To hear the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening!Blood Vengeance hid his intentions well, showing no hint of hostility. However, his two companions couldn''t conceal their murderous intent, which Xu Hei saw through at a glance.


    Sometimes, a foolish teammate is all it takes. But even without them, Xu Hei would still be wary of this person.


    Xu Hei considered whether to teach this group a lesson in advance, to prevent them from causing trouble during his escape and creating unforeseen complications.


    He didn''t want to deal with the Nightmare Demon Lord and this bunch of nuisances at the same time.


    As Xu Hei''s eyes flickered with thought, he immediately took out a lamp, placed it on the ground, and lit it. It was the Seven Star Lamp he had found in Ma Fugui''s storage bag. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, he took out the Minor Annihilation Talisman, held it in his palm, and walked directly towards Blood Vengeance and his group.


    This put Blood Vengeance and his men on high alert, and they all summoned their magical treasures.


    "What do you think you''re doing?" Meng Hao glared and asked.


    "Nothing much, just taking a stroll. Is that not allowed?" Xu Hei replied nonchalantly.


    Meng Hao''s face turned dark.


    A stroll? With a Seven Star Lamp and a Minor Annihilation Talisman, it was clearly a stance of going all out. Who would believe such nonsense?


    However, Xu Hei didn''t continue forward. He sat on the ground and muttered to himself, "Sorry, I''ve been heavily polluted lately. My hands are a bit shaky, and my brain isn''t working well. You''d better stay away from me, lest I accidentally set this thing off. No responsibility taken."


    After speaking, Xu Hei opened his skull, revealing it to be empty, without a brain. His hand holding the talisman shook violently.


    This scared everyone, making Blood Vengeance and his companions'' faces twitch.


    They realized that Xu Hei was a madman. Who knew when he might go crazy? They immediately dismissed the idea of making a move and decided to discuss it after returning.


    "Back to the ship, return trip!" Meng Hao gritted his teeth and ordered.


    "Yes!"


    Numerous stewards soared into the air, heading towards the sea surface, not wanting to linger for even a second.


    Being with such a madman was sheer torture.


    Blood Vengeance and his group also shot into the sky, leaving the light barrier and fleeing upwards.


    Seeing everyone distancing themselves from him, Xu Hei smirked coldly. This was all part of the plan.


    Finally, Xu Hei picked up the Seven Star Lamp and left the area.


    The moment he broke through the light barrier, there was still no sense of being watched. Xu Hei realized that his plan to shed his skin like a cicada had succeeded, and the Nightmare Demon Lord could no longer track him.


    Xu Hei turned to look at the seabed behind him and was taken aback.


    He suddenly had a feeling that the shape of the Sea Eye''s bottom resembled the indentation of a fist.


    The mountainous terrain, with its uneven contours, seemed as if it had been punched out by someone.


    Xu Hei shook his head abruptly. Punched out by a fist? How could that be possible? This Sea Eye must have formed in ancient times, and its contours couldn''t have been preserved until now.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the way back, everyone remained silent.


    All voluntarily distanced themselves from Xu Hei, as he was indeed heavily polluted. Whether he was pretending or not, no one wanted to take the risk.


    Only Lin Ziye stayed somewhat close to Xu Hei.


    "I thought you would make a move directly," Lin Ziye said with a smile.


    "I''m not that stupid," Xu Hei replied.


    "What a pity, missing out on a good show," Lin Ziye sighed.


    Xu Hei was speechless. Did this guy wish for his death?


    An hour later, everyone returned to the oil ship from the seabed.


    The heavy oil on the ship had been organized by the slaves and neatly placed in the hold.


    Next, they would transport the heavy oil to the designated location.


    Xu Hei held the Seven Star Lamp, looking at the Sea Eye below and his position, a resolute look flashing in his eyes.


    The butcher was at the bow, and his true self was at the stern. As soon as they left the Sea Eye''s range, it would be time for him to act.


    "Set sail!"


    At Meng Hao''s command, fifteen oil ships moved in unison, heading forward.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, one oil ship accelerated, moving ten times faster than the others, transforming into a long rainbow, speeding towards the northwest like lightning, with the momentum of thunder!


    It didn''t resemble an oil ship at all, more like an arrow, faster than an Elemental Infant stage cultivator, creating towering waves as it moved.


    Everyone was stunned, including Xu Hei, except Meng Hao, who was the first to react and was about to take action.


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, a massive shadow fell on the oil ship ahead, turning the sea surface pitch black, sinking down like a giant mouth swallowing the heavens and earth, engulfing the ship into an endless abyss, plunging into the deep sea.


    Xu Hei stood there in a daze, dumbfounded.


    He was just about to act, and someone else had already fled?


    The owner of that ship was none other than Lin Ziye.


    The direction he fled was precisely the direction Xu Hei''s true self had planned to go.


    "Hmph! Someone tried to escape, and I caught them on the spot. Nightmare Demon Lord, you owe me a favor."


    At this moment, a voice like that of a deep-sea demon echoed from beneath the sea, ringing in everyone''s ears. It was the mysterious demon lord guarding the Sea Eye.


    He had been lying in ambush nearby all along!


    This sudden change immediately disrupted Xu Hei''s plan, and countless thoughts flashed through Xu Hei''s mind as he pondered his next move.


    His original plan was for the butcher to head southeast and his true self to go northwest, but Lin Ziye had beaten him to it, running straight into someone else''s face and getting captured by the demon lord.


    Should he still escape?


    "Wait, Lin Ziye¡­" Xu Hei''s pupils contracted.


    Lin Ziye had arrived three days before him, but in reality, Xu Hei had been captured for a month.


    This person appeared neither too early nor too late, just after he was captured, and fled before him. How could there be such a coincidence in the world?


    Could it be that Lin Ziye came specifically for him?


    Xu Hei didn''t believe he had such connections that someone would send someone to rescue him. It didn''t make sense emotionally or logically.


    So what exactly was going on? Xu Hei was completely bewildered.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, on another oil ship.


    Bai Qiushui, dressed in coarse clothes, looked at the booklet in his hand, took a deep breath, and closed his eyes.


    "If words have power, then it is now!"


    Bai Qiushui sank his energy into his dantian, his expression solemn, and shouted, "To hear the Dao in the morning, one can die in the evening!"


    "Clap, clap, clap¡­"


    In an instant, golden light radiated from Bai Qiushui''s body, and a surge of righteous energy emerged. His muscles grew wildly, his stature rose, and the coarse clothes on his body were torn apart by his massive muscles!


    "Bang!!"


    In the blink of an eye, Bai Qiushui transformed into a muscular giant, standing two zhang tall, as big as a bull, like a giant.


    The restriction seals within his body were like his clothes, instantly shattered by his muscles.


    "You¡­"


    The steward on the oil ship widened his eyes, about to summon his magical treasure, but in the next second, a heavy iron fist slammed into his face, too fast to defend against.


    "Boom!!!"


    The man spat blood, his mouthful of teeth shattered, flying backward, spinning 3600 degrees in the air. As a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, his head was blown apart with a single punch! Instant death!


    Xu Hei heard the commotion over there and looked over, stunned.


    "Ugh ah ah!!"


    Bai Qiushui roared to the sky, pounding his chest with his fists, striding like a giant of immense strength, crashing into the oil ship''s defensive formation. With a punch, he shattered the entire ship''s formation into pieces.


    Xu Hei stared at Bai Qiushui''s bizarre body, frowning, "Is this what the Diamond Suppression Technique looks like?"


    Meanwhile, from the distant dark sea surface came a thunderous laugh.


    "Hahaha! Sea God Sect''s petty scoundrels, Old Master is here. Surrender at once!"


    The laughter was like thunder, exploding in the void, stirring up towering waves, shaking the heavens.

 Chapter 316: Old Master, the situation has gone completely crazy

    Chapter 316: Old Master, the situation has gone completely crazy"Boom!!!"


    The ocean erupted with towering waves, crashing down like rain, rippling across the expanse and unleashing a massive tsunami.


    All the oil ships raised their protective shields to withstand the oncoming storm. Amidst the endless mist, Xu Hei could see an old scholar, dressed in a Confucian robe and holding a giant brush, glowing with a blue light, floating towards them on a scroll.


    "Old Master?" Everyone was shocked to their core.


    Even if Xu Hei was inexperienced, he had heard of the renowned Old Master.


    One of the three island lords of Penglai Island, known as the Sage of Confucianism!


    He was no small figure but a top-tier powerhouse. Although his exact cultivation level was unknown, dealing with a Demon Lord was surely within his capabilities.


    "Old ghost-backed man, why are you here?!"


    A voice filled with surprise came from beneath the turbulent sea.


    "Hmph, my student is here. As a teacher, how could I not save him? And what do you mean by calling me an old ghost-backed man?!"


    The old scholar''s eyes widened in anger, and with a wave of his brush, he drew a giant "palm" character that landed on the sea.


    In an instant, a massive palm print pressed onto the sea, sinking into it, followed by a muffled groan.


    The turbulent sea calmed visibly, with even the darkness dissipating significantly.


    But soon after, the sky turned dark, and pairs of eyes appeared in the void above, bringing indescribable eerie terror, as darkness descended, threatening to devour everything.


    The second protector, the Nightmare Demon Lord, had arrived.


    "Penglai Island, are you declaring war on our Sea God Sect?" the Nightmare Demon Lord''s sinister voice echoed.


    "I''m just here to save a student of mine, why are you so anxious?" Old Master replied with a faint smile.


    ...


    Xu Hei hesitated no longer. He knew if he didn''t escape now, it would be too late.


    "Move!"


    At Xu Hei''s command, all the slaves on the ship took the pills. These were antidote pills, breaking the restrictions like detoxifying poison.


    Originally, these pills required a certain amount of spiritual power to activate, but with Xu Hei''s distribution of pills over the past days, these people had already gained spiritual power, easily breaking the restrictions.


    Then, everyone quickly took out their prepared flying swords and fled in all directions, with a hundred people escaping at once.


    "Rebellion, rebellion! You''re all rebelling! This is suicide!" Meng Hao roared in fury.


    But as soon as he spoke, his voice stopped.


    An oil ship, under Xu Hei''s control, charged at him like a madman.


    Meng Hao''s face changed drastically, and without hesitation, he turned the ship around to flee, but the other ship was too fast and too close, and they collided instantly.


    "Boom!!!"


    The two oil ships collided, causing a violent explosion, flames soaring into the sky, and oil barrels flying everywhere.


    The barrels shattered, the heavy oil clumped together, creating a terrifying suction, pulling in those who couldn''t dodge in time, their screams echoing, adding to the chaos.


    More slaves joined the escape.


    In the distance, Old Master was battling two Demon Lords, while Xu Hei was rebelling, and the slaves were fleeing.


    The scene was too chaotic, leaving others unsure of what to do or which side to take.


    In the past, Blood Vengeance and the three gamblers would have certainly targeted Xu Hei, but considering Xu Hei''s earlier intimidation, they hesitated.


    "This is the Sea God Sect''s territory, how much trouble can he cause? Kill him, this is a great opportunity to earn merit!"


    One gambler''s eyes turned cold, hesitating only for a few breaths before chasing after Xu Hei.


    Two of the remaining three also rushed out, pursuing Xu Hei.


    Blood Vengeance, the most cunning, also followed, but he lagged behind. He had already suspected Xu Hei might escape after seeing him distribute pills to the slaves and had made some preparations in advance.


    However, the appearance of Lin Ziye and Old Master surprised him, but regardless, Xu Hei had to be eliminated.


    ...


    Xu Hei didn''t engage with these people, fleeing at full speed, only slightly altering his plan, with both the butcher and his true self escaping in the same direction.


    However, his true self was noticeably faster, gradually widening the gap with the butcher.


    "Water Thunder Wings!"


    At this moment, a pair of wings appeared on Xu Hei''s Black Dragon Sword, gliding through the water, creating a vacuum channel in the sea, like wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, forming a straight line towards the distance.


    The Water Thunder Wings, a treasure given by the Dolphin Clan, placed a great burden on the physical body but offered incredible speed, comparable to Elemental Infant cultivators!


    At this extreme speed, the distance between him and the butcher widened further.


    Once beyond a certain limit, the butcher would lose control.


    Xu Hei hesitated, wondering if the Nightmare Demon Lord was truly engaged in battle with Old Master, and whether he should recall the butcher.


    "No, that''s an evil faction protector. Who knows if he''s fighting Old Master with full strength or if he still has a sense locked onto this place?"


    "If he''s been sensing the butcher all along, recalling him would directly expose my true self!"


    "I must escape with all my might, leaving no room for luck!"


    Xu Hei''s gaze was firm, fully activating the Water Thunder Wings and using the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique to escape at the fastest speed, leaving the butcher far behind.


    At this time, in the distance from the butcher, two figures were swiftly moving through the sea on a watercraft, looking rather disheveled. It was Lin Ziye and Bai Qiushui.


    At this moment, Bai Qiushui had reverted to his normal form, panting heavily, his face pale. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "How did these two end up together?" Xu Hei was momentarily stunned.


    Lin Ziye glanced at the butcher and smiled wryly, "Fellow Daoist Xu, I apologize for keeping this from you. My mission here is to rescue the descendant of the White Emperor, as per my teacher''s orders, which I dare not disobey."


    "¡­"


    Xu Hei fell into a long silence.


    Bai Qiushui was equally puzzled, having just learned the truth.


    "So, the Master has taken a liking to me and wants to take me as a disciple?" Bai Qiushui asked in confusion.


    "That''s right. Having studied the Master''s teachings, you''re already my junior brother, and it''s too late to regret it." Lin Ziye laughed.


    Bai Qiushui immediately took out a small booklet, which he had picked up in the cell, containing some sage teachings.


    Normally, he wouldn''t even glance at such things, but as a slave locked in prison with nothing to do, he studied them out of boredom.


    Who knew that by studying them, he would become a disciple of Confucianism?


    "Is this... how you take disciples?" Bai Qiushui was speechless.


    "Haha, you''re a rare physical cultivator, and our teacher values physical cultivation the most. You have more potential than I do, and one day, you might achieve sainthood with your physical body!" Lin Ziye beamed.


    Bai Qiushui was left speechless, unable to connect physical cultivation with being a student of the Master. One focused on body refinement, the other on scholarship¡ªhow did they relate?


    However, he did seem to have gained strength from the book just now.

 Chapter 317: Abandon the butcher, Xu Hei decisively runs away

    Chapter 317: Abandon the butcher, Xu Hei decisively runs awayBai Qiushui originally thought it was his long-suppressed true essence suddenly releasing, breaking through the seal all at once.


    But unexpectedly, there was another factor.


    "How did you know I am a descendant of the White Emperor, and why do you know I was imprisoned here?" Bai Qiushui was still puzzled.


    Xu Hei was also confused by this.


    The timing was just too coincidental, right when he was captured and about to escape. It didn''t make sense.


    Lin Ziye explained, "It''s said that a rogue cultivator delivered the message. Normally, a rogue cultivator''s message wouldn''t reach the teacher, and even if it did, the teacher wouldn''t believe its contents."


    "But there was a black dog by his side, the same one that repelled two Demon Lords."


    "With this dog as proof, the teacher believed the message after receiving it and risked sending me deep into enemy lines to scout the location of the Sea God Sect."


    Xu Hei suddenly understood.


    It was Hei Huang and Han Te, secretly arranging for a big shot to rescue him!


    No! It was to rescue Bai Qiushui.


    They just happened to save him along the way.


    No wonder it was such a coincidence; everything made sense now.


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei collided with an invisible wall, producing a dull sound. Water rippled, and countless complex patterns appeared beneath the sea surface. Formations emerged in the distance, quickly converging.


    In an instant, the butcher''s limbs were locked by the formation, unable to move.


    "Formation?"


    Lin Ziye squinted his eyes and immediately noticed a group of people chasing after them, led by Blood Vengeance and three other gamblers.


    It seemed the formation here was set up in advance, lying in ambush, and they just happened to run into it.


    Xu Hei''s face darkened, and he shouted, "You go quickly, don''t worry about me. I have my own way to escape!"


    Xu Hei''s serious expression made Lin Ziye''s heart tremble. He quickly nodded and said, "Alright!"


    Lin Ziye was not indecisive. He drove the watercraft at full speed, heading into the distance, and soon disappeared from sight.


    At this moment, Blood Vengeance and his group closed in, surrounding Xu Hei''s puppet butcher from four directions.


    Xu Hei said coldly, "Did you set up this formation in advance?"


    "That''s right. When you were distributing pills to others, I guessed you might try to escape, so I set up the formation here in advance, waiting for you to take the bait!" Blood Vengeance replied calmly.


    "Then how did you know I would escape in this direction and not another?" Xu Hei asked.


    "I set up formations in other directions too, a total of eighty-one places. As long as I intercept you in one place, the remaining eighty will quickly converge, forming the Eighty-One Lock Chain Formation."


    Blood Vengeance patiently explained. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The Eighty-One Lock Chain Formation was a unique secret technique of his Vajra Sect, specifically used for large-scale capturing of prey. Although it covered a large area, its drawback was that it could only target one person.


    If Lin Ziye were also captured, the formation''s power would be dispersed, allowing both to escape.


    However, targeting Xu Hei alone was enough.


    As long as he obtained the wealth on Xu Hei, it would completely compensate for the loss of the eighty-one formations.


    Moreover, capturing the escaped steward would be a great achievement, and killing him on the spot would earn him many contribution points, directly promoting him to a third-level steward.


    As for Meng Hao, he would definitely be demoted for serious dereliction of duty.


    Xu Hei''s expression remained calm. At this moment, his true self was fleeing at full speed, already reaching a critical point. If he continued forward, he would lose sense and control over the butcher.


    "I wonder what fate awaits the butcher. Farewell!"


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly, hesitated no longer, and his true self accelerated, turning into a stream of light, rushing into the distance.


    As for the butcher''s fate, it was left to chance.


    However, as long as the butcher wasn''t completely destroyed, given his level of refinement over the butcher, he might be able to reclaim it if he encountered it again!


    At the same time.


    In the cloudy sky, Old Master''s scolding voice echoed, "You two young people, ganging up on an old man, have no sense of martial virtue! I''m not playing with you anymore, goodbye!"


    Leaving those words, Old Master turned and left without hesitation.


    "Coming here and wanting to leave? Stay!"


    An angry shout came from beneath the sea, and the seawater formed a ferocious giant mouth, rushing towards Old Master in the sky.


    The shadow in the sky also spread out, seemingly trying to intercept.


    "A friend from afar, isn''t it delightful?"


    Old Master just laughed, and the scroll beneath his feet lifted him up. His body merged into the book, turning into a flying leaf that vanished into the void.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord said, "You go after that old man, I have some personal matters to attend to."


    The Devouring Demon Lord didn''t speak, just snorted coldly, and the shadow beneath the sea also vanished into the void, disappearing without a trace.


    ...


    Blood Vengeance waved his sleeve, and countless blood-colored flying needles shot out, piercing into the butcher''s body, embedding in every joint and bone.


    But to his surprise, the joints and bones inside the butcher seemed endless, countless in number.


    "This person is strange, probably having cultivated some demonic art, with more than one body inside." Blood Vengeance said in a deep voice.


    Others also cast spells, shattering the butcher''s armor, exposing his body. Beneath the pitch-black skin were countless joints and muscles, various organs twisted together, making one''s scalp tingle.


    "What kind of monster is this!"


    Everyone was astounded.


    "I heard this person is called Ye Kong, originally just at the Foundation Establishment Stage. Somehow, he had a stroke of luck, breaking through to Core Formation, and was noticed by the Protector, becoming a steward."


    "Damn! This person looks disgusting, let''s burn him clean first!"


    A man with a sharp mouth and monkey cheeks released a fire lotus, spewing flames that engulfed the butcher''s body, charring it black, burning off limbs, and even half of the head.


    "Enough!"


    Blood Vengeance noticed something was wrong and quickly stopped the flames.


    Previously, the butcher in front of them had some reactions, seemingly brewing some move, but as time passed, there was no movement.


    Blood Vengeance thought the other was pretending, staying vigilant, but even as it was nearly burned to death, there was still no movement.


    "What kind of trick is this person playing?" Blood Vengeance squinted his eyes.


    And at that moment, all the butcher''s eyes simultaneously turned, locking onto the four people.


    In the next second, countless octopus tentacles shot out, stabbing towards Blood Vengeance and the others.


    "Attack!"


    Blood Vengeance''s face darkened, quickly summoning his magical treasure, launching various attacks at the butcher. Five-colored lights flashed continuously, the booming sound like firecrackers, stirring up waves.


    However, the butcher also began to counterattack, forming a thick whale armor on its surface, deflecting all attacks back, with heads protruding from its face and dozens of arms appearing, looking extremely ferocious.


    Having lost Xu Hei''s control, the butcher began acting on instinct, like a corpse puppet!


    "Go all out!" Blood Vengeance shouted.


    ...


    After several breaths of attack, the sky darkened.


    Everyone''s hearts tightened, quickly stopping their attacks, kneeling on the ground, bowing to the sky, "Greetings, Protector!"


    In the dark sky, a pair of eyes like whirlpools appeared, scanning everyone, finally stopping on the butcher''s broken body.


    "Whoosh!" The butcher''s figure flew into the sky, disappearing into the dark clouds.


    Everyone held their breath, not daring to make a sound.


    "Did you do this?" An icy voice came, like a ghost whispering.


    Blood Vengeance and the others didn''t dare to lie, quickly nodding, "Yes!"

 Chapter 318: Star Island, an accidental encounter with a whale-hunting cultivator

    Chapter 318: Star Island, an accidental encounter with a whale-hunting cultivator"This man, as a steward, released all the slaves and fled amidst the chaos. We must pursue and kill him," Blood Vengeance explained.


    A voice came from the shadows in the sky, "Indeed, you have done well!"


    Hearing such praise, everyone felt a surge of joy, but the Demon Lord''s tone suddenly turned sinister, "But unfortunately, you ruined my plans!"


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..." Sear?h the N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ahhh!!"


    The two people beside Blood Vengeance were instantly sucked into the dark clouds in the sky, grabbed by octopus-like tentacles. Soon after, their blood-curdling screams echoed, accompanied by the horrifying sounds of chewing, sending chills down everyone''s spine.


    Blood Vengeance and another cultivator dared not breathe, their bodies trembling like leaves, drenched in cold sweat.


    Moments later, the chewing sounds ceased.


    The butcher appeared once more, but now his body had two more human forms, the two who had just been devoured, with heads and limbs intact, grotesque and terrifying, like a fusion monster.


    The butcher opened all his eyes, speaking in a chilling voice, "From now on, I am the Nightmare Demon Lord."


    Dozens of mouths spoke simultaneously, creating an echo, mixed with the familiar voices of the two who had just died.


    Blood Vengeance''s eyes bulged, and the other person nearly fainted.


    Previously, it hadn''t seemed so terrifying, but under the influence of this horrifying scene, the sight before them was like a nightmare, completely shattering their psychological defenses.


    "Ah!!"


    Blood Vengeance fell into the sea, while the other late Core Formation stage cultivator flipped his eyelids and fainted.


    The Nightmare Demon Lord in the sky had long disappeared, his whereabouts unknown.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the calm sea, a serpentine sword light sped forward at an astonishing speed, reaching the level of an Elemental Infant.


    Strangely, the sea surface where Xu Hei passed left not a ripple.


    The sword''s surface was covered with a blue leather armor, and the sea surface remained unchanged as if the sword was merely an illusion.


    This was armor made by Hei Huang using eel skin, imbued with complex immortal patterns, allowing one to come and go without a trace, leaving no mark. The downside was that it consumed a great deal of true essence and was only effective in water.


    Additionally, a magnet was attached to the middle of the sword, disrupting tracking.


    Finally, a jade pendant hung from the sword''s hilt, shielding it from celestial calculations.


    With the combined support of these three magical treasures, it was virtually flawless, impossible to track.


    "I''ve been fleeing for an hour, and the Nightmare Demon Lord still hasn''t found me. This old dog''s three-piece set really helped a lot!"


    Xu Hei thought to himself.


    However, Xu Hei felt he was still not out of danger. The opponent was a protector of the Demon Lord, not to be underestimated.


    Xu Hei continued to accelerate, taking out refined heavy oil to quickly replenish his true essence.


    Whether it was the Water Thunder Wings or the old dog''s three-piece set, they were a huge burden on him, requiring him to stop occasionally to recover his strength before continuing to escape.


    He wouldn''t act lightly without adjusting to his best state, to avoid leaving any flaws during movement that the opponent might discover.


    "Let''s go!"


    Once again, Xu Hei moved forward swiftly, leaving no ripples behind.


    At this moment, twenty thousand miles behind Xu Hei, a Divine Sense capable of covering the ocean was probing the deep sea, searching for any clues.


    An hour had passed since the Nightmare Demon Lord set out, yet he had found nothing.


    "How can this be?"


    The Nightmare Demon Lord''s voice questioned.


    In terms of tracking and enemy seeking, his ability was the best among the four protectors. Every time he set out to capture someone, he was the main force.


    It was precisely his keen insight that ensured no one escaped.


    But now, tracking a Core Formation cultivator had taken him a full hour with no progress. This was unprecedented.


    "Strange, I clearly felt he was moving in this direction. Why hasn''t he left any trace, not even a ripple?" The Nightmare Demon Lord''s voice was puzzled.


    His current form was no longer the dark sky but had become the butcher, each eye turning as he pondered.


    He tried various methods, even using the Soul Chasing Compass, but to no avail. This not only didn''t discourage him but made him even more excited.


    "The East Sea is full of dangers. I don''t believe you can maintain this state forever. There will be a moment of carelessness!"


    The butcher''s form flickered, continuing forward, the shadow in the sky moving with him, heading forward.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time flew by.


    In the blink of an eye, three days had passed since Xu Hei''s escape.


    Xu Hei was certain he had left the Sea God Sect''s territory, crossing hundreds of thousands of miles, yet he still didn''t relax, maintaining his previous escape strategy.


    Hiding himself, not acting rashly unless in peak condition.


    He wouldn''t leave even the slightest trace, perfecting every detail.


    The only risk was that after moving for a while, he would stop to adjust his breath, during which some spiritual power fluctuations might occur.


    Of course, such spiritual power fluctuations were common in the vast ocean.


    Everywhere were demonic beasts cultivating, sea birds in the sky, fish demons underground, all capable of emitting spiritual power fluctuations. It was too common, and he didn''t think the opponent would focus on such a flaw.


    "Continue!"


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, refining half a barrel of heavy oil, and sped towards Star Island.


    This was indeed the case.


    Initially, the Nightmare Demon Lord could barely discern, but now he had completely lost his bearings.


    A day ago, he was already over a hundred thousand miles off from Xu Hei''s true escape direction.


    After three more fruitless days of pursuit, he had no choice but to give up.


    "I''ll remember you!"


    The Nightmare Demon Lord''s only clue now was the butcher, who was closely related to that person. Using this as a lead for celestial calculations might reveal a location.


    But he wasn''t skilled in this and needed to consult an expert.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    A week later.


    When a massive island appeared in Xu Hei''s sight, he finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    One of the three major islands of the East Sea, Star Island, had finally arrived.


    The power of Star Island was much stronger than Twin Islands. It''s said that an ancient star fell, crashing into the ocean, and was lifted by a mighty force to form an island here.


    Its area is more than ten times that of Twin Islands, making it the undisputed largest island in the East Sea.


    It''s said that even after a million years, Star Island still retains powerful star power, making it a holy land for artifact refining, pill refining, talisman crafting, and cultivation, attracting countless powerful cultivators.


    The forces on the island are equally complex, with no clear island master to this day.


    But one thing is certain, the Sea God Sect''s influence definitely doesn''t reach here.


    No matter which side, they all eradicate evil faction cultivators.


    To prevent the opponent from fishing, Xu Hei deliberately created a mirage of Star Island to deceive him. He even circled around, comparing it with surrounding scenic islands one by one.


    He also sent out an External Incarnation to investigate, encountering fishing cultivators along the way.


    Finally, he confirmed this was indeed Star Island.


    The stone in Xu Hei''s heart finally settled. A week of continuous high-speed travel, using several magical treasures simultaneously, had greatly drained his physical and mental energy.


    Both physically and mentally, he was in an exhausted state, needing rest.


    "How should I enter the island? In sword form or revert to a snake?" Xu Hei pondered.


    At this moment, Xu Hei suddenly smelled a scent of blood.


    Demonic beasts are extremely sensitive to the scent of blood, often sensing it from thousands of miles away. Xu Hei looked back and saw a massive ship approaching from afar, slowly heading towards the port.


    The ship was covered with iron hooks, spears, cannons, and other heavy weapons, carrying a giant whale corpse.


    The scent of blood wafted from the ship.


    Xu Hei quickly determined it was a whaling ship.


    "What a huge gun whale, its aura must be at the Demon Core Stage. The Whale Hunting Gang has returned fully loaded again!"


    On a fishing boat, two fishermen sighed.


    "Truly envious, when will we have such luck?"


    "I remember a hundred years ago, every trip out to sea would catch a big whale, but now it''s becoming rarer."


    The two sighed.


    Xu Hei frowned, suddenly finding the name Whale Hunting Gang somewhat familiar.


    "Whale Hunting Gang? Where have I heard that before?"


    Just as Xu Hei was pondering, a bald man flew from the whaling ship, holding a large machete, looking at Xu Hei in surprise, "Oh? There''s actually a sword floating on the sea."

 Chapter 319: Whale Hunting Gang, Mermaid SOS Signal

    Chapter 319: Whale Hunting Gang, Mermaid SOS SignalAt this moment, Xu Hei didn''t hide himself, quietly floating on the sea surface, drifting with the waves.


    The bald man showed a look of delight, leaping onto the sea and grabbing Xu Hei from a distance, without actually touching him.


    "Wang Hu, you''re really bold, daring to take something with an unknown origin. Aren''t you afraid it might be something evil?" A middle-aged cultivator on the ship sneered.


    "Haha, what''s there to fear? At worst, I''ll sprinkle it with black dog blood to drive away any evil," Wang Hu laughed heartily.


    "Black dog blood, how about that black dog on Twin Islands?" the middle-aged cultivator joked.


    "Screw you! Can we afford to mess with that?" Wang Hu cursed.


    Wang Hu grabbed Xu Hei from a distance, returned to the whaling ship, and placed him on the ground.


    "Master Li, can you see if this thing is useful?" Wang Hu asked.


    An elderly man walked over, his hair white as a crane''s feathers, his clothes spotless, adorned with ink paintings of landscapes, typical of Penglai Island''s style.


    Master Li stared at Xu Hei, observed for a moment, then calculated with his fingers, shaking his head, "I can''t figure it out, but this thing has considerable power; it''s a good sword!"


    Wang Hu nodded, tried to put Xu Hei into a storage bag, but couldn''t, so he picked him up and sealed him in a room, planning to deal with it after returning to the gang.


    Xu Hei had no particular thoughts, just wanted to hitch a ride to avoid any inspections, which were quite bothersome.


    He had calculated the cultivators on this ship: two at the early Core Formation stage, two at the mid-stage, and the rest were Foundation Establishment cultivators, none of whom posed a threat to him.


    However, the fact that they managed to kill a gun whale at the early stage of the demon core was truly unexpected; they must have special means to deal with large demonic beasts.


    It''s known that the strength of whale-type demonic beasts can''t be measured by cultivation level; a whale at the early stage of the demon core can easily crush a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator, surpassing levels as easily as eating or drinking.


    The various weapons installed on this ship must be their method of hunting.


    Xu Hei took out a Divine Pill, which was absorbed into the sword tip upon contact, and he fully refined it, waiting quietly to dock.


    ...


    Before long, the whaling ship slowly entered the port.


    Along the way, a formation''s light circle scanned the ship, and two cultivators came to inspect, but upon recognizing it as a Whale Hunting Gang''s ship, they let it pass without hindrance.


    The Whale Hunting Gang held considerable influence on Star Island.


    An hour later, the ship docked smoothly, and Xu Hei had finished refining the pill, his spiritual power significantly restored.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei broke free from the seal, creating a hole in the floor, planning to sneak into Star Island.


    The reason for choosing this place to cultivate in seclusion was simple: Xu Hei feared being captured by the Sea God Sect.


    He didn''t want to randomly find a place in the sea to cultivate in seclusion, only to be discovered. Although he believed he handled things well, why choose a risky place when there''s a safe one?


    Xu Hei passed through the floor, arriving in the lower cabin.


    This was where whale carcasses were stored, emitting a strong bloody smell. Xu Hei''s divine sense swept over the whale corpse; the demon core had been extracted, and the whale''s surface bore various wounds, with a large blood hole in the abdomen, piercing from the front to the back, likely the fatal wound.


    Inside the whale''s belly was a newly formed baby whale, already lifeless.


    Xu Hei felt a sudden surge of melancholy, but he didn''t dare linger, quickly scanning and preparing to leave.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei stopped in his tracks.


    He discovered a hidden door beneath the whale''s corpse, leading to a large room from which faint cries for help emanated.


    These distress signals were inaudible to humans, only detectable by a demonic beast like him.


    Xu Hei was reluctant to save anyone, as they were unrelated to him, so why bother? But among these signals was a familiar voice he had definitely heard before.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, and he immediately applied an Invisibility Talisman. After donning the old dog''s three-piece set, he flashed to the hidden door and slipped inside.


    The hidden door was sealed with a formation, but under the sixth level of Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, the formation was like walking on flat ground, and Xu Hei easily flew in.


    The Black Dragon Sword entered the room, and he saw a giant water tank, vast in area, containing various fish-type demonic beasts separated by nets.


    Sea snakes, moray eels, dolphins, squids... all sorts of sea beasts were present.


    "Boqi?"


    Xu Hei''s gaze locked onto a dolphin, none other than Boqi, the sister of Bopu from the Dolphin Clan.


    At this moment, Boqi''s fins were bound by chains, unable to move, only able to emit "ee-ya ee-ya" cries for help from her mouth, beyond the frequency humans could perceive, audible only to her kind.


    Besides Boqi, Xu Hei also recognized an acquaintance, slender with silver stripes, it was Hai Meng.


    Hai Meng was confined with a group of sea snakes, also sending out distress signals, but the signals were blocked by the formation, barely transmitting through the walls.


    If Xu Hei hadn''t passed by the whale''s corpse and happened upon the hidden door, he wouldn''t have heard these faint sounds.


    Xu Hei harbored deep hatred for Hai Meng, as she had repeatedly tried to harm him. Unexpectedly, she had been captured by humans.


    However, Xu Hei was also puzzled; both Hai Meng and Boqi had significant backgrounds, so how did they end up in human hands?


    At this moment, footsteps approached from outside the hidden door. Xu Hei swiftly moved to the back of the large water tank, hiding himself. Although he had applied an Invisibility Talisman, he remained cautious.


    Moments later, the bald man, accompanied by a wealthy merchant with a greasy face, approached the whale''s corpse. The merchant was dressed in luxurious attire, adorned with defensive magical artifacts, clearly a man of wealth.


    "A gun whale, early stage of the demon core, with a 93% intact body, not bad, not bad. I''ll offer 380,000 Spirit Stones for it, how about that?"


    The merchant''s laughter echoed from outside.


    Xu Hei, hiding inside the hidden door, could clearly hear the conversation outside.


    Such an astonishing price made Xu Hei gasp; catching a whale was indeed so valuable, no wonder it attracted so many.


    "Haha, of course, we at the Whale Hunting Gang have been doing business with Boss Liu for years, the price is fair. However, I also have some private goods..."


    The bald man lowered his voice, and Xu Hei couldn''t hear the rest.


    "Oh? Show me!" Boss Liu said seriously. S~ea??h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, the hidden door opened, and three people walked in.


    Boss Liu was the wealthy merchant, accompanied by the bald man and a one-eyed elder, all three at the mid-stage Core Formation.


    "Oh? Just these?"


    Boss Liu glanced at Boqi and the other sea beasts, showing a puzzled expression.


    Although these sea beasts had considerable cultivation, with two even reaching the mid-stage of the demon core, their value couldn''t compare to the whale, not even a third.


    He couldn''t help but feel a bit disappointed.


    "Haha, Boss Liu might not know, but these sea beasts have significant backgrounds!"


    The bald man lowered his voice, smiling, "In fact, these two sea beasts are new disciples recruited by the Penglai Sea."


    He pointed at Boqi and Hai Meng, a look of pride flashing in his eyes.


    Boss Liu''s eyes immediately brightened.


    Disciples of the Penglai Sea, with such a status, the nature of the matter was entirely different.


    Not to mention other uses, just taking them out to demand ransom from the Penglai Sea would yield a huge profit.


    That''s just the most basic approach.


    A more advanced method would be to imprint their souls and refine them into beast slaves. With the talents of these two demonic beasts, they could potentially reach the late stage of the demon core in the future, naturally increasing their value several times over!


    Moreover, they were both females with excellent bloodlines, making them ideal for breeding, producing outstanding demonic beasts in quantity.


    This is the qualitative change brought by talent, entirely different from the value of wild demonic beasts.

 Chapter 320: The road is uneven, draw the sword and shatter the dragons roar

    Chapter 320: The road is uneven, draw the sword and shatter the dragon''s roar"Words alone aren''t enough; you''ll need to provide some evidence."


    Boss Liu''s eyes flickered slightly as he spoke with a smile.


    "Isn''t that simple?"


    The bald man clapped his hands.


    In an instant, streams of electricity surged from the water tank, converging into countless dazzling bolts of lightning, crackling as they shot towards Boqi and Hai Meng.


    Such lightning could easily penetrate a mid-stage demon core Sea Beast.


    Boqi and Hai Meng''s expressions changed drastically. Boqi spat out a stream of bubbles, blocking the electricity, while Hai Meng''s tail whipped up a whirlwind to resist.


    These were immortal spells from the Penglai Sea!


    But they couldn''t hold out for long, and soon both were scorched and blackened by the electricity.


    Immediately after, countless flying needles shot out, piercing their bodies and drawing blood, staining the seawater red.


    "That''s enough!" Boss Liu raised his hand.


    "Stop!"


    The bald man quickly gestured, and the killing formation in the water tank ceased its attack. The two Sea Beasts were already covered in wounds, barely clinging to life.


    The evidence was undeniable; the talents of these two Sea Beasts far surpassed ordinary Demonic Beasts and were invaluable.


    "You Whale Hunting Gang sure have guts, daring to capture the Chosen of the Penglai Sea."


    Boss Liu chuckled.


    "Ah! Business is tough, so we had to take risks. How about it? Are they worth as much as that whale?" The bald man laughed.


    "Of course they are."


    Boss Liu beamed, his heart overjoyed.


    He pondered what price would be reasonable, given that these two Demonic Beasts were unique, with no market price for reference. Although similar goods had appeared before, the price varied each year.


    Especially in recent years, as Sea Beasts became scarce, prices kept rising, and demand exceeded supply. Patrons eagerly sought such treasures to heat up the market.


    "So, what price does Boss Liu intend to offer?" the one-eyed elder asked solemnly.


    "Well..." Boss Liu was about to speak.


    Suddenly, a cold voice came from the shadows.


    "How about your life as payment?"


    The voice was chilling, and as it appeared, the three men simultaneously stepped back, their eyes locking onto a corner behind the water tank.


    There, a sword light flashed like lightning, arriving in an instant.


    It was too fast; this was Xu Hei''s Ever-changing Fish and Dragon at full speed. Almost as soon as the three reacted, the sword light was upon them, and the bald man was killed instantly, his head pierced by the sword.


    The one-eyed elder quickly distanced himself, and Boss Liu reacted swiftly, summoning a gourd.


    "Slash!"


    Xu Hei''s figure flickered, the sword light made an incredible sharp turn, and in an instant, it slashed at the one-eyed elder, severing his arm. Blood gushed out, but he didn''t even flinch. He formed a seal with his hand, and the Restriction Formation on the ship immediately emerged, enveloping everything.


    Xu Hei felt an immense pressure, as if he had fallen into the abyss of an oil well, constantly being pulled.


    "A Flying Sword?"


    The one-eyed elder squinted, sensing no other life forms through the formation, only the sword.


    Could it be that the Sea Beasts in the water tank were controlling it?


    This sword was something Wang Hu picked up along the way. It was indeed suspicious! If Wang Hu weren''t already dead, he would even suspect Wang Hu of being a spy, deliberately bringing such a thing back.


    "Capture!"


    Boss Liu took out a gourd, and the moment Wang Hu died, he had already summoned it, aiming it at Xu Hei and sucking forcefully.


    This gourd was a top-tier third-grade Magical Treasure, highly effective against Flying Swords, known as the Sword-Swallowing Gourd.


    Under the combined pressure of the formation and the Magical Treasure, Xu Hei''s movements were hindered, his speed greatly reduced, and he was even being pulled back, about to be sucked into the gourd.


    With Xu Hei''s current strength, if fully prepared, he could definitely contend with someone at the late Core Formation stage.


    But this was the opponent''s territory, and he was outnumbered. Xu Hei had been on the run, with no preparation, at a disadvantage in every aspect.


    Moreover, the cultivators before him were battle-hardened and experienced. Except for the bald man who was killed instantly, the other two were clearly ruthless, showing no remorse for their fallen comrade, only cold, absolute calm.


    "Absolute Forbidden Domain!"


    The one-eyed elder formed a seal with one hand, and the formation transformed instantly, increasing the pressure in the air. This was a Forbidden Space Formation.


    At the same time, footsteps could be heard outside the cabin, indicating that the other crew members had heard the call and were coming to assist.


    "Do you think you can stop me?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were cold as his body expanded. The Diamond Suppression Technique was fully activated, compressing his true essence to the limit, and in the next second, it exploded.


    "Boom!!"


    Xu Hei''s body shattered, splitting in two, and an unformed sword embryo flew out. At the same time, Xu Hei''s true form detached from the Black Dragon Sword, transforming into a serpentine shape.


    Initially only three meters long, it rapidly expanded at a terrifying speed into an eighteen-meter-long horned serpent.


    "What?!"


    Both men were shocked.


    A snake hidden within a sword? What kind of absurd trick was this?


    They had lived most of their lives and had never heard of such a bizarre occurrence. Today was an eye-opener. Not only them, but the Sea Beasts imprisoned in the back were also dumbfounded.


    But the two men had excellent psychological resilience and adaptability! Especially Boss Liu, who, upon seeing the Flying Sword turn into a snake, merely narrowed his eyes before quickly putting away the Sword-Swallowing Gourd and taking out a flute, ready to play it.


    The flute was snake-shaped, containing a strong bloodline suppression, clearly a Magical Treasure designed to counter Snake Demons!


    Xu Hei, however, paid no heed, his figure flickered as he charged at the one-eyed elder, aiming to eliminate one opponent first to reduce the pressure of the battle.


    "Ten Thousand Poison Gourd!"


    Xu Hei opened his mouth and spat, shooting out a toxic arrow, formed from the poison of the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd.


    The one-eyed elder summoned a mirror, and his form was immediately refracted into countless duplicates, his true body hidden. The toxic arrow lost its target.


    "Explode!" Xu Hei uttered a low command.


    "Boom!!"


    The toxic arrow exploded, and the purple-black mist spread instantly, corroding the countless duplicates of the one-eyed elder. One of them spat blood, his entire body turning black as his life force rapidly dwindled.


    Originally, Xu Hei dared not use this poison lightly, as it could affect others, harming both enemy and self. But after being refined by the Demon God Cauldron and fused with heavy oil, he gained control, able to wield it perfectly. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    With a thought, Xu Hei gathered the toxic mist, concentrating it on the only wounded elder.


    The one-eyed elder was decisive, immediately detonating half of his body. Using the burst of blood light, his remaining upper body soared into the air, avoiding the toxic mist, and shot towards the exit like an arrow, while the formation pressed down at full speed.


    Simultaneously, Boss Liu''s flute sounded, emitting a series of distorted notes that could shatter one''s mind, especially effective against sea Demonic Beasts.


    "Be careful, that''s the Sea Demon Flute!" Boqi exclaimed.


    The Sea Demon Flute, containing the blood of an ancient beast, once played, would unleash the full might of ancient pressure, rendering Demonic Beasts almost powerless, stripping them of their resistance!


    At this moment, Xu Hei showed no fear, sinking his breath into his Dantian, opening his mouth wide, and letting out a roar.


    Dragon Shatter Roar!

 Chapter 321: Dragon Shatter Roar, Xu Hei unleashes a massacre

    Chapter 321: Dragon Shatter Roar, Xu Hei unleashes a massacre"Roar!!!"


    Xu Hei unleashed his full cultivation power, the terrifying true essence within his demon core forming waves that surged forward, obliterating the flute sound into nothingness.


    Behind him, a massive dragon''s phantom appeared, roaring in unison, shaking the heavens and earth.


    The oppressive aura from a drop of ancient beast''s bloodline was like child''s play in the face of the dragon''s roar, utterly insignificant!


    "How is this possible!?"


    Boss Liu exclaimed in shock, suffering a backlash, spitting out a mouthful of blood as he was sent flying, crashing into the wall, his expression filled with terror. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The one-eyed elder, who was about to escape to the exit, had his eyes bulge out, blood streaming from his orifices, letting out a miserable scream as he fell to the ground, even his Divine Sense forcibly shattered, dying instantly!


    He was roared to death!


    Xu Hei''s Dragon Shatter Roar had unknowingly reached the second level, the soul-shattering realm.


    At this moment, the Dragon Shatter Roar not only controlled but also possessed the power to shatter souls.


    The imprisoned sea beasts erupted in cheers, shouting excitedly, rallying for Xu Hei.


    Boqi was so moved that tears flowed, muttering repeatedly, "Someone''s come to save me, someone''s come to save me... no, a snake''s come to save me."


    The barely alive Hai Meng lifted her head, looking at the tall and imposing figure, her eyes filled with disbelief.


    Especially after hearing that deafening dragon roar, her heart trembled violently, time seemingly frozen at this moment.


    "How is it him?"


    "That sound is... a dragon''s roar?"


    In Hai Meng''s heart, there had always been a belief¡ª


    Her brother was invincible, destined to become a Flood Dragon, a king of his generation, ruling over all sea creatures, unmatched.


    This belief had been ingrained in her since birth, when Hai Teng defeated a Golden Eagle to protect her, and it had stayed with her ever since.


    Later, when Hai Teng outshone all others and entered the Penglai Sea, becoming the first Chosen of the Sea Serpent Clan, Hai Meng''s belief only grew stronger.


    It was like a brand, etched in her heart.


    But ever since Xu Hei appeared, shattering the invincible image of her brother in her mind, her world had collapsed.


    Thus, she harbored resentment, wanting to take revenge on Xu Hei, and to restore her brother''s image, she even deceived herself into believing Xu Hei''s victory was unworthy, his methods despicable.


    Until the scene before her eyes appeared, completely overturning her beliefs.


    Her dreams seemed to return to the moment she was born, when Hai Teng battled a Golden Eagle to protect her, slaying a great demon in the form of a young serpent.


    Now, the dream reappeared, only Hai Teng was replaced by Xu Hei.


    "Friend, let''s talk this out, it''s all a misunderstanding!"


    Boss Liu''s expression changed drastically. When his Sea Demon Flute failed, he knew this snake was not something he could contend with.


    Xu Hei''s gaze was icy as he said, "I know it''s a misunderstanding. I only have a grudge with the Whale Hunting Gang, it has nothing to do with you, now get lost!"


    "Yes!"


    Boss Liu quickly cupped his fists and turned to flee.


    But just as he turned around.


    Xu Hei opened his mouth, shooting a poisonous arrow that turned into a purple streak, piercing towards Boss Liu''s back.


    Boss Liu clearly didn''t expect a demonic beast to use deceit. But as he turned, he also produced a handful of throwing knives, flicking his wrist to release them, the knives shooting towards the sea beasts in the water tanks.


    Both acted almost simultaneously, without delay!


    This man was extremely cunning and clever, suspecting that Xu Hei had infiltrated to rescue these sea beasts.


    Thus, he had a plan, attacking the sea beasts as he turned, forcing Xu Hei to save them, giving him a chance to escape, all in one go.


    But he miscalculated, Xu Hei had no intention of letting him go, and seized the moment he turned to take his life!


    "Friend, it''s a misunderstanding!"


    "Too late!"


    Boss Liu let out a wretched scream, Xu Hei''s gaze icy cold, as a black phantom flew from his body, also using Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, intercepting all the flying knives.


    It was Ji Ying, the Corpse Beetle!


    "Thud!"


    The purple poison arrow pierced Boss Liu''s back, the light of the magical treasure on him flickering, trying to resist, but Xu Hei''s venom, derived from sea serpent poison and enhanced with heavy oil, was not something a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator could withstand.


    In an instant, Boss Liu''s back melted away, leaving a large hole, his body turning pitch black, blood streaming from his orifices, spewing black blood.


    He had already reached the exit, collapsing at the doorway.


    "Boss Liu!"


    Outside, cries of shock rang out, all the crew members staring wide-eyed, filled with disbelief.


    From the moment they received the enemy attack signal to rushing to support, it had only been a few breaths of time, how had they all died?


    The bald man was dead, the one-eyed elder was dead, even their major patron Boss Liu was dead.


    Such a horrifying scene before them was like a bolt from the blue, leaving them stunned, at a loss for what to do.


    "Quick! Run!"


    "Go call the boss!"


    "Boss Liu is dead too, something big has happened!"


    The crew scattered in panic, Xu Hei glanced around, seeing two at the early Core Formation stage, the rest at the Foundation Establishment Stage, he instructed Ji Ying, "Kill, leave no one alive!"


    Ji Ying let out excited cries, she hadn''t been out for a walk in a long time, trapped in the Black Dragon Sword for three months, and now, just as she appeared, her annoying master had sent her to block knives, which had filled her with resentment.


    Now, her master was finally doing something right, letting her have a feast, and that was the happiest thing.


    "Buzz!"


    Ji Ying''s form flickered continuously, rushing out of the cabin, charging into the crowd, her sharp mandibles like sawteeth, instantly devouring a person''s head.


    Then, she burrowed into another''s ear, and the person fell to the ground without warning, eyes bulging, dying in convulsions.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Taking advantage of the opportunity, Xu Hei sent out the Blood Killing Sword, cutting through the seals on the water tanks, dismantling all the chains.


    At the same time, he released healing pills, handing them to Boqi, instructing her to take them.


    "Thank you, thank you!"


    Boqi repeatedly expressed her gratitude, taking the pills and quickly refining them to heal her injuries.


    Hai Meng, also severely injured, glanced with envy but said nothing, only bowing her head and saying, "Thank you!"


    Xu Hei originally intended to kill her, but hesitated for a moment and refrained.


    He already had enough enemies, adding the Sea Serpent Clan was unnecessary, and besides, the Whale Hunting Gang needed an opponent to restrain them.


    "I didn''t plan to save you, get lost and don''t appear before me again!"


    Xu Hei coldly left a remark, collecting the corpses of the group, along with their storage bags.


    Boss Liu, in addition to a storage bag, surprisingly had a storage ring, with a layer of golden Restriction on it. Xu Hei touched it, recoiling as if electrocuted, a serious look flashing in his eyes.


    "I can''t take this storage ring!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    The owner of this golden Restriction must have reached the Elemental Infant stage, and not an ordinary one. Xu Hei didn''t want to be hunted down again.

 Chapter 322: No reason, just for the spirit in my heart

    Chapter 322: No reason, just for the spirit in my heartXu Hei''s eyes flickered as he layered multiple flight formations onto the storage ring. After compressing them, he concentrated the power at one end of the ring, creating a thrust. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Then, he split off an external incarnation, took the storage ring, and flew out of the cabin to the deck, tossing it into the distance.


    "Whoosh!"


    The storage ring transformed into a streak of blue light, flying far away and quickly disappearing beyond the sea''s horizon.


    "If they want to chase, let them chase as far as they can," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    At this moment, people were gathering on the coast, likely drawn by the commotion. In the distant city, figures flickered, and powerful auras were approaching.


    Xu Hei returned to the cabin and carved out a large pit at the bottom. Without anyone to control it, the formation there was easily dismantled by Xu Hei.


    "Crash!"


    Seawater rushed into the cabin, and the whaling ship began to sink.


    The captured sea beasts rushed out through the breach, returning to the ocean. Even the dead whale was thrown into the sea by Xu Hei, with a propulsion formation attached to it, pushing it as far as possible.


    Dying in the sea was better than being captured by humans; at least it could sustain some marine life.


    Xu Hei didn''t know when he developed such thoughts, nor was he clear about his motives. He just felt like doing it and did it without any particular reason.


    Seeing the pregnant mother whale killed stirred an inexplicable anger in him, anger towards the Whale Hunting Gang.


    And seeing the evil faction raising Ghost Infants, thinking of the methods used to refine them, he felt the same anger.


    Such emotions were almost impossible for the old Xu Hei to experience.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath. He knew that having emotions wasn''t necessarily beneficial for survival, but without emotions, being perpetually rational and calm, how would he be different from a withered tree?


    Even a sword has its own spirit!


    These thoughts flashed through his mind, and Xu Hei suppressed the distracting thoughts in his heart.


    What Xu Hei didn''t realize was that during this process, his second dragon vein had unknowingly loosened a bit, something even he hadn''t noticed.


    Before long, Ji Ying returned, covered in blood and looking plumper, with excitement gleaming in her compound eyes.


    Not only did she devour all the crew on the ship, but she also stormed into the dock and consumed everyone from the Whale Hunting Gang on the shore.


    It was the most satisfying feast she had ever had, and her intelligence had grown significantly.


    "Retreat!" Xu Hei commanded.


    Ji Ying automatically flew back to the gap between his dragon scales. Just as Xu Hei submerged into the water, a loud shout came from afar: "The one who slaughtered my Whale Hunting Gang''s ship, trying to escape?!"


    "Stay here!"


    From a great distance, a massive hand reached out, tearing through the air, locking onto Xu Hei, and crashing down on him.


    Xu Hei''s face darkened. He unleashed the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique fully, while activating the Water Thunder Wings, speeding away at a pace comparable to the Elemental Infant stage, narrowly avoiding the fierce strike.


    "Boom!!!"


    The hand struck the sea surface, raising towering waves. The spray turned into ice spikes mid-air, shooting towards Xu Hei in the sea, completely locking onto him.


    Though Xu Hei dodged the initial attack, he was still caught by the aftermath, flung forward into the deep sea.


    The ice spikes relentlessly pursued him, aiming for his back. As soon as he entered the sea, a large area of water froze, drastically reducing his speed.


    "Great Perfection of the Golden Core!"


    Sensing the aura of the pursuer behind him, Xu Hei''s expression turned grim.


    If he were at his peak, he could easily shake off this person. But after a long journey and a fierce battle, he was exhausted, his speed significantly reduced, leaving him with no choice but to gamble.


    Xu Hei quickly swallowed a pill, flicked his tail, and activated his entire body, surging forward in an instant.


    The other sea beasts also rushed out, scattering in different directions, but the pursuer seemed solely focused on Xu Hei, targeting only him.


    "Stop!"


    Suddenly, Hai Meng''s voice rang out, rising from the sea, spitting out a token that floated in front.


    She spoke in human language, heard by all the nearby cultivators, who turned to look.


    "I am Hai Meng of the Sea Serpent lineage in the Penglai Sea. If you dare kill me, word will spread, and the Sea Serpent lineage will annihilate your entire Whale Hunting Gang!" Hai Meng shouted.


    At this moment, she was severely injured, on the brink of death, yet she bravely hovered in the air, relying on her last bit of mental willpower to confront the Great Perfection Golden Core cultivator.


    This was a high-stakes gamble!


    She was betting that the opponent wouldn''t dare kill her! Killing her would invite endless retaliation, making it impossible to fish at sea again!


    "I am Boqi of the Penglai Sea. If you dare kill me, your Whale Hunting Gang will be wiped out."


    Boqi also flew up, mimicking her stance, repeating her words.


    The actions of the two demons undoubtedly had a deterrent effect.


    The Penglai Sea gathered the most elite demonic beast groups of the East Sea. Each one that emerged was an elite, ranking among the top in combat power, all with sect inheritances.


    They weren''t wild sea beasts; they had solid backing.


    Even if the Whale Hunting Gang captured them, they could only sell them secretly, hidden in dark rooms with sealing formations, never daring to sell them openly.


    Despite her words, Hai Meng was internally anxious. If it were Hai Teng, he would naturally have the authority to say such things, but she was just a newcomer, and the Sea Serpent lineage might not care about her fate.


    But thinking of her brother, she mustered her courage. Even if the Sea Serpent lineage didn''t care, her brother surely would!


    The man on the shore halted, squinting at Hai Meng and Boqi.


    "Move aside! I have no interest in you two. My target is only that big snake. Don''t be foolish!"


    The man was bare-chested, adorned with sea beast tooth jewelry, wearing leather pants, his muscles exposed and gleaming with a bronze sheen. His face had gills like a shark, allowing him to survive underwater for long periods.


    This man was the leader of the Whale Hunting Gang, Ye Hai.


    He was also Ye Kong''s father.


    Xu Hei glanced at the man''s appearance, finally recalling why the Whale Hunting Gang sounded so familiar. It turned out to be the faction Ye Kong belonged to, previously mentioned by the Nightmare Demon Lord.


    Members of the Sea God Sect were originally from various sects and forces, coming from all over, a true hodgepodge.


    "Don''t even think about it! If you dare, step over my dead body!"


    Hai Meng shouted, blocking the way.


    Boqi also blocked the path, shouting, "Step over my dead body too!"


    "You think I don''t dare?"


    Ye Hai stepped on the sea surface, his eyes turning azure. In an instant, the seawater froze layer by layer, transforming into a frozen world.


    Before Hai Meng and Boqi could react, their bodies were frozen, turned into ice sculptures.


    Ye Hai hadn''t used his full strength. Though he stayed on Star Island, unafraid of demonic beast retaliation, it was better to avoid unnecessary trouble, using only half his power.


    However, in those few moments, Xu Hei had already escaped to the edge of sight.


    Ye Hai''s gaze turned cold. Just as he was about to pursue, he saw the space where Xu Hei was suddenly twist, and in an instant, he vanished without a trace.


    It was the fluctuation of a Small Teleportation Talisman!


    "Escaped?"


    Ye Hai''s expression changed. He leaped into the air, with a few strides reaching the spot where Xu Hei disappeared, thoroughly investigating inside and out, but found no clues except for lingering spatial fluctuations.


    Even after scanning the area for hundreds of miles with his Divine Sense, there was still no trace.

 Chapter 323: Melodic Sect, Xu Hei observes and learns

    Chapter 323: Melodic Sect, Xu Hei observes and learns"Just a Small Teleportation Talisman, and it disappeared just like that?" Ye Hai''s face was ashen.


    Unwilling to give up, Ye Hai thought that a Small Teleportation Talisman couldn''t have moved someone too far, so it might still be nearby.


    He immediately began searching the sea surface, taking out a device resembling a detector to meticulously scan every inch beneath the water, leaving no corner unchecked.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On Star Island, in a secluded alley.


    A rift suddenly appeared in mid-air, and a shadow of a snake fell from it, crashing to the ground with a loud thud.


    The fallen snake, covered in black and gold dragon scales with a single horn on its head, was none other than Xu Hei.


    Fortunately, this place was remote, and Xu Hei''s appearance didn''t attract any attention.


    After surveying his surroundings, Xu Hei spread out his Divine Sense, and his expression turned peculiar.


    "I actually returned to Star Island?"


    Xu Hei realized that his Small Teleportation Talisman seemed to randomly transport him in any direction, unable to specify a location, so appearing on the island wasn''t surprising.


    However, as long as the displacement was far enough, that person wouldn''t be able to find him.


    Xu Hei''s muscles contracted, and his massive body shrank to about two meters. Being too large would attract attention, making it unsuitable for hiding in a human city.


    Star Island was vast, with complex forces interwoven, and the Whale Hunting Gang was just one of them, occupying a small territory.


    As long as Xu Hei didn''t have the bad luck of landing on someone else''s turf, he should be fine.


    There was no one around, but on the precious land of Star Island, every piece of land had an owner, and to settle down, one had to pay to buy it.


    Xu Hei found an empty pavilion, sneaked inside, dug a hole underground, and set up a simple shielding Formation to hide himself.


    Then, he took a Pill and focused on recuperating.


    What he needed to do now was to restore his combat power as quickly as possible and buy a place to live on Star Island.


    Then, he would go into seclusion to break through to the mid-stage Core Formation.


    After a battle, Xu Hei''s cultivation had loosened again, and he could break through at any time, just lacking a suitable Cave Dwelling.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time slowly passed.


    The incident with the Whale Hunting Gang caused quite a stir on Star Island. A whaling ship was sunk by a snake, and a dozen crew members were slaughtered cleanly.


    This alarmed various parties, and the gang leader, Ye Hai, was furious, posting images of the horned serpent everywhere, vowing to find Xu Hei and skin him alive.


    A heavy reward was offered for anyone who spotted the snake.


    In less than a day, the island was plastered with bounty notices.


    Bounty orders usually targeted pirates or evil cultivators, but a bounty for a snake was unprecedented.


    The Whale Hunting Gang didn''t have such influence, indicating that higher-ups had given instructions.


    It was said that a certain high-ranking individual had gone out for a day to track something and returned with some injuries, looking quite disheveled after many hardships.


    Of course, Xu Hei knew nothing about this. Even if he did, he wouldn''t care. Being wanted was nothing new to him; back in the Chu Kingdom, he had been wanted countless times.


    If he wasn''t wanted, he would feel embarrassed to be in the mix.


    At this moment, Xu Hei was hiding ten meters underground in a pavilion of the Melodic Sect, in seclusion and recuperating.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Three days later.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through them. His cultivation had reached the threshold of the early Core Formation stage.


    Xu Hei exhaled a breath of turbid air, thinking to himself, "I''m just a step away from the mid-stage Core Formation, and I can break through at any moment!"


    During these three days of seclusion, Xu Hei had fully absorbed his previous gains.


    To his surprise, not only had his cultivation reached the threshold, but his second Dragon Vein had also advanced rapidly, opening up more than halfway.


    This was an unexpected joy.


    It should be noted that during his two-plus months in the Sea God Sect, the second Dragon Vein had shown no signs of progress. It was only after rescuing a group of Sea Beasts that the Dragon Vein began to loosen.


    Initially, even Xu Hei himself hadn''t noticed, but now the change was evident.


    The changes brought by the Dragon Vein were different from cultivation; it greatly enhanced Xu Hei''s ability to utilize his cultivation techniques.


    Currently, Xu Hei practiced three cultivation techniques, with the Nine Transformations of the True Dragon as the core, running through his entire body.


    The second was the Puppet Mechanism Technique, used to control the butcher.


    The third was the White Emperor Inheritance, the Diamond Suppression Technique.


    Especially the Diamond Suppression Technique, which had a high upper limit. If fully activated, its power could be described as world-shattering, beyond what ordinary meridians could bear, and would directly burst open, only the Dragon Vein could withstand it. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The more Dragon Veins, the stronger the power of this technique, directly increasing Xu Hei''s combat power limit.


    A cultivator''s combat power is not a fixed value; having or not having a Magical Treasure, one''s true essence, state, and whether they are in a favorable terrain or environment all have a significant impact.


    For example, in the oil well, Xu Hei faced Hou Siping, a late Core Formation stage slave with nothing but meager true essence and a pitiful killing Formation.


    Hou Siping''s displayed combat power was similar to that of the one-eyed elder, not even as good as Boss Liu.


    Boss Liu, though mid-stage Core Formation, was experienced, with many Magical Treasures, having countermeasures against both Flying Swords and Snake Demons.


    If it weren''t for Xu Hei''s Dragon Shatter Roar being so heaven-defying, directly disabling the Sea Demon Flute, Xu Hei would have suffered greatly.


    Similarly, Ye Hai, at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, posed far less of a threat to Xu Hei than Qin Xuanji.


    Qin Xuanji, an Extreme Realm cultivator of the Core Formation stage, was so strong that Xu Hei had no concept of his power, only knowing that he alone was equivalent to an army.


    Xu Hei''s mind recalled the various cultivators he had encountered, and his desire for power grew stronger.


    Power, ultimately, is power!


    If he could break through to the mid-stage Core Formation and open up the second Dragon Vein, Xu Hei was confident he could fight against an average Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage.


    Of course, excluding someone like Qin Xuanji.


    Unknowingly, the Zhou Family''s ancestor, Zhou Qing, who had once chased Xu Hei into a corner, was no longer a concern for him.


    "First, go out and buy a residence."


    Xu Hei took out a puppet, a passerby he had brought from the mainland, whose name and origin he had forgotten, the body already rotting, with a square face, large forehead, squinty eyes, and a greasy middle-aged appearance, just barely usable.


    Just then, two figures appeared in the distance, approaching the pavilion, a man and a woman.


    The man was unremarkable, while the woman was charming and alluring, with a graceful figure, a rare beauty by human standards, both at the Foundation Establishment stage.


    On Star Island, Foundation Establishment cultivators and late-stage Qi Refining cultivators were the most common.


    With Xu Hei''s current cultivation, even if he stood in front of these two, they wouldn''t notice him.


    "Why not kill these two and take their Cave Dwelling?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, but he dismissed the idea. He had just arrived and didn''t want to cause unnecessary trouble, not knowing which force''s territory this was.


    Judging by the woman''s attire, she seemed to be a disciple of some sect, with a pattern of zither strings and bamboo forest, and the words "Melodic Sect" on it.


    The man''s origin was unknown, dressed in black and masked, as if he was about to do something shady.


    Xu Hei didn''t plan to interfere, just as he was about to leave.


    The two embraced in front of Xu Hei, and as soon as they entered, they began undressing, engaging in some indescribable actions.


    "Hmm?"


    Xu Hei squinted his eyes. What was going on? How did it escalate to this?


    Such a scene, Xu Hei had only witnessed once in the Purple Mist Sect, and now it was the second time. The man was sneaky, fully disguised, and even set up a Restriction at the door.


    Xu Hei immediately thought of two words¡ªan affair.


    Cultivators couldn''t do without wealth, companions, methods, and land, so this was common. Xu Hei pondered for a moment, deciding to observe from a learning perspective, thinking it wouldn''t take too long, at most...


    Just as Xu Hei silently counted to five seconds in his mind, the man had already finished.

 Chapter 324: Star Island, evil cultivators are everywhere

    Chapter 324: Star Island, evil cultivators are everywhere"So fast?" Xu Hei was taken aback.


    At this moment, the man was panting heavily, his steps unsteady.


    "Did you get in?" the alluring woman asked.


    "..." The man remained silent.


    The atmosphere in the pavilion was somewhat tense.


    "I''ve been... not in the best state recently, but this is definitely not my true level," the man suddenly said.


    The alluring woman immediately raised her eyebrows, teasingly saying, "I went through so much trouble to bring you in, and this is all you can do? What a waste of my expression!"


    The man gritted his teeth and said, "Who knew that the disciples of the Melodic Sect, who seem so pure and innocent on the surface, could be so skilled in private? Who could withstand that?"


    "I don''t care. If you don''t satisfy me, I''ll report you immediately!" the alluring woman threatened.


    The man shivered at the thought. If he were caught in the Melodic Sect, he''d surely be skinned alive.


    He steeled himself and swallowed a red pill, his body immediately heating up, ready to go again.


    Xu Hei shook his head, not intending to watch the scene unfold. There was nothing worth seeing, just the usual.


    He was about to leave when suddenly a sharp, piercing scream erupted from the pavilion.


    "Ah!!"


    The man''s entire body turned pale, trembling, as his life force rapidly drained away, being absorbed by the woman.


    The alluring woman''s skin became even more radiant and her cheeks flushed. She giggled, "Is this your true level? I really like it!"


    The male cultivator wanted to speak but couldn''t utter a word. His eyes rolled back, foam at his mouth, convulsing as his body visibly withered.


    In just a few breaths, the mid-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator turned into a dried corpse.


    But it wasn''t over; even the corpse shrank, rapidly diminishing, with the bones being absorbed.


    In just about ten breaths, the man had vanished, leaving only a storage bag and an empty robe.


    A living person, gone in ten breaths.


    "Hiss!" Xu Hei gasped.


    What the hell just happened? In the blink of an eye, he was gone!


    From their conversation, this woman was a disciple of the Melodic Sect, not an evil faction cultivator. How could she have such a technique? Absorbing life force, this was clearly a demonic art!


    "This Star Island isn''t as peaceful as it seems," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Xu Hei had the ability to discern people, and this woman was clearly unrelated to the Sea God Sect, purely cultivating this demonic art on her own.


    Evil cultivators were everywhere, on the sea and on the mainland, nothing surprising.


    Of course, what people called evil cultivators was just a human-defined term. From Xu Hei''s perspective, from a demonic beast''s point of view, wasn''t the Whale Hunting Gang also evil?


    Fighting against the heavens, battling the earth, plundering all beings, Xu Hei had already seen through the essence during his enlightenment in Wuyou City.


    Even Xu Hei himself could be defined as an evil cultivator, just by creating the butcher, a man-eating monster, he couldn''t be more evil!


    However, Xu Hei had his own bottom line.


    The alluring woman stretched lazily, licked her lips, and walked out of the pavilion with cat-like steps, planning to find her next prey. Unknowingly, her appearance became even younger, and her cultivation level increased.


    Xu Hei stuck to his original plan, not intending to get involved.


    He took out a decoy, placed his true self into a cloth bag, and with a few flashes, left the area.


    Not long after Xu Hei left, about the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.


    The alluring woman suddenly returned, landing back in the pavilion.


    She sank into the ground, arriving at the place where Xu Hei had been in seclusion, which had been handled by Xu Hei, leaving no trace of anything unusual.


    "Master, who was here just now?" the alluring woman asked.


    A moment later, a gentle voice floated from the void, "I don''t know."


    "..." The alluring woman fell silent.


    "This person is only at the early Core Formation stage, but his concealment ability is extremely strong. He bears no hostility towards you, so he probably isn''t here for you. Don''t delve into this matter, just pretend it never happened," the voice in the void continued.


    "Yes!" The alluring woman cupped her fists.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Star Island was formed by a fallen star from the heavens, possessing rare star power.


    The island was divided among eight major forces, each occupying a portion of Star Island''s territory. Each force had a cultivator at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core overseeing it.


    The closer to the center of the island, the denser the star power. The open and covert struggles among the eight forces for territory had never ceased since ancient times.


    Of course, to establish a foothold on the island, besides having strong personal strength, one also needed backing! Each force had hidden high-level support behind them.


    For instance, the Whale Hunting Gang had close cooperation with the Sea Commerce Guild.


    They would give up some of their interests to gain strong backing support; otherwise, they couldn''t have lasted long on Star Island.


    At this moment, in a secret hall of the Sea Commerce Guild.


    The leader of the Whale Hunting Gang, Ye Hai, and the deputy leader, Ye Lu, sat on one side. Standing before them was a middle-aged cultivator dressed in simple attire, wearing a storage ring, with a gentle and amiable demeanor, showing no emotions.


    This person was the cultivator tracking the storage ring.


    "According to reliable information, Ye Hai, one of the two demonic beasts you froze has died," the refined cultivator said.


    "Died?"


    Ye Hai was taken aback. He had only struck casually, deliberately holding back half his strength. How did it die?


    "Those two demonic beasts were already severely injured, and with your interference, it''s normal for one to die. Now, the Sea Serpent lineage in the Penglai Sea is causing trouble for your Whale Hunting Gang everywhere. You probably won''t be able to go to sea for the next three to five years," the refined cultivator said.


    "..." Ye Hai fell silent.


    Not going to sea for three to five years, how would they support all the people under the Whale Hunting Gang?


    "Mr. Li, the leader only killed a sea serpent, is it that serious?" Ye Lu frowned.


    "If it were an ordinary sea serpent, I could mediate for you, but that sea serpent has a significant background. They may not give me face," the refined cultivator sighed.


    Ye Hai gritted his teeth, "Is there no way?"


    The refined cultivator took a sip of tea, remaining silent.


    Ye Hai''s expression was grim. After hesitating for a long time, he steeled himself and handed over a storage bag to the refined cultivator.


    The refined cultivator glanced at it, his face expressionless, but he didn''t refuse. He just waved his hand and said, "Go back and wait for my news."


    "Thank you, Mr. Li!"


    Ye Hai respectfully cupped his fists and left the Sea Commerce Guild with Ye Lu.


    Mr. Li weighed the storage bag in his hand, took a sip of tea, and shook his head with a smile, "It''s difficult!"


    Is it really difficult?


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­ S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei walked down the street, gathering information about Star Island through questioning.


    The island''s territory was roughly divided among eight major forces, each with backing support.


    The main backers were three: the Sea Commerce Guild, Penglai Island, and the Bounty Alliance.


    The Sea Commerce Guild was the largest merchant group in the East Sea, nothing more to say, he had seen them before on Twin Islands.


    Penglai Island was the largest immortal sect in the East Sea.


    The Bounty Alliance was somewhat special, a group of bounty hunters formed a team, their main targets were hunting pirates for rewards, or taking on private jobs.


    As long as there was money to be made, they''d do any job.


    Therefore, they became the backing for some forces, known as guest elders, but of course, this group was the most unreliable.


    Xu Hei walked to the entrance of the Sea Commerce Guild, intending to buy a cave dwelling, simply because he was most familiar with the Sea Commerce Guild.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei stopped, quickly retreating to the corner of the street.


    He saw a shirtless burly man walk out of the Sea Commerce Guild''s entrance, adorned with various sea beast teeth as ornaments, with blue pupils and messy hair, it was Ye Hai.


    Ye Hai appeared preoccupied and didn''t notice Xu Hei''s decoy puppet. He and Ye Lu left together, disappearing in a flash.


    Xu Hei inadvertently witnessed this scene, his expression immediately darkening.

 Chapter 325: Immortal Tower, fellow townsman meets fellow townsman

    Chapter 325: Immortal Tower, fellow townsman meets fellow townsmanThe Sea Commerce Guild was not a place he could go.


    Although this neutral guild allowed anyone to enter, and it wasn''t uncommon for the Whale Hunting Gang to trade there, Xu Hei wasn''t willing to take any risks.


    What if the bounty on Xu Hei was issued by the Sea Commerce Guild? Entering would be like walking into a trap.


    "I''d better go somewhere else."


    Xu Hei turned and headed to another guild, the Immortal Pavilion under Penglai Island.


    Due to the presence of Master Tianji, he didn''t want too much contact with Penglai Island, but it seemed to be the only choice.


    Xu Hei suddenly thought about finding a backer; these days, relying on oneself alone was incredibly difficult.


    ...


    Not long after Xu Hei left.


    A refined and amiable middle-aged cultivator stepped out of the Sea Commerce Guild''s entrance, holding a cup of tea, smiling as he looked in the direction Xu Hei had left.


    Earlier, when the two from the Whale Hunting Gang went out, Xu Hei immediately hid to the side. Although his actions were subtle and quick, Ye Hai and his companion didn''t notice, but this refined middle-aged man sharply detected it.


    Even more strangely, the cultivator who seemed to be heading to the Sea Commerce Guild turned around afterward and headed straight in another direction.


    And that direction was towards another small guild, the Immortal Pavilion.


    "Heh, interesting! Does my Sea Commerce Guild have some kind of monstrous beast?"


    The refined cultivator''s lips curled up as he took a sip of tea.


    ...


    On the bustling wide street, the crowd was lively and endless, with buildings lined up on both sides, high-rises standing tall, and the street bustling with activity.


    Looking around, the street was filled with cultivators, while mortals were rare, living in remote, impoverished areas.


    In the air, there was a faint scent of blood and sea, as hunting sea beasts was the main source of income for cultivators.


    Xu Hei moved quickly, heading straight for the Immortal Pavilion.


    He had a feeling that someone was watching him.


    He had made a mistake earlier, encountering Ye Hai and his companion and failing to control his emotions, immediately hiding to the side.


    Although this action prevented Ye Hai from discovering him, such abnormal behavior would surely not escape the notice of higher-level cultivators.


    Having encountered the Nightmare Demon Lord, Xu Hei knew well how keen the spiritual perception of Elemental Infant cultivators was; nothing could escape their eyes.


    Xu Hei made a decisive move, running away directly. This was an open strategy; he didn''t believe the other party would really chase him down the street over such a trivial matter.


    ...


    Inside the Immortal Pavilion.


    A young girl in her prime stood at the entrance, doing simple reception work.


    Any guest entering, no matter the transaction, she would patiently guide them, not daring to stop.


    Because if she stopped, the steward on the first floor would use it as an excuse to insult her.


    Despite feeling countless grievances, she could only grit her teeth and persist.


    "Wang Qin, you can''t drag your brother down, you can do it too!" The girl clenched her fists, encouraging herself inwardly.


    This girl was none other than Wang Ding''s sister, Wang Qin.


    She had come to Penglai Island with her brother, but her talent was lacking, with mixed spiritual roots, and she was only at the early stage of Qi Refining, so she was sent to the Immortal Pavilion to do simple reception work.


    The main business of the Immortal Pavilion was selling resources from Penglai Island while also purchasing external materials, accepting all as long as the price was right.


    Suddenly, she smelled a hint of corpse stench.


    Wang Qin looked up to see a middle-aged, greasy man with a square face, large forehead, fat body, and small eyes standing in front of her. His arms were crossed over his chest, squinting as he looked her up and down.


    "Ah." Wang Qin was startled but still respectfully said, "Senior, welcome to the Immortal Pavilion. What do you need?"


    Xu Hei got straight to the point: "I''m here to buy a cave dwelling."


    Wang Qin replied skillfully, "May I ask what level of cave dwelling you wish to buy, Senior? We have first-tier cave dwellings here, with good lighting, close to the docks, and equipped with a small Gathering Spirit Array..."


    "I want the best cave dwelling, the one with the strongest defense!"


    Xu Hei said, having plenty of money now, he naturally wanted the best.


    "¡­"


    Wang Qin was momentarily stunned, thinking she had misheard.


    "Is there a problem?" Xu Hei looked at Wang Qin.


    For some reason, looking at the girl in front of him, he felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as if he was seeing Little Niu from his hometown.


    "Of course, no problem, Senior, please wait a moment!"


    Wang Qin quickly bowed her head and ran off.


    From afar, Xu Hei heard a scolding voice and saw a girl with her head down being pointed at and cursed by an old man with a sharp face in a private room.


    After the old man finished scolding, he snorted coldly and walked over to Xu Hei with a smile on his face.


    "This esteemed guest, the cave dwellings are all in the back mountain. Please follow me to the back mountain for a detailed discussion!"


    This was the steward of the Immortal Pavilion, named Mu Hou, dressed in a gilded robe and wearing a high hat, looking quite dignified.


    Xu Hei nodded and followed Mu Hou towards the back mountain.


    Just as Xu Hei stepped out the back door, two men in black rushed into the main entrance of the Immortal Pavilion.


    These two had cold, stern faces, eyes full of frost, with no detectable spiritual power fluctuations, only a murderous aura, like two assassins.


    "Dear guests, may I ask what you need?" S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Wang Qin hurriedly stepped forward to greet them.


    The two said nothing, their eyes simultaneously locking onto the direction Xu Hei had left, and they walked slowly in that direction.


    "Hey? Dear guests..."


    Wang Qin stepped forward but was glared at by one of them, who said, "Little girl, we''re just here to have a look."


    "What, can''t we even take a look at the Immortal Pavilion?"


    Their words left Wang Qin speechless.


    After speaking, the two exchanged a glance and headed straight in the direction Xu Hei had left.


    At that moment, Wang Qin suddenly let out a cry of "ouch," fell to the ground, and spat out blood.


    "What happened?!"


    The guards of the Immortal Pavilion rushed up, seeing no one else in the hall but the two strange men in black, they immediately surrounded them.


    "They... hurt someone!" Wang Qin pointed at the two and said.


    The two looked bewildered.


    They had clearly seen Wang Qin run up and then suddenly fly back, spitting blood. What did it have to do with them?


    "It wasn''t us!" the two quickly said.


    "What''s going on?"


    Mu Hou returned, glanced at the situation in the hall, then at the injured Wang Qin, and a cold gleam flashed in his eyes.


    One of the men said, "This girl flew out on her own, it has nothing to do with us."


    "You''re lying, you clearly knocked me away," Wang Qin gritted her teeth and said.


    Mu Hou scanned the situation in the hall, squinted his eyes, pondered for a moment, and then said to the two, "Please leave, our shop didn''t serve you well today. Next time you come, I''ll personally apologize to you!"


    Mu Hou cupped his hands and put on a smile.


    Seeing the guards eyeing them like tigers, the two knew they couldn''t stay and could only snort coldly and leave.


    The guards also retreated, disappearing without a trace.


    In the hall, Mu Hou coldly glanced at Wang Qin and sternly said, "Come here!"


    Wang Qin shivered, walked over, and lowered her head, not daring to make a sound.


    "Slap!"


    Without a word, Mu Hou slapped Wang Qin, causing her nose to bleed.


    Then, he stared at Wang Qin coldly and said, "Give me an explanation!"


    Wang Qin lowered her head, tears streaming down.


    "I''ve made my choice!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei appeared behind them and said, "I''ve already picked the cave dwelling. Here are the spirit stones, I want the third-tier A-grade."


    Xu Hei tossed over a storage bag.


    Mu Hou took it, scanned it with his divine sense, and his face changed dramatically.


    Inside the storage bag were 300,000 spirit stones!


    This was the most expensive A-grade cave dwelling among the third-tier ones. Mu Hou hadn''t made such a big deal in two years; this single transaction was almost equivalent to half a year''s profit.


    It''s worth noting that even the most expensive auction items rarely sold for this much.


    "Alright, I''ll take you there right away!" Mu Hou said excitedly.


    "No need, I''ll have her take me," Xu Hei pointed to the injured Wang Qin.

 Chapter 326: Qi observation technique, senior you are a good person

    Chapter 326: Qi observation technique, senior you are a good person"This..."


    Mu Hou''s gaze froze for a moment, a barely noticeable glint in his eyes, then he smiled and said, "Of course."


    "Wang Qin, take this senior to the back mountain, to the third-tier A-class Cave Dwelling. Here''s the token."


    "Make sure this senior is satisfied, no matter the request. Otherwise, I''ll hold you accountable!"


    Mu Hou handed over a token, the latter half of his sentence was a stern whisper.


    Wang Qin wiped her tears, took the token, and quickly bowed, "Yes!"


    Under Wang Qin''s guidance, Xu Hei left the Immortal Pavilion and headed towards the back mountain.


    She took out a handkerchief, wiped away the tear stains from the corners of her eyes, and once again put on a professional smile.


    "Your name is Wang Qin?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Yes, I was originally called Wang Xiaoya, but the teacher changed it for me."


    Wang Qin answered instinctively, not realizing she had said something she shouldn''t have.


    "Why did you stop those two earlier?" Xu Hei asked again.


    "Because they''re bad people!" Wang Qin replied.


    "Bad people?" Xu Hei was taken aback.


    Xu Hei knew those two were after him with ill intentions, but how did Wang Qin determine that? How did she conclude they were "bad people"?


    Moreover, when Mu Hou asked her to explain earlier, she said nothing, yet when he asked, she answered?


    "To be honest, senior, like my brother, although my aptitude is poor, we both have the ability to see through people. I can tell who''s good and who''s bad. For example, senior, you are a good person." Wang Qin said earnestly.


    Hearing this, Xu Hei was stunned.


    Wang Qin looked at him quietly, her small nose, fluttering eyes, short hair tied behind her, eyes bright as stars, scrutinizing Xu Hei, and nodded again, "Yes, you are a good person."


    "I''m a good person..." Xu Hei fell silent.


    What kind of good person was he?


    Countless innocents had died by his hand. If judged by human moral standards, he was far from being a good person.


    "How do you judge good from bad, can you tell me?" Xu Hei smiled.


    "Sure!" Wang Qin nodded vigorously.


    "No matter who it is, everyone has an aura. If the aura is light, it means they''re a good person. If it''s dark, then they''re a bad person..."


    "However, seeing auras is very exhausting, so I usually don''t use this ability. Using it too much makes me dizzy..."


    Wang Qin explained in detail how to see auras, almost without reservation, telling Xu Hei everything. Sear?h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Also, only my brother knows about this. My brother said if I see someone with a white aura, I can trust them completely."


    "Besides my father and brother, only you, senior, have a white aura."


    Wang Qin explained tirelessly.


    After listening, Xu Hei fell into silence.


    Undoubtedly, this was another area he was completely ignorant of. He had never heard of such an ability. But Xu Hei wasn''t one to dwell on things he couldn''t understand, so he chose not to think about it.


    Along the way, Xu Hei talked about other things, from his hometown to the sea, from the Chu Kingdom to the Qin Kingdom.


    Wang Qin answered everything patiently, not just out of her duty as a maid, but because she was happy to have met a good person.


    Gradually, Wang Qin forgot the pain on her face and showed a genuine smile.


    She had been too repressed. Since coming to the Immortal Pavilion, she had been constantly tense and anxious, afraid of saying the wrong word and being punished. Only now, seeing someone with a white aura, did she dare to open her heart and share her thoughts.


    She even boldly criticized Manager Mu, saying he was obviously not a good person, disrespectful in his old age.


    Xu Hei chuckled and asked, "What do you know about the local forces on Star Island?"


    "I don''t know much about the local forces, just some gossip I''ve heard from other maids..." Wang Qin said.


    These maids knew the most about gossip, and once they started, they wouldn''t stop.


    Among them, she mentioned the Melodic Sect, which consisted entirely of female disciples and prohibited contact with men, thus fostering a strong culture of sisterhood.


    Two female elders even became Dao companions, and there was a third-party female cultivator involved, making it all very dramatic.


    Xu Hei listened, secretly clicking his tongue, unsure of how to comment, and could only shake his head with a wry smile.


    In the midst of their lively conversation, time passed quickly.


    Unknowingly, they stopped in front of a Cave Dwelling in the back mountain.


    From within the Cave Dwelling, Xu Hei sensed faint spiritual power fluctuations, different from anything he had encountered before.


    This kind of spiritual power fluctuation, Xu Hei had only seen in one material¡ªStar Meteorite Iron!


    "The power of the stars."


    The Cave Dwellings on Star Island were so expensive precisely because there was a small amount of star power underground. If one could absorb it, the benefits would be immeasurable.


    Of course, sensing it was one thing, absorbing it was another.


    "Senior, this is the third-tier A-class Cave Dwelling. Here''s your Cave Dwelling token. I''m maid Wang Qin, remember to give a good review!"


    Wang Qin handed over the token, her smile as bright as a flower.


    Xu Hei took the token, refined it, and his mind instantly connected with the Cave Dwelling''s formation.


    "Thank you for guiding me, this is for you."


    Xu Hei tossed over a watermelon.


    "Watermelon?" Wang Qin was dumbfounded.


    She had seen people rewarded with spirit stones, but never with a watermelon.


    In fact, this watermelon was picked by Xu Hei at the entrance of Snake Village. After being nourished by spiritual qi, it had gained the effects of a spirit medicine.


    Giving Wang Qin spirit stones, she might not be able to absorb them and would likely have to hand them over. Giving her a watermelon, she could actually eat it and improve her physique.


    Wang Qin touched the watermelon, looking at it for a long time, feeling a sense of familiarity, as if she had seen it somewhere before.


    Her nose tingled, and her eyes turned red.


    She thought of a summer many years ago when her father picked watermelons and shared them with her, her brother, and her mother. The family ate the watermelon together, filled with joy.


    Now, those people were no longer around.


    Wang Qin stood there in a daze, closed her eyes, and tears fell like rain.


    ...


    Xu Hei sighed, entered the Cave Dwelling, reinforced a layer of shielding formation, then put away the bystander, and his true form appeared, immediately forming a snake formation.


    Xu Hei took out a Qingyuan Pill, took a deep breath, and swallowed it.


    "Boom!!"


    A thunderous roar erupted within him, and the deep purple Golden Core was rapidly turning black, becoming more rounded in shape.


    A slight cracking sound came from its surface. Initially, the sound was small, and there weren''t many cracks, but as time passed, the cracks grew larger, as if a bigger, fuller Golden Core was about to emerge.


    "Mid-stage Core Formation, this is it!"


    Xu Hei held his breath, took out ten barrels of heavy oil, and placed them nearby, ready to consume at any moment.


    ...


    East Sea, Penglai Sea.


    Hai Meng lay within a large ice sculpture, eyes closed, looking peaceful, surrounded by a group of Sea Serpent Clan members, quietly watching her.


    Hai Teng stood at the forefront, his face showing no emotion, only calmly asking, "Can she still live?"


    Elder Jin beside him just shook his head, "Her injuries are too severe. Once thawed, she will surely die. If kept frozen, she can live for a few more years."


    "But living like this is no different from being dead."


    "Whether to thaw her for a sea burial or let her continue living, as her family, the decision is yours."


    Elder Jin quietly looked at Hai Teng.


    A sea burial was a unique funeral for marine creatures, where the body was cast into the sea to be naturally decomposed by the ocean, never shying away from others consuming their remains.


    They were born of the sea and returned to the sea; that was their destiny.


    Hai Teng closed his eyes, his chest heaving violently. After a long time, he opened his eyes and said, "My sister, of course, will have a sea burial."


    "But before that, I have something to do."


    After speaking, Hai Teng turned and left, swimming into the distance.


    Elder Jin watched him, and the other sea serpents also looked over, eyes filled with shock.


    Could he be...


    "Hai Teng, you must think carefully, the Sea Commerce Guild has already contacted us, we will not intervene!" Elder Jin said sternly.


    Hai Teng did not look back, drifting further away, and just as he was about to disappear, a cold voice echoed in all directions.


    "Whether you intervene or not is your business, what does it have to do with me, Hai Teng?"

 Chapter 327: Immortal Pavilion, wicked people don the crowns of monkeys

    Chapter 327: Immortal Pavilion, wicked people don the crowns of monkeysAfter eating the watermelon, Wang Qin felt light and fell into a deep sleep. When she woke up, she had no idea how many days had passed.


    "Oh no, I need to get back quickly."


    Panic set in for Wang Qin. She had been gone for so long, she was sure to be punished.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    An hour later.


    Immortal Pavilion, conference hall.


    Wang Qin knelt in the middle of the conference hall, head bowed, not daring to meet Mu Hou''s gaze.


    Inside the hall, other maids stood silently by. They were older, more advanced in cultivation, and more experienced. Their eyes showed disdain and mockery, or sympathy, but they all remained silent. S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Five days, you disappeared for five whole days, Wang Qin, how dare you!"


    Mu Hou squinted his eyes, his voice stern and cold, "Speak, what did you do in those five days, what did you say to that guest, tell me everything in detail."


    Wang Qin''s body trembled as she recounted the events, "The guest gave me a watermelon, and after eating it, I fell asleep."


    Mu Hou had already investigated the matter in secret and knew the truth. He sneered, "What I want to know is what you talked about on the way. Tell me everything, don''t leave out a single word!"


    Wang Qin''s face turned pale.


    How could she possibly tell others about those words?


    Those were her secrets, and she even spoke ill of Mu Hou.


    Biting her lip, Wang Qin shook her head, "I''m sorry, I... I forgot!"


    "Forgot?"


    A maid immediately let out a cold laugh.


    "Slap!"


    A whip lashed across Wang Qin''s face, drawing blood from the corner of her mouth and knocking out a tooth.


    This time, it wasn''t Mu Hou who acted, but another maid named Liu Hongmei, a trusted confidante trained by Mu Hou.


    "Anything given to you by a guest must be handed over, even a steamed bun, you can''t keep it for yourself, did you forget?" Liu Hongmei said coldly.


    "I was wrong, I''m sorry!" Wang Qin knelt on the ground, her body trembling.


    There was never such a requirement before, only spirit stones needed to be handed over, but how could she argue? She could only admit her mistake.


    "What if the guest poisoned you? Wang Qin, you''re still young and easily deceived. We''re doing this for your own good! Beating you is also out of concern for you!"


    Another maid kindly reminded her, also one of Mu Hou''s people.


    "Yes! You''re right!" Wang Qin lowered her head, tears falling.


    Another whip struck, adding another scar to Wang Qin''s body.


    "Don''t forget, it''s the Immortal Pavilion that took you in. Without it, you are nothing. Think more about what you''ve done for the Immortal Pavilion, not just what you can get!"


    Liu Hongmei lectured, spittle flying.


    The two of them, one playing the bad cop, the other the good cop, took turns scolding Wang Qin. It was clear they had been well-trained by Mu Hou in disciplining newcomers.


    "I''m sorry, it''s all my fault!"


    Wang Qin could only keep apologizing, tears streaming down like rain.


    Seeing that the scolding was almost over, Mu Hou clapped his hands.


    "Creak!"


    At this moment, the door of the conference hall opened.


    Two figures in black robes, exuding a chilling aura mixed with killing intent, walked in. They were the two black-clad cultivators who had barged into the hall last time.


    Last time, Wang Qin had intercepted them, ruining their plans. Now, they were invited into the conference hall by Mu Hou.


    Wang Qin was completely stunned.


    One of them looked at Wang Qin, a mocking smile on his lips.


    "You, lead the way!" The other said directly, pointing at Wang Qin.


    Mu Hou, expressionless, explained, "These two esteemed guests have purchased a new cave dwelling next to the third-tier A-class cave dwelling. You will lead them there."


    "Wang Qin, this is your chance to atone, don''t disappoint anyone."


    From Mu Hou''s tone, it was clear he had made some secret deal with these two and knew their intentions.


    Last time, in front of many guards, he couldn''t openly reprimand Wang Qin to curry favor with outsiders and risk criticism.


    But now, in front of his own people, he had no such concerns.


    The Immortal Pavilion had three managers, and Mu Hou was just one of them, responsible for managing the reception on the first floor.


    The other two managed logistics and security, and procurement of supplies, respectively.


    Mu Hou didn''t want to leave any handle for the other two to catch.


    Above the three managers was the Grand Elder, also known as the General Manager, an Elemental Infant cultivator, who was above everyone and had a fiery temper.


    Even though Mu Hou sold a cave dwelling for three hundred thousand spirit stones, he could only keep twenty percent of the profit, with most of it going to the treasury. But this time, through the backdoor deal, he pocketed a full one hundred and fifty thousand spirit stones.


    Wang Qin''s face turned as white as paper.


    "Little girl, lead the way, or do you need me to invite you?" One of the black-clad men sneered.


    Seeing Wang Qin unmoved, the other snorted coldly, using the Gravity Technique to lift her into the air and control her towards the back mountain.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Immortal Pavilion, back mountain.


    Inside Xu Hei''s cave dwelling, thunder roared, and fierce winds blew. The Spiritual Qi from the ground surged like a flood, being devoured into his body, causing his Golden Core to swell continuously.


    Beside Xu Hei, there were thirty empty oil barrels, completely drained of heavy oil.


    It wasn''t just him absorbing; Ji Ying was also absorbing, and this guy consumed even more than Xu Hei.


    At this moment, the Golden Core in his abdomen was covered in cracks, with black light flickering between the gaps. The energy from the ground was being frantically devoured, mixed with a small amount of starlight, pushing the Golden Core to a critical point.


    "Break for me!"


    Xu Hei shouted.


    In an instant, the thunder and wind could no longer be contained, exploding between heaven and earth. The formation of the cave dwelling couldn''t hold back such a phenomenon, spreading wildly to the outside world.


    At this moment, at the entrance of Xu Hei''s cave dwelling.


    Two black-clad men stood on either side, their eyes fixed on the cave entrance, a cold smile on their lips.


    Only now did they reveal their true identities.


    One of them was none other than Ye Lu, the deputy leader of the Whale Hunting Gang.


    The other was Xie Yunfei, a bounty hunter and guest elder of the Whale Hunting Gang.


    Both were at the late Core Formation stage, with Ye Lu having been at this stage for fifty years, already at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core. However, compared to the leader, his combat ability was slightly inferior.


    It was certain that either of these two was stronger than anyone on the whaling ship!


    For them to come here, they must have spent a considerable amount of spirit stones.


    Mu Hou, being a shrewd person, upon learning of their intentions, immediately opened a new cave dwelling next to Xu Hei''s and sold it to them at a high price.


    Did Mu Hou break any rules? Not at all, he merely sold a cave dwelling.


    Even if someone eavesdropped on their conversation, they wouldn''t find any clues. Everything was in compliance with the rules.


    As for Wang Qin, she was just an add-on, not worth mentioning.


    "Little girl, thank you for leading the way."


    Ye Lu looked at Wang Qin, smiling slightly, as a bolt of lightning appeared at his fingertip.


    Wang Qin''s face turned pale. She said nothing, only closed her eyes in despair.


    "Brother Ye, isn''t this girl trying to cover for that person? Let''s not kill her yet. Let''s kill that cultivator in front of her, then kill her," Xie Yunfei suggested.


    Ye Lu thought it made sense, nodded, and smiled, "Good idea."


    Their purpose here was to kill Xu Hei, as per Mr. Li''s orders.


    "However..."


    At this point, Ye Lu changed his tone and said, "I can''t tolerate sand in my eyes, better to kill her now to avoid future troubles."


    With that, he pointed at Wang Qin, and lightning shot towards her forehead.


    Wang Qin was only at the early Qi Refining stage, and for the opponent to kill her was as easy as crushing an ant. The opponent even deliberately slowed the lightning, making her watch her own death.


    In her final moments, many thoughts flashed through Wang Qin''s mind.


    Did she regret it?


    No, not at all.


    In the Immortal Pavilion, she couldn''t find her own worth. Rather than being oppressed all her life, she''d rather meet her parents. Before dying, being able to confide in a senior, she was already very satisfied.


    "Boom!!"


    Suddenly, a gentle glow emanated from her body, blocking the lightning outside, dispersing it without even scratching her skin.


    "What?"


    Ye Lu squinted his eyes, thinking he must have seen wrong.


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, a terrifying thunderous sound came from the cave dwelling ahead, with fierce winds, thunder, and lightning. The ground shook, the sun and moon dimmed, and various phenomena of heaven and earth emanated from the cave, shaking the earth and alarming the heavens.

 Chapter 328: Kill at the door, Xu Hei mid-stage Core Formation

    Chapter 328: Kill at the door, Xu Hei mid-stage Core FormationAs they were momentarily stunned, a portal of light opened beneath Wang Qin''s feet, and a formation instantly took shape.


    Ye Lu''s hand moved like a swift wind, striking out with a palm that caused the void to collapse and left a massive palm print on the ground. But Wang Qin''s figure had already vanished, transforming into a stream of light that teleported into the cave dwelling.


    "There¡¯s actually a Minor Teleportation Formation!" S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Ye Lu''s gaze turned cold as he realized that the little maid seemed quite important, with so many defensive measures placed on her.


    Had they known earlier, they would have captured the maid to use as leverage, possibly forcing the opponent to comply, which might have worked wonders.


    But who could have predicted that the opponent would save a maid at the Qi Refining Stage?


    "Brother Ye, judging by this, the opponent is likely breaking through to the mid-stage Core Formation, which confirms Mr. Li''s suspicion that this person is the Snake Demon!"


    Xie Yunfei glanced at the phenomenon in the sky and said solemnly.


    Ye Lu nodded without saying anything, raising a palm to strike the cave dwelling''s door. Thunder erupted from his palm, crashing against it with a deafening roar, purple light exploding as the heavens collapsed and the earth caved in.


    However, the door of the cave dwelling seemed welded shut, not moving an inch, only rippling with layers of waves.


    "No wonder it''s a third-tier A-class cave dwelling, truly tough!"


    In Ye Lu''s hand appeared a palm-sized eight-sided thunder seal. When fully activated, a giant dragon of lightning emerged from the seal, roaring as it charged at the cave dwelling''s door, causing another loud crash. The world shook continuously, and terrifying shockwaves rose a thousand feet high.


    A full-force strike from someone at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, how terrifying! Xie Yunfei immediately summoned eight formation flags, planting them around to reflect all energy fluctuations back, preventing them from spreading.


    They intended to kill without causing too much commotion, to avoid attracting the attention of some old monsters and causing unforeseen changes.


    However, after several consecutive attacks, the cave dwelling''s door still only rippled, showing no signs of collapsing.


    Instead, the phenomenon inside the cave dwelling grew increasingly intense, with divine thunder from the nine heavens, stars falling, the Five Elements reversing, the heavens collapsing, and the earth caving in, presenting various terrifying scenes before the two, leaving them aghast.


    "What kind of phenomenon is this?"


    "It''s just a breakthrough to mid-stage Core Formation, why is the momentum so terrifying?"


    They all knew that some prodigies would cause phenomena of heaven and earth when breaking through. Even some sea beasts could manifest such phenomena, but they had never experienced the power of these phenomena.


    No wonder this snake, with just early Core Formation stage cultivation, wiped out their entire ship; its talent was indeed terrifying.


    "We must not let him break through!"


    A ruthless glint flashed in Ye Lu''s eyes. He slapped his chest, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the eight-sided thunder seal, which instantly expanded to over a hundred feet, like a small mountain, with nine thunder dragons appearing, circling around it.


    Seeing this, Xie Yunfei took out more formation flags, planting sixteen of them to isolate energy fluctuations.


    "Go!"


    Ye Lu pointed forward, and the thunder dragons roared, charging at the cave dwelling''s door one after another.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Inside the cave dwelling.


    Xu Hei coiled into a snake formation, quietly spiraling at the center point, drawing a vast amount of spiritual qi from the ground, mixed with the power of the stars, into his body, to be refined by the Demon God Cauldron.


    Wang Qin lay unconscious beside him.


    Ignoring the commotion outside, Xu Hei buried heavy oil underground as the energy source for the defensive formation, continuously supplying spiritual power. As long as the opponent''s attack power didn''t exceed the Elemental Infant level, they could never break in.


    Even if it reached the Elemental Infant level, it could withstand a few rounds.


    Besides, the opponent was acting so stealthily, likely not daring to cause too much commotion. If they destroyed the back mountain of the Immortal Pavilion, it would be hard to settle.


    As for how he was exposed, Xu Hei had a few guesses.


    But it didn''t matter now; what he needed to do was break through with all his might.


    Meanwhile, Ji Ying was also lying beside him, frantically devouring the heavy oil, causing various phenomena, though these were covered by the formation outside, saving them the trouble.


    As time passed, barrel after barrel of heavy oil was consumed, yet the formation remained solid and unbreakable. This was not only due to the built-in formation of the third-tier cave dwelling but also the formation collection Xu Hei learned in Wuyou City. With these combined, the opponent couldn''t break in with just these means.


    A day later, the attacks outside ceased.


    The two took out formation flags, scattered spirit stones, and began setting up a formation as well.


    In the blink of an eye, another two days passed.


    On this day, it had been a full week since Xu Hei began his seclusion.


    Suddenly, a talisman floated over from afar, landing before the cave dwelling''s door.


    This talisman was entirely gray, and if Xu Hei saw it, he would recognize it as the Minor Annihilation Talisman!


    "Crack, crack, crack!!"


    The Minor Annihilation Talisman activated, and countless cracks appeared in the space where the cave dwelling''s door was, like shattered glass, instantly disintegrating into a vast dark vacuum area.


    No matter how strong the defense, it couldn''t hold under spatial cracks, and Xu Hei''s cave dwelling door was finally breached!


    As the cave dwelling broke open, the two activated a formation, completely covering the area, forming an isolated barrier.


    Simultaneously, the shattered void quickly healed, and the space was restored.


    "Whoosh! Whoosh!"


    The two figures flashed, shrinking the ground to inches, almost simultaneously appearing inside Xu Hei''s cave dwelling.


    They looked at the imposing horned serpent with various phenomena presenting and, without hesitation, summoned their strongest magical treasures, launching an attack on Xu Hei.


    At the same time, Xie Yunfei split off an external incarnation, reaching for the unconscious Wang Qin in the deepest part.


    "Boom, boom, boom, boom!!!"


    At that moment, a series of crackling explosions erupted beneath their feet, and countless black heavy oils gushed from the ground, forming a massive fountain that gathered together, unleashing a terrifying suction force.


    The two were shocked, hurriedly retracting their magical treasures and retreating, but it was too late. This time, Xu Hei detonated hundreds of barrels of heavy oil at once, forming a lake of heavy oil that not only sucked them in but also engulfed Xu Hei himself.


    "Is this heavy oil!?"


    "Where did he get heavy oil?"


    The two reacted quickly. Xie Yunfei crushed a Small Teleportation Talisman, instantly teleporting a thousand feet back, escaping the range of the heavy oil, but his incarnation was swallowed and shattered. Ye Lu''s body was enveloped in a bubble, blocking the heavy oil, and his true form turned into a flash of lightning, rising from the oil into the air.


    Ye Lu realized that this snake was not easy to deal with, having too many backup plans, and it might not be possible to take him down quickly. He changed his plan, targeting Wang Qin in the deepest part of the cave dwelling.


    "Crack!"


    Suddenly, everyone heard a faint cracking sound echoing in their ears.


    The phenomena inside the cave dwelling suddenly vanished, the wind stopped, the thunder ceased, the Five Elements disappeared, and all the commotion was gone.


    Only the cracking sound remained, emanating from Xu Hei''s abdomen.


    At this moment, the Golden Core in Xu Hei''s abdomen was covered in cracks, and with a crisp sound, it completely split open, a more rounded and larger Golden Core emerging from the shattered core.


    This Golden Core was entirely pitch-black, rapidly spinning above the Demon God Cauldron, emitting a terrifying true essence pressure, ten times stronger than the early Core Formation stage!


    Mid-stage Core Formation was officially achieved!


    In the lake of heavy oil, a pair of cold, merciless vertical pupils slowly opened, locking onto the two.


    At the same time, a voice filled with overwhelming killing intent resounded through the heavens and earth: "You are courting death!"

 Chapter 329: Cut down Ye Lu, withstand the thunderous three strikes

    Chapter 329: Cut down Ye Lu, withstand the thunderous three strikesWhat kind of gaze was this?


    With just a glance, the two felt as if they had fallen into an abyss, their scalps tingling as if they had seen a primordial beast.


    No wonder this serpent could slaughter an entire ship; it was indeed extraordinary, rivaling even the prodigies of the heavens.


    Fortunately, they were not ordinary people either. Even if the serpent had broken through, so what? With their preparations, even someone at the late Core Formation stage would meet their end.


    "Just a mere mid-stage Core Formation, so what if you''ve broken through? Today, you will surely die!"


    Around Ye Lu appeared countless flying knives, crackling with electricity, splitting into two, then four, multiplying endlessly, covering the sky and earth, spanning thousands of miles.


    "Your serpent head is worth five hundred thousand Spirit Stones. As long as I kill you, I can live comfortably for ten, no, twenty years."


    Xie Yunfei''s eyes burned with intensity. As bounty hunters, they lived for the hunt. Xu Hei had already made it to the top ten on the bounty list, making him their prime target.


    It was fortunate that he was a guest of the Whale Hunting Gang, allowing him to obtain this valuable information. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity he would not miss!


    Xie Yunfei spared no expense, directly summoning a handful of black Thunder Pearls. These pearls, crafted from special materials, could integrate into flesh and explode from within, possessing immense power, specifically designed to deal with Demonic Beasts, capable of blasting a bloody hole with each explosion, a bane to large Demonic Beasts.


    "Die!"


    Ye Lu pointed forward, tens of thousands of lightning flying knives shot out in unison, transforming into dazzling arcs of electricity, attacking Xu Hei, covering all directions, leaving no room for retreat.


    "Blood Killing Sword Formation!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei summoned eight blood-colored flying swords, forming a massive sword formation in front of him, clashing with the countless lightning knives.


    "Clang, clang, clang..."


    Blood shadows intertwined with lightning shadows, sparks flying, shaking the heavens and earth. The sword formation only lasted for two breaths before showing signs of collapse.


    Ye Lu''s eyes flashed with disdain, but then he saw a ninth flying sword appear within the Blood Killing Sword Formation, merging the nine swords into one, with Sword Qi soaring.


    The Blood Killing Sword Formation only displayed its greatest power when reaching the pinnacle of nine swords. At this moment, under Xu Hei''s execution, its power far surpassed that of Zhou Qing in the past.


    "Boom, boom, boom!!!"


    With the support of nine swords, Ye Lu''s lightning knives were beaten back step by step, the situation reversed in an instant. Ye Lu''s face turned grim as an eight-sided thunder seal appeared in his hand, and another thunder dragon roared out, charging towards Xu Hei.


    "Dragon Shatter Roar!"


    Xu Hei sank his Qi into his Dantian and let out a thunderous shout, the dragon''s roar shaking the heavens, forming a terrifying sound wave that instantly shattered the thunder dragon, then continued upwards, rushing towards Ye Lu.


    This terrifying roar was beyond everyone''s expectations in its power.


    "What?"


    Ye Lu''s face changed drastically. Just as he was about to act, he was struck by the sound wave of the Dragon Shatter Roar, blood gushing from his nose, ears, and mouth, his seven orifices bleeding, his mind blank for a moment.


    Xu Hei''s Dragon Shatter Roar had reached the soul-shattering level, capable of killing with a single strike. Even if it couldn''t kill Ye Lu, it could leave him in a temporary daze.


    That was enough!


    "Die!"


    Xu Hei unleashed his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, instantly closing in to attack the momentarily bewildered Ye Lu.


    For this strike, he used no Magical Treasure.


    Xu Hei''s most lethal Magical Treasures were the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd and the flying sword fused with his true form. However, he had used these treasures once on the whaling ship, and if the opponent examined the battle traces, they might be on guard.


    Although Xu Hei didn''t believe the opponent could defend against them, to be safe, he changed his combat strategy and unleashed his strongest strike!


    Magical Treasure? He himself was the strongest Magical Treasure!


    "Diamond Suppression Technique!" Xu Hei''s true essence compressed madly, converging at the single horn on his forehead, his entire body radiating a dazzling light, his physical body as hard as glass.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    Xie Yunfei flicked his wrist, and Thunder Pearls shot towards Xu Hei, some intercepting his path, but Xu Hei didn''t dodge, charging straight through.


    Under the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, most Thunder Pearls were evaded, but three still made contact with his body. These pearls were extremely strange, instantly melting and integrating into the gaps between his dragon scales, appearing inside his body.


    In that brief moment, Xu Hei had already reached Ye Lu.


    Ye Lu opened his eyes, regaining clarity from his daze, only to see the dragon horn and that point of blackness right in front of him.


    "Die!"


    Xu Hei rammed forward, releasing all his true essence, enhancing his physical strength to the limit. At the tip of his horn, a tiny black particle appeared, capable of destroying the heavens and earth.


    "Explode!"


    Simultaneously, Xie Yunfei let out a low shout, clenching his fist, and the three Thunder Pearls that had integrated into Xu Hei''s body exploded instantly.


    Ye Lu was terrified beyond belief. He had no time to dodge, couldn''t even summon his life-saving Magical Treasure, and could only hastily activate all his true essence to form a shield in front of him.


    "Boom!!!"


    With a thunderous roar, Ye Lu''s true essence shield was utterly destroyed. The so-called Great Perfection of the Golden Core defense was as fragile as paper against Xu Hei''s horn.


    Xu Hei''s horn pierced through Ye Lu''s chest, creating a massive hole. Upon contact with the black light, the hole rapidly expanded, spreading to his abdomen, then to his head.


    Despair filled Ye Lu''s eyes. He couldn''t imagine that he would fall under a single strike! S§×ar?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xie Yunfei was equally shocked, unable to fathom how Xu Hei could ignore the Thunder Pearls, willing to risk severe injury to trade his life for Ye Lu''s!


    Such ruthlessness and decisiveness were something he had never encountered in his bounty hunting career!


    "Poof!!"


    Ye Lu''s body shattered, revealing layers of defensive shields inside, some against poison, some against swords, but they were helpless against Xu Hei''s strike. His body was torn apart, blood mist exploded, leaving only a head soaring into the sky, carrying the perfect Golden Core.


    Unfortunately, he hadn''t reached the Nascent Soul stage, unable to escape like Xu Fu, his soul severely damaged by the Dragon Shatter Roar, doomed to die.


    Ye Lu''s eyes were filled with intense unwillingness. He couldn''t accept dying at the hands of a mid-stage Core Formation Snake Demon. He had many killer moves yet to use, many Magical Treasures unutilized, all because of that moment of distraction, leading to his instant demise, rendering everything futile.


    He was unwilling!


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!!"


    Inside Xu Hei, three earth-shattering explosions echoed as the Thunder Pearls detonated, wreaking havoc on his body, tearing flesh apart. But under the reinforcement of the Diamond Suppression Technique, Xu Hei''s body was greatly strengthened, its resilience and hardness defying logic.


    After the bombardment, blood gushed from the gaps in Xu Hei''s dragon scales, his body swaying with three large, deep, bone-revealing holes.


    Yet Xu Hei endured it, not retreating a single step, not even furrowing his brow!


    "How is this possible?"


    Xie Yunfei gasped, utterly stunned.

 Chapter 330: Whale Hunting Gang, sowing evil causes leads to evil results

    Chapter 330: Whale Hunting Gang, sowing evil causes leads to evil resultsThis Thunder Pearl was crafted by Xie Yunfei at great cost, infused with the power of the stars. He was usually reluctant to use it, reserving it only for hunting great demons at the late Core Formation stage.


    Even against a massive whale, a single Thunder Pearl could blow away large chunks of flesh, shatter bones, and even burst its head, taking away half its life.


    His skill with the Thunder Pearl was precisely why the Whale Hunting Gang hired him at a high price.


    What shocked him was that three Thunder Pearls exploded inside Xu Hei, yet not only did they fail to kill him, they didn''t even cause serious injury. This completely overturned Xie Yunfei''s understanding.


    Especially Xu Hei''s outer dragon scales, which, although partially blown off, didn''t shatter. They merely peeled away from his body, while the dragon bone inside remained crystal clear and intact.


    Moreover, there were two unformed dragon veins running through his body, also completely unharmed.


    "How can this be? It''s impossible! This is unbelievable!"


    Xie Yunfei took several steps back, looking at Xu Hei as if he were a monster.


    No wonder Xu Hei dared to trade injury for life; he was fearless.


    "You both must die!"


    Xu Hei''s gaze was icy as he took out a Blood Spirit Pill and swallowed it whole. This pill was the healing holy pill he had given to Bonan, and he only had one left.


    Once the pill entered his body, it transformed into a powerful force of blood and energy, flowing through his meridians and, catalyzed by the dragon veins, quickly covering his wounds. The three bloody holes in Xu Hei''s body began to heal at a speed visible to the naked eye.


    Upon seeing the two formidable enemies, Xu Hei immediately devised a battle plan in his mind¡ªeliminate one at any cost, then deal with the other.


    As for who to eliminate first, naturally, it was the more threatening Ye Lu. With one gone, he would have plenty of time to handle the remaining one.


    In the distance, Ye Lu''s head was about to fly off when suddenly a sharp scream pierced the air.


    In the next second, Ye Lu vanished, along with his Great Perfection Golden Core.


    "What was that just now?" Xie Yunfei trembled all over. He seemed to have seen a shadow flash by, snatching Ye Lu''s head away.


    The speed was so fast that he couldn''t even see what it was, sending chills down his spine.


    "Fight or flee? Fight or flee..."


    In that brief moment, Xie Yunfei''s thoughts raced.


    At this moment, Xu Hei was healing, and Xie Yunfei had seen his strength, capable of killing Ye Lu, who was at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core. Although Xie Yunfei was at the late Core Formation stage and had some tricks up his sleeve, he knew that if Xu Hei recovered, he might also be defeated.


    Strangely, the leader of the Whale Hunting Gang, Ye Hai, showed no reaction at this time.


    Logically, after Ye Lu''s death, he should have rushed over as quickly as possible.


    The fleeting shadow also filled him with dread.


    With his eyes flickering, Xie Yunfei quickly made a decision. He was going all in, determined to kill this serpent and make a name for himself!


    "Let me show you the big one!"


    A ruthless glint flashed in Xie Yunfei''s eyes as he took out a massive black Thunder Pearl, the size of a small mountain, swung it around, and hurled it directly at Xu Hei.


    Then he pinched a spell and shouted, "Explode!"


    Xu Hei remained unfazed, ready to respond, but then saw Xie Yunfei change direction and flee into the distance.


    "Boom!!"


    The pearl exploded, unleashing a massive wave of air that propelled Xie Yunfei''s speed tenfold, soaring into the sky and vanishing a thousand miles away in an instant.


    Xu Hei was also blown away by the powerful airwave. Though it wasn''t lethal, the wind was astonishing and carried a dense fog, blocking Divine Sense detection, serving as both a smoke bomb and a shockwave.


    When the smoke cleared, Xie Yunfei was already nowhere to be seen.


    "Escaped?" Xu Hei''s face darkened.


    This man was decisive; seeing things go awry, he fled immediately, in line with a bounty hunter''s usual style.


    In fact, if he had stayed to fight, Xu Hei wouldn''t have been afraid, but killing him quickly would have been difficult.


    He had just reached the mid-stage Core Formation, breaking through in a moment of crisis, which left his realm unstable.


    Having just experienced a life-and-death battle, forcibly using the Diamond Suppression Technique had injured his meridians. If not for his second dragon vein, it would have been hard to swiftly kill Ye Lu.


    Even the weakest at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core is not easy to deal with.


    Xu Hei suspected Ye Lu had many other tricks he hadn''t had the chance to use before dying.


    "Stabilize my realm first, then go after them."


    Xu Hei descended and returned to his cave dwelling, taking a large gulp of the heavy oil lake and focusing on refining it.


    And the Immortal Pavilion also needed to settle accounts. He was peacefully breaking through in his cave dwelling when this happened. He wouldn''t believe the Immortal Pavilion wasn''t secretly involved.


    Meanwhile, during Xu Hei''s healing process, a powerful and dark aura within the cave dwelling was about to awaken.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Star Island Bay, territory of the Whale Hunting Gang.


    This bay had thirteen docks of various sizes, all under the Whale Hunting Gang''s jurisdiction, each generating considerable revenue.


    Yet in just one hour, eight of the thirteen docks were destroyed!


    Fifteen fishing boats sank, and over a hundred cultivators died¡ªall members of the Whale Hunting Gang!


    From the Foundation Establishment Stage to Core Formation cultivators, anyone who went up died, and they didn''t even see what the enemy looked like.


    It wasn''t until a mid-stage Core Formation elder personally intervened that they discovered the target was a sea serpent!


    But he only managed to send back the message before dying instantly.


    "I don''t care what kind of Chosen you are, killing a hundred of my Whale Hunting Gang members, killing three of my elders¡ªtoday, even if the heavens themselves come, I''ll kill you without hesitation!"


    Ye Hai, the leader of the Whale Hunting Gang, was furious to the extreme. Ignoring the Sea Commerce Guild''s warnings, he soared into the sky, wielding an ice spear, and charged towards the docks.


    However, at the same time, his expression changed drastically.


    He immediately took out a soul token, which shattered into two halves right before his eyes. This was the soul token left by Ye Lu.


    "Ye Lu, has fallen?"


    Ye Hai''s face turned pale as a sheet. He couldn''t believe it until the soul token completely shattered, forcing him to accept the reality.


    Whether from anger or sorrow, his body began to tremble.


    "Ahhhh!!!"


    Ye Hai roared to the sky, letting out a cry of utter grief.


    Just days ago, the soul token of Young Master Ye Kong shattered, and now Ye Lu''s token had shattered as well.


    He couldn''t understand why a simple fishing trip had brought such disaster. Whom had they offended? What had the Whale Hunting Gang done wrong?


    He had been established on Star Island for a hundred years, always diligent and law-abiding, never provoking anyone. Why such calamity? Why?


    "Ye Hai, I understand your feelings. But cultivators prioritize profit. You can act on impulse, but you must also consider the consequences."


    In the distance, Mr. Li from the Sea Commerce Guild spoke, holding a cup of tea, his voice as calm as ever.


    "As for Ye Lu''s matter, it was purely an accident. I will handle it and give you an explanation," Mr. Li continued.


    Ye Hai only shook his head with a bitter smile. Then, with a fierce look in his eyes, he wielded his ice spear and, with the core members of the Whale Hunting Gang behind him, resolutely charged towards the edge of the docks.


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 Chapter 331: Loot, Ji Ying Synchronization Metamorphosis

    Chapter 331: Loot, Ji Ying Synchronization MetamorphosisStar Island''s western bay.


    A giant serpent with azure scales stood proudly in the void, riding the clouds and mist. Below, torrential rain poured down, lightning flashed and thunder roared. Countless shattered shipwrecks floated on the sea''s surface, along with numerous bodies, rising and falling with the storm.


    The serpent coiled in the clouds, its massive head raised high, gazing down at the vast sea. Behind it, the storm raged, creating a phenomenon like a Dragon King summoning wind and rain, instilling fear in all who beheld it.


    The commotion caused by the Whale Hunting Gang attracted many onlookers, all watching from a distance, their eyes filled with shock.


    Ten of the Whale Hunting Gang''s docks had already been destroyed, leaving only three main docks.


    This was the Sea Serpent Clan''s number one Chosen, Hai Teng!


    Hai Teng''s power seemed even more terrifying than imagined!


    "Finally, they''ve arrived."


    Hai Teng looked towards the approaching powerful aura in the distance, taking a deep breath. There was no trace of fear in his eyes, only a fierce killing intent.


    Around him appeared the phantom of the sea, with a Dragon King rising from the ocean, soaring through the heavens.


    A phenomenon of heaven and earth, the Dragon King Patrolling the Seas!


    "I am the Dragon King, destined to slay all enemies!"


    Hai Teng roared towards the sky, stirring the storm, charging towards Ye Hai. Simultaneously, the Dragon King phenomenon also surged forward, soaring through the heavens, unleashing wind, rain, thunder, and lightning, determined to flatten everything.


    On the distant shore, an old man watched and shook his head silently: "Such talent, but brave without strategy, doomed to perish here. What a pity."


    His words drew agreement from many around him.


    Hai Teng was too young, with plenty of opportunities for revenge in the future. Why risk his life now? The opponent not only had the leader Ye Hai but also the Whale Hunting Gang''s elite, all at least in the late Core Formation stage.


    Going up now was no different from seeking death.


    "Hmm? What''s that?"


    At this moment, the crowd showed expressions of surprise.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Cave Dwelling behind the Immortal Pavilion.


    The heavy oil lake had dried up. Apart from a portion that was consumed, most had been collected by Xu Hei and stored in barrels. S§×ar?h the ¦Çov§×lFire .net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Such work would have cost anyone else half their life, but Xu Hei could ignore the heavy oil''s pollution, easily refining it with the Demon God Cauldron.


    The energy from the heavy oil was much richer than that of spirit stones.


    However, the side effects were also significant. Xu Hei looked around the cave dwelling''s environment and shook his head helplessly.


    This place was no longer suitable for living. It was polluted everywhere, pitch black, with no grass growing.


    Not only had the cave dwelling become a dead zone, but even the surrounding area for a thousand feet had become barren, with all the plants and trees withered, and the underground well water turned black and undrinkable.


    Though heavy oil was good, its side effects were too great. Apart from being harmless to Xu Hei himself, it was devastating to other living beings.


    Even Xu Hei''s Blood Killing Sword was affected by the pollution, stained with marks that were hard to remove just from a touch of the heavy oil.


    Of course, there was one thing that seemed unaffected by the heavy oil.


    ¡ªThe Corpse Beetle!


    At this moment, Ji Ying was also at the final breakthrough stage. After devouring the head of a Great Perfection Core Formation cultivator, Ji Ying''s body emitted a dense black light, releasing an extremely sinister aura that climbed steadily to its peak.


    Xu Hei observed silently from the side.


    Before long, the sinister aura completely receded, and everything returned to calm.


    Ji Ying''s compound eyes flickered with a ghostly light, vividly examining Xu Hei.


    "Ji Ying actually broke through too."


    Xu Hei was secretly amazed.


    He considered his cultivation speed fast enough, with almost no bottlenecks thanks to the Demon God Cauldron. With sufficient resources, his progress was naturally smooth, and he had never seen anyone faster than him.


    For Ji Ying to keep up with his speed was truly extraordinary.


    After Ji Ying''s breakthrough, its gaze lingered on Xu Hei, more lively than before.


    Xu Hei withdrew his gaze and spat out an object from the Void Stone, placing it on the ground.


    It was a storage bag belonging to Boss Liu, with a powerful seal on it that Xu Hei had never attempted to open.


    Xu Hei strongly suspected that the reason the other party targeted him, besides his hasty departure from the Sea Commerce Guild, was this storage bag.


    He dared not take the storage ring to avoid such troubles, but he was still targeted.


    "Still not cautious enough. From now on, whether it''s storage rings or storage bags, I can''t take them lightly. Who knows what kind of trouble they might bring?" Xu Hei sighed inwardly.


    In fact, Xu Hei overlooked one point.


    If he had taken the storage bag and immediately fled far away, never appearing before the other party, they would never have discovered him.


    But Xu Hei passed by in front of others, naturally drawing attention, which was the key factor.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and set up a sealing formation on the storage bag. Then, he spat out lightning, striking it with a blow.


    "Boom!!"


    The storage bag exploded, and a beam of blood-red light shot into the sky. Fortunately, Xu Hei was prepared, and the formation activated, intercepting the blood light.


    Ji Ying flashed by, devouring the blood light completely.


    "Despicable person, even in death, you won''t rest, still trying to harm me," Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    He didn''t know what the blood light was, but it was obviously not something good.


    Luckily, he almost suffered a great loss with Zhou Qing''s storage bag last time, which made him cautious this time. These were valuable experiences.


    Now, the storage bag was open, and its contents scattered on the ground.


    Xu Hei focused his gaze and was momentarily stunned.


    Inside the storage bag was a pile of magical treasures, totaling over a dozen, each one a third-tier treasure.


    Besides the Sea Demon Flute and Sword-Swallowing Gourd, there were also various other magical treasures like a zither, bell, umbrella, cauldron, fan, and armor, all bizarre and unseen before.


    Xu Hei casually tried a fan, and after refining it, discovered it was a third-tier intermediate magical treasure called the Iron Thread Fan, with hidden needles laced with poison, a deadly weapon.


    He also tried an ancient lamp named Dream Return, used for interrogating prisoners.


    Though most were third-tier intermediate treasures, with few third-tier advanced ones, and not very useful to Xu Hei, their variety might come in handy occasionally.


    Besides, what caught Xu Hei''s attention the most was.


    In this person''s storage bag, there was actually a jar filled with three hundred top-grade spirit stones.


    This was a fortune. Xu Hei''s top-grade spirit stone count had reached nine hundred!


    Xu Hei''s breath quickened.


    He took out another storage bag, this one belonging to the recently deceased Ye Lu. This person died too quickly to have tampered with the storage bag.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and, full of anticipation, opened the storage bag, scanning it with his Divine Sense. He skipped all miscellaneous items, heading straight for the spirit stone count.


    Top-grade spirit stones, one hundred and fifty!


    "Enough, a thousand top-grade spirit stones!" Xu Hei''s eyes shone brightly.


    He had planned to exchange for some top-grade spirit stones, but now it seemed unnecessary. He had already gathered a thousand, enough to unlock the next dragon clan secret technique.

 Chapter 332: Dragon Clans ultimate skill, dragons battle in the wild

    Chapter 332: Dragon Clan''s ultimate skill, dragons battle in the wildThe Ever-changing Fish and Dragon requires ten top-grade spirit stones, corresponding to the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    The Dragon Shatter Roar requires one hundred top-grade spirit stones, corresponding to the Core Formation Stage.


    According to tradition, the next dragon clan ultimate skill requires a thousand top-grade spirit stones, with a difficulty level corresponding to the Elemental Infant stage.


    Xu Hei had once used the Dragon Shatter Roar during the Foundation Establishment Stage, but it put too much strain on his bones and its power was mediocre. It wasn''t until his entire body transformed into dragon bones that the Dragon Shatter Roar made a breakthrough, gaining soul-shattering power.


    Xu Hei speculated that this dragon clan ultimate skill should follow a similar rule, requiring nine dragon veins to unleash its perfect power.


    "Let''s go!"


    Xu Hei directly swallowed the top-grade spirit stones, placing them near the Demon God Cauldron to let it absorb them.


    One after another... ten, a hundred... were completely absorbed by the Demon God Cauldron, leaving not a trace behind.


    Xu Hei wasn''t distressed at all. He knew how important the dragon clan ultimate skills were. He had repeatedly escaped danger thanks to the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon and the Dragon Shatter Roar.


    These were not magical treasures or consumables; they were ultimate skills that could accompany him for a lifetime.


    In no time, a thousand top-grade spirit stones were completely absorbed by Xu Hei.


    His years of savings vanished, but it was all worth it.


    "Buzz!"


    The Demon God Cauldron glowed, and waves of powerful thoughts surged into Xu Hei''s mind, countless pieces of information layered upon each other like waves of the sea, one after another.


    That familiar voice appeared once again.


    "Top-grade dragon clan ultimate skill, Dragon Battle in the Wild!"


    "Dragon Battle in the Wild, its blood is profound and yellow! A transformation-type divine ability, transforming into a dragon for a short time, possessing the power of a dragon..."


    "This divine ability has nine levels, each level grants the power of one dragon, nine levels grant the power of nine dragons, and when the nine dragons unite, they can rival the Ancestral Dragon!"


    "..."


    This time, Xu Hei took the time of a stick of incense to wake up, savoring the content he had acquired in his mind, feeling inexplicably shocked.


    A transformation divine ability, Dragon Battle in the Wild, could transform him into a dragon!


    Previously, it was just a spell, but this time, it became a divine ability, marking a qualitative change in its designation.


    Xu Hei knew what a divine ability was.


    A Dao technique with artistic conception could be called a divine ability, but Xu Hei had no artistic conception, and whether he could unleash the divine ability was also unknown.


    "Dragon Battle in the Wild, although I''ve comprehended this technique, using it is a big problem. Artistic conception... this is something only Elemental Infant cultivators need to comprehend, what do I have to comprehend it with?"


    Xu Hei found himself in a dilemma.


    With previous dragon clan ultimate skills, he had never encountered such problems, at most they were too consuming and had side effects, but now, even using them had become an issue.


    "Artistic conception, what exactly is artistic conception?" Xu Hei fell into deep thought. S§×ar?h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Artistic conception, so mysterious and profound! The Nightmare Demon Lord''s fear, Xu Fu''s Yehuo, the Twin City Lords'' twin life and death, these were the artistic conceptions he had learned about, but the information was too little to discern anything.


    If only Hei Huang were here, he could consult him about such advanced issues.


    But since they got separated on the Twin Islands last time, Hei Huang''s whereabouts were unknown.


    In any case, to use Dragon Battle in the Wild, artistic conception was essential, as it determined what kind of dragon he would become.


    Xu Hei sighed, planning to leave this place first and then make further plans.


    "Little Xu!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei heard a sharp voice.


    "Who!"


    Xu Hei shuddered, looking around in confusion, but saw no one.


    Little Xu, only Hei Huang would call him that, but the voice didn''t sound like the old dog''s!


    "Little Xu."


    Another voice came.


    Xu Hei''s gaze focused on Ji Ying, who was staring straight at him, the large eyes on its head spinning rapidly.


    "Little Xu."


    This time, Xu Hei heard it clearly, the voice was coming from Ji Ying. This insect produced sound by rubbing its legs, mimicking human language, and the sound was sharp and coarse.


    This made Xu Hei''s expression change unpredictably.


    This insect had devoured so many brains in succession and had broken through its cultivation, making great progress in intelligence.


    Of course, this progress didn''t seem like a good thing.


    "Who taught you to say that?" Xu Hei asked.


    Who taught it, did he even need to ask?


    Ji Ying continued rubbing, producing the sound again: "Little Xu."


    It only repeated this phrase back and forth.


    "Don''t call me that!" Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, then he said sternly, "Call me Master."


    "Little..." Ji Ying ignored him, about to continue speaking, but seeing Xu Hei''s cold gaze, ready to act, it changed its tune: "Little Hei."


    "Damn it, I''ll kill you!"


    Xu Hei lunged forward, grabbing Ji Ying and giving it a good thrashing, and Ji Ying quickly cried out: "Spare me, spare me, Master!"


    Only then did Xu Hei let go, and Ji Ying flew out, buzzing around Xu Hei like a fly, making ingratiating sounds.


    Xu Hei sighed helplessly. This Ji Ying was good, but it had a rebellious nature, not easy to control.


    Of course, Ji Ying had never disobeyed Xu Hei''s orders, that was the bottom line. As for what it said or thought, that was another matter.


    "Xu Hei, brain." Ji Ying''s voice came.


    Xu Hei knew what it meant, it wanted to eat brains.


    As for where to get them, did he even need to ask? Naturally, the Whale Hunting Gang!


    Of course, the Immortal Pavilion''s account would be settled sooner or later, but not now. He wasn''t foolish enough to confront a force with Elemental Infant stage backing head-on, that would be courting death.


    Although the Whale Hunting Gang was backed by the Sea Commerce Guild, Xu Hei was just going to cause some trouble, kill a few people.


    Even if the leader Ye Hai came after him, with Xu Hei''s current cultivation, even if he couldn''t win, he could retreat unscathed.


    Moreover, he was confident that if Ye Hai dared to chase him, once led to a deserted place, Xu Hei and Ji Ying together could definitely give Ye Hai a profound lesson, one he''d remember for a lifetime.


    The reason he didn''t dare to guarantee killing Ye Hai was because Xu Hei didn''t know what trump cards the other party had, what backup plans were prepared.


    Xu Hei was well aware of how terrifying the upper limit of someone at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core could be!


    Even in killing Ye Lu, Xu Hei had a lot of luck.


    There were still some powerful magical treasures in Ye Lu''s storage bag, unheard of, and just looking at them made Xu Hei a bit dizzy. The Divine Sense imprint on them, Xu Hei hadn''t removed yet, planning to study it later.


    With a thought, Xu Hei took out a passerby puppet, walked out of the cave dwelling, and came to the outside world.


    He walked to the edge of the polluted area, staring coldly at a large tree in the distance, and said, "Come out."


    "Whoosh!"


    The person behind the tree turned and ran, incredibly fast.


    Xu Hei''s puppet was even faster, leaping forward and landing in front of the person, who then stopped and cupped his fists towards Xu Hei: "Greetings, Senior!"


    The person before him wore a helmet and silver-white armor, with a robe engraved with a pattern of an immortal mountain, marking him as a guard of the Immortal Pavilion, a group of whom were in the first-floor hall.


    This guard had been following since Wang Qin was dragged out. It was just that his hiding ability was too good, never being discovered by those two.


    Even Xu Hei only sensed him at the moment of his breakthrough, through a vague feeling.


    Seeing Xu Hei staring at him without speaking, the guard smiled wryly, removed his mask, and revealed his true face.


    Seeing this familiar face, Xu Hei was stunned, it was him.

 Chapter 333: Whale Hunting Gang, Xu Hei takes advantage of the chaos

    Chapter 333: Whale Hunting Gang, Xu Hei takes advantage of the chaos"Why are you here?" Xu Hei asked, puzzled.


    The guard was none other than the False Core cultivator, Liu Buqun.


    How did such an utterly mediocre person join the Immortal Pavilion as a guard? And how long had he been lurking here unnoticed?


    His concealment technique was so effective that even Xu Hei almost failed to detect him.


    "Senior, it''s like this..."


    Liu Buqun forced a bitter smile and recounted everything in detail, from their departure from Snake Village to their arrival on the island, leaving nothing out.


    After listening, Xu Hei suddenly understood. It was Tianji Shangren who had brought them here.


    Tianji Shangren never granted favors without reason; he must have some ulterior motive. But Xu Hei had no interest in getting involved.


    His encounter with the Wang siblings was merely by chance. Saving Wang Qin today was just a matter of convenience. Ye Lu and his companion were after him, and Wang Qin was merely an innocent caught in the crossfire.


    The rest would be left to fate; he would not interfere.


    Xu Hei returned to his cave dwelling and brought out the unconscious Wang Qin.


    "Since you''re together, I''ll leave her to you. Farewell!"


    Xu Hei placed Wang Qin on the ground, and with a flash, he soared into the sky, disappearing beyond the horizon.


    He didn''t know what Liu Buqun was plotting. This man was ruthless and not to be trusted, but it was none of his business. He couldn''t keep Wang Qin by his side to protect her at all times; leaving her with someone else was the best option.


    Wang Qin had a life-saving jade talisman left by him, which could be activated once, along with a watermelon to improve her constitution. That was the extent of what Xu Hei could do.


    Liu Buqun stood motionless until Xu Hei completely vanished, then he let out a long sigh of relief.


    Back then, he could still contend with Xu Hei, and even if he couldn''t win, he could escape. But now, he didn''t even have the chance to flee.


    Xu Hei had reached mid-stage Core Formation and could kill Ye Lu across realms, ranking in the top ten of the bounty list.


    Meanwhile, Liu Buqun was still stuck at the False Core Stage, stagnant.


    Most cultivators'' lives were like this¡ªmediocre, stuck at a certain realm, becoming nameless guards or passersby, forgotten after death.


    Liu Buqun collected his thoughts, put on his helmet to conceal his face, and once again became an unremarkable guard.


    He picked up Wang Qin and headed towards the Immortal Pavilion.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei flew at full speed, quickly leaving the back mountain of the Immortal Pavilion.


    As soon as he arrived outside, he saw many cultivators rushing in one direction¡ªtowards the western bay.


    Along the way, people were chattering excitedly about the Whale Hunting Gang being attacked and sea beasts assaulting the city.


    "Oh? Such a fortunate event?" Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, and he immediately headed for the western bay.


    Before long, more and more people gathered outside the Whale Hunting Gang''s territory, all rogue cultivators waiting to pick up scraps.


    Xu Hei arrived at a lighthouse, its height perfect for him to see the distant scene clearly.


    In the bay ahead, a storm raged, lightning flashed, and thunder roared. The sea was littered with shipwrecks and body parts.


    Some bold rogue cultivators took the opportunity to dive into the sea, scavenging for bodies and treasures, or sneaking into some dilapidated docks to find anything useful.


    The Whale Hunting Gang''s territory was in ruins, with over a dozen docks utterly destroyed.


    "Fellow Daoist, what happened here? Could you tell me?" Xu Hei approached an old fisherman and handed him ten Spirit Stones.


    The old man, wearing a raincoat and a bamboo hat, holding a fishing rod, seemed to have been fishing for a long time.


    He glanced at Xu Hei, accepted the Spirit Stones, and a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes. He smiled and said, "Heh, the Whale Hunting Gang provoked a bunch of lunatics. The docks were completely dismantled, and those lunatics ran off."


    "Lunatics..." Xu Hei frowned.


    "The Sea Serpent Clan, Dolphin Clan, and a group of killer whales joined forces to ambush the Whale Hunting Gang, killing and destroying everything before fleeing. The core members of the Whale Hunting Gang chased after them. That''s all there is to it!" The old man chuckled.


    Xu Hei glanced at the scene ahead, roughly guessing the situation, and cupped his hands in thanks. "Thank you for the information."


    With that, Xu Hei leaped into the sea, joining the treasure-hunting crowd.


    The old man watched Xu Hei, shook his head, and paid no further attention.


    At this moment, more and more cultivators were searching for treasures in the bay. Besides the rogue cultivators, even members of the eight major forces joined in.


    The Whale Hunting Gang''s ships, docks, and the bodies of dead cultivators were all up for grabs, with plenty of valuable items.


    Especially for low-level cultivators, picking up a bit of trash could sustain them for years. If they got lucky and found a Core Formation cultivator''s storage bag, they''d strike it rich.


    The sea beasts came and went quickly, leaving the bodies and treasures untouched.


    After diving into the sea, Xu Hei withdrew his disguise, revealing his true form. He spread his Divine Sense and began treasure hunting.


    Compared to others, Xu Hei''s greatest advantage was his extensive Divine Sense range, allowing him to easily locate Core Formation cultivators'' storage bags.


    Of course, his main goal was to satisfy Ji Ying''s appetite.


    "Whoosh!"


    Ji Ying flew out, devouring the head of a corpse instantly before pouncing on the next one.


    There were plenty of bodies here, not just from the Whale Hunting Gang but also some rogue cultivators who killed each other over treasures.


    Ji Ying wouldn''t spare any corpse, moving swiftly and leaving headless bodies in her wake.


    Ji Ying now had some intelligence and avoided living people, only consuming corpses to avoid trouble.


    Xu Hei entered a dilapidated dock, only to find it had already been looted.


    Looking around, apart from the yet-to-be-breached Dock One, only Docks Two and Three still had people fighting over them. Sear?h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, and he swam towards Dock Two.


    At this moment, inside Dock Two.


    "Hand over your storage bags! I am Xie Yunfei, an elder of the Whale Hunting Gang. Everything obtained here belongs to the Whale Hunting Gang. Otherwise, you''ll be killed without mercy!"


    Xie Yunfei blocked the entrance to a warehouse, glaring coldly at the group of cultivators fighting inside.


    Inside the warehouse, everyone exchanged glances.


    The Whale Hunting Gang''s high-ranking members had all chased after the attackers, even an Ancestor in seclusion had gone out. Who would have thought there was still an elder here?


    "Xie Yunfei, you''re just a guest elder. Why pretend? Why not join us, loot these docks, leave the Whale Hunting Gang, and enjoy freedom alone? Wouldn''t that be wonderful?" an old man with white hair laughed.


    "Boom!!"


    Without a word, Xie Yunfei struck with a palm, sending a massive hand of true essence crashing down. The old man''s face changed dramatically, and just as he was about to retreat, a steel bead shot like lightning into his skull.


    The old man fell to the ground, dead with his eyes wide open.


    The others'' faces changed drastically, and they dared not hesitate any longer, quickly placing their treasures on the ground, ready to leave.


    "Don''t forget your storage bags!" Xie Yunfei sneered.


    "Xie Yunfei, don''t push it. Everything we got from the Whale Hunting Gang is here, and you still want more..."


    One person shouted angrily, but before he could finish, a bloody hole appeared in his forehead, and he fell to the ground, dead.


    Everyone was struck with fear, their faces pale.

 Chapter 334: Xiao Hei, you are really a dog

    Chapter 334: Xiao Hei, you are really a dogAs long as anyone dared to say no, they would be slaughtered. Xie Yunfei was utterly lawless! Wasn''t he afraid of making enemies?


    "Xie Yunfei, I am from the Clear Water Sect..."


    Another person tried to leverage their status from one of the eight major forces, but still couldn''t escape death, a bloody hole appearing in their forehead.


    Now, no one dared to speak.


    Everyone obediently handed over their storage bags, which Xie Yunfei collected one by one. Some tried to be sly, transferring their treasures and only handing over a small portion, but Xie Yunfei saw through them and killed them on the spot.


    After several rounds, no one could escape; all handed over their treasures.


    A smug smile crept onto Xie Yunfei''s lips as he headed straight for Dock Number Three.


    Xu Hei hid in the seawater, silently observing the scene, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes.


    "Hmph, what a small world."


    Xu Hei didn''t act rashly; this person was adept at escaping. If he attacked directly, he might not be able to keep him.


    Xu Hei planned to set a trap in the water to lure him in, giving him a better chance of success.


    Before that, he would wait for Xie Yunfei to gather more treasures, let him be laden with loot, and then catch him all at once to maximize the benefits.


    Xu Hei used Hei Huang''s disguise set to conceal his aura completely, ensuring no one could detect him. He quietly appeared at Dock Number Three, waiting patiently.


    Before long, Xie Yunfei repeated his trick, looting Dock Number Three as well.


    The number of people he had robbed exceeded a hundred, all seething with anger but not daring to voice it.


    This was the territory of the Whale Hunting Gang. They were already in the wrong for coming to someone else''s territory to steal, relying on their numbers and the fact that the law wouldn''t punish them all. If the experts of the Whale Hunting Gang were present, they wouldn''t dare act like this.


    After being continuously robbed by Xie Yunfei, the number of people here dwindled as they fled to avoid being targeted by him.


    Xie Yunfei''s lips curled into a cold smile. He found an empty room, applied an Invisibility Talisman, and smeared dust to erase his aura before heading to the sea, leaping in.


    "Hmm?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened.


    Did he just deliver himself?


    He had just set up the formation, pondering how to lure Xie Yunfei into the water, and here he came directly!


    What a perfect place to choose!


    It seemed this person had no intention of returning the treasures to the Whale Hunting Gang and planned to escape through the water, keeping all the treasures for himself.


    Truly audacious, turning from a bounty hunter to a wanted criminal.


    "An interesting person! Today, I''ll give you a grand gift!"


    Xu Hei coldly smiled, eyes filled with excitement.


    At this moment, Xie Yunfei was swimming in the water, feeling quite pleased, stealthily heading overseas at full speed.


    Suddenly, he crashed into an invisible wall with a loud "thud," and in an instant, countless formation patterns emerged in the water, converging towards him.


    These formations were meticulously set up by Xu Hei, inspired by the eighty-one linked formations used by Blood Vengeance.


    Xu Hei had only set up nine; once one was triggered, the other eight would follow in succession, forming a chain, leaving no escape.


    Xie Yunfei''s expression changed slightly, immediately locking onto the approaching Xu Hei, exclaiming in shock, "It''s you?"


    Without a word, Xu Hei activated the Diamond Suppression Technique and took out the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, intending to use all his means to kill him in one strike.


    In terms of attack power, Xu Hei believed that if someone took his full-force blow, even at the Great Perfection of the Golden Core, they would meet their end.


    "Ji Ying, go!"


    Simultaneously, Xu Hei gave a low shout, and Ji Ying quickly arrived, hovering in the distance.


    But strangely, Ji Ying merely watched silently from afar, eyes fixed on Xie Yunfei, a look of confusion flashing through them, not rushing forward.


    "Ji Ying?"


    Xu Hei was puzzled, but there was no time to think. A small black dot appeared on his horn, and the seawater was frantically sucked in, creating a terrifying pull, even causing the space to contract. Xu Hei''s figure flashed as he charged towards Xie Yunfei.


    "Fuck, are you serious?"


    Xie Yunfei suddenly cursed, waving his hands repeatedly, instantly breaking Xu Hei''s nine formations, then turned and fled.


    Seeing the dazzling array of formation-breaking techniques, Xu Hei was momentarily stunned.


    These formations were meticulously set up by him; how could they be broken so easily?


    As Xie Yunfei fled, he discarded his clothes and pants, his body sprouting dense black fur, his body shrinking, limbs bending, and a tail growing from behind.


    In the blink of an eye, he transformed into a big black dog. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The scene fell into dead silence.


    "I... damn..."


    Xu Hei''s eyes almost popped out, utterly speechless.


    He blinked hard, finally confirming he wasn''t mistaken; this damn person had turned into a dog!


    What the hell, was this a joke? After all this time, it was a mix-up?


    Xu Hei stood there dumbfounded, scrutinizing up and down, inside and out, for a long time, finally confirming, this was the old dog, no mistake! It really was him!


    "Little Xu, you''ve got guts, haven''t seen you for a few days, and you''ve learned to betray your master, huh? I haven''t treated you poorly!" Hei Huang cursed from afar.


    Xu Hei stared at the furious Hei Huang, momentarily at a loss for words.


    His mind was a jumbled mess, taking a long time to sort out his thoughts.


    The old dog had turned into Xie Yunfei, swindling and robbing everyone''s storage bags, framing the real Xie Yunfei.


    "Are you Hei Huang?" Xu Hei asked.


    "No shit!" Hei Huang cursed.


    "Then where''s Xie Yunfei?" Xu Hei asked again.


    "He ran off!" Hei Huang crossed his arms and said, "After he left the Immortal Pavilion and heard about the Whale Hunting Gang, he bolted without hesitation."


    Xu Hei was speechless.


    He was puzzled as to how a bounty hunter could be so bold, making enemies everywhere, killing without blinking, even daring to offend the eight major forces. Turns out it was a dog in disguise.


    I may not be you, but you are truly a dog.


    Xu Hei felt ashamed of his own lack of cunning compared to this dog. Who would have thought it was him?


    "Xiao Hei, Xiao Hei."


    Ji Ying was calling excitedly from afar.


    "How did you turn into a human?" Xu Hei ignored Ji Ying and asked curiously.


    Hei Huang gave a meaningful smile, taking out a pill and showing it off, "Here! Your wife developed the Transformation Pill, it''s starting to work, allowing short-term transformation into a human."


    "My wife?" Xu Hei frowned.


    "You know who I''m talking about, don''t play dumb," Hei Huang said.


    "..." Xu Hei immediately fell silent, only speaking after a long pause, "Xu Bai is just my sister."


    "Heh."


    Hei Huang just sneered.


    His gaze shifted to the largest Dock Number One and said, "Since you''re here, I''ll change the plan. See that largest Dock Number One?"

 Chapter 335: Bad idea, Xu Hei was severely persecuted

    Chapter 335: Bad idea, Xu Hei was severely persecutedAt Pier One, the core of the Whale Hunting Gang, it was the largest and most profitable pier.


    Xu Hei glanced at Pier One. Although it had been attacked, the formation remained intact, the internal facilities were complete, and several merchant ships were docked at the pier. The members of the Whale Hunting Gang who hadn''t pursued the attackers were mostly concentrated at Pier One, working together to maintain the formation and prevent sneak attacks.


    As soon as Xu Hei heard Hei Huang''s words, he knew what he was plotting.


    "I didn''t see anything," Xu Hei shook his head.


    "No, you saw it."


    "I really didn''t see anything."


    "You want to make a big score, don''t you?" Hei Huang sneered.


    "No, I don''t want to," Xu Hei shook his head again.


    Even the Sea Beast coalition couldn''t break through Pier One and were driven away, while the Whale Hunting Gang didn''t stop the rogue cultivators from fighting over the treasures. All their forces were concentrated at Pier One, jointly defending it.


    It was clear they were abandoning the small to protect the big.


    If Xu Hei attacked Pier One and the experts outside found out and returned early, what would happen if he got caught?


    The risk was too great unless Xu Hei was out of his mind and looking for death to charge at Pier One.


    "Xu Hei, don''t you need resources for cultivation? Setting up a formation requires spirit stones, sailing a ship requires spirit stones, talisman crafting and pill refining all require spirit stones. How many spirit stones do you have to squander?"


    "Besides, don''t you need spirit stones to get married in the future? With your current poor state, no land, no money, no status or background, who would want to be with you..."


    Hei Huang started a long-winded speech.


    "Damn it, just tell me, how confident are you?" Xu Hei cursed.


    "With you and me together, ninety percent!"


    "I don''t believe you. Last time you said ninety percent at the Purple Mist Sect, and we almost died."


    "That was an accident."


    "......"


    After a heated debate, Xu Hei had nothing more to say.


    He was indeed persuaded.


    Having acquired the third dragon clan secret technique, Xu Hei''s top-grade spirit stones were completely depleted, and he only had three hundred thousand lower-grade spirit stones left, which were the remainder from buying the cave dwelling.


    Xu Hei was a big consumer of spirit stones, using the Diamond Suppression Technique, refining a puppet, and setting up formations all required a massive amount of spirit stones.


    Although he had heavy oil, which could substitute for spirit stones, it was too polluting, causing large areas of land to become barren and easily attracting attention. If people knew he could ignore the pollution of heavy oil, it would definitely cause big trouble.


    He indeed needed resources.


    Xu Hei said, "Tell me your plan!"


    "It''s simple! You keep chasing me, and I''ll run towards Pier One..."


    "...after it''s done, we''ll split fifty-fifty!" Hei Huang explained the plan.


    After hearing it, Xu Hei found it reasonable and said, "No time to lose, let''s act now."


    The two demons acted swiftly, immediately devising a detailed route, from the start to how to escape after dividing the loot, every step was meticulously planned.


    Especially in terms of escape, at Xu Hei''s strong insistence, Hei Huang set up three Minor Teleportation Formations specifically for escaping.


    Hei Huang was helpless; one was enough, but three were demanded, which was simply wasteful! But to ensure Xu Hei''s cooperation, he had no choice but to comply.


    And just as Hei Huang took out the Transformation Pill, preparing to consume it.


    Suddenly, on the distant horizon, a large group of figures appeared, approaching this place.


    They were all members of the Whale Hunting Gang, about a dozen people, each with more or less injuries, their faces extremely tense, looking like they had just experienced a fierce battle.


    "They actually came back?" Xu Hei was stunned.


    "So soon?" Hei Huang was equally dumbfounded.


    At the same time, Xu Hei suddenly felt an inexplicable sense of danger.


    Xu Hei''s scalp tingled, feeling a chill running from his spine to the top of his head, his pupils contracted, and every part of his body was sounding alarms.


    Danger! Danger! Danger!


    Following his intuition, he saw on the coast, at Pier One, a middle-aged man in fine clothes standing there at some point. sea??h th§× Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The man had a dignified appearance, a handsome figure, a gentle and elegant demeanor, holding a cup of tea, smiling as he looked at Xu Hei.


    One in the sea, one on the shore, they exchanged glances across the distance.


    The elegant cultivator raised a smile, drank the tea in his cup in one gulp.


    At that moment, Xu Hei''s mind buzzed with a roaring sound, and without hesitation, he activated the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, transforming into a beam of light, instantly rushing towards the Minor Teleportation Formation!


    "Damn! We''ve been discovered!"


    Xu Hei instantly arrived at the teleportation formation, Hei Huang was even faster, reaching it simultaneously, and Ji Ying was the quickest, already diving into Xu Hei''s dragon scales.


    At this moment, as the man finished his tea, a captivating aroma spread from the pier, permeating the seawater.


    In that instant, all the fish in the sea fell into a trance, and Xu Hei felt his mind go blank, a sense of blissful euphoria as if he wanted to give up resistance, abandon all struggle, his body and mind at unprecedented peace, wanting to head towards the middle-aged cultivator.


    "Wake up!"


    Hei Huang shouted, and Xu Hei suddenly snapped back to reality, seeing the light of teleportation already enveloping him.


    "Since you''re here, make yourself at home!"


    The elegant cultivator on the shore chuckled softly.


    The Minor Teleportation Formation beneath Xu Hei seemed to be influenced by some kind of intent, instantly exploding into nothingness.


    However, the Minor Teleportation Formation here was layered three times, only one was damaged, and the other two activated simultaneously, covering Hei Huang and Xu Hei with spatial fluctuations.


    In the blink of an eye, the spatial fluctuation flashed, and the two demons disappeared into the seabed, vanishing without a trace.


    "Escaped?"


    The elegant cultivator''s expression froze, his teacup shaking slightly.


    "I actually miscalculated again, there was another person just now, who was it?"


    His brows furrowed in thought.


    But no matter what happened, this person remained calm, like a still pond. He took out a fan and gently waved it, with the words written on it: "Tranquility leads to far-reaching, adapt to circumstances."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, outside the bay, within a hundred-mile radius.


    A crack appeared in the space, and two battered demonic beast figures emerged from the seabed.


    Xu Hei crawled out, glaring at the black dog beside him, cursing, "Damn it! Is this your so-called ninety percent confidence?"


    Hei Huang squatted at the seabed, his dog paw propping up his chin, grinning sheepishly, "Didn''t we just hit that ten percent? What''s the big deal?"


    "You..."


    Xu Hei was at a loss for words.


    Fortunately, they set up three teleportation formations, and fortunately, they took their time. If they had gone up earlier and got caught at the pier, who knows what would have happened!


    This old dog was too unreliable, almost got them into trouble again.


    Every time it was ninety percent success, every time it was a life-and-death crisis. Last time they at least gained something, this time they got nothing, caught right at the start.


    "Wait a minute, why was the green tea guy from the Sea Commerce Guild here? It seemed like he came specifically for you?"


    Hei Huang stared at Xu Hei, scrutinizing him for a while, and asked suspiciously, "Did you do something to anger someone?"


    "What green tea guy?" Xu Hei retorted.

 Chapter 336: Many enemies, special recruitment order for the Penglai Sea

    Chapter 336: Many enemies, special recruitment order for the Penglai Sea"He¡¯s the one holding a teacup on the shore, clearly targeting you!" Hei Huang explained.


    Li Yuan¡¯an, the chief steward of the Sea Commerce Guild, at the mid-stage of the Elemental Infant, has mastered the essence of tea, known as Mr. Li. His name is derived from the phrase "tranquility leads to far-reaching, adapting to circumstances with ease."


    The Whale Hunting Gang was supported by him, bringing him considerable income every year.


    "People like him usually don''t bother with the trivial matters of the Eight Great Powers unless it''s a massacre. Even if a family is wiped out, he can support another. How did you provoke him?" Hei Huang asked, puzzled.


    Xu Hei''s mind raced with thoughts.


    If he had offended him, it was indeed true.


    Boss Liu was Li Yuan¡¯an''s subordinate, and Xu Hei had killed him.


    Moreover, Boss Liu had a storage ring, which was likely Li Yuan¡¯an''s, and Xu Hei had sent it far away using a formation.


    However, with the abilities of someone at the mid-stage of the Elemental Infant, retrieving it wouldn''t be difficult.


    Later, two more people chased Xu Hei to the entrance of his cave dwelling, likely arranged by that man, only to be killed by Xu Hei in return.


    "That''s all, it''s not a big deal, no need to go to such lengths," Xu Hei said helplessly.


    "That''s not a big deal?" Hei Huang exclaimed, wide-eyed.


    Xu Hei looked over, puzzled.


    "Do you know where that storage ring ended up?" Hei Huang asked.


    "What?" Xu Hei quickly inquired. S§×ar?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hei Huang chuckled sinisterly, "Heh, that storage ring was reportedly swept away by a sea tornado, picked up by a small sect. They couldn''t open it, so they handed it to a Core Formation cultivator. That cultivator also couldn''t open it and sold it to the local black market. After several twists and turns, it was bought by an Elemental Infant stage cultivator."


    "The green tea man went through a lot of trouble, offending many people to get it back. Do you think he wouldn''t come after you?"


    "......"


    Xu Hei was left speechless.


    He hadn''t done anything, just sent away a storage ring, and ended up in such a mess. Who could have foreseen this?


    "I was wondering why that man''s storage ring ended up so far away. Turns out it was you, kid!" Hei Huang said, somewhat gloating.


    "Let''s get out of here, it''s not safe to stay!" Xu Hei didn''t want to linger here too long. This place was only a hundred miles from Star Island, and if the other side discovered him, they could catch up at any time.


    Hearing this, Hei Huang took out an underwater submarine. Xu Hei jumped on board, and the vessel spewed exhaust, speeding off into the distance at an incredible pace.


    Along the way, Hei Huang inquired about Xu Hei''s experiences, and Xu Hei recounted everything truthfully.


    From being captured by the Nightmare Demon Lord to digging heavy oil in the Sea Eye, he left nothing out.


    Hei Huang confirmed that Old Master and Lin Ziye were indeed led there by him, ostensibly to save Bai Qiushui, but in reality, also to rescue Xu Hei.


    Hei Huang took out a jade plaque and began engraving on it.


    "What''s this?" Xu Hei asked.


    "These are the names of your enemies."


    Hei Huang wrote down: Xu Fu, Nightmare Demon Lord, Blood Vengeance, Ye Hai, Li Yuan¡¯an, Xie Yunfei...


    Unknowingly, Xu Hei had offended so many people, all eager to kill him.


    Xu Hei felt a headache coming on.


    Then, as if not satisfied, Hei Huang added Xu Qingzhi''s name, laughing, "The head of the Snake Catchers Sect appeared on Twin Islands earlier, also to kill you."


    Xu Hei was completely dumbfounded.


    What had he done to offend so many people?


    Could he not just cultivate in peace?


    Moreover, his appearance was now on the bounty list, and any rogue cultivator who saw him might be tempted to kill.


    "Does this mean that as soon as I show my face, I could be chased down at any moment, just like today, endlessly on the run?" Xu Hei said with a bitter expression.


    "You do understand your situation!" Hei Huang said, gloating.


    Xu Hei was at a loss, asking, "Is there any way out?"


    At this, Hei Huang gave a meaningful smile.


    "There is a way to break this situation!"


    Saying this, he took out a token and slapped it onto the deck.


    This token was different from ordinary jade, made from the scales of a certain sea beast, with a carving of a whale on it.


    Xu Hei immediately looked over.


    "This is a special recruitment token for the Penglai Sea. With this token, you can join the Penglai Sea. As long as you pass the assessment, you can choose any branch as your mentor. By then, with backing, no one will dare to provoke you, and the bounty will remove your name!" Hei Huang said.


    Xu Hei stared at the scale, his eyes flickering as he fell into a long silence.


    In his life, he had never joined any faction, always a rogue cultivator, free and unrestrained.


    He was used to freedom, and if not for being targeted by so many people, he would never consider joining any sect.


    But now, he had no better choice.


    Having backing versus not having backing, Xu Hei deeply understood the difference. Just like that day, after getting off the whaling ship, Ye Hai dared to chase a stronger him but didn''t dare to touch Hai Meng and Boqi. That was the disparity!


    "What kind of place is the Penglai Sea, and how is it related to Penglai Island?" Xu Hei asked.


    Hei Huang began to speak at length.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Time flew by.


    The underwater vessel moved extremely fast, and Star Island had already disappeared into the distance. They were rapidly approaching a vast, unknown sea area.


    The Penglai Sea, isolated from the world, shrouded in spiritual qi, possessed the concentration of spiritual qi only found in ancient times, a paradise for cultivators, a holy land for the cultivation of demonic beasts.


    Without the guidance of an immortal, it was impossible to enter.


    Even if someone passed by, they would be completely unaware.


    On this day, outside the Penglai Sea.


    On a reef, a seagull lay languidly, dozing off, drooling at the mouth, seemingly having a sweet dream.


    Suddenly, the seagull opened its eyes, staring at the sea horizon. A horned serpent appeared from the sea, swimming towards this place.


    The serpent was about twenty meters long, its upper body exposed above the sea, head held high, gazing at him.


    The seagull frowned but still appeared lazy, saying, "Who are you?"


    "I¡¯m here to participate in the Penglai Sea recruitment," Xu Hei said respectfully.


    "The recruitment period ended over a month ago. You''re late!" the seagull said.


    Xu Hei, unhurried, spat out a token.


    "A special recruitment token?"


    The seagull squinted its eyes, grabbed the token from a distance, carefully examined Xu Hei, and muttered to itself, "Mid-stage demon core, mediocre cultivation, doesn''t look like a sea serpent, strange!"


    The special recruitment token could only be issued by elders, used to recruit promising talents, allowing them to join even outside the recruitment period, following the normal assessment procedures.


    But Xu Hei didn''t seem like a promising talent.


    After a brief contemplation, Xu Hei took out a potato-shaped spirit medicine and handed it over.


    Seeing the potato, the seagull''s eyes lit up, immediately swallowing it whole, patting its belly, and smiling, "You''re quite savvy, follow me!"


    With a flap of its wings, the scenery ahead twisted, and a phantom door appeared centered on the reef, seemingly leading to another space, and it flew directly in.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and followed closely behind the seagull, entering the phantom door.

 Chapter 337: Penglai Sea, Xu Hei enters the sect examination

    Chapter 337: Penglai Sea, Xu Hei enters the sect examination"Follow my steps closely. It''s easy to leave the Penglai Sea, but hard to enter. One wrong step, and you''ll be trapped for a year," the seagull warned.


    Xu Hei, having no feet, could only crawl slowly behind the seagull.


    At this moment, they were in a world filled with dense fog, where one couldn''t see their own hand. This was the natural formation of the Penglai Sea, left from ancient times and never broken.


    There was no sound around, except for the patter of the seagull''s footsteps and the rustling of Xu Hei''s crawling.


    The seagull broke the silence, "Why aren''t you talking? Aren''t you curious about my name?"


    Xu Hei quickly asked, "May I ask for your name, demon brother?"


    "I''m Lei Ou, known as the Mountain Perching Seagull," the seagull replied.


    "I''m Xu Hei," he said.


    "I''m not interested in your name. Just remember to bring me potatoes next time, cut into strips and preferably fried. Swallowing a whole one nearly choked me to death," Lei Ou said.


    Xu Hei was speechless and could only nod.


    Fried... he wondered if Lei Ou would eat them deep-fried.


    After about the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth suddenly became dense. Just a casual breath was equivalent to ten breaths of cultivation in the outside world.


    Moreover, this Spiritual Qi was very pure and easier to absorb, unlike the impure Qi outside. Living here, even a mortal could live a long life.


    For a cultivator, cultivating here would yield twice the result with half the effort, making it easier to achieve the legendary perfect Foundation Establishment and perfect Core Formation!


    At this moment, the dense fog completely dissipated, and when Xu Hei saw the scene ahead, he was stunned.


    The sea ahead shimmered with a blue-green hue, with many algae growing, stretching as far as the eye could see.


    The water wasn''t deep, allowing the sea floor''s plants to be visible. Sunlight reflected off the sea surface, creating a magnificent, dreamlike scene.


    The sky was a boundless blue, with many small islands floating on the sea or suspended in the air. Cranes and seagulls danced together, koi swam freely, and various rare and exotic beasts lived on the islands.


    Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    He had never seen such a fairyland in his life, as if living in a dream, and the scene greatly shocked him.


    Lei Ou glanced at Xu Hei, who looked like a country bumpkin, and laughed, "Heh, this is just the outer area of the Penglai Sea, inhabited by local wild species. The true core area is further ahead."


    Xu Hei nodded and followed Lei Ou forward.


    Passing through the outer area, Xu Hei''s mood gradually calmed. There were especially many islands here, both in the sky and sea, numbering at least over three thousand, each home to a considerable population of creatures.


    Compared to the harshness of the outside world, this place was paradise.


    A snake born outside would face life and death tests as soon as it hatched, but here, just breathing could increase one''s cultivation, and spirit beasts were at least at the Spirit Communion Stage.


    The difference was simply too great!


    Xu Hei suddenly regretted not coming here sooner.


    Before long, under Lei Ou''s guidance, Xu Hei arrived at a flat island. This island had formations set up, with no signs of spirit beasts living there, distinctly different from other islands.


    "This is the assessment island," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    The facilities of the Penglai Sea were composed of islands, essentially similar to human sects. sea??h th§× NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Another newcomer?"


    "Hasn''t the enrollment period passed? Why is someone here for assessment again?"


    "Must be a connection of some elder, afraid to come during the official time for fear of embarrassment, sneaking in like that phoenix bird the other day."


    Whispers came from the nearby sea, from a group of turtles. They didn''t hide, and Xu Hei could clearly hear their conversation.


    Two days ago, a phoenix bird with extremely poor talent joined the Turtle lineage through connections, earning their disdain.


    Lei Ou thought the same but didn''t care about Xu Hei''s talent, as long as he brought potatoes.


    "Elder Mo, the special recruit has been brought. I take my leave!"


    Lei Ou bowed to the front and then left.


    Xu Hei landed and arrived at the center of the island, where there was a cave. Unexpectedly, an old Flood Dragon was coiled there.


    The length of this Flood Dragon was unknown, with most of its body hidden in the cave, only its head exposed. It was unclear how many years it had lived, as its skin was nearly bald, looking listless like an elderly person.


    It was Xu Hei''s first time encountering a living Flood Dragon, and he couldn''t help but scrutinize it.


    Only when the old Flood Dragon raised its head did Xu Hei retract his gaze.


    "Name," Elder Mo said.


    "Xu Hei."


    Elder Mo gestured to the stone pillars beside him, "See these stone pillars? Test each one."


    With that, he closed his eyes and lay back down, snoring like thunder.


    Xu Hei''s figure flickered, arriving in front of the first stone pillar.


    This was the first stone pillar, testing age.


    Xu Hei hadn''t been cultivating for long, less than five years, but before he gained awareness, he had lived for countless years and was already an old snake.


    "Buzz!"


    The stone pillar lit up with eighteen lights, indicating his age of eighteen.


    This was about what Xu Hei expected.


    "Eighteen years old, mid-stage of the demon core, slightly above average."


    Elder Mo gave an evaluation in his heart.


    In the outside world, this was already an impressive talent, but in the Penglai Sea, it was only slightly above average.


    After all, with someone like Hai Teng, who reached the late stage of the demon core at ten, Xu Hei seemed quite ordinary. Otherwise, in previous years, Xu Hei would have been considered a genius.


    The second stone pillar tested spiritual roots.


    Xu Hei leaned against it, and the pillar lit up with a colorful glow, with the brown of the Earth Spiritual Root being particularly dazzling, while the other roots were also impressive.


    "Five Elemental Spiritual Roots, exceptional Earth Spiritual Root..."


    Elder Mo fell silent.


    He didn''t know how to evaluate it, only that it was suitable for living on land, not in the sea.


    The third stone pillar tested the purity of True Qi.


    This assessed whether one had achieved perfect Foundation Establishment and perfect Core Formation, and in this aspect, Xu Hei was definitely at a full-score level.


    However, Xu Hei didn''t plan to show it. He broke down his true essence, releasing only a tiny bit into the pillar.


    The pillar lit up with white light.


    "White True Qi, poor! But considering this snake formed its core outside, it''s understandable," Elder Mo thought to himself.


    The demonic beasts of the Penglai Sea, if not all achieving perfect Core Formation, at least half had light blue true essence.


    Hai Teng, needless to say, already had purple true essence, terrifyingly strong!


    For some reason, every time Elder Mo saw a snake demon, he would subconsciously compare it to Hai Teng, which undoubtedly lowered Xu Hei''s evaluation in his heart.


    In fact, Xu Hei was already considered qualified overall.


    The fourth and fifth stone pillars tested physical strength and True Qi control, respectively, to see if one was suited for a body cultivation or a magic cultivation path.


    With Xu Hei holding back, he barely passed.


    Although Hei Huang advised him to be more high-profile and showcase his talent, Xu Hei didn''t want to attract attention and preferred to develop quietly.


    Xu Hei''s wish was simple: as long as he could cultivate here without being disturbed, that would be enough.

 Chapter 338: Want to be low-key, but my strength wont allow it

    Chapter 338: Want to be low-key, but my strength won''t allow it"Sigh, another one with connections."


    Elder Mo shook his head in disappointment.


    Two days ago, a special recruit came for testing, and most of them failed. They ended up pleading for sympathy, and in the end, the Turtle lineage took them in.


    Xu Hei was only slightly stronger than that phoenix bird.


    If he rated the phoenix bird at fifty points, Xu Hei would be sixty.


    "I''ve reported your assessment results. You can stay here for a day to see if any lineage is willing to take you in. If no one does, you have one chance to recommend yourself. If still no one accepts you, you may leave on your own."


    Elder Mo took out a token and transmitted Xu Hei''s information.


    In the Penglai Sea, there are six major lineages: the Whale lineage, the Turtle lineage, the Sea Serpent lineage, the Roc lineage, the Shark lineage, and the Toad lineage.


    Of course, names are just names. In reality, true whales in the Whale lineage are few, mostly dolphins and squids mixed together.


    This is because the immortal spells of this lineage were passed down from ancient giant whales, hence the name Whale lineage.


    The same logic applies to the other lineages.


    The six lineages are equivalent to the six main peaks of human sects, each peak with its own unique immortal spells.


    Xu Hei might be chosen by any lineage, or none at all.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the eastern part of the Penglai Sea, within the Sea Serpent lineage.


    A golden-ringed sea serpent lay lazily on the beach, basking in the sun, when suddenly there was movement on the communication talisman.


    Elder Jin glanced at the token, seeing Xu Hei''s name and assessment information.


    "Xu Hei? Why does that sound familiar?"


    Elder Jin pondered for a while and suddenly remembered that a name often mentioned by Hai Teng seemed to be Xu Hei.


    But looking at the assessment results, it was just barely passing, extremely mediocre.


    "Should I take him in for a look?"


    After considering for a moment, Elder Jin decided to inform Hai Teng of this news first and see his reaction before making a decision.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    To the south, within the Turtle lineage.


    Elder Green Turtle had just received the news and immediately set out, transforming his body into a green lightning bolt, rushing towards the assessment island, raising towering waves.


    "What incredible speed!"


    "That''s the Lightning Step! Elder Green Turtle''s signature movement technique!"


    "My goodness, what major event has occurred?"


    The demonic beasts who witnessed this scene all showed expressions of surprise.


    At the same time, in the north, a giant toad from the Toad lineage leaped out, riding the wild wind and lightning, heading towards the assessment island.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei waited in place, and after just a few breaths, three gigantic figures descended from the distant sky, landing on the island, almost covering the entire sky.


    They were a giant green turtle, a toad covered in boils, and a narwhal.


    "Three of them actually came!"


    Elder Mo''s eyes flashed with surprise.


    He had thought that such a mediocre serpent wouldn''t attract any attention, but unexpectedly, three elders arrived at once, so swiftly, as if afraid of being a step too late and losing out.


    Xu Hei glanced at the three gigantic figures and quickly lowered his head, not daring to even breathe heavily.


    At the forefront was a giant green turtle, its head resembling a dragon, body a hundred meters long, with sharp scales protruding from its shell, looking extremely ferocious.


    Behind it, the toad had nine eyes on its body, boils bulging, emitting a gurgling sound, with purple-black mist swirling inside, and a body length of fifty meters.


    The narwhal was even three hundred meters long, like a moving island, blocking out the sky and sun, its patterns reminding Xu Hei of the legendary Kun.


    "Are you Xu Hei?"


    The three demonic beast elders all turned their gaze towards Xu Hei, their voices low and deep.


    Xu Hei''s heart sank. He had been trying to suppress his talents to avoid drawing attention, but it seemed the effect was not good.


    He didn''t know if Hei Huang was secretly causing trouble or if he was just too famous.


    Xu Hei could only bow his head and say, "Xu Hei, greets the three elders!"


    The narwhal stared at Xu Hei for a while before saying, "Although I don''t know what makes you special, since the Dolphin Clan recommended you, I naturally have to take it seriously. Are you willing to join my Whale lineage?"


    The green turtle glanced at him and sneered, "Old man, everything should be done in order of arrival. I was the first to arrive, so I should speak first! Young one, I''ve taken a liking to you. Would you like to join my Turtle lineage?"


    The last toad, with all nine eyes fixed on Xu Hei, said, "Join my Toad lineage, and I can teach you supreme poison techniques." S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The three elders all focused their gaze here, and although they didn''t release any pressure, Xu Hei felt immense pressure nonetheless.


    A whale, a green turtle, a toad, all wanting to take him in¡ªwhat was going on? He hadn''t done anything!


    Even the old flood dragon felt something was amiss. How could such an ordinary disciple suddenly receive so much attention? Or was this child''s identity not simple?


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, a golden figure shot over from the distance¡ªit was Elder Jin from the Sea Serpent lineage.


    He flew over, took a look at the situation, and his heart sank. He then spoke directly, "Xu Hei, we are all serpents. If you join my Sea Serpent lineage, I guarantee you the best treatment, making you the second Hai Teng."


    The reason for offering such conditions was because he arrived late, allowing the other three to get ahead, so he could only promise better treatment.


    And it wasn''t over yet. Two more figures rushed over, Elder Yunhe from the Roc lineage and Elder Tiger Whale from the Shark lineage, both arriving.


    "Xu Hei, join my Roc lineage, and I''ll take you as my personal disciple. Our lineage excels in alchemy, talismans, and formations."


    "Join my Shark lineage, and I''ll teach you the strongest hunting techniques!"


    The two elders vied to speak first.


    In just the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, the elders of all six lineages had gathered, not a single one missing.


    Elder Mo was dumbfounded.


    At this moment, he had a feeling, as if there was an earth-shattering secret that everyone knew except him.


    Could Xu Hei be a genius, and only he thought he was extremely mediocre?


    "Old ghost, what''s going on?"


    Elder Mo couldn''t help but secretly transmit his voice to Elder Green Turtle, but the latter didn''t respond at all.


    Then he transmitted his voice to the narwhal, but the latter also ignored him.


    "These old immortals!" Elder Mo cursed inwardly.


    At the same time, Xu Hei was also complaining in his heart, "Damn it! It must be the old dog secretly causing trouble!"


    This phenomenon was inexplicable; it must be Hei Huang''s doing, using some means to make him famous!


    In this situation, accepting any one of them would mean offending the other five, making Xu Hei feel like he was sitting on pins and needles. He had heard that to compete for disciples, these old monsters would even fight each other.


    "Hurry and make a decision, don''t waste our time!" urged Elder Tiger Whale.


    "Xu Hei, don''t listen to him. You can take your time to consider; we''re not in a hurry," Elder Yunhe said with a smile.


    "A choice concerning one''s life should be made carefully. It''s fine to consider for an entire day," the narwhal said in a deep voice.


    "Choose boldly, don''t be afraid of offending anyone. We''re not petty," the toad said with a gurgling sound from its throat, though it was unclear if it was true.


    The six elders surrounded the island tightly, causing shock and curiosity among the sea beasts outside. What kind of prodigy had arrived to make all six elders compete for him? It was truly a rare sight.


    Xu Hei was silent for a moment, having already made up his mind.


    He certainly wouldn''t consider for too long, as that would leave a bad impression on the elders.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath and solemnly said, "Elders, I have made my decision."

 Chapter 339: Optimal solution? Xu Heis choice

    Chapter 339: Optimal solution? Xu Hei''s choice"Oh? Speak freely!"


    Elder Green Turtle said, brimming with confidence. After all, Xu Bai was part of his Turtle lineage, which was his greatest advantage. Of course, he wouldn''t reveal this advantage, but kept it to himself.


    "This young man can even match Hai Teng in battle and knows how to keep a low profile by pretending to be weak. No matter what, I must recruit him!"


    The Narwhal''s eyes flickered with determination.


    "He''s made it to the top ten of the wanted list, slaughtering humans left and right. He''s exactly what our Giant Shark clan needs!"


    Elder Tiger Whale''s gaze was equally fierce. Xu Hei was his target, and no one could take him away.


    "A demonic beast skilled in artifact refining and formations, he belongs with our Heavenly Roc clan!"


    Elder Yunpeng''s eyes were resolute.


    Various thoughts flashed through the minds of all the elders, but none of them showed it. They all awaited Xu Hei''s response.


    Xu Hei shifted his gaze, firmly looking ahead at the old Flood Dragon. Suppressing the excitement in his heart, he solemnly said, "I wish to become a disciple of Elder Mo."


    "......"


    In that instant, the entire venue fell into a brief silence.


    The demonic beast elders looked at each other, thinking they had misheard.


    Even Elder Mo was stunned. Xu Hei''s answer was beyond everyone''s expectations.


    "What did you say?" Elder Tiger Whale frowned.


    "Xu Hei, what do you mean by this?" asked the Nine-Eyed Toad.


    "This is my true intention. I genuinely only wish to join Elder Mo," Xu Hei said earnestly.


    The Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, transforming from a serpent to a flood dragon, then to a true dragon, was his destined path!


    Although the elders before him possessed vast divine abilities and varied skills, and Xu Hei could gain something from any of them, only Elder Mo was the best choice. Xu Hei trusted his judgment.


    The entire venue remained silent, with no one speaking further.


    Competing for outstanding disciples had been a tradition among the six lineages for years. In the past, they would often fight fiercely, resulting in bloodshed, just to win over a Chosen.


    But now, they all strangely refrained from saying a word.


    They simply looked at the ancient Flood Dragon, maintaining their silence.


    Elder Mo, expressionless, slowly said, "Xu Hei, I am old and frail, with only a few years of life left. I can''t teach you anything. Following me would only waste your time. Choose someone else."


    Over the years, some demonic beasts had secretly inquired if he was accepting disciples.


    But upon learning the truth, without exception, they all decisively gave up.


    No one would waste their time on an old man nearing death, especially one who couldn''t teach anything. Ultimately, it would only lead to wasted time and achieving nothing.


    What he said was not false; it was something every elder present knew. It was an open secret.


    However, Xu Hei shook his head and said, "I didn''t come here to learn anything."


    "Then what is it?" Elder Mo asked, puzzled. sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "When you were young, you must have been a legendary figure, dominating your era, right?" Xu Hei quietly looked at him.


    "......" Elder Mo remained silent.


    Back then?


    He had almost forgotten the events of those days. The long years, coupled with his declining strength and nearing end of life, left him remembering less and less.


    Only the scars on his body and the items he left behind could remind him of some things.


    "A once legendary figure, now old, without a single disciple or descendant. As a flood dragon, how tragic," Xu Hei said slowly.


    At this moment, he suddenly addressed Elder Mo solemnly, "I have no ulterior motives. I simply wish to become your disciple, nothing more."


    The entire venue fell silent, with only these calm words echoing on the island.


    Xu Hei wanted to join Elder Mo, not to learn anything, but simply to join, without any reason.


    For other disciples, this would be unthinkable!


    Who comes to the Penglai Sea not to cultivate? Not to become stronger? Not to learn immortal spells?


    Without the heart of a strong person, why come here?


    The six elders wanted to say something, but hesitated when the words reached their lips. They looked at each other, hoping someone would speak up, but all remained silent.


    "Are you sure?"


    Elder Mo gazed at Xu Hei, a glimmer of light in his eyes.


    "Of course! Unless you look down on me and are unwilling to take me in, I will leave!" Xu Hei said earnestly.


    Elder Mo remained silent for a long time, then sighed helplessly.


    Seeing Xu Hei''s determined attitude, Elder Mo said, "Your aptitude is average, your strength and talent are mediocre, with nothing outstanding."


    "But..."


    At this point, Elder Mo shook his head bitterly, "You''re right, I have no disciples, no descendants. I''ll let you stay here for now."


    "However, I won''t accept you as a disciple, nor do you need to formally become one, because I truly have nothing to teach you."


    Hearing Elder Mo''s words, Xu Hei bowed respectfully, "Thank you for granting my wish, elder!"


    Seeing this, the six elders all shook their heads and sighed.


    "What a pity, such a promising talent."


    "Not learning my poison arts is a great loss."


    "When he learns nothing and falls behind others, he might regret it."


    Various thoughts flashed through the minds of the six elders, but none spoke them aloud, though their disappointment was visible to the naked eye.


    Xu Hei''s choice was indeed disappointing, but no one said anything and turned to leave.


    If Xu Hei had chosen any of the six lineages, it would have sparked a fierce competition.


    But choosing Elder Mo, no one dared to dispute.


    Although Elder Mo''s strength was lacking, in terms of seniority, he surpassed all the demonic beasts present. Even across the entire Penglai Sea, no one could surpass him.


    This was a mark of respect for an elder.


    Before long, five elders left one after another, disappearing into the horizon.


    Only Elder Green Turtle remained, hesitating for a moment before saying to Xu Hei, "Xu Hei, you are welcome to visit our Turtle lineage anytime. Our clan always welcomes you."


    Elder Green Turtle then vanished.


    On the island, only Elder Mo and Xu Hei remained.


    Elder Mo continued to lazily lie on the ground, his body retreating into the cave, closing his eyes, and a snoring sound emanated from his throat.


    Xu Hei looked at Elder Mo, silent and motionless.


    "This is a place for testing newcomers; staying here isn''t appropriate!"


    Elder Mo opened his mouth and spat out a token, which landed in front of Xu Hei.


    "There''s an uninhabited island to the southeast, it''s yours. You can enter with this token. Go, and don''t disturb my sleep," Elder Mo said.


    With that, his snoring resumed like thunder.


    Xu Hei picked up the token from the ground, bowed slightly, and turned to leave.


    "Also, there''s no need to bring those human manners into the demonic beast world. I don''t care for them," Elder Mo added impatiently.


    Xu Hei nodded in agreement.


    Suddenly, he paused, taking out an ancient spirit medicine. It was a ten-thousand-year-old spirit medicine, beneficial even to those at the Elemental Infant stage.


    Xu Hei had nine such spirit medicines left.


    He placed the coral-like spirit medicine at the entrance of Elder Mo''s cave and said, "Elder Mo, a little exercise can keep you energetic. Even an old steed in the stable still aspires to gallop a thousand miles. Even in old age, one shouldn''t stop moving forward."


    After speaking, Xu Hei didn''t wait for Elder Mo''s response and hurriedly left to find the island.


    The elder had given him an island, and he reciprocated with a spirit medicine, a gesture of courtesy.


    Shortly after Xu Hei left, Elder Mo opened his eyes, looking at the ten-thousand-year-old spirit medicine, a strange light flickering in his eyes.


    "Heh, an interesting young man."


    Elder Mo moved a little, extending half of his body outside. His rear half remained hidden in the cave, its length unknown.


    However, he only moved twenty meters before stopping.


    "What a pity, these old bones of mine can''t move even if I want to."

 Chapter 340: On the night of the full moon, observe the divine signs in the Cave Dwelling

    Chapter 340: On the night of the full moon, observe the divine signs in the Cave DwellingIn the Penglai Sea, islands were scattered everywhere. As Xu Hei flew along his journey, he saw no less than ten thousand islands.


    The token given by Elder Mo had a clear map on it, with markings that allowed Xu Hei to quickly locate the small island.


    This island wasn''t large, but it was picturesque, with many native wildlife species, some of which were intelligent and aware. When they saw Xu Hei approaching, they scattered in all directions.


    Xu Hei landed on the island without encountering any formation barriers.


    "To be given an island right upon arrival, I wonder what peculiarities this place holds," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He spread out his divine sense. The island was long and narrow, a thousand miles long and a hundred miles wide, covered with vegetation, with mountains and water. There were three cave dwellings, each with vast internal space, large enough to accommodate a hundred-zhang-long great demon with room to spare.


    Moreover, within each cave dwelling, a spring of spiritual water bubbled up from the ground, appearing a deep blue, quite miraculous.


    Judging by the narrow structure of the cave dwellings, they seemed like the lairs of an old Flood Dragon.


    "Is this what Elder Mo left behind?" Xu Hei pondered.


    He casually chose one of the cave dwellings, entered it, and immediately began a closed-door cultivation session.


    He needed to stabilize his realm.


    Forcibly breaking through to the mid-stage Core Formation and then experiencing a great battle had left Xu Hei''s realm unstable. He needed to refine it well, or he might regress.


    "Too many enemies, too many dangers outside. Only here do I feel a bit of safety."


    After leaving the East Sea, this was the first time Xu Hei felt at ease.


    Xu Hei withdrew his thoughts and took out a barrel of heavy oil, preparing to refine it.


    But suddenly, he remembered what Hei Huang had said: "Heavy oil is formed from the corpses of ancient beasts. You know nothing about what species these beasts were or what their cultivation level was!"


    "You have yet to comprehend the Elemental Infant state, unaware of its dangers. I can only advise you to use it sparingly!"


    Xu Hei carefully pondered these words. He could refine all the impurities, but he was only at the Core Formation level, not yet at the Elemental Infant level.


    Perhaps there were side effects he couldn''t even imagine, ones he hadn''t encountered yet!


    After much consideration, Xu Hei decided to put the heavy oil away. He didn''t have much left, and it would be better to use it when breaking through. The spiritual energy here was abundant, and there were spiritual springs, so there was no need for extra consumption.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At sea, winter was not obvious, only a sea breeze blew, bringing a slight chill.


    As time passed, cultivators who had escaped from the Sea God Sect gradually returned, spreading news that caused an uproar.


    The location of the Sea God Sect''s lair had always been a mystery, with various forces trying to investigate, but to no avail.


    Now, however, people brought back two coordinates: one for Prison Island, the other for the heavy oil mine.


    These two pieces of information were invaluable, quickly drawing the attention of various forces in the East Sea. Many of their disciples had been captured by the Sea God Sect, their whereabouts unknown, but now they had answers.


    However, problems arose.


    Prison Island was far away. Even Elemental Infant cultivators would need a week to reach it, while those at the Core Formation stage would take a month.


    Unless a fast warship could be built or a long-distance teleportation array set up, launching an attack would be difficult.


    These two technologies were essential for attacking the Sea God Sect. The sect had teleportation arrays, allowing them to come and go freely. Without matching mobility, fighting them was impossible, like infantry against cavalry.


    Some sent envoys to the Qin Kingdom for help, but Qin Xuanji gave this reply: "I have the technology, and I can mass-produce warships, but energy is a big problem. To support a warship at Elemental Infant speed, at least top-grade spirit stones or... heavy oil is needed!"


    "Otherwise, even if you build them, you won''t be able to start them."


    This dilemma hit everyone hard.


    The Sea God Sect was too far away to attack, and at most, small teams could be sent for raids. But who could come and go as freely as the master?


    This matter could only be left unresolved.


    However, after the slave escape incident, the Sea God Sect also quieted down, seemingly laying low or perhaps plotting something unknown.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    That night, on a full moon night.


    The cold moonlight shone on the sea, the calm water like a mirror, undisturbed, with even the wind silent.


    Xu Hei suddenly opened his eyes and exhaled a stream of air.


    After a month of long seclusion, he finally stabilized his cultivation at the mid-stage Core Formation. However, in the world of sea beasts, it was more appropriate to call it the mid-stage of the demon core.


    Xu Hei climbed out of the cave dwelling, staring at the reflection of the full moon on the sea, momentarily stunned.


    At this moment, moonlight poured down, shining on the sea, reflecting layer upon layer, and then into the cave dwelling.


    On the stone walls of the cave, ancient drawings appeared, blurry, as if left from ancient times.


    Xu Hei''s body shook, and he immediately returned to the cave dwelling, staring at the drawings on the stone wall, lost in thought.


    These drawings were usually invisible, but on a full moon night, illuminated by moonlight, they emerged, greatly shocking Xu Hei.


    The first drawing was simple, depicting a long creature flicking its tail.


    This simple action contained a special intent, replaying vividly in Xu Hei''s mind, as if it truly existed.


    Xu Hei gazed at the first drawing, his mind gradually sinking into it.


    "Roar!"


    In a daze, Xu Hei heard a sound, a dragon''s roar.


    Before his eyes, a phantom scene appeared: a giant dragon swinging its tail, striking a towering pillar, shattering it, causing the sky to collapse.


    "Boom!!!"


    The deafening sound exploded in Xu Hei''s mind, waking him instantly, causing him to spit out blood and fly backward, drenched in cold sweat.


    "What kind of technique is this?"


    Xu Hei was utterly shocked.


    He had only slightly sensed the intent of the drawing and suffered a backlash, as if struck by an invisible force.


    It showed how powerful this move was!


    "Could this be the immortal spell of the Penglai Sea?"


    Xu Hei pondered.


    He had heard that the six major clans of the Penglai Sea each had different immortal spells, stored in the Scripture Repository for learning. S§×ar?h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But such terrifying immortal spells, he had never heard of, far surpassing those used by Hai Teng.


    Then, Xu Hei looked at the second drawing, which showed no creatures, only an ordinary claw.


    Following the method of observing the first drawing, Xu Hei focused his mind, gazing at the second drawing.


    Gradually, he sensed a hint of intent emerging from the drawing, coming closer to him.


    "Slash!!"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei was struck heavily, his body feeling torn apart, blood streaming from his eyes, crashing into the stone wall, his whole body in pain.


    In that instant, he seemed to be attacked by countless claw shadows, giving him the illusion of being shattered.


    Xu Hei stood there, his heart racing wildly.


    "This move is too strong, beyond what I can handle," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    There were many drawings on the stone wall, each with a unique intent. Xu Hei dared not look too much, only glancing quickly before returning to the first drawing.


    He felt that this drawing was the most suitable for him at the moment.

 Chapter 341: The deadline arrived, and Xu Hei was forced to go out

    Chapter 341: The deadline arrived, and Xu Hei was forced to go outXu Hei gazed at the first image for a long time, and once again, a trace of its essence emerged, bursting forth from the picture.


    In a trance, Xu Hei saw the scene of a giant dragon swinging its tail, causing the sky pillars to collapse and the heavens to crumble.


    However, this time, Xu Hei merely grunted, not being knocked back by the impact.


    He opened his eyes, recalling the scene just now, imprinting it deeply into his mind.


    That strike was incredibly powerful, no doubt about it. But how to fully comprehend and make it his own was the challenge Xu Hei faced.


    "Let''s look again!"


    Xu Hei continued to study the picture, over and over. After watching it dozens, even hundreds of times, until every detail was etched into his mind, he finally let out a long breath and reopened his eyes.


    "Let''s give it a try."


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, his whole body tensed, and he immediately entered a state of immersion, recalling the details of that move in his mind.


    At this moment, his bones emitted a cracking sound, as true essence flowed along the dragon vein into his head, from the skull to the tailbone, layer upon layer, the power stacking up.


    With each bone the power passed through, it layered once more.


    Before this, Xu Hei''s attack methods were very simple, relying on sheer physical strength to charge, at most using the Diamond Suppression Technique to boost his power, without a hint of technique.


    How to gather strength, how to exert it, how to dodge, all were based on instinct, never formally learned.


    But now, Xu Hei applied the technique he had just learned.


    That dragon''s tail swing was no ordinary move.


    "Crack, crack..."


    Xu Hei''s bones emitted a series of cracking sounds, from head to tail, with each transmission of power, the sound grew louder.


    During this process, his whole body was in severe pain, the bones transmitting unbearable agony, penetrating to the marrow by the time it reached the tail.


    Meanwhile, the accumulated power had reached its limit, his tail even glowing, as if about to ignite.


    "Go!"


    Xu Hei swung his tail, slicing through the void, emitting a dazzling rainbow light, all his bones exploding with a roar akin to a dragon''s cry.


    "Boom!!!" S~ea??h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This strike hit the void outside the cave dwelling, striking nothing but air.


    However¡ª


    "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!..."


    A series of explosions occurred on the sea surface ahead, blasting out a deep abyssal trench, waves surged, and torrential rain poured down.


    The trench on the sea surface remained unhealed for a long time, leaving Xu Hei stunned.


    "So powerful!"


    Xu Hei panted heavily, but soon, his entire body was wracked with pain, if not for his dragon bones, this strike might have shattered all his bones.


    Xu Hei looked again at the pattern on the stone wall, this time, the first image became incredibly clear to him.


    In his mind, a faint dragon''s roar echoed:


    "Azure Dragon Combat Technique, First Move, Dragon Tail Swing."


    Azure Dragon Combat Technique!


    This was not a profound spell, just a combat technique, yet more powerful than any spell.


    However, the burden on the physical body was immense, after one strike, Xu Hei almost couldn''t move, in this world, probably only Xu Hei at the Demon Core Stage could perform it.


    "My strike was still too scattered, compared to the dragon in the image, whose power was more concentrated and had less side effects, I still need to practice diligently," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    The strike in the image only hit the pillar, not spreading out, thus concentrating the power at one point, minimizing self-impact.


    Unlike him, who unleashed all his power at once, leaving no room, causing self-harm.


    Xu Hei immediately took a healing pill, planning to recover before trying again.


    At this moment, the sun rose in the east, sunlight pouring down.


    The images on the stone wall slowly faded away.


    Unknowingly, Xu Hei had pondered for an entire night, but had only grasped a superficial understanding.


    "Right, this first cave dwelling holds the Azure Dragon Combat Technique, what about the other two cave dwellings?"


    Xu Hei suddenly thought, there were two more cave dwellings on this island.


    He moved swiftly, heading to the second cave dwelling.


    By now, the sun had risen, the second cave dwelling also had images, but most had disappeared, only the first image vaguely showing a dragon swallowing clouds and mist.


    Soon, the images vanished completely.


    The sun was fully up, Xu Hei then went to the third cave dwelling, but saw nothing.


    Xu Hei sighed, returning to the first cave dwelling to quietly meditate.


    "On a full moon night, the images will reveal themselves, but there''s only one full moon each month, what a pity."


    Xu Hei shook his head helplessly.


    However, he hadn''t fully comprehended even the first image''s technique, learning too much at once would be counterproductive, better to take it slow.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the blink of an eye, another week passed.


    During this week, Xu Hei continuously practiced the Dragon Tail Swing, gradually discovering that starting the power transmission from the skull resulted in great power but also great side effects, while starting from the midsection reduced both significantly.


    With his current strength, it was best not to start from the skull, otherwise, even if he could kill the enemy, he himself would be unable to move afterward.


    Xu Hei looked up, seeing a sea serpent flying overhead, its divine sense scanning the sea surface erratically.


    This was Hai Teng''s notorious follower, Hai Er, whom Xu Hei had seen for the third time.


    However, while Xu Hei could see him, the other seemed unable to see Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei smirked inwardly, this island could only be discovered by those holding Elder Mo''s token. Not being disturbed, Xu Hei was happy to enjoy his peace.


    "Xu Hei, are you here?"


    Hai Er hovered above, his gaze sweeping over the empty sea, his voice echoing out.


    Xu Hei ignored him, entering the cave dwelling, intending to practice the Dragon Tail Swing again.


    "Xu Hei, I know you''re hiding here, I''m ordered to remind you, you haven''t completed a task in three months, if you don''t show up soon, you''ll be expelled from the Penglai Sea," Hai Er said coldly.


    Xu Hei was startled.


    He had heard Hei Huang mention this, saying that newcomers must complete a task within three months of joining, or be expelled.


    But he had only joined for a month and a week.


    "Don''t forget, you''re a latecomer! The real newcomers joined three months ago, and the first task settlement day is approaching, take care of yourself."


    After saying this, Hai Er turned and left.


    His task was merely to deliver the message, whether the other party listened or not was none of his concern.


    Shortly after Hai Er left, Xu Hei appeared in mid-air.


    "Thanks for the reminder."


    Xu Hei nodded, speeding towards the task island.


    Crossing the sky and sea, it wasn''t long before Xu Hei reached his destination, the island was small, filled with stone tablets, guarded by an elder crane.


    On the task island, a few demonic beasts were wandering, watching the task board.


    Hai Teng was among them, coiled in a circle, eyes closed, meditating at the entrance, calm and composed.


    Xu Hei''s arrival didn''t stir him at all.


    "Hmph! Today is the last day, even the simplest task can''t be completed in a day, I want to see how you beg me for help."


    Hai Teng sneered inwardly, a slight curve forming at the corner of his mouth.

 Chapter 342: Complete the task; once you start, theres no stopping

    Chapter 342: Complete the task; once you start, there''s no stoppingIn the Penglai Sea, there weren''t many whom Hai Teng considered worthy opponents.


    The older generation was too strong, and the new generation too weak. After much thought, only Xu Hei met the criteria.


    Last time, he and Xu Hei ended in a draw, which forced him to disperse his demon core and start over. Now, having succeeded in his cultivation, he returned to the mid-stage of the demon core.


    Although his realm had dropped, his strength had increased several times over, giving him absolute confidence to reclaim his standing.


    Of course, defeating Xu Hei head-on was something he planned to do at the year-end competition, not now.


    Xu Hei spread his Divine Sense, scanning the stone tablets one by one. Each stone tablet had a task written on it, with the difficulty determined by the color of the tablet.


    The white stone tablet tasks were the simplest, while the black ones were the hardest. In between were light gray and dark gray.


    Xu Hei only had one day to complete a task, so naturally, he wanted to choose a simple one.


    However, to his dismay, simple tasks didn''t necessarily take less time.


    For example, one white stone tablet required guarding the pill room for three days.


    Another white stone tablet required pest control in the herb garden for a week.


    Yet another white stone tablet required teaching a group of young beasts to fly, with no set time limit, just until they learned.


    What was this?


    The white stone tablet tasks were simple, but only in the sense that they weren''t life-threatening. Given enough time, they could naturally be completed, which was contrary to Xu Hei''s requirements.


    Xu Hei felt a headache coming on and could only look at the other dark-colored stone tablets.


    "Clear invasive species."


    "Explore underground mines."


    "Purify seawater."


    "Interrogate prisoners."


    "¡­¡­"


    After a quick scan, Xu Hei immediately identified a few targets.


    For other Sea Beasts, these tasks were extremely difficult, but for Xu Hei, they were much easier, some even requiring only the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.


    Xu Hei approached a task stone tablet and pulled it out, indicating that he had accepted the task.


    "Should I take on a few more tasks and get them all done at once?"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he made up his mind.


    After all, his strength was already known to all the elders, so there was no point in trying to keep a low profile.


    He might as well go all out and complete as many tasks as possible, saving trouble for later.


    So, Xu Hei pulled out five task stone tablets at once.


    His actions immediately caught the attention of the Demonic Beasts, who all looked on in surprise.


    "What''s he doing, accepting five tasks at once?"


    "Is he crazy? Isn''t he afraid of failing and losing contribution points?"


    The Demonic Beasts looked at him as if he were a fool, unable to understand. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    A sea turtle stared at Xu Hei and shouted, "I remember now, he''s the new guy who was fought over by the six elders and eventually joined the old Flood Dragon." ????????§§?


    "So it''s him!"


    Many Demonic Beasts had heard about Xu Hei joining Elder Mo, but they didn''t pay much attention.


    Elder Mo had nothing, no resources, and nothing to learn from. Over time, even the most talented would fade into obscurity.


    Demonic Beasts with Immortal spells and those without were on two different levels.


    The gap between Xu Hei and the others would only widen.


    Xu Hei, having accepted the tasks, ignored the strange looks from the crowd and left immediately.


    "What is he up to?"


    Hai Teng couldn''t understand why Xu Hei would accept so many tasks at once, knowing he couldn''t complete them and choosing to do nothing instead?


    Hai Teng thought about catching up to ask a few questions but decided against it, considering his own status.


    "Boss, should I follow him and take a look?"


    Hai Er appeared just in time from behind.


    "What are you going to do by following him?" Hai Teng frowned and said arrogantly, "I have no interest in that snake. Go about your own business and don''t concern yourself with others."


    Hai Er showed a strange expression but nodded and left.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At full speed, Xu Hei reached his first task location in just the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn.


    It was a small island, and the task was to clear the invasive species on the island, a type of carnivorous ant slightly weaker than Spirit-Eating Ants but with strong reproductive abilities, deeply hidden underground, making them hard to eradicate.


    Originally, there were five million red crabs on the island, but after the ant invasion, their numbers dropped tenfold, causing severe harm.


    "Disciple Xu Hei, here to carry out the task!"


    Xu Hei said simply to the sky and then rushed into the island.


    He released Ji Ying, which burrowed underground, heading straight for the ant queen.


    The ant queen''s cultivation was only at the early stage of the demon core, but the sheer number of ants meant that even a late-stage demon core cultivator would be devoured if they ventured in. However, Ji Ying made a quick in-and-out, devouring the ant queen cleanly.


    In an instant, all the ants on the island swarmed towards Ji Ying, intending to destroy it.


    Xu Hei released the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, spewing toxic mist that drilled underground, and within a few breaths, wiped out the billions of ants completely.


    There was more than one ant queen, so Xu Hei repeated his tactic and took care of the remaining three.


    In total, it took just half an hour for Xu Hei to finish the task.


    At this moment, the task stone tablet he had flashed with light, displaying the words "Completed," with an automatic detection function, quite peculiar.


    Next was the second task. Xu Hei arrived at an underwater metal vein.


    This task was to explore the underwater vein and map it.


    Xu Hei similarly sent Ji Ying, which drilled into every hole, and in just half an hour, completed the exploration of the hidden underwater metal vein.


    The third task was to repair the shell of an old turtle.


    Xu Hei directly gave it a Xu Bai brand Bone Strengthening Pill, restoring the old turtle''s youthful vigor, with no more worries about its shell.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In just two hours, all the tasks were completed.


    "That was relatively smooth!"


    Xu Hei let out a sigh of relief and headed straight for the task island.


    Upon returning for settlement, when Xu Hei presented five completed task stone tablets at once, the entire island fell into a brief silence.


    Even the usually calm Elder Crane showed a peculiar expression: "To complete five tasks in just two hours, I''ve never seen anyone so fast!"


    These gray tasks were deliberately set by the Penglai Sea to test disciples, not too difficult, but in his hundred years of guarding, it was the first time he''d seen someone complete them so quickly.


    In theory, only Elemental Infant stage elders could be so swift, but no elder would bother with these low-level tasks.


    Elder Crane smiled wryly and recorded three hundred contribution points on Xu Hei''s Token.


    An average of sixty points per gray task.


    As for what contribution points could do, Hei Huang hadn''t mentioned, so Xu Hei still needed to figure it out.


    During this time, Hai Teng had been coiled at one end of the island, witnessing the entire process of Xu Hei completing the tasks, leaving the whole snake dumbfounded, unable to utter a word.


    "Boss."


    Hai Er poked his head out, hesitating to speak.


    "Boss!"


    Hai Er called again, but Hai Teng remained in a daze.


    Xu Hei glanced at the task stone tablets and accepted three more tasks, planning to accumulate more contributions. He knew that some tasks were rare opportunities; if not done now, they might not be available next time.


    But just then, an ice bird blocked his path.


    "Woo woo woo! Brother Xu, please be kind and help me. It''s the last day, and I haven''t completed my task yet. I''m begging you!"


    The ice bird was petite, with a feather on its head like a phoenix crown, very beautiful, with eyes like blue sapphires. Any Demonic Beast that looked at it would feel a natural sense of beauty, stunning and enchanting.


    Xu Hei was taken aback. Who was this one?

 Chapter 343: Green tea bird, her amazing acting skills

    Chapter 343: Green tea bird, her amazing acting skillsXu Hei once again sized up the ice bird in front of him, certain that he didn''t recognize it.


    Behind the bird followed two sea turtles, like attendants, shadowing it closely. They were disciples of the Turtle lineage.


    "Brother Xu, you''re so good at completing tasks. Can you help me out? We''re both special recruits, and I don''t want to get expelled. I''m begging you!"


    The ice bird''s delicate voice rang out again, a sound that would make any human''s bones tingle.


    However, Xu Hei felt nothing, only a sense of confusion.


    Special recruits? Xu Hei remembered that before him, there was a phoenix bird that was also specially recruited. It failed the assessment but was taken in by the Turtle lineage after crying pitifully.


    This was all he knew from others'' conversations.


    As for whether she was hiding her strength like him, Xu Hei didn''t think so. S§×arch* The N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Who could hide it to such an extent?


    "Sorry, I don''t know you."


    Xu Hei shook his head and turned to leave. He didn''t like helping others without reason.


    "Xu Hei, you''re so quick with tasks, what''s the harm in helping her?"


    "Ying''er is already so pitiful, you can''t just stand by!"


    Suddenly, the two sea turtles behind the ice bird spoke up, their voices grating.


    Xu Hei had seen these two turtles before. Over a month ago, when he first arrived, they had mocked the ice bird behind its back. How had they become simps now?


    "If you like helping, why don''t you help?" Xu Hei frowned.


    "We''re slow, given enough time, we would help, but it''s the last day and there''s no time." One of the turtles said.


    Xu Hei''s heart skipped a beat. He suddenly felt that this girl was not simple at all.


    He didn''t want to linger any longer, not even bothering to take on the last task, and turned to leave directly.


    The ice bird was quick, flashing in front of Xu Hei again, trying to block his way. At the same time, Xu Hei felt a chill within him, his limbs slowing, with a sign of freezing. ?¨¤?¨¯?¨¨?


    "Courting death!"


    Xu Hei''s gaze turned cold, and with a burst of energy, the ice bird let out a scream, flying backward and crashing to the side, spitting blood, with feathers falling off.


    Seeing this, Xu Hei immediately realized something was wrong, but it was too late.


    "How dare you!"


    "You little beast, you''re seeking death!"


    The two sea turtles rushed forward instantly, one blocking Xu Hei, while the other went to help the ice bird, checking its injuries.


    Earlier, Xu Hei had only defensively released his true essence to push the opponent away. Who knew this bird was so fragile, getting severely injured in an instant?


    The situation here immediately caught the attention of the nearby demonic beasts, each casting their gaze over, even Hai Teng looked this way.


    "Boy, quickly bow your head and apologize to her, or I won''t spare you!"


    One of the sea turtles shouted, pulling out a harpoon from its shell.


    The other turtle, after checking the injuries, glared at Xu Hei with bloodshot eyes, filled with killing intent.


    "Brother Gui Qing, Brother Gui Yuan, don''t blame him! It''s all my fault, I shouldn''t have blocked his way, it''s all Ying''er''s fault, I brought this upon myself."


    The ice bird lowered its head, tears streaming down as it sobbed softly.


    Both sea turtles'' eyes turned red.


    Not only them, but the nearby demonic beasts also cast disdainful glances at Xu Hei, scrutinizing him.


    "Damn it!"


    Xu Hei''s face turned ashen, cursing inwardly.


    What kind of trick was this? Playing the victim on him, instantly drawing a wave of hatred!


    Xu Hei had never encountered such a person in his life, he didn''t even know how to respond.


    "She attacked me first." Xu Hei said in a deep voice.


    However, Xu Hei''s rebuttal seemed childish, utterly ridiculous.


    "She only asked for your help, you could''ve just refused, but you beat her like this, do you have any conscience!" Gui Qing roared.


    "Quickly bow your head and apologize!" Gui Yuan shouted.


    The ice bird shook its head repeatedly, sobbing, "Brothers, don''t trouble Xu Hei, it''s all my fault, I''m the one to blame, he doesn''t need to apologize."


    But the more she said this, the more the two turtles believed it was Xu Hei''s fault.


    The demonic beasts watching the drama also cast angry glances at Xu Hei.


    "Yue Ying has had a miserable life since childhood, orphaned, coming here was a blessing, losing it is my fate, even if I''m expelled tomorrow, it''s just my bad luck, I shouldn''t have taken this task, boohoo!"


    The ice bird covered its face and cried, tears streaming down.


    Xu Hei''s face turned as black as coal, at this moment, it seemed like anything he said would be an excuse, anything he said would make him the guilty party. Xu Hei had never been good with words, and this time, he was utterly defeated!


    He looked around, most demonic beasts were hostile towards him, some were watching the show, and some seemed to be pondering.


    The Crane Elder didn''t pay attention here, not even opening his eyes.


    Suddenly, a phrase Hei Huang once said flashed in Xu Hei''s mind: "As long as I have no morals, you can''t morally blackmail me."


    At this moment, Xu Hei deeply agreed.


    "If you want me to apologize, I''ll just cut you down! Then apologize to your corpse!"


    Xu Hei roared, summoning nine Blood Killing Swords, slashing towards the two turtles in front and behind, the sword light like a storm, murderous aura surging, blood light like a waterfall.


    He maintained his style, no explanations, just fight! Can''t win with words, but can''t win with fists?


    "Hmph, courting death!"


    "Lightning Slash!"


    Gui Qing wielded two long knives, standing up, slashing like lightning, a fierce wind rising, waves surging.


    Gui Yuan''s harpoon transformed into a sawtooth dragon, stabbing straight at Xu Hei, the Blood Killing Sword was deflected.


    "Stop it! Fighting on Task Island, what kind of behavior is this? If you want to fight, take it outside!"


    At this moment, the Crane Elder, who had been dozing off, let out a sharp cry.


    The voice was as sharp as a blade, the terrifying Elemental Infant aura spreading, instantly knocking the weapons from the two turtles'' hands, and Xu Hei''s Blood Killing Swords were also scattered, falling to the ground.


    The two turtles picked up their weapons, their eyes filled with even more ferocity.


    The hostility nearby grew stronger.


    Xu Hei cast a pleading glance at the Crane Elder, believing that this elder would surely see through everything.


    However, the Crane Elder stretched lazily, yawned, and couldn''t be bothered with the juniors'' disputes, lying back down to sleep.


    "..." Xu Hei was speechless.


    "Hey? Look, it''s Doctor Xu!"


    "Doctor Xu Bai is here!"


    Exclamations came from afar, and all the demonic beasts'' eyes immediately turned to a white figure in the sky.


    It was a large white snake, its scales like white jade, eyes like gemstones, emitting a green glow, with feather-like decorations on its cheeks, riding the clouds, arriving gracefully.


    "Xu Bai?"


    Xu Hei looked up, stunned.


    After not seeing her for many days, Xu Bai had changed again. Compared to before, her appearance was smoother and more refined, her figure more proportionate.


    It was an indescribable beauty, like the golden ratio, naturally perfect, a pure natural beauty.


    Xu Hei had seen many human beauties, Zhou Wendie, Liu Ruyan, the head of the Purple Mist Sect, and Su Xue''er from the Sea God Sect, all considered stunning by humans. But compared to Xu Bai, it was like heaven and earth.


    Xu Hei was sure he wasn''t being subjective because, besides him, many demonic beasts had a fiery look in their eyes, the expression of seeing something beautiful.


    "Doctor Xu Bai, why are you here?"


    Gui Qing asked in confusion. She was a famous figure in the Turtle lineage, known to everyone, her status equivalent to Hai Teng of the Sea Serpent lineage.


    "I heard someone was injured, so I came by to treat them."


    Xu Bai smiled gently, her soft gaze falling on the ice bird Yue Ying, her figure gracefully descending nearby.

 Chapter 344: Green tea bird, one thing restrains another

    Chapter 344: Green tea bird, one thing restrains anotherXu Bai''s medical skills were renowned throughout the entire sea region. In just half a year since her arrival, she had already treated numerous complex ailments that even Elemental Infant cultivators found insurmountable.


    As long as you can endure the side effects, she guarantees a cure!


    Even the elders couldn''t stop praising this miraculous healer. In some respects, her reputation even surpassed that of Hai Teng.


    Even Elder Crane, who was always asleep, perked up.


    Yue Ying''s gaze was evasive as she lowered her head and whispered, "It''s just a minor injury. How could I trouble Physician Xu Bai?"


    "A minor injury is still an injury. You''re a newcomer to our Turtle lineage, and I''m somewhat new myself, so of course, I should take care of you," Xu Bai said with a smile.


    "It''s really just a minor injury, no need to trouble yourself."


    "That won''t do!" S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Without further ado, Xu Bai flashed forward, her tail touching Yue Ying''s body, causing Yue Ying to freeze, unable to move.


    "Hmm? Strange, a minor injury?" Xu Bai''s voice was filled with doubt.


    All the demonic beasts turned to look curiously.


    Xu Bai''s next words left everyone stunned.


    "But you''re clearly not injured!" Xu Bai exclaimed in surprise.


    Xu Bai''s voice echoed throughout the entire island, and the noisy crowd instantly fell silent.


    Not injured?


    Gui Qing and Gui Yuan exchanged wide-eyed glances, their mouths slightly agape.


    The demonic beasts who had been angry at Xu Hei just moments ago were now looking at each other in disbelief.


    Xu Bai actually said Yue Ying wasn''t injured!


    Earlier, everyone had seen with their own eyes how Yue Ying was sent flying by Xu Hei, coughing up blood, her feathers falling off, looking severely injured. Anyone would have thought she was killed by Xu Hei''s blow.


    But now, Xu Bai said she wasn''t injured?


    "Physician Xu Bai, could there be... a mistake?" Gui Yuan couldn''t believe it and quickly asked.


    "Hmm? Are you doubting my medical skills?" Xu Bai frowned.


    As soon as she said this, hostile glances immediately came from all around, even Elder Crane was looking over with ill intent.


    Gui Yuan realized his slip of the tongue and quickly bowed his head, saying, "I wouldn''t dare, I was just speaking nonsense."


    Are you kidding? Xu Bai''s medical skills were praised by many elders and had never been wrong. Anything Xu Bai treated was cured without fail.


    Except for issues related to lifespan, which she couldn''t solve, any other ailment was cured instantly, though the side effects were a bit severe.


    If Xu Bai said there was no injury, then there was no injury.


    "I, I..."


    Yue Ying''s face turned pale, her body trembling, unable to speak for a moment.


    Suddenly, a trickle of blood appeared at the corner of her mouth, and her energy visibly waned.


    Now she must be injured, right?


    "Sigh! This isn''t an injury, it''s an illness," Xu Bai sighed.


    "..." Yue Ying was speechless.


    "What illness?" Gui Qing quickly asked.


    "A mental illness, one that involves self-harm and self-abuse. The issues on her body are mostly self-inflicted, with no external wounds," Xu Bai explained. ?¦Á¦­?????§¦?


    The entire place fell into dead silence.


    "And that blow from Xu Hei earlier..." Gui Qing hesitated.


    "I said, she wasn''t injured by any external force," Xu Bai repeated.


    The entire island was silent.


    So, Yue Ying had been pretending all along?


    Everyone felt deceived, and anger filled their eyes as they looked at Yue Ying.


    At this moment, Yue Ying''s face turned from blue to white, looking worse than if she had eaten something foul.


    Suddenly, she burst into tears, her head banging against the stone slab, bleeding profusely.


    Gui Qing''s face changed drastically, and he rushed forward to stop her.


    But Yue Ying wouldn''t stop, continuing to bang her head, crying even more pitifully.


    "Woo woo woo, I''m so miserable, you''re all bullying me, you all want me dead, I don''t want to live anymore..." Yue Ying cried out.


    The two turtle men were anxious, their faces turning pale.


    At this moment, Xu Bai suddenly stepped forward, her tail swinging like a bolt of lightning, striking Yue Ying''s face hard.


    "Slap!!!"


    The crisp sound of the slap echoed like thunder, shaking the entire island. It could be heard clearly for miles around.


    This slap left Yue Ying stunned, with most of her feathers falling off her head, her face bald, and her sharp beak crooked.


    Yue Ying stood there, her head buzzing, motionless.


    "This is how you treat your illness!" Xu Bai said calmly.


    All sounds fell silent.


    Gui Qing, Gui Yuan, Xu Hei, the observing demonic beasts, including Hai Teng and Hai Er in the distance, and even Elder Crane, all had their mouths wide open, dumbfounded.


    This, this... what kind of treatment was this?


    A single slap stopped Yue Ying from banging her head against the wall, truly a... miraculous cure.


    "In the future, if she has another episode, just use this method," Xu Bai said with a smile.


    Gui Qing and Gui Yuan exchanged glances, both shivering.


    Yue Ying trembled all over, lowering her head, fear appearing in her eyes.


    She was truly terrified by Xu Bai.


    "Was she having an episode just now?" Gui Qing asked in confusion.


    "That''s right, she has mental issues. If she continues to have episodes without improvement, send her to my clinic for confinement and treatment," Xu Bai said seriously.


    "I''m not sick!" Yue Ying protested.


    "Usually, those with mental illnesses claim they''re not sick," Xu Bai replied.


    "..." Yue Ying was speechless.


    Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    Brilliant! Simply brilliant!


    Xu Hei suddenly realized he didn''t quite recognize Xu Bai anymore. Was this still the naive little white snake from before?


    In just a few years, she had become so formidable, easily solving problems that Xu Hei couldn''t handle.


    She treated Yue Ying thoroughly, convincing everyone without a single complaint.


    It was truly amazing!


    Xu Hei gradually realized that sometimes, strength alone couldn''t solve problems; other skills were needed.


    Of course, it might also be that he wasn''t strong enough. If he had the power of the Elemental Infant stage, he wouldn''t be dealing with these trivial matters.


    But then again, reaching the Elemental Infant stage might bring even more troublesome issues.


    The demonic beasts realized they had been deceived and all sneered at Yue Ying before dispersing. However, since this woman had mental issues, it was best not to provoke her, lest she cause trouble for them.


    After all, she wouldn''t be able to complete her tasks and would eventually be driven away.


    Yue Ying also knew she had no face to stay, so she quickly left, her wings flapping at high speed, proving she wasn''t injured at all.


    The two turtle men followed closely behind, like shadows, a truly peculiar sight.


    "Thank you," Xu Hei said earnestly.


    Thanks to Xu Bai''s intervention, he avoided a battle with those two turtle men.


    Although he wasn''t afraid, what if those two turtle men called for reinforcements? The Turtle lineage did have some experts.


    And that silly bird, being able to pull strings to get in, must have some backing.


    Those who could issue special orders were either elders or relatives of elders, and Xu Hei didn''t want to offend any big shots for no reason.


    "Why thank me? Show some real gratitude!" Xu Bai climbed up to Xu Hei.


    "What do you want?" Xu Hei asked, puzzled.


    Xu Bai sighed softly and said, "Actually, I have an illness too, and I need your help to treat it."


    "Huh?" Xu Hei was surprised and shook his head repeatedly, "I''m not skilled in medicine. I save people using your pills."


    Xu Bai asking him for treatment? What a joke, wasn''t this like showing off in front of an expert?


    "Don''t worry, it''s an illness you can treat," Xu Bai said with a smile.


    "What kind of illness?" Xu Hei was confused.


    Xu Bai smiled slightly, leaned in, and whispered in Xu Hei''s ear, "Lovesickness!"

 Chapter 345: See you again, Island, talking all night long

    Chapter 345: See you again, Island, talking all night long"¡­¡­"


    Xu Hei fell into silence.


    At this moment, he felt his body heating up, his mind in chaos, not knowing what to do next.


    "Cough, cough!"


    Suddenly, a cough came from behind him.


    The two snakes quickly turned around, only to see Hai Teng, who had somehow appeared behind Xu Hei.


    He gazed at Xu Bai and spoke in a deep, serious tone, "Lovesickness, my mother once had this illness. She couldn''t eat or drink, and couldn''t focus on her cultivation. It was very severe. This pill, called the Forgetting Dust Pill, is said to cure your problem!"


    His expression was solemn as he took out a pill, as if Xu Bai truly had a serious illness.


    "Who asked for your help?" Xu Bai said.


    "Hmm?"


    Hai Teng frowned, then said coldly, "Xu Bai, I respect you as a master of medicine, but an illness must be treated. Your problem is very serious and can''t be delayed, or else you might end up like my mother..."


    "Boss, you''d better stop talking, let''s go."


    Hai Teng was speaking when Hai Er pulled him back, retreating.


    Seeing his subordinate like this, Hai Teng snorted coldly but didn''t resist, saying arrogantly, "You two better not die young, I still need to defeat you at the year-end conference!"


    "Alright, stop talking, let''s go back!"


    Hai Er dragged Hai Teng away swiftly under the strange gazes of many.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Seeing Hai Teng leave, Xu Bai rolled her eyes.


    Xu Hei let out a long sigh of relief. Actually, he had been planning to say something similar to Hai Teng, but luckily Hai Teng stepped on the landmine for him.


    What Xu Bai wanted to express wasn''t that at all. This Hai Teng was truly a blockhead, understanding nothing, foolish to the extreme.


    "Xu Bai, you''re from the Turtle lineage, right?"


    "That''s right!"


    "Perfect, Elder Green Turtle once invited me to visit. I''ll go with you, and you can teach me how to refine the Forgetting Dust Pill along the way," Xu Hei said. ????????¦¥?


    "Huh? Why do you want to refine the Forgetting Dust Pill?" Xu Bai was surprised.


    Xu Hei was taken aback and explained, "To cure your illness."


    In Xu Hei''s view, Xu Bai not wanting Hai Teng''s pill meant she wanted Xu Hei to personally refine it for her, to cure her, which would be more meaningful.


    "¡­¡­" Xu Bai was silent.


    "What''s wrong, is there a problem?" Xu Hei asked, puzzled.


    Xu Bai remained silent.


    Xu Hei was baffled, almost scratching his head in frustration.


    At this moment, a faint voice came from the gaps of his dragon scales, "Xu Hei, if you don''t need your brain, you can donate it."


    "Screw you!"


    Xu Hei cursed, this little Ji Ying dared to mock him, truly infuriating, like a child needing a spanking every three days.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    The Penglai Sea, Turtle lineage, located in the southern Turtle Archipelago.


    This place had over a thousand islands of various sizes. At its peak, each island had disciples, but now only a small portion remained inhabited.


    The Turtle lineage''s inherited immortal spells originated from the ancient Turtle Immortal. These spells were not only suitable for turtles but also for any shell-bearing demonic beasts.


    Including fish, and even land creatures could cultivate them to some extent.


    This also led to only half of the Turtle lineage being actual turtle disciples, with the rest being outsiders like Xu Bai.


    Xu Hei''s arrival didn''t face any obstruction, as he was here as Xu Bai''s guest.


    Xu Bai''s island was at the center of the Turtle Archipelago. The area was quite large, with beautiful scenery. The island had eighteen medicine gardens, clinics, pill refining rooms, training rooms, and other facilities, all fully equipped.


    Moreover, the island was well-maintained, with all buildings neatly arranged, pleasing to the eye.


    Unlike Xu Hei''s island, which was almost in its primitive state.


    "So many medicine gardens!"


    Xu Hei landed and casually glanced around, showing surprise in his eyes.


    The soil in these gardens was similar to that of the ancient medicine garden in the Blood Corpse Cave, evidently collected from there.


    "Do you like it? If you do, you can come often!" Xu Bai said with a smile.


    "Yeah!"


    Xu Hei nodded. After a moment of silence, he suddenly said, "I feel like you''ve changed a lot, I almost didn''t recognize you."


    "Oh? Really."


    Xu Bai landed in the medicine garden and said, "For example, how have I changed?"


    "You used to be quiet and reserved, but now you talk a lot more, and..." Xu Hei trailed off, unsure how to describe it.


    "In short, the change is too big."


    Xu Hei, not good with words, could only summarize.


    Xu Bai smiled and said, "Actually, as long as you interact more with people and talk more, after some practice, you''ll also change a lot."


    As Xu Bai spoke, she took out a metal box.


    Opening it, it was filled with copper coins.


    Xu Hei glanced over them roughly, estimating there were thousands.


    "So many?" Xu Hei was surprised.


    "Each copper coin represents a patient. These patients are all kinds of people, with different personalities. There are poor ones, rich ones, cultivators, mortals, merchants, fishermen, honest ones, and cunning ones."


    Xu Bai recounted with a smile, as if lost in memories.


    She looked at a blood-stained copper coin and said, "This was left by a mortal couple. The wife was bitten in half by a demonic beast and couldn''t survive. Her husband whispered sweet words in her ear, slowly, one sentence at a time, until she closed her eyes."


    Then, Xu Bai picked up a second copper coin and said, "This was left by a group of pirates. They plundered and killed, committing all sorts of evil, but they never killed children. I healed their leader, and they spared a village."


    Xu Bai grabbed a third copper coin from the air and continued sharing her experiences.


    "This was left by an old man. He wanted to finish reading a folk novel, but the next part never came out. He wanted to extend his life, but I couldn''t do it." sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "¡­¡­"


    Xu Bai recounted, and Xu Hei listened quietly.


    It had been a long time since he and Xu Bai had talked like this.


    The two snakes talked from day to night, from night to dawn, and unknowingly, most of the copper coins in the box had been discussed.


    Xu Hei was captivated by Xu Bai''s stories, which were quite fascinating.


    Xu Bai looked at Xu Hei and smiled, "Xu Hei, what about your experiences?"


    "Me?" Xu Hei fell silent.


    What experiences could he have? Besides secluded cultivation, it was just fighting and killing, with almost no interaction with humans.


    Even if there were, it was always with weapons drawn.


    As for mortals, he wouldn''t even spare them a glance.


    These experiences also led to Xu Hei being particularly inarticulate, and after long periods of isolation, he easily fell behind in conversations.


    Fists could solve most problems, but there were always troublesome situations.


    Xu Hei suddenly thought of his inheritance in Wuyou City. Although in Wuyou City''s inheritance, he was also training, training, and more training in the martial arts school, at least he had parents and people to communicate with.


    "I don''t have many experiences, but I had a strange dream where I became human..." Xu Hei said slowly.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Unknowingly, the sky brightened, and the sun was high.


    Today marked three months since the recruitment, and it was time to evaluate the tasks.


    On this day, each newcomer would also be assigned a position.


    The first three months were for familiarizing themselves with the Penglai Sea environment. Once the time was up, they had to perform their duties and contribute to the Penglai Sea.


    Xu Hei and Xu Bai left the Turtle lineage and headed straight for the task island.


    ¡ª¡ª¡ª¡ª


    p: The next chapter might have sensitive words and is under review, possibly released in the morning.


    If this happens again, I won''t repeat the explanation. If it''s not out at night, it''ll be out in the morning.

 Chapter 346: Task island, participate in responsibility allocation

    Chapter 346: Task island, participate in responsibility allocationIn the center of the Penglai Sea, there is a floating island, grand and majestic, reaching up to the sky and rooted in the sea below. A palace is built upon this island, marking the core of the Penglai Sea.


    Beneath the palace lies a massive formation, its intricate patterns unmatched in the world. This formation is known as the Four Seas and Eight Desolations Formation.


    It is said that the top elders of the sea can use this formation to observe every corner of the Penglai Sea, monitoring all outsiders.


    At this moment, inside the palace, a Water Kylin sat on the ground, laughing, "Old Master, what do you think of this year''s newcomers?"


    The Water Kylin was entirely blue, with a head like a lion and a tail like a dragon''s. Its scales resembled ocean waves, and with each breath, the sound of the sea''s waves could be heard.


    Beside this beast sat an elder in a scholar''s robe, ordinary in appearance, the same Old Master who had saved Bai Qiushui that day.


    "Not bad, this generation has produced many once-in-a-century Chosen, a true golden generation," the Old Master said calmly.


    "Heh, I think so too. Throughout history, before every catastrophe, there always appears a golden age, as if predestined," the Water Kylin chuckled.


    "A golden age..." The Old Master fell into reminiscence.


    Back then, during the great calamity, when the demon disaster descended, bringing devastation, perhaps to balance that disaster, the Penglai Sea experienced a rare golden age.


    Countless Chosen rose, countless extraordinary talents were born, and even someone as strong as the Old Master could only be considered mediocre in that generation.


    However, most of those extraordinary talents perished, a few were severely injured and went into hiding, and those who survived were relatively mediocre.


    Recalling those who had fallen, the Old Master let out a long sigh.


    Those Chosen, those names that dominated a generation, if they hadn''t died, they might have reached Divine Transformation by now, or even stronger.


    "Do you think this generation will repeat the same mistakes?" the Water Kylin asked.


    The Old Master shook his head, "At least not before I die."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Penglai Sea, Task Island.


    Today, a total of thirty-three figures arrived here, each standing on the island.


    Xu Hei stood quietly at the edge, waiting silently, with Xu Bai beside him.


    Before long, six figures approached swiftly from afar, landing on the island. They were the elders of the six major demon clans.


    Elder Green Turtle, Elder Tiger Whale, Elder Yunhe, Elder Jin, Narwhal, and Nine-Eyed Toad.


    Elder Yunhe stepped forward and said loudly, "After three months of trials, you have all completed at least one task, and no one was eliminated. I am very pleased. This is very rare compared to the past."


    Xu Hei glanced at Yue Ying in surprise; this bird had also completed a task, truly impressive.


    Yue Ying also looked over at Xu Hei, surprisingly nodding with a smile, but when she saw Xu Bai''s gaze, she shrank back and withdrew her eyes.


    "You only know that there are six major demon clans in the Penglai Sea, but do you know what these six clans do?" Elder Yunhe asked with a smile.


    The demonic beasts looked at each other, puzzled.


    "Enough with the chatter, let me explain."


    At this moment, Elder Tiger Whale flew forward impatiently, "You should know that a normal sect should have various departments like law enforcement, logistics, diplomacy, finance, etc., each performing its duties to maintain the sect''s order. Our Penglai Sea is the same." ??????????§£¨º?


    "For example, Elder Yunhe''s Tianpeng lineage specializes in alchemy, talismans, and formations, responsible for logistics and providing material support."


    "And my Giant Shark lineage is responsible for hunting, tracking down enemies, and gathering intelligence on dangerous missions."


    Elder Tiger Whale explained slowly.


    The Giant Shark lineage specializes in hunting, and their inherited immortal spells are attack-based, extremely powerful, arranged according to their racial traits.


    "And Elder Green Turtle, their turtle lineage, is slow and can only be responsible for guarding the sea, patrolling, and defense work."


    Elder Tiger Whale added, glancing at Elder Green Turtle with disdain in his tone.


    "What do you mean, adding personal bias? Are you belittling my clan?" Elder Green Turtle said angrily.


    "I''m just stating a fact. If you disagree, you can refute it," Elder Tiger Whale replied calmly.


    "You want a fight!"


    Elder Green Turtle immediately stood up, rolling up his sleeves, ready to go.


    Elder Tiger Whale was not one to back down, being naturally hot-tempered.


    "Calm down, both of you, aren''t you ashamed in front of the newcomers!" Narwhal said coldly.


    This scene left the newcomers speechless, directly at a loss for words. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Goodness, no wonder yesterday on Task Island, Xu Hei almost got into a fight, and Elder Yunhe just let them go outside to fight without stopping them.


    So this is the atmosphere of the Penglai Sea.


    "Demonic beasts are indeed different from human sects," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Demonic beasts are naturally combative, which is expected, as a peaceful environment cannot produce strong individuals.


    Even in human cultivation sects, there are also conflicts.


    At this time, Narwhal stepped forward and said loudly, "Newcomers, don''t worry. Although we in the Penglai Sea are combative and encourage fighting, there are rules. As long as you abide by the law, your safety will not be an issue."


    "My Whale lineage is in charge of law enforcement in the Penglai Sea, with laws to follow, fair and just."


    "For example, just now, Elder Tiger Whale''s sarcastic provocation and Elder Green Turtle''s retaliation are reasonable."


    Narwhal used this as an example to explain the legal rules of the Penglai Sea to everyone.


    The demonic beasts listened attentively.


    "For those with lower cultivation, we will provide protection, strictly prohibiting bullying by the strong. If discovered, it will be severely punished."


    "And if it''s the same level of cultivation, like Elder Green Turtle and Elder Tiger Whale, I would suggest they have a fight," Narwhal said.


    Everyone was left speechless.


    Is this the law of the Penglai Sea? It''s simply incredible.


    "This is the law of the Penglai Sea, called the Beast Law. The detailed content is here."


    Narwhal tossed a jade slip, which landed in front of each disciple.


    Xu Hei took it, scanned it with his Divine Sense, and immediately understood.


    In simple terms, the Beast Law is similar to the rules of human sects, but it places more emphasis on cultivation level and is more flexible.


    Next, Elder Jin of the Sea Serpent Clan and Nine-Eyed Toad of the Toad Clan introduced their respective duties.


    The Sea Serpent Clan is responsible for diplomacy and external resources, such as external mineral veins, spiritual veins, and diplomacy with human sects.


    The Toad Clan handles a bit of everything, going wherever needed, dealing with problems other demon clans can''t solve.


    This lineage excels in sea, land, and air, proficient in strange arts, with versatile immortal spells.


    After hearing this, the expressions of the demonic beasts changed.


    Some were secretly pleased, while others looked miserable, especially those who joined the Giant Shark clan. They were new and didn''t want to go out fighting and killing.


    It''s known that the tasks on the task stele for going out are mostly marked in black, indicating extreme danger.


    The happiest were those in the turtle lineage, as their duties were the safest, just guarding the local area and patrolling nearby at most.


    "Heh, I know some of you are gloating, thinking you''re safe, but I tell you, don''t be too happy too soon," Elder Tiger Whale sneered coldly.


    His gaze swept over those assigned to the "safe races," a sinister curve forming at the corner of his mouth.


    "Now, all thirty-four of you newcomers, regardless of which lineage you belong to, will be managed by me. You will follow me on the most dangerous missions, life and death disregarded!"


    Elder Tiger Whale sneered.


    With these words, the expressions of all the demonic beasts froze.

 Chapter 347: Three people travel, first arriving at the Shark lineage

    Chapter 347: Three people travel, first arriving at the Shark lineageExecuting the most dangerous mission, life and death are irrelevant!


    Although the specifics are unknown, it is definitely at a black level, posing a life-threatening danger!


    Those standing here are no older than twenty, all young Chosen ones, inevitably feeling nervous, with a few even trembling.


    Xu Hei felt nothing. The dangers he had faced in his life were more than many centenarian old demons.


    The only thing that puzzled him was that Elder Tiger Whale mentioned there were thirty-four newcomers, but he clearly saw only thirty-three?


    A green-haired turtle spoke up, "Senior, I''m just a turtle, maybe... not suitable for this kind of mission."


    "Then I might have to be racist. Elder Green Turtle, is this the style of your turtle lineage?" Elder Tiger Whale mocked.


    "Shut up!" Elder Green Turtle snapped in anger and shame.


    The green-haired turtle dared not make another sound.


    Elder Tiger Whale glanced over the crowd of beasts and smiled, "If you''re not satisfied, you can apply to your elders. As long as they don''t release you, I promise not to force you."


    The demonic beasts looked toward their respective elders, seeing no reaction from them, they understood. S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This was a decision jointly discussed by the six Grand Elders.


    Though the reason was unknown, it was clear they could only comply unless they left the Penglai Sea and never returned.


    A Qingluan bird asked, "I want to know, how long will this dangerous mission last?"


    "Just one year. At the end of next year''s conference, you can return to your clans," Elder Tiger Whale replied.


    The demonic beasts finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    As long as it''s just one year, and as newcomers, they probably wouldn''t be sent to their deaths. As long as they endure this year, everything will be fine afterward.


    "Everyone, this is a special training for you! Although some of you may die or be seriously injured, as long as you survive, you will make rapid progress, even surpassing your senior brothers and sisters," the Narwhal said solemnly.


    These words were not empty. Surviving life and death situations would lead to a transformation in both strength and intellect!


    Newcomers joining the Penglai Sea must have exceptional talent. But some are nurtured in a greenhouse from birth, lacking a sense of crisis, and there are various connections and so on.


    These are the ones most in need of special training!


    Elder Tiger Whale said, "Enough talk, follow me!"


    He flew toward the horizon.


    The other demonic beasts followed suit.


    ...


    The Shark lineage is located at the very edge of the Penglai Sea, close to the exit, convenient for hunting trips.


    There aren''t many islands here, just a few scattered ones, inhabited by the land-dwelling demonic beasts of the Shark lineage.


    The most conspicuous feature here is a tall tower, piercing the clouds from the seabed, entirely black as ink, like a pillar holding up the sky, exuding a strong sense of oppression. ??£Î¦Ï?§§?


    This tower, known as the Prison Tower, is a famous sight in the Penglai Sea.


    The Prison Tower is used to imprison captives. The prisoners and demons captured by the Shark lineage are all held within the Prison Tower.


    The origin of the Prison Tower is untraceable, existing since ancient times, solid and impregnable.


    Beneath this sea area, there''s an exposed spiritual vein, visible on the seabed, with spirit stones embedded in it, though no one dares to collect them.


    It''s said that this spiritual vein maintains the formation of the Prison Tower and supplies the sharks with their daily absorption.


    Xu Hei spread his divine sense, seeing many sharks moving underwater, coming and going without a trace, making it difficult to detect their presence.


    Even during routine cultivation, they hide themselves well.


    In just an instant, Xu Hei discerned the extraordinary nature of this lineage.


    At this moment, Elder Tiger Whale stopped in mid-air and took out thirty-four tokens, saying, "Our Shark lineage has a total of thirteen hunting squads. Now, you will draw lots to decide which squad to join."


    He placed the tokens in the air, saying, "Choose whichever you like, you have three breaths to decide."


    Xu Hei and Xu Bai exchanged a glance, needing no communication, and immediately grabbed a token from a distance, which landed in front of them.


    The front of the token displayed the number "3."


    Squad Three.


    The other demonic beasts also took action, grabbing a token each.


    Boqi and Bopu both got number five, while the green tea bird Yue Ying got number one.


    "With this token, you can freely enter and exit the Shark lineage, but remember, do not approach the Prison Tower, do not dig the spiritual vein, and do not trespass on other squads'' territories. Otherwise, if you get killed, don''t blame me for not warning you," Elder Tiger Whale said coldly.


    "..." All the demonic beasts nodded silently.


    "Disperse now, report to your respective squads. I hope most of you will survive until the end of the year," Elder Tiger Whale said indifferently.


    With that, he flashed and disappeared, destination unknown.


    After a moment''s pause, the demonic beasts quickly dispersed.


    Yue Ying glanced at Xu Hei and Xu Bai, a trace of barely noticeable disdain in her eyes, and quickly left.


    Xu Hei and Xu Bai found their direction and headed straight for Squad Three, which was an underwater palace.


    "Are you two also in Squad Three?"


    A clear voice came from behind, belonging to a bright green bird, its feathers shining like leaves.


    She held a token in her wing, with the number "3" on it.


    "That''s right," Xu Hei nodded.


    "I''m Qingluan, nice to meet you. Let''s travel together," Qingluan said with a smile.


    "Qingluan..."


    Xu Hei had heard of this name, said to be a rare genius.


    "Sure, let''s go together," Xu Bai said with a smile.


    Seeing Xu Bai had accepted, Xu Hei said no more and nodded.


    Two snakes and a bird dove into the water, heading straight for the distant underwater palace.


    "Qingluan, you chose number three on purpose, didn''t you?" Xu Hei suddenly asked.


    "Oh? You noticed?" Qingluan wasn''t surprised, nodding with a smile.


    "Why?" Xu Hei asked directly.


    Having spent years killing outside, he naturally had a sense of vigilance for such actions.


    "Because you two are strong, it feels safer."


    Qingluan''s answer was simple and straightforward.


    "..." Xu Hei was silent.


    "Not just me, many demonic beasts wanted that number three token, but I was quick, and no one could snatch it from me," Qingluan said with a smile.


    This answer was reasonable, and Xu Hei nodded, asking no further.


    Before long, they arrived at the entrance of the underwater palace.


    A cold voice came from below, "You must be the newcomers, come in."


    "Yes!" Xu Hei bowed to the water below and flew into the palace gates.


    Qingluan then noticed a stingray lurking in the sand below, its body blending perfectly with the seabed, unnoticed until now.


    "What keen observation, it seems I''ve chosen well!" Qingluan thought with delight.

 Chapter 348: Preparation day, encountering sabotage

    Chapter 348: Preparation day, encountering sabotageXu Bai and Qingluan followed closely behind, the three demons entering together.


    Inside the grand hall, a row of shadowy figures sat, their bodies shrouded in darkness. Only their outlines were visible, revealing them to be various fish-like creatures.


    "Hmph, newcomers?"


    A disdainful voice came from one of the electric rays.


    "Heh, you all know how troublesome newcomers can be. Now, three have come at once, and we''re required to take them on every mission. I really don''t know what the higher-ups are thinking."


    A giant tooth shark complained.


    "Three burdens, whoever wants to take them can. I won''t bother."


    A shadow resembling a porcupine fish said.


    "Save it, it''s a direct order from the higher-ups. If you''re not happy, just keep it to yourself."


    A massive sea centipede remarked.


    The conversation among these shadows was unrestrained, filled with contempt and disdain for Xu Hei and the other two demons.


    Burdens! Newcomers are just burdens; that''s the experience the Shark lineage has accumulated over countless years.


    In other demon clans, newcomers might handle some easy tasks.


    But in the dangerous Shark lineage, their missions involve facing ruthless foes. The newcomers'' weakness and indecisiveness could become fatal weaknesses.


    Newcomers being captured as hostages or missing opportunities due to cowardice happens often.


    Fortunately, the number of newcomers assigned to the Shark lineage each year isn''t many, and with thirteen teams to distribute them among, it''s somewhat manageable.


    But this time, all the newcomers were brought in, and they had to manage them for a year. It was exhausting!


    One burden was enough, but now three had come at once.


    You can imagine how heavy their hearts felt.


    "State your names."


    A large shadow in the center spoke. It was a giant tooth shark, the most powerful one, possibly the captain of the third team.


    "Xu Hei."


    "Xu Bai."


    "Qingluan."


    Hearing these three names, the giant tooth shark''s eyes lit up and said, "Oh? The healer Xu Bai, I''ve heard of her."


    They had been on missions for years and hadn''t met Xu Bai, but they had heard her name.


    "Heh, seems like we''ve found a treasure."


    "I heard she can even heal those at the Elemental Infant stage, is that true?"


    "Regardless, she should be more useful than other newcomers."


    Only then did the mood among the demons ease, and their complaints about the three lessened.


    Although each team was equipped with a healer, who would complain about having more talent?


    Xu Hei couldn''t help but admire Xu Bai; she really was something.


    The giant tooth shark said, "Since you''ve joined our third team, even if it''s only for a year, there are some things you need to know."


    "This is your next mission, take a good look."


    He tossed over a black stone tablet. Xu Hei caught it, glanced at it, and his eyes narrowed.


    The mission tablet described:


    "In the southeastern sea, there has been a large-scale occurrence of fish dying in the womb. The humans on the local islands are experiencing the same, with the population decreasing by thirty percent in less than half a year." ??£Î¨¯?§§????


    "A month ago, we sent three members to investigate, but they have been missing ever since. Last night, the soul lamps of the three demons extinguished."


    "This time, the captain will personally lead the team, and the entire third team will be deployed to thoroughly investigate the truth."


    "Additional note: The killer whales captured by the Whale Hunting Gang are also victims in the southeastern sea. To avoid alerting the enemy, the enforcement team has not yet investigated this matter."


    After reading the mission content on the stone tablet, a flash of insight crossed Xu Hei''s mind.


    He seemed to grasp something, yet it felt elusive.


    "Stillbirths, Whale Hunting Gang..."


    As Xu Hei pondered, he thought of the killer whale captured by the Whale Hunting Gang, whose unborn child had also died. He had initially thought it was due to injuries.


    It turned out there was another factor behind it.


    Wild whales are powerful, and if not in poor condition, they wouldn''t be so easily hunted by humans.


    "When do we depart?" Xu Hei asked.


    "In five days. You have five days to prepare. Of course, you can choose not to go. The higher-ups have a rule that newcomers can take a month''s leave at any time," the giant tooth shark said.


    The porcupine fish beside him chuckled, "The difficulty of this mission is unknown. I suggest you give up. However, Xu Bai can come along; I''d like to see your medical skills."


    His words clearly belittled the other two, acknowledging only Xu Bai.


    Xu Hei exhaled deeply and nodded, "Thank you for the information!"


    He returned the mission tablet and swiftly left.


    Xu Bai followed behind, communicating telepathically, "Xu Hei, is something on your mind?"


    "Yes, this mission might not be simple," Xu Hei said solemnly.


    Xu Bai hesitated for a moment and said, "If it doesn''t work out, you can give up."


    "No, I must go this time. I need to investigate some things," Xu Hei said seriously.


    Before that, he had five days to prepare.


    During this time, he planned to sell the loot he had previously collected, and along with his contribution points, exchange for some useful magical treasures, preferably gaining an extra trump card.


    And, he intended to consult the old Flood Dragon.


    Although the old Flood Dragon hadn''t formally taken him as a disciple, Xu Hei was still under his command, and there were some things he needed to inform him about.


    Qingluan also followed behind.


    Xu Hei swam out of the palace gates and hadn''t gone far.


    Suddenly, a frog appeared ahead. This frog was entirely azure blue, holding a trident in its hand and wearing a straw hat on its back, walking in a human-like manner.


    The frog glanced at Xu Hei, then turned its gaze to Xu Bai, saying, "Are you Xu Bai?"


    "Yes," Xu Bai nodded.


    "How about joining my team? We need talent like you. If you come over, I can directly give you five hundred contribution points," the blue frog said with a smile.


    Five hundred contribution points were already a fortune, enough to exchange for a top-tier third-level magical treasure.


    They had only heard of people disliking newcomers, but had never seen anyone actively recruiting them, leaving Qingluan dumbfounded.


    Xu Bai frowned, "I''ve already joined the third team."


    "Heh, no problem. As long as our team captain talks to the third team, they''ll naturally let you go," the blue frog said with a smile, eyes showing determination.


    Xu Bai still shook her head, "Sorry, I don''t know you. Goodbye!"


    This demon''s cultivation had reached the Great Perfection of the Demon Core Stage, likely holding a high position in the first team. They didn''t want to provoke him, and Xu Hei remained vigilant, staying close to Xu Bai as the two snakes swiftly departed.


    Qingluan didn''t dare linger either, slipping away in another direction.


    "Dare to refuse me?"


    The blue frog was taken aback, eyes filled with disbelief.


    Being rejected by a newcomer was simply impossible, something he couldn''t accept.


    He had boasted that he could bring Xu Bai over with just a word, but he failed. The bastards in the first team would surely mock him.


    "No newcomer can refuse me!"


    The blue frog''s eyes turned icy, and with a flash, he moved at incredible speed, chasing after the two snakes.


    In the first team, the blue frog was outstanding in terms of cultivation, speed, and agility, having survived countless bloody battles. None were simple.


    A blue light streaked forward at an astonishing speed!


    Sensing the figure approaching from behind, Xu Hei''s brow furrowed.


    Although the rules of the Beast Law were in place, he believed the blue frog wouldn''t use force. But having lost face, who knew what methods he might employ?


    He was just a newcomer, unfamiliar with some rules, while the other was an old hand who had been around for who knows how many years, surely knowing how to exploit loopholes. sea??h th§× N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Where there''s policy, there''s countermeasure. Where there are rules, there are loopholes. Xu Hei had to be cautious.


    Xu Hei said in a deep voice, "Xu Bai, hold on to me!"

 Chapter 349: Shearing sheeps wool, visiting lonely elderly people

    Chapter 349: Shearing sheep''s wool, visiting lonely elderly people"Alright!"


    Without hesitation, Xu Bai climbed onto Xu Hei''s back and wrapped herself around him.


    "Hold on tight!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei transformed into a bolt of lightning, shooting off into the distance, leaving countless afterimages in his wake, making it impossible to discern direction or reality.


    Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, seventh level!


    In that instant, he widened the gap between himself and the blue frog by ten thousand feet.


    "What?!"


    The blue frog was instantly dumbfounded.


    The opponent''s sudden acceleration and the creation of numerous afterimages made him lose track of his target in an instant. He tried to find traces on the sea surface, but the water was in chaos, making it impossible to track. Even if he found them, he couldn''t catch up at that speed.


    He could only watch helplessly as the countless black and white snake figures vanished into the distance.


    The blue frog felt both angry and humiliated, a towering rage rising in his heart.


    What made it worse was that they ran away, and still had the audacity to show off their affection right in front of him. Damn it!


    "Fine! Very well! Xu Bai, you dare reject me, you''ve successfully caught my attention. I, Yuan, refuse to believe this!" The blue frog muttered darkly, diving into the water.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei sped all the way to the territory of the Turtle lineage before stopping.


    By now, the blue frog was far behind, unable to catch up. Even if he did, he wouldn''t dare do anything on the Turtle''s territory.


    Xu Bai reluctantly climbed down from the snake''s back, saying, "Thank you, you''re really fast!"


    "Of course, as a male, I have to be fast!"


    Xu Hei felt quite proud of the compliment.


    "¡­¡­" Xu Bai suddenly fell silent.


    At this moment, a deep voice came from afar.


    "Xu Bai, the black task is fraught with danger, come to me, and I will give you something to save your life."


    It was the voice of Elder Green Turtle.


    It was only natural to offer some protection to important disciples who were about to venture out.


    "I''ll be right there!"


    Xu Bai quickly nodded, then said to Xu Hei, "Xu Hei, actually, you could try asking Elder Mo, he might have something good too!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes lit up, of course, he was also about to face danger, as the last member under Elder Mo''s command, he should get some benefits too.


    "Alright, I''ll give it a try."


    Xu Hei immediately left, heading straight for the newcomer assessment island.


    Before long, he arrived at his destination, landing on the island.


    At this moment, Elder Mo was lying at the entrance of the cave dwelling, his chest rising and falling, snoring like thunder.


    Xu Hei approached, but Elder Mo didn''t even bother to open his eyes.


    Xu Hei hesitated for a moment, feeling awkward about directly asking for something, so he awkwardly said, "Elder Mo, I''ve come to see you."


    Elder Mo stopped snoring and said, "Spit it out quickly, don''t disturb my sleep."


    Xu Hei said, "It''s nothing much, just wanted to thank you for teaching me the immortal spells. I''ve already learned the first move of the Azure Dragon Combat Technique, Dragon Tail Swing, but I have some questions about the technique, like... the force application." ?¨¢??¦¢¨§????


    Xu Hei stammered, unsure how to ask, so he started with something else.


    Elder Mo finally opened his eyes, looking at Xu Hei in surprise, "What nonsense are you talking about?"


    "Huh?" Xu Hei looked puzzled.


    "I didn''t leave anything on the island, no combat technique you mentioned." Elder Mo closed his eyes again, turning over to continue sleeping.


    Xu Hei was dumbfounded, quickly saying, "But the drawings on the wall..."


    "You must have seen wrong, you must be hallucinating." Elder Mo interrupted him.


    "¡­¡­" Xu Hei was speechless.


    Elder Mo was definitely pretending, but since he wouldn''t say, Xu Hei didn''t press further.


    "Elder Mo, could you give me some guidance on the Elemental Infant stage''s insight?" Xu Hei asked again.


    "Why are you asking about that when you''re only at the mid-stage of the demon core? Wait until you''ve reached the Great Perfection of the Demon Core Stage!" Elder Mo replied.


    Xu Hei was left speechless, since Elder Mo was unwilling to answer, he had to resort to his special skill.


    Xu Hei lowered his head, showing a sad expression, and sighed, "I''ve taken on a black task, extremely dangerous, but I have no choice. If I die out there, Elder Mo''s lineage will be left with no one."


    Hearing this, Elder Mo, who had been listless and snoring, suddenly sprang up, staring intently at Xu Hei, his eyes shining.


    "You took on a black task, are you courting death?" Elder Mo scolded.


    "It''s like this, I''m also forced by circumstances..."


    Xu Hei explained his situation.


    Elder Mo listened in confusion, the more he listened, the more puzzled he became. It seemed he was unaware of the arrangements made by the six major demon clans.


    Xu Hei had to explain the ins and outs again, and only then did Elder Mo understand. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous! Who sends newcomers to the Giant Shark lineage? And to carry out a black task, utterly ridiculous! Are the high-ups of the Penglai Sea raised on crap?"


    Elder Mo was furious, cursing loudly.


    Xu Hei was also stunned, helplessly saying, "So, I can only seek your help, others have their elders and backers, but I have no one to rely on. If you have any life-saving techniques, please share them with me."


    "Also, I won''t take your help for nothing, I can exchange it with ancient spirit medicine!"


    Xu Hei took out a thousand-year-old spirit medicine, with eight left.


    Elder Mo glanced at the ginseng-like spirit medicine, then at Xu Hei, sighing helplessly.


    "Can''t do anything with you, kid. What did you say earlier?"


    "Azure Dragon Combat Technique."


    "Not that, the next one."


    "Elemental Infant insight!"


    "That''s right, I can give you that!"


    Elder Mo opened his mouth, spitting out a golden jade slip, saying, "This is the decree of the Elemental Infant stage. As long as you activate it, you can use the Elemental Infant insight against enemies. Generally speaking, human cultivators are better at these, while we demonic beasts mainly rely on our physical bodies and immortal spells, not focusing on insight damage."


    "Even if there is insight, it''s all about enhancing combat power, nothing bizarre will appear, you can use it with confidence."


    Xu Hei''s mind immediately recalled the insights contained in the stone wall of the cave dwelling, the Azure Dragon Combat Technique.


    Those insights could materialize, showcasing each move and technique, extremely powerful.


    "Thank you, Elder Mo!"


    Xu Hei carefully stored the golden jade slip, expressing his gratitude solemnly.


    The reason for seeking the Elemental Infant stage''s insight was also because his Dragon Battle in the Wild required insight to unleash!


    "Also, don''t think I don''t know what you''re up to, my Flood Dragon skin is almost plucked bald, and you still want to pluck more, do you have any conscience!" Elder Mo scolded.


    "¡­¡­" Xu Hei was at a loss for words.


    The old Flood Dragon''s skin was indeed almost bald.


    "If you want something, go to the Treasure Pavilion to exchange for it, don''t bother me!"


    After saying this, Elder Mo tossed a token, then lay down, snoring thunderously, probably impossible to wake.


    Xu Hei stared at the token on the ground, his eyes gleaming, and picked it up.


    This was a token symbolizing identity, Xu Hei also had one, but in terms of material and pattern, the two were completely different.


    Elder Mo''s token was obviously more advanced, entirely pitch black, covered with dragon patterns, while Xu Hei''s was plain and ordinary.


    "Treasure Pavilion? Exchange?"


    Xu Hei pondered, then took to the air, flying towards the Treasure Pavilion.


    Not long after Xu Hei left, Elder Mo opened his eyes, swallowed the spirit medicine on the ground, chewed twice, and muttered to himself, "Hmph, young people these days, so outrageous! For the sake of this spirit medicine, I won''t hold it against you."

 Chapter 350: Treasure Pavilion, Xu Hei selects Magical Treasure

    Chapter 350: Treasure Pavilion, Xu Hei selects Magical TreasureStar Island, Immortal Pavilion.


    A refined and gentle man, holding a teacup, walked in through the main entrance. His appearance did not attract anyone''s attention.


    The maid at the door didn''t notice him, the guards didn''t sense him, and the guests were equally unaware.


    However, the moment this man entered, Mu Hou, the steward on the first floor, shuddered all over, quickly stood up, and looked towards the entrance of the reception hall.


    The man with the teacup was already standing before him, without him knowing when.


    "Greetings, Senior Li!"


    Mu Hou hurriedly bowed in salute.


    In terms of power, Penglai Island was much stronger than the Sea Commerce Guild, but the Immortal Pavilion was merely a stronghold, and Mu Hou was just a minor steward, unable to compare with Elemental Infant cultivators.


    Li Yuan¡¯an, holding his teacup, took out a portrait and placed it on the table. It depicted a horned serpent.


    This was an image of Xu Hei.


    "This serpent appeared in the Penglai Sea and has become this year''s special recruit," Li Yuan¡¯an said calmly.


    Mu Hou''s eyes flickered as he asked, "Senior, do you mean..."


    "You Penglai Island and the Penglai Sea share the same space, making it convenient to act," Li Yuan¡¯an replied.


    Mu Hou''s expression changed, showing difficulty, and he said, "Senior, we have a non-aggression pact with the Penglai Sea. If we were to assassinate their disciples, this might..."


    Penglai Island and the Penglai Sea were both in an ancient space, one inhabited by humans and the other by demonic beasts, with rare conflicts and occasional cooperation.


    "I didn''t say to assassinate," Li Yuan¡¯an shook his head slowly, "This serpent stole the storage bag of my subordinate Liu Yong. Just give him a warning to return the stolen goods. It''s a reasonable request, not excessive, right?"


    Mu Hou fell into contemplation, still looking troubled, and smiled bitterly, "Senior, this..."


    Li Yuan¡¯an sighed, lifted his teacup, and was about to take a sip.


    "Senior, don''t drink the tea. The previous matter is negotiable. I can arrange it immediately!" Mu Hou said urgently.


    Only then did Li Yuan¡¯an put down the teacup, nodded slightly, and his figure disappeared.


    Mu Hou broke out in a cold sweat, cupped his fists towards the void above, and said, "Grand Elder, how should we handle this matter?"


    After a long silence, a voice finally came, "This is not difficult. Li Yuan¡¯an is a major figure, after all. We should give him this face. Do as he says!"


    "Yes!"


    With the Grand Elder''s approval, Mu Hou finally breathed a sigh of relief.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Penglai Sea.


    The Treasure Pavilion, located at the core of the Penglai Sea, collected countless treasures. As long as one had contribution points, anything could be exchanged.


    Besides the Treasure Pavilion, there was also the Scripture Repository, accelerated cultivation rooms, simulated combat rooms, and more. The cost to access these was high, requiring contribution points. ????¨¢????§à??£Ó


    Xu Hei''s token contained only three hundred contribution points earned from tasks.


    Of course, besides doing tasks, donating magical treasures or spirit stones could also be exchanged for a certain amount of contribution points, though it wasn''t cost-effective. Only nouveau riche with family mines would exchange spirit stones for contribution points.


    When Xu Hei arrived, many demonic beasts had already gathered here. Over thirty newcomers had come to exchange for magical treasures to increase their task success rate.


    Many senior brothers and sisters from the older generation also came to this place.


    Xu Hei''s figure flashed and landed at the entrance of the Treasure Pavilion.


    At the entrance was an elderly guardian, an oily octopus, holding a smoking pipe in its tentacles, puffing clouds of smoke.


    A notice hung nearby: Show your token to enter.


    Xu Hei presented his white token and flew into the first floor of the Treasure Pavilion.


    The Treasure Pavilion had three floors. The first floor was accessible to any disciple.


    The second floor required a core disciple token.


    The third floor required an elder token.


    Upon entering, Xu Hei''s vision immediately broadened. Row upon row of counters displayed a dazzling array of treasures.


    Magical treasures, pills, talismans, formation disks, and more were all for sale. Even puppets, usually seen only in the human world, were available here.


    Each treasure had its price clearly marked.


    "Transformation Pill (Imitation), can transform into human form within the time of a stick of incense, effect unstable, price two hundred contribution points. Goodness, could it be refined by Xu Bai?" Xu Hei muttered to himself as he looked at a pill.


    The first-floor treasures were of various types, all at least third-tier.


    Xu Hei glanced around briefly. His three hundred contribution points could only exchange for a high-level third-tier magical treasure, far from what he had in mind.


    However, he had quite a bit of stolen goods on him, which should fetch a good amount of contribution points when sold. Sear?h the NovelFire.net* website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    According to Xu Hei''s estimation, he could get at least over three thousand.


    As for the token given by the old Flood Dragon, Xu Hei wasn''t counting on it for now, as he didn''t know how many contribution points it contained or if he could use them.


    After surveying the area, Xu Hei went to a corner and focused his gaze on a lamp.


    This lamp was called the Soul-burning Lamp.


    As the name suggests, it was a magical treasure with a strong restraint on souls, reaching the top level of the third tier.


    Xu Hei had immense physical strength and many magical treasures, but his biggest shortcoming was the lack of means to deal with sinister entities.


    In the early days, he had the Soul-absorbing Flag, but now it was inadequate.


    The Dragon Shatter Roar could attack souls, but it wasn''t enough on its own. He needed multiple preparations. According to Xu Hei''s estimation, this mission would inevitably involve dealing with sinister entities.


    "Soul-burning Lamp, top-level third-tier magical treasure, valued at two thousand five hundred contribution points, among the most expensive in the third tier. I''ll exchange for this," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei felt a chill behind him, and a gust of wind rushed towards his back.


    Xu Hei instinctively dodged, but the opponent changed direction, heading straight for the Soul-burning Lamp, clearly a feint to seize the magical treasure he had his eyes on.


    "Don''t even think about it!"


    Xu Hei reacted faster, inhaling sharply, and the Soul-burning Lamp flew up towards him, swallowed in one gulp.


    The blue frog''s figure halted abruptly, hovering in front, eyes fixed on Xu Hei, sneering, "Ha, not bad reflexes."


    Xu Hei knew the opponent couldn''t make a move inside the Treasure Pavilion unless they had a death wish.


    Therefore, Xu Hei took a gamble, ignoring the attack from behind, and grabbed the Soul-burning Lamp.


    "What do you mean by this?" Xu Hei frowned.


    He didn''t believe the opponent coincidentally wanted the exact same magical treasure as him; it was obviously intentional.


    "Kid, I advise you to be sensible and let Xu Bai join my team, or I''ll give you a harsh lesson!" the blue frog sneered.


    "Are you threatening me?"


    Xu Hei''s expression remained unchanged, but a cold glint flashed in his eyes.


    "Ha, your cultivation is lower than mine. With the Beast Law, I won''t directly fight you, but I have plenty of ways to deal with you. I''ll make you isolated and miserable," the blue frog said sinisterly.


    At this moment, a thought suddenly popped into Xu Hei''s mind: to drag this frog out and give it a beating.


    With his current strength, he could definitely take on someone at the Great Perfection of the Demon Core Stage, so there was no need to be afraid.


    However, on second thought, Xu Hei dismissed the idea.


    Acting rashly and exposing his strength before the mission would be extremely unwise.

 Chapter 351: Bad taste, blue frog instantly breaks defense

    Chapter 351: Bad taste, blue frog instantly breaks defenseXu Hei pondered for a moment before saying, "You''ll be attending the year-end conference, right?"


    "Of course," the Blue Frog nodded.


    "Just wait, at the year-end conference, I''ll take your frog head off and use it as a ball!" Xu Hei declared.


    Anyone can talk tough, and since he didn''t plan to fight, he might as well say a few more words.


    Unexpectedly, such a simple sentence twisted the Blue Frog''s previously calm expression in an instant. That blue face turned red and began to emit steam.


    It turned red-hot immediately.


    "Kid, you Fing Hell want to die, I''m not a frog, I''m a fish!" the Blue Frog roared.


    Xu Hei''s expression was peculiar. How did he break down so easily?


    "With those frog hands and feet, aren''t you just a toad?" Xu Hei muttered.


    Unexpectedly, the Blue Frog jumped up directly.


    "You''re the toad, your whole family is! I''m a noble merman, a merman!" the Blue Frog screamed hysterically, his entire head turning red.


    The argument was so loud that it immediately attracted the attention of the first-floor hall, with everyone looking over curiously.


    "Isn''t that Yuan Hua? How did he get into a fight with a newcomer?"


    "Seems like the newcomer called him a frog."


    "Tsk tsk tsk, that''s harsh! I heard Yuan Hua is from the Merman Clan, but because he looks like a frog, he was kicked out, and even his fianc¨¦e canceled the engagement. That''s hitting him where it hurts!"


    "Keep your voice down, don''t let him hear."


    The whispers from afar were very quiet, but Xu Hei heard them all sharply, and he understood. No wonder the Blue Frog suddenly got so angry.


    Ugly enough to make his fianc¨¦e leave, that must have hit a sore spot!


    Xu Hei clicked his tongue in wonder, his eyes flashed, and he smiled, "Brother Merman, do you know why you''re always alone?"


    Hearing the change in address, the Blue Frog''s tone softened slightly, "Why?"


    "Because your call sounds like ''lonely, lonely, lonely!''" Xu Hei laughed.


    "......"


    At that moment, the entire hall fell silent.


    The demonic beasts in the hall immediately caught the meaning behind Xu Hei''s words, and one by one, they couldn''t hold back, covering their faces and mouths, making muffled sounds.


    They were professionally trained not to laugh, unless they couldn''t help it.


    Yuan Hua was initially stunned, but then his expression turned more terrifying than murder, his eyes bloodshot, steam rising from his head, and his skin turning red.


    He turned into a red frog!


    "Ahhhh!! You want to die! I''ll kill you, kill you!"


    Yuan Hua pulled out a trident and lunged forward like a gust of wind. Xu Hei''s face changed; who would''ve thought this guy would actually make a move!


    "How dare you, fighting is strictly prohibited in the Treasure Pavilion! Get out!"


    The smoking octopus outside roared, puffing smoke rings that rolled towards Yuan Hua.


    Yuan Hua realized the situation was wrong and quickly stopped, but it was too late. The smoke enveloped him, rolled him out the door, and tossed him far away, with a distant, shrill scream echoing back.


    "According to the Beast Law, this person caused a disturbance in the Treasure Pavilion, affecting others negatively, and will be detained for fifteen days with a fine of two hundred contribution points!" the guardian octopus declared sternly.


    The enforcers from the Whale lineage soon arrived, taking Yuan Hua away. No matter how much he pleaded, it was useless, and he could only cast a resentful glance at Xu Hei, wishing he could tear him apart.


    Xu Hei felt a bit schadenfreude.


    Xu Bai''s words were indeed true; sometimes, using your tongue is more effective than fists. As long as you can hit someone''s weak spot, the impact is as deadly as a sword!


    Fortunately, he didn''t fight, only used verbal attacks. Xu Hei was relieved by his decision.


    "And you!"


    Just as Xu Hei was feeling pleased, a cold voice came from outside.


    The guardian octopus locked eyes with Xu Hei, causing him to shiver and quickly lower his head.


    "You provoked first, repeatedly insulting others, causing them to act! Considering it''s your first offense, you''ll be spared detention but fined one hundred contribution points!" the guardian octopus said.


    Xu Hei''s face turned black.


    What did he say? Calling someone a toad is considered an insult?


    Among the six major demon clans, there''s a toad lineage.


    "Senior, how did I insult him?" Xu Hei asked in confusion.


    "Don''t ask why, ask one more question, and it''s another hundred!" the guardian octopus replied.


    "......" Xu Hei immediately fell silent.


    He obediently took out his token and handed over one hundred contribution points, feeling heartache as if bleeding.


    The first-floor hall was filled with various laughter and schadenfreude, the air brimming with a joyful atmosphere.


    Xu Hei was speechless to the extreme, but on second thought, the other party was detained, while he just got fined. He felt much more balanced.


    Afterward, Xu Hei wandered around the first floor, casually picking out two potentially useful treasures.


    They were the Soul Fixing Talisman and the Mind Calming Flower Dew, both one-time consumables, totaling five hundred contribution points.


    Adding the Soul Burning Lamp, it was exactly three thousand contribution points.


    Xu Hei returned to the entrance and said, "I want to sell a batch of magical treasures in exchange for contribution points."


    The guardian octopus glanced at him without speaking, merely extending a tentacle.


    Xu Hei, understanding, took out a storage bag filled with magical treasures and placed it on the tentacle.


    The guardian octopus took the storage bag, scanned it with divine sense, and a look of surprise flashed in its eyes. It took a deep drag on its pipe, gazed at Xu Hei, and exhaled a cloud of smoke.


    Xu Hei quickly dodged to avoid the smoke.


    "Hehe, I didn''t expect you, little guy, to have gathered so many human magical treasures. Interesting, I''ll give you three thousand three hundred contribution points," the guardian octopus chuckled.


    Xu Hei felt reassured; this was not far from his estimate, at least the guardian octopus didn''t cheat him.


    He handed over his token and presented the Soul Burning Lamp, Soul Fixing Talisman, and Mind Calming Flower Dew. After the transaction, he had five hundred contribution points left.


    "Thank you, senior. May I know your name?" Xu Hei asked.


    The guardian octopus was a bit surprised, took another drag on its pipe, and slowly said, "Wang Zhen."


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment, took out a thousand-year-old spirit medicine, and offered it from a distance, "Today, thank you for your fairness, this is a small token of appreciation, please accept it."


    Wang Zhen was momentarily stunned, exhaled smoke, picked up the spirit medicine, and found it to be top-grade tobacco leaves. These tobacco leaves, known as Hibiscus Grass, were at least a thousand years old.


    "Heh, I was just doing my duty, where''s the fairness? But I''ve never seen a demonic beast like you, truly rare. Who did you learn this from?" Wang Zhen asked in surprise.


    Demonic beasts are straightforward by nature, rarely having such smooth operators. Even if there are, they''re usually old demons who have lived for centuries, becoming spirits, almost like humans.


    It''s rare to see one who learns to curry favor with superiors right from the start.


    Xu Hei smiled slightly, "Tianji Shangren."


    The atmosphere suddenly turned awkwardly silent.


    Wang Zhen had just put away the Hibiscus Grass, his tentacles froze, and his expression became uncertain.


    "Uh, just kidding, junior is simply expressing gratitude, nothing else, farewell, farewell!" sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei quickly nodded and left the Treasure Pavilion.

 Chapter 352: Training Island, Simulation Battle Tower

    Chapter 352: Training Island, Simulation Battle TowerWang Zhen, of course, knew that Xu Hei was joking, but such a response truly surprised him.


    "This kid knows Tianji Shangren and has even dealt with him, aware of that old man''s abilities..." Wang Zhen mused.


    ...


    Xu Hei had five hundred contribution points left, so he took a trip to the neighboring Scripture Repository.


    The Scripture Repository sold cultivation techniques, spell jade slips, the six arts of cultivation, and even strange tales unrelated to cultivation, including unofficial histories.


    Some of these unofficial histories were worth three hundred contribution points, though no one knew what content they held.


    Xu Hei wasn''t interested in cultivation techniques or spells; instead, those strange tales easily piqued his interest.


    "The Classic of Mountains and Seas (Fragment), describing the types of exotic beasts from ancient times, most of which are now extinct." Xu Hei picked up a small booklet.


    A seemingly ordinary book, with no spiritual power fluctuations, was priced at three hundred contribution points!


    Yet Xu Hei was very interested. He picked up the Classic of Mountains and Seas and left directly.


    The elder guarding the pavilion was a white-haired monkey, unlike Octopus Brother, this monkey was silent, with vacant eyes and heavy dark circles.


    Even when exchanging the Classic of Mountains and Seas for Xu Hei, it completed the action mechanically.


    "Thank you, may I know this senior''s esteemed surname?" Xu Hei asked in the same manner.


    The white-haired monkey completely ignored him, remaining motionless like a statue.


    Knowing that this monkey couldn''t communicate, Xu Hei left directly.


    With the remaining two hundred contribution points, Xu Hei didn''t waste them. He went to the neighboring cultivation island, which had accelerated cultivation rooms, simulated combat rooms, pill refining, and formation deduction rooms, all available as long as you had contribution points.


    However, on this island, there was no elder guarding the pavilion. You only needed to insert a token into a slot to automatically activate the functions.


    Xu Hei arrived in front of a cave dwelling, with a plaque that read: "Accelerated Cultivation Room, Grade C, three times time acceleration, consuming one hundred contribution points per day."


    Xu Hei inserted his token, and the door automatically opened.


    The internal environment was no different from the outside, except that three days inside equaled one day outside.


    Xu Hei had encountered similar functions in the Five Elemental Secret Realm of Wuyou City, where one month outside equaled one year inside.


    Clearly, this was a replication of the Wuyou City secret realm.


    "First, I''ll refine the magical treasure, then review the Dragon Tail Swing," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    ...


    At night, in front of the Treasure Pavilion.


    Octopus Brother Wang Zhen sorted through the magical treasures he had acquired during the day, estimating their prices, planning to put them on the shelves in the Treasure Pavilion.


    This was his daily task. For any magical treasure, he only needed a glance to estimate its price, with a hundred years of experience.


    Just then, a carrier pigeon flew over, whispering something in his ear.


    "Sea Commerce Guild? Stolen goods?"


    Wang Zhen showed a contemplative smile, saying, "So, all the magical treasures Xu Hei sold to me are stolen goods."


    "That''s right. According to the higher-ups, they plan to crack down and confiscate all his illegally obtained contribution points!" the pigeon said.


    Three thousand three hundred contribution points, all confiscated!


    This meant Xu Hei''s contribution points would turn negative, and he would have to return the three treasures he had purchased earlier.


    "Is this really the higher-ups'' intention?" Wang Zhen asked meaningfully.


    "It is indeed the arrangement from above," the pigeon nodded.


    Wang Zhen pondered for a moment, exhaling a puff of smoke.


    If it were an ordinary newcomer, he would have followed orders, as he had no personal connection. But considering Xu Hei had given him a spirit medicine, he thought that kid was quite to his liking.


    "Which higher-up arranged this? Let them come and tell me themselves! Ridiculous!" Wang Zhen waved his tentacles impatiently.


    The pigeon remained silent.


    This pigeon was also a schemer, immediately sensing Wang Zhen''s unusual attitude. It nodded and flew away.


    ...


    Outside the Enforcement Hall of the Whale Lineage.


    "Yuan Hua, you''ve been in the team for ten years, and for such a trivial matter, you got detained for fifteen days. Aren''t you ashamed? It cost me fifteen hundred contribution points to get you out!" S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Captain, I know I was wrong!"


    Blue Frog hung his head, standing before a tiger shark that was scolding him non-stop.


    According to regulations, he would be detained for half a month, missing the next mission.


    But everywhere, personal connections mattered. The captain of the team had good relations with the Enforcement Hall, so spending some contribution points could get someone out early.


    But it couldn''t spare him from a scolding.


    Blue Frog could only keep his head down, admitting his mistake, and promising to repay the contribution points.


    "By the way, what made you think of recruiting a white snake? No other team went, only you. Didn''t you find it odd?" the tiger shark asked.


    Blue Frog lowered his head, honestly recounting the events.


    In fact, he didn''t know Xu Bai, nor did he know she was in the third team.


    It was purely because a newcomer phoenix bird kept praising Xu Bai''s unparalleled medical skills and expressing admiration, wishing she could join the first team.


    Hearing this, Blue Frog casually inquired and immediately learned all about Xu Bai, finding it reasonable, which led him to recruit her.


    "Phoenix bird? Are you talking about our team''s newcomer, Yue Ying?" the tiger shark asked.


    "Yes, it seems to be her!" Blue Frog nodded.


    "Oh?" The tiger shark mused, "I have a good impression of that bird, speaks nicely, and many old team members like her."


    At this point, the tiger shark suddenly fell silent.


    ...


    Xu Hei took only one day to refine all the magical treasures, spent another two days familiarizing himself with their functions, and even managed to refine over a hundred metal puppets.


    By now, only one day had passed in the outside world.


    Xu Hei''s contribution points were down to the last hundred.


    "Since there''s no one overseeing this place, can I try using the old Flood Dragon''s token?" Xu Hei''s eyes flickered.


    Previously, in the Treasure Pavilion, he hadn''t used the old Flood Dragon''s token, fearing it would draw too much attention.


    But on the cultivation island, with no one watching, everyone was silently cultivating, and no one was constantly monitoring him, he could take the opportunity to try.


    Xu Hei immediately left the cultivation room, took out his token, and then walked towards the depths of the cultivation island.


    Before long, he arrived in front of a tall tower, with the words: Simulated Combat Tower.


    He had heard of this tower, which could perfectly simulate your cultivation, spells, and even magical treasures. In the tower, even if you were injured or died, your body outside would remain unaffected.


    The only trouble was that using it once cost three thousand contribution points, a hefty sum.


    Many demonic beasts saved up contribution points for a year just to use it once.


    Of course, the gains from a life-and-death battle were extraordinary.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, took out Elder Mo''s token, and inserted it into the slot on the door.


    "Buzz!"


    In an instant, a light enveloped Xu Hei, and his figure disappeared, appearing inside the tower. Xu Hei began to observe the internal environment.


    This was the first floor, pitch black with no light, and a female voice devoid of emotion echoed from the sky: "Welcome back to the Simulated Combat Tower, esteemed five-star client, Mo Xuan!"

 Chapter 353 – Simulated battle, high-level were shocked

    "Five-star client..."


    Xu Hei had no idea what five-star meant; he had never even heard of it.


    "Who are you?" Xu Hei asked the sky.


    "I am the tower spirit of this tower, Miao Miao," the female voice spoke again, "Please select your battle mode."


    In an instant, screens appeared before Xu Hei, displaying options like regular mode, death mode, endless mode, targeted mode, random match, and ranked mode¡ªall of which seemed very advanced.


    Curious, Xu Hei couldn''t help but ask, "Who created this tower?"


    "Honorable five-star client, you have the right to know. One of the creators of the Simulated Combat Tower is named Gongshu Zi," Miao Miao replied.


    Gongshu Zi¡ªthe name Xu Hei heard again, the last time being in Wuyou City.


    However, since Miao Miao only mentioned one of the creators, Xu Hei didn''t ask further and solemnly said, "Activate regular mode."


    "Regular mode activated, map random, enemies random!"


    As the voice faded, Xu Hei found himself on a deserted island.


    He was still in the form of a horned serpent, twenty meters long, with his storage bag, magical treasures, and even dragon scales and dragon bones intact, perfectly simulating the real Xu Hei.


    However, when Xu Hei tried to activate the Demon God Cauldron, he found it missing.


    "Everything can be simulated, except the Demon God Cauldron..." Xu Hei mused.


    At this moment, a humanoid figure appeared on the other side of the island, with cultivation equal to Xu Hei''s, also at the mid-stage Core Formation.


    However, the upper body was human, while the lower body was fish-like, covered in fine fish scales, with bulging eyes and holding a trident, looking rather comical.


    "Merman Clan..."


    The term surfaced in Xu Hei''s mind.


    During his three days of seclusion, he had flipped through the remnants of the Classic of Mountains and Seas, which introduced an ancient beast known as the "Jiao Ren."


    The Merman Clan were the descendants of these ancient Jiao Ren.


    As soon as the merman appeared, it let out a strange cry and charged directly at Xu Hei without any nonsense.


    Xu Hei also rushed forward, using neither magical treasures nor the Diamond Suppression Technique, relying solely on his cultivation to engage.


    "Boom! Crack!"


    The two figures collided with a loud crash, the merman was sent flying, and Xu Hei also paused, with three shallow marks from the trident on his body, a look of surprise flashing in his eyes.


    "Not bad, stronger than the average mid-stage Core Formation!"


    "This must be an ancient demonic beast," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    It was a common understanding that ancient cultivators were much stronger than those of the present day at the same cultivation level.


    The merman seemed enraged and charged again, the trident in its hand glowing blue, causing the surrounding sea waves to rise and transform into a sky-covering waterfall, crashing down towards Xu Hei.


    "Just in time!" Xu Hei''s eyes gleamed with excitement.


    ...


    Ten breaths later, the merman lay on the ground, easily slain by Xu Hei.


    After a brief rest, Xu Hei entered the next level, with the map and opponent still random.


    This time, he found himself in a desert, facing an ancient human cultivator, draped in a monk''s robe, hands clasped, with a face full of Buddhist light, a monk indeed.


    Though still at mid-stage Core Formation, this opponent was clearly more troublesome than the merman, taking Xu Hei half an incense stick''s time to defeat.


    In subsequent simulated battles, Xu Hei encountered human sword cultivators, Titan apes, and various bizarre creatures, all at mid-stage Core Formation.


    But the difficulty increased with each battle.


    Especially the Henggong fish, which swallowed Xu Hei whole, requiring seventy percent of his strength to slay it.


    "The strength disparity at the same cultivation level is astonishing!" Xu Hei thought with alarm.


    These ancient beasts, which Xu Hei had never encountered before, were absurdly strong with incredible abilities.


    We are bit.ly/3iBfjkV, find us on google.


    After a dozen battles, Xu Hei was exhausted, ultimately defeated by a mid-stage Core Formation Ba snake.


    According to Xu Hei''s estimation, this mid-stage Core Formation Ba snake might be stronger than some Great Perfection cultivators today.


    After resting for a while, Xu Hei continued the simulated battles from the beginning.


    ...


    At this moment, in the center of the Penglai Sea, within a suspended grand hall.


    The slumbering Water Kylin suddenly opened its eyes, and at the same time, Old Master appeared beside it.


    Shortly after, another figure descended¡ªa green ox, with eyes also filled with astonishment.


    The three exchanged glances and simultaneously vanished.


    In the next moment, they appeared above the cultivation island, standing on the clouds, looking down at the Simulated Combat Tower.


    "Regular mode, fifteen consecutive wins, reached the sixteenth level, who is fighting?" the Water Kylin wondered.


    They all knew what regular mode was¡ªit was continuous battles with opponents of equal cultivation.


    Ordinary disciples might win one or two matches, which was already commendable. The more outstanding ones might manage three or four.


    Very few exceeded five!


    This was a wheel battle! The opponents varied, some excelled in spells, physical body, formations, puppets, or demonic paths¡ªany kind of opponent could appear.


    With different abilities and battle environments, how could one ensure victory in every match?


    Perhaps you were good at dealing with sword cultivators, but what if a body cultivator or talisman cultivator appeared next?


    Winning more than ten matches was only possible if the person''s true strength far exceeded their cultivation level. S§×ar?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At least two levels higher.


    For example, if your cultivation was at early Core Formation, your true strength might be at late Core Formation, completely overwhelming those of the same realm!


    "Let me investigate," Old Master said.


    He took out a black token and placed it on the Simulated Combat Tower, but the next second, he exclaimed, "What? Insufficient permissions?"


    "Let me try!" the green ox said.


    It also took out a black token, placed it on the combat tower, pondered for a moment, and was equally surprised, "Also insufficient permissions?"


    "What''s going on? Could this person also be a five-star client?" the Water Kylin wondered.


    They intended to see which genius was inside the tower, but the result showed insufficient permissions, unable to check.


    At this moment, the levels inside the Simulated Combat Tower began to change again.


    Xu Hei, after the second round of battles, had already won sixteen consecutive matches. This time, he was lucky not to encounter a freak like the Ba snake.


    However, he was exhausted, without the Demon God Cauldron to rapidly restore his energy, he had reached his limit.


    On the seventeenth level, a sky-covering figure appeared ahead, revealing only a corner, seemingly endless. Xu Hei glanced at it and immediately thought of a giant creature described in the Classic of Mountains and Seas: Kun!


    "Give up!" Xu Hei decisively said.


    "Buzz!" The Kun vanished without a trace.


    Meanwhile, outside, the three were in an uproar.


    "Sixteen consecutive wins, another match added!" the Water Kylin exclaimed.


    "What kind of monster is this, even more valiant than I was back in the day!" Old Master was utterly shocked.

 Chapter 354 – Simulation battle, Xu Heis strength transforms

    "Hehe, back in the day, you only managed to win ten matches in a row. I remember there were three who won more than fifteen consecutive matches during that era," the old Green Ox chuckled. sea??h th§× N??eFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Old Master fell silent, reminiscing about those three Chosen ones from back then, and sighed, "This young man surpasses the old, he might even outshine those three."


    "Let''s just hope he doesn''t meet an untimely end," the old Green Ox sighed.


    "Hey! You and your jinxing mouth," Old Master scolded.


    The Water Kylin''s gaze was fixed on the entrance of the Simulated Combat Tower, eyes unblinking, eager to see who would emerge from the door.


    ¡­¡­


    Inside the Combat Tower, Xu Hei didn''t challenge the regular mode again.


    He began trying other modes, such as Endless Mode and Targeted Mode.


    He skipped Death Mode, as it was said that dying in Death Mode meant real death, designed to satisfy certain special clients who wanted to experience true combat.


    But Xu Hei didn''t consider this option, with only three days left until his task, he didn''t want to risk getting seriously injured and bedridden.


    Endless Mode was about fighting against increasing numbers, defeating one would bring two more, defeating two would bring four, opponents growing in number and strength, endlessly until the sky was covered.


    Xu Hei lasted only a day before giving up.


    Targeted Mode was simple, allowing him to choose opponents and focus on his weaknesses for special training.


    "Choose opponent: ghost cultivator!" Xu Hei said.


    ¡­¡­


    Three days passed in the blink of an eye.


    Calculating at three thousand contribution points per session, Xu Hei lost track of how many times he used it. Anyway, spending the old Flood Dragon''s contribution points didn''t bother him.


    The tower''s functions truly amazed him, perfectly simulating all magical treasures and techniques. Even his Dragon Shatter Roar and Ever-changing Fish and Dragon could be used.


    What couldn''t be simulated were the Demon God Cauldron and Ji Ying.


    The former was of too high a grade, possibly beyond the tower''s level, and the latter was purely a living entity, unable to be brought inside.


    This also meant that Xu Hei''s real combat level might be even stronger than in the simulation.


    With the Demon God Cauldron, Xu Hei''s recovery ability could improve a notch, sustaining longer and countering many poison cultivators'' methods.


    And Ji Ying was a powerful assistant; with her, Xu Hei wouldn''t struggle as much against rare insect cultivators.


    "It''s time to leave."


    Xu Hei looked up at the sky and said, "Exit!"


    "Honored five-star customer, thank you for using the Simulated Combat Tower, we look forward to your next visit!"


    "Please select your landing location!"


    Miao Miao''s voice came through, and a screen appeared before Xu Hei, showing a map of the Penglai Sea.


    "Oh? It even comes with a teleportation feature!"


    Xu Hei smiled slightly, this way, he wouldn''t have to worry about being seen at the entrance.


    He casually pointed at a location, and his figure instantly vanished.


    ¡­¡­


    In the sky, three elders kept their eyes on the entrance of the Simulated Combat Tower, eager to see which Chosen was using it.


    Suddenly, the tower lit up.


    Everyone''s gaze immediately focused, holding their breath.


    "Buzz!"


    Moments later, the light disappeared, and no one appeared.


    "Teleportation?" The Water Kylin''s eyes widened.


    The teleportation array was a feature exclusive to five-star customers, designed to avoid being discovered.


    "Hehe, this young man is not simple, he even knows how to hide himself," Old Master stroked his beard, a playful smile on his face.


    "Hiding is good, in case one of us accidentally lets it slip while boasting, and it reaches the enemy''s ears, wouldn''t that be dangerous for him?" the old Green Ox said.


    "What? Do you think we might let it slip?" the Water Kylin retorted displeased.


    "Anyway, this young man''s cautious nature is a good thing. Perhaps he won''t repeat the mistakes of his predecessors!" Old Master said meaningfully.


    The other two demons nodded, deciding not to probe further into Xu Hei''s identity, letting things take their natural course.


    If a peerless Chosen truly emerged, some clues might be seen at the year-end gathering.


    ¡­¡­


    In the southern part of the Penglai Sea, within the Shark lineage.


    Xu Hei arrived half a day early at the palace of the third team, relieved not to encounter that damned blue frog along the way.


    Before long, Xu Bai also arrived, looking quite relaxed and cheerful.


    "Xu Hei, Xu Bai, hello!" Qingluan approached to greet them.


    Xu Hei sat cross-legged, quietly practicing his breathing exercise, recalling the battles of the past few days, summarizing his experiences.


    Although his cultivation hadn''t changed, and the Dragon vein remained the same, his combat experience had grown significantly, and his use of spells and magical treasures had become more proficient.


    With the same cultivation, strength could vary greatly, and Xu Hei deeply understood this through simulated combat.


    No opponent should be judged solely by their apparent cultivation.


    For instance, the current Xu Hei could easily defeat his former self from a month ago, without exaggeration.


    If he encountered that blue frog again, Xu Hei was confident he could defeat it!


    Time slowly passed, and soon, the core members of the third team gathered. The veteran members chatted casually, occasionally offering tips to the three newcomers, which Qingluan diligently noted down.


    "Everyone, the ghost fish has sent back the route map, let''s move out!"


    The voice of the giant tooth shark came from outside the palace.


    This was the captain of the third team, White Tooth, at the early stage of Elemental Infant, also the leader of the mission.


    "Yes!"


    The third team members fully armed themselves and immediately set out, swimming towards the outside.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, following closely behind.


    There were thirteen members in total, ten veteran members and three newcomers.


    Of course, these were just the ones in the open; there might be some highly concealed members hidden, unknown to Xu Hei.


    "Senior Porcupine Fish, who is the ghost fish?" Qingluan asked curiously.


    The porcupine fish ahead showed a slightly impatient expression but still explained, "He''s our third team''s scout, been with us for thirty years, best at concealment. If he hides with all his might, even the captain can''t find him."


    "Every mission, it''s the ghost fish scouting ahead, sending back intelligence, so our main force can move out without alerting the enemy."


    Qingluan nodded in understanding, repeatedly expressing gratitude.


    "Remember, don''t casually talk about the information of these team members. If leaked, it could be life-threatening!" the porcupine fish reminded.


    "I promise not to say anything!" Qingluan quickly assured.


    The porcupine fish was helpless; if it weren''t for these three newcomers being under their charge, he wouldn''t bother explaining anything.


    "Ghost fish¡­"


    Xu Hei thought of that day, the devil fish hidden at the door. It was concealed beneath the sand, and if it hadn''t intentionally made a sound, even if Xu Hei passed by, he wouldn''t have discovered it.


    Such concealment was the best Xu Hei had ever seen.


    "And you two, remember to follow orders, don''t act on your own! As long as you don''t cause trouble, barring any accidents, this mission should go smoothly."


    The porcupine fish looked at Xu Hei and Xu Bai behind him.


    "Yes! I promise not to cause trouble!" Xu Hei replied honestly.


    If he could lay low, he would gladly do so.


    This mission was no different from the previous ones, the biggest difference being the addition of three newcomers. Although the veteran members had some resentment, it wasn''t a major issue.


    They didn''t expect much contribution from Xu Hei and the other two, as long as they didn''t have a negative impact, everything would be fine.

 Chapter 355

    Before leaving the sea area, everyone reviewed the mission once more and assigned tasks to each team member.


    Xu Hei''s task was simple: just stay hidden behind everyone else.


    Xu Hei suddenly thought of the three who had sacrificed themselves earlier and couldn''t help but ask.


    "Those three were newcomers like you, with less than five years of experience. They went and never returned. This time, with us veteran members here, you don''t need to worry," said the Sea Centipede.


    ...


    Before long, the three teams reached the edge of the Penglai Sea, where a misty fog appeared ahead.


    Captain White Tooth was the first to charge into the fog, followed closely by the other demonic beasts.


    The Penglai Sea was easy to exit but difficult to enter.


    Passing through the fog, the scenery ahead didn''t change much; it was still the vast ocean. However, Xu Hei could clearly feel that the Spiritual Qi of heaven and earth had thinned, and the sense of space was different.


    He had returned to the outside world.


    White Tooth summoned a jellyfish-shaped Magical Treasure, which quickly expanded to encompass all the team members, making their figures instantly transparent and their auras completely hidden.


    It was as if they had turned into invisible jellyfish.


    Xu Hei found it quite fascinating but didn''t ask further, simply following silently behind.


    Suddenly, a blood-stained scale flew in from afar, caught by White Tooth.


    "Is this a communication talisman from the Ghost Fish?" White Tooth frowned.


    He had just received a communication talisman not long ago, so why was there another one so soon?


    This communication talisman had no Spiritual Power fluctuations, nor was there any information recorded with Divine Sense, just three carved words: Don''t come!


    These words were carved, not imprinted with Divine Sense, so anyone could see them clearly.


    White Tooth had a bad premonition. He quickly took out a soul lamp, which was the soul fire of the Ghost Fish.


    At this moment, the flame in the soul lamp quickly dimmed and then extinguished right before everyone''s eyes.


    In that instant, the entire scene fell into a deathly silence, and all sounds vanished.


    Their gazes were fixed on the extinguished soul lamp, eyes wide open.


    The extinguishing of the soul lamp could only mean one thing: the Ghost Fish was dead!


    "Captain, this must be... a mistake," the Porcupine Fish said with a trembling voice.


    White Tooth remained silent.


    Everyone else was silent too.


    Not long ago, the Ghost Fish had sent back information, everything seemed fine, and then suddenly, a death warning was sent, followed by the extinguishing of the soul lamp.


    From the sequence of events, it seemed like the Ghost Fish had just sent back information and immediately encountered a major crisis, hastily sending another message to warn them not to come.


    Everyone felt a buzzing in their minds, unable to accept it.


    "This is already the fourth one, and even the Ghost Fish has fallen!" the Electric Ray said with a gloomy face.


    The first three investigators were all new members, with cultivation at the mid-stage of the demon core.


    The Ghost Fish was a genuine Great Perfection of the Demon Core Stage, a core member like them, with exceptional stealth abilities. Even if he couldn''t win, he could escape or even evade the detection of Elemental Infant cultivators.


    The death of the Ghost Fish was undoubtedly a heavy blow! They hadn''t even set out, and a core member was already dead.


    Xu Hei suddenly felt that this journey was even more dangerous than he had imagined.


    "The Ghost Fish has been our comrade in arms for thirty years; we must not let him die in vain!" the Electric Ray said solemnly.


    "This matter cannot be left unresolved!" the Sea Centipede echoed.


    All the demonic beasts looked towards White Tooth.


    White Tooth suppressed the grief and anger in his heart and said solemnly, "Scout Ghost Fish has died honorably. The mission will continue, but the difficulty must be reassessed!"


    "I will report the information truthfully!"


    White Tooth took out a communication talisman, recorded the information, and sent it into the space of the Penglai Sea behind them.


    Afterward, the demonic beasts continued to move forward.


    However, the atmosphere had become silent.


    The Porcupine Fish hadn''t said a word from the beginning, and many demonic beasts looked at him, wanting to speak but hesitating.


    Everyone knew that the Ghost Fish was his best brother, who had saved his life. But joining the hunting team meant being prepared for sacrifice at any time.


    They recruited newcomers every year, but the number of team members never increased, indicating that sacrifice was the norm.


    Perhaps the atmosphere was a bit stifling, so Xu Hei hesitated for a moment and said, "I have an idea. After we finish this mission, I''ll..."


    "Shut up!"


    Before he could finish, everyone''s eyes turned to him, filled with strong disapproval.


    Xu Hei was immediately speechless.


    He hadn''t even said anything yet, so why were they telling him to shut up?


    "Don''t say such things carelessly; it''s taboo when going to sea!" the Electric Ray said coldly.


    "If you can''t speak properly, then don''t speak!" the Porcupine Fish also scolded. sea??h th§× nov§×lF~ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Yes," Xu Hei quickly nodded.


    He originally wanted to say that after this mission, he would treat everyone to a good meal to improve their relationships.


    But seeing everyone''s eyes focused on him and Xu Bai, scanning back and forth with flickering gazes, it seemed they misunderstood something.


    However, at this point, he couldn''t forcefully explain.


    "Even daring to say such things, it''s really unlucky! Anyone who talks about getting married after completing a mission always ends up in trouble!" the Porcupine Fish cursed under his breath.


    ...


    In the southeastern sea, two days'' journey from here.


    The three teams moved quickly, reaching their destination by the second night at full speed.


    The death of the Ghost Fish made White Tooth seriously consider whether to send the three newcomers back. After all, with the Ghost Fish gone, bringing three newcomers would only increase the risk.


    But when he asked Xu Hei, the latter refused, so White Tooth said no more, only instructing the Porcupine Fish to protect the three.


    The Porcupine Fish decisively refused and passed this tricky task to the usually silent Sea Centipede.


    Xu Hei smiled wryly, feeling like he was really being treated as a burden.


    White Tooth, holding the scale, arrived at a flat seabed and said, "This is where the Ghost Fish last sent a message."


    All the demonic beasts spread their Divine Sense, searching the seabed for any clues.


    But there were no traces to be found.


    This place was unremarkable, with no signs of battle or blood, as if someone had been erased in an instant.


    As for the teleportation arrays the Sea God Sect was skilled in, they also couldn''t detect any residual spatial fluctuations.


    "We should ask the local sea beasts," the Porcupine Fish suggested.


    White Tooth nodded.


    "In a radius of fifty thousand miles, there were originally six sea beast families. After the death incidents, these families have migrated, leaving only some wild species and small clan branches."


    "In addition, there are many human islands, originally with a population of a hundred thousand. But after these incidents, most have left, leaving only some pirates and rogue cultivators wandering here."


    "This was the first piece of information sent by the Ghost Fish."


    "According to the previous plan, everyone will investigate separately, but we need to increase manpower, with at least three members per team."


    White Tooth glanced at everyone and said, "As for the three newcomers, I''ll personally lead them!"


    "Yes!"


    The members of the three teams quickly split into four groups.


    The first three teams each had three members, evenly matched in strength.


    The last team was composed of White Tooth, the Porcupine Fish, Xu Hei, Xu Bai, and Qingluan.


    This formed four teams.


    "Our four teams will investigate the north, south, east, and west directions respectively. We will regroup here at noon tomorrow. If there are any unusual situations, stop the investigation immediately and use secret methods to seek help," White Tooth said seriously.

 Chapter 356

    In just a few breaths, the veteran members of the third team displayed exceptional combat skills, quickly forming teams with different types of combat members, each with their own strengths.


    Led by White Tooth, Xu Hei swiftly headed north, arriving in front of an island.


    White Tooth was a giant tooth shark over a hundred meters long, but at his level, he could freely shrink his body. In the blink of an eye, he reduced himself to about one meter, and Xu Hei followed suit.


    "Porcupine Fish, keep an eye on those three. I''m going to check out this island," White Tooth said.


    "Yes!" Porcupine Fish nodded.


    White Tooth soared into the air and landed on the island. The residents had already relocated, leaving behind empty buildings occupied by some bandit thieves.


    White Tooth closed his eyes, and a powerful Divine Sense swept out, covering a thousand miles, enveloping the island inside and out.


    "No anomalies."


    White Tooth returned to the sea, leading Xu Hei and the others to the next location.


    Time flew by, and in less than an hour, White Tooth had searched over a hundred islands, leaving no stone unturned, whether inhabited or not, but found nothing unusual.


    During this time, Xu Hei secretly released Ji Ying to investigate.


    Ji Ying''s observational skills and sense of smell were sharper than Xu Hei''s. She had discovered Hei Huang''s transformation before Xu Hei even noticed.


    "So, how''s the situation?" Xu Hei asked.


    "No sign of the Sea God Sect," Ji Ying replied.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and asked, "Anything unusual?"


    Ji Ying remained silent.


    Xu Hei also fell silent.


    He suddenly realized his question might have been too broad, so he explained, "Unusual means different from the usual."


    Ji Ying still remained silent.


    Xu Hei thought his explanation was clear enough but felt like he hadn''t said anything at all.


    "Let me give you an example. If a place doesn''t have a spirit gathering formation, but the Spiritual Qi is unusually high, that''s unusual," Xu Hei said.


    Ji Ying was silent for a moment and then said, "My head itches, feels like I''m growing a brain."


    "..." Xu Hei was speechless.


    ...


    Thus, they searched until dawn the next day, scouring both the island and underwater, but still found nothing.


    However, Ji Ying kept circling Xu Hei, jumping around excitedly.


    But when Xu Hei pressed for details, Ji Ying couldn''t explain.


    "Damn Ji Ying, something must have happened!" Xu Hei instinctively felt Ji Ying had discovered something, but she couldn''t articulate it, which frustrated him.


    "The other three teams also found nothing unusual," White Tooth said, frowning.


    "In this southeastern sea area, the strongest cultivators are only at the late Core Formation stage, and the demonic beasts are at Great Perfection. It''s impossible for them to silently kill the ghost fish. Strange," Porcupine Fish pondered.


    Who killed the ghost fish remained a mystery.


    Having completed their investigation, they decided to rest in place and wait for the other teams to return before making further plans.


    Everything here was too normal!


    When everything is normal, it becomes the most abnormal!


    Xu Hei believed that randomly searching any sea area would reveal some oddities or unusual places, yet here, there was nothing, which was very suspicious.


    No evil cultivators, ghost cultivators, strange sea beasts, or peculiar terrains were found.


    Xu Hei released Ji Ying, who kept circling him, buzzing.


    "What do you want to say?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Brain, brain!" Ji Ying said.


    Xu Hei was speechless, realizing she wanted to eat brains. What kind of discovery was that?


    But suddenly, Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and he said, "Go! I agree!"


    "Yay!"


    Ji Ying instantly set off, speeding in one direction like a black lightning bolt.


    Xu Hei followed closely behind, pursuing Ji Ying.


    White Tooth glanced at the departing Xu Hei, frowning slightly, but on second thought, since the dangers here had been checked, a little activity wouldn''t hurt.


    If they did encounter danger, it might even be a breakthrough point.


    "Follow and take a look," White Tooth instructed Porcupine Fish beside him.


    Porcupine Fish was extremely reluctant but had no choice but to follow Xu Hei slowly. S~ea??h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But soon, Porcupine Fish realized something was wrong because Xu Hei''s speed was so fast that he almost lost track of him in a blink.


    "How is he so fast?" Porcupine Fish''s eyes flashed with surprise, and he immediately accelerated, shooting out like a rocket.


    ...


    On an island.


    This was the base of the most notorious pirate group in the southeastern sea, the Wolf Fang Gang.


    The Wolf Fang Gang survived by robbing merchants and small sects, but they never targeted the Sea Commerce Guild and even cooperated with them secretly, which is why they hadn''t been wiped out.


    Ji Ying approached the island where the Wolf Fang Gang was based, slowing down and quietly infiltrating along the island''s edge.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed, and he also sneaked in.


    For demonic beasts, having a pirate group was all too normal. There were countless rogue groups in the East Sea, and they hadn''t paid much attention before.


    But since Ji Ying noticed something here, it indicated a problem!


    At this moment, on the island, the Wolf Fang Gang was hosting a grand banquet to entertain a distinguished guest from afar.


    This person had a rugged appearance, with a body of well-trained muscles, wearing a single-eyed mask, carrying a blue weapon, exuding a fierce aura, clearly having killed countless people.


    At this moment, the man was drinking and enjoying himself, accompanied by two captured female cultivators, one on each side, thoroughly enjoying himself.


    Xu Hei hid in the shadows, suddenly feeling that this person looked familiar, as if he had seen him somewhere before.


    But he was sure he didn''t recognize this person''s appearance!


    "Brain, brain!" Ji Ying exclaimed excitedly.


    "Brain?"


    Xu Hei squinted his eyes, immediately realizing he must have seen this person before, only in disguise!


    Ji Ying was very adept at seeing through disguises, having even discovered Hei Huang''s transformation, let alone this person.


    "Who is this person?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Brain," Ji Ying replied.


    Xu Hei: "..."


    Just then, the rugged man sitting at the head of the banquet table suddenly frowned.


    Immediately, an ordinary Divine Sense swept towards Xu Hei''s hiding place.


    This Divine Sense was neither strong nor weak, very ordinary, matching the man''s mid-stage Core Formation cultivation, naturally finding nothing.


    But detecting someone hiding wasn''t as simple as a mid-stage Core Formation.


    "This person is suspicious!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes turned cold, planning to capture this person first, better to kill by mistake than let go.


    Just as Xu Hei was about to act, the rugged man suddenly smirked and said, "A fellow Daoist from afar is a rare guest. Why hide? Why not come out and meet?"


    Such an attitude left Xu Hei stunned.


    "Heh, to have discovered me, you have good eyes!"


    A young cultivator stepped out from the shadows, handsome and elegant, with a scholarly air.


    "It''s him?"


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted. He recognized this young cultivator as Lin Ziye, who had previously infiltrated the Sea God Sect to rescue Bai Qiushui.


    This person was Old Master''s disciple. Why was he here?


    "And the other one?"


    The rugged man sneered, his gaze fixed on a certain spot.


    "He''s my junior brother, recently joined Penglai Island, a bit shy," Lin Ziye said with a smile.


    As soon as he finished speaking, another person stepped out from behind him. Dressed in a clean white robe, holding a scroll, yet exuding a rebellious aura, his skin shimmered with golden light, crystal clear, accompanied by a wisp of noble aura around his brow.


    It was Bai Qiushui.

 Chapter 357

    After joining Penglai Island, Bai Qiushui had changed significantly, though his rebellious aura remained.


    "To think I''d run into someone familiar, there''s definitely something wrong here!"


    Xu Hei was quite surprised and became even more convinced of his judgment.


    The rugged man sitting at the head laughed, "Haha, I don''t know what misunderstanding has arisen between us and Penglai Island, causing you two to investigate me all the way here. But since you''re here, you''re guests! Someone, please seat our guests and serve the finest food and wine!"


    From the back of the house, two graceful maids emerged, setting up tables and chairs for the two and bringing out fine wine.


    Lin Ziye and Bai Qiushui remained unmoved.


    The rugged man said, "You two, guests are guests, let me toast to you!"


    He filled a glass with wine and raised it.


    Lin Ziye''s expression didn''t change as he said coldly, "Xie Yunfei, at this point, why are you still pretending? Don''t you have any idea why we''re here?"


    The rugged man''s smile vanished instantly.


    Hearing this, Xu Hei suddenly understood.


    So this guy was Xie Yunfei in disguise!


    Xie Yunfei was a guest elder of the Whale Hunting Gang. No wonder Ji Ying kept saying "brain, brain." He had previously consumed the corpses of the Whale Hunting Gang members, making him extremely sensitive to them, hence his reaction.


    "I don''t understand what you''re saying," the rugged man frowned.


    Lin Ziye took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Xie Yunfei, you killed over thirty people, looted all the docks, dug graves and robbed tombs, harassed female cultivators of the Melodic Sect, and offended every power on Star Island. Now, you''re ranked eighth on the wanted list. I advise you to surrender; maybe you can still find a way out!"


    Xu Hei, hidden in the shadows, was utterly stunned.


    Goodness! He couldn''t help but exclaim.


    He only knew about Hei Huang''s dock looting, but he never knew Hei Huang had done so many bad things, all of which were blamed on Xie Yunfei.


    Xie Yunfei''s mouth twitched. He had long heard that someone was impersonating him to commit various crimes, but he dared not show his face. S~ea??h the Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "If I say I didn''t do these things, would you believe me?"


    "Whether you did it or not, we''ll know once we take you back for our elders to question!" Lin Ziye said.


    Xie Yunfei fell silent.


    Lin Ziye added, "Xie Yunfei, you''re now hiding your identity and disguising yourself as a bandit to infiltrate the Wolf Fang Gang. I have reason to suspect you''re feeling guilty. If you don''t surrender now, next time, it won''t just be the two of us coming for you, but the Penglai Island enforcement team!"


    Xie Yunfei''s face darkened immediately.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered as he fell into deep thought. Although the two had reasonable motives for capturing Xie Yunfei, Xu Hei felt that things weren''t that simple.


    Hei Huang''s disguise could fool most people, but it couldn''t possibly deceive all the high-ranking members of Penglai Island, especially when the act was overdone.


    "Xie Yunfei, my patience is limited. You have the time of a stick of incense to consider."


    With that, Lin Ziye sat cross-legged and closed his eyes to meditate.


    The members of the Wolf Fang Gang exchanged glances and whispered among themselves, but since the leader hadn''t spoken, they made no moves.


    Xu Hei, however, keenly noticed that Lin Ziye seemed to be secretly writing something on the ground.


    After contemplating for a while, Xie Yunfei smiled bitterly, raised his glass, and said, "Gentlemen, I''ve truly been wronged. Since you don''t believe me, I''ll go with you, hoping to clear my name and bring the impersonator to justice!"


    Lin Ziye nodded, "You must trust that the Enforcement Hall won''t wrongly execute anyone!"


    After saying this, Xie Yunfei downed his drink in one go and then suddenly smashed the cup on the ground.


    As the cup shattered, a gigantic formation appeared in the sky, covering the entire island like a cage, sealing it completely.


    This formation was extremely advanced, nearly reaching the limits of a third-tier formation. It allowed entry but no exit, making it an excellent trap for capturing and killing enemies.


    Xu Hei was also affected, with his Divine Sense range sharply reduced.


    "Attack!" Xie Yunfei shouted.


    In an instant, over a hundred members of the Wolf Fang Gang emerged from the shadows, each displaying their skills, with countless magical treasures and spells raining down on the two, clearly intending to kill them!


    Lin Ziye remained calm and said coldly, "Is this what you call surrendering?"


    He was well-prepared. With a stomp of his foot, the word "swallow" appeared. A golden giant python emerged from the ground beneath him, soared into the sky, and with a mighty inhale, swallowed all the magical treasures and spells.


    The golden python expanded to a hundred feet, turning into a giant sphere, and flew towards Xie Yunfei''s location. The next moment, it exploded, and as Xie Yunfei retreated rapidly, he hurled a barrage of black Thunder Pearls at the two.


    "It''s started, it''s started, let''s watch!" Xu Hei thought to himself.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the same time, outside the island.


    Porcupine Fish, White Tooth, Xu Bai, and Qingluan had all reached the edge of the island, looking at the empty island with a hint of alarm in their eyes.


    "You said Xu Hei disappeared after entering this island?" White Tooth frowned.


    "That''s right, I saw him go in with my own eyes, and then he just vanished!" Porcupine Fish replied.


    White Tooth''s Divine Sense swept over the island. With his Elemental Infant stage cultivation, his Divine Sense could easily cover every inch of the island, inside and out, including the seabed, leaving no detail undiscovered.


    This was clearly an uninhabited island, with nothing on it!


    White Tooth and the other demons landed on the island, where there were many ruined buildings, like remnants of a gang.


    In the middle of the open space, there were traces of a banquet.


    But the traces were from some time ago.


    "According to investigations, this place used to be the activity site of the notorious pirate group ''Wolf Fang Gang,'' but a month ago, the Wolf Fang Gang disappeared, possibly relocating elsewhere."


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    "Such pirate hideouts are always changing, not fixed. Sometimes a pirate group has several bases at once, which isn''t unusual," Porcupine Fish said solemnly.


    White Tooth said nothing, but anyone could see his mood was very heavy.


    Xu Hei had only been here a few days and hadn''t left a soul lamp.


    That meant, even if he died, no one would know.


    "Dig three feet deep if you have to, but find him!"


    White Tooth gave a low shout, and his tail slammed into the ground, instantly creating a ten-thousand-foot abyss.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, the battle on the island had reached a fever pitch.


    Lin Ziye fought against the Wolf Fang Gang, and the ground beneath him was covered in words. With a single release of a character, he could annihilate a group, but the enemies seemed endless. As one group fell, another emerged. It was unclear where the Wolf Fang Gang got so many people.


    Bai Qiushui used the Diamond Suppression Technique, engaging in pure hand-to-hand combat, with a single punch capable of pulverizing a person.


    Xie Yunfei also joined the battle. Both he and the leader of the Wolf Fang Gang were at the late Core Formation stage, but his methods were strange, with a constant stream of peculiar treasures, making him extremely difficult to deal with.


    "Huh? Where''s Porcupine Fish?"


    Xu Hei suddenly noticed a problem.


    The three teams behind him were nowhere to be seen.

 Chapter 358

    Reflecting on it, ever since Xu Hei set foot on this island, he hadn''t seen the porcupine fish again, nor did he deliberately wait for the other team members.


    And until now, with the porcupine fish still missing, Xu Hei sensed something was amiss!


    Xu Hei immediately returned to the island''s edge. At this moment, the island was sealed by a formation, shrouded in a gray mist outside, and his divine sense couldn''t reach beyond.


    "Is it because of the formation? No, if it were just the formation, with Captain White Tooth''s cultivation, he could easily break through! I''ve been missing for so long, he couldn''t possibly be unaware!"


    Xu Hei felt a tinge of unease.


    Meanwhile, in the center of the island, a fierce battle was still raging. Members of the Wolf Fang Gang emerged wave after wave, clashing with two individuals, falling only to be replaced by more.


    Xu Hei felt a growing sense of unease and decided to infiltrate the Wolf Fang Gang''s backyard for a closer look.


    Without hesitation, he flickered and used the Earth Escape Technique to burrow underground, paving the way with the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, reaching the core area of the Wolf Fang Gang.


    This place was a cluster of buildings, the residence of the gang members. There weren''t many people here, as most had joined the battle, leaving only the women behind.


    As a pirate group, they had abducted many women, imprisoning them in the backyard for their amusement. The men were killed, and the women taken¡ªthis was their usual practice.


    Xu Hei''s divine sense swept over, easily locating hundreds of women, most of whom were cultivators with some level of cultivation. However, their eyes were vacant, like puppets.


    Strangely, this place was filled with a strong sense of resentment, as if countless people had died here.


    "Resentment?" Xu Hei''s eyes flickered.


    Resentment was something Xu Hei couldn''t detect before, but during a simulated battle, he had faced a ghost cultivator whose spells carried such an aura.


    With that experience, Xu Hei could now identify it at a glance.


    He pondered briefly, then took out a human puppet and infiltrated the room of a female cultivator at the Foundation Establishment Stage.


    When the female cultivator saw someone enter, she said nothing, merely disrobing mechanically, like a machine going through the motions.


    Xu Hei didn''t waste time with her, summoning an ancient lamp and, with a thought, activated "Dream Return!"


    This lamp, confiscated from Boss Liu, had the function of interrogating prisoners. Xu Hei wasn''t skilled in this, so he kept it.


    The female cultivator''s eyes were dazed, and under the lamp''s illumination, scenes played out rapidly, replaying her experiences at a thousandfold speed.


    Xu Hei quickly scanned through, finding her life extremely monotonous, with no useful clues.


    He moved to another room, investigating several others, all with similar situations.


    Xu Hei frowned, deep in thought.


    "Buzz!!"


    Suddenly, a powerful divine sense swept over Xu Hei''s puppet, and then, like tracing a source, it shot towards Xu Hei''s true form underground, locking onto him like a beam of light.


    "So fast!"


    Xu Hei''s pupils contracted. Without hesitation, he opened his mouth wide and unleashed the Dragon Shatter Roar.


    "Roar!!"


    The divine sense beam shattered with Xu Hei''s roar. Simultaneously, Xu Hei withdrew and fled at full speed towards the outside. sea??h th§× n?velFire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    At this moment, his scalp tingled with a sense of danger. The owner of that divine sense was extremely powerful, far surpassing any opponent he had faced before!


    "Why is there such strong resentment here? Why did investigating lead to such an opponent?" Xu Hei''s face darkened.


    At this moment, he thought of the dead ghost fish.


    Why did the ghost fish die? Could it have also stumbled upon some clue and was erased by this hidden figure using such means?


    Clearly, Xu Hei''s guess was likely correct! Now, that hidden figure intended to erase him in the same way.


    The opponent hadn''t shown their true form, only a divine sense that sped towards him again, transforming into a divine sense sword.


    If struck by this divine sense, Xu Hei would be in grave danger!


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    Xu Hei pushed his speed to the limit, but the divine sense sword behind him was equally swift. With no other choice, Xu Hei had to unleash the Dragon Shatter Roar again, blasting it behind him.


    This time, Xu Hei''s sonic attack was cleaved by the divine sense sword. Though he managed to block another strike, Xu Hei clearly felt the strain.


    After the divine sense sword disappeared.


    A soft exclamation came from the shadows, followed by a massive divine sense reappearing, transforming into countless divine sense flying swords, forming a sword formation. It was more than ten times stronger than before!


    "Damn!"


    Xu Hei''s face darkened.


    He had faced many battles, but opponents skilled in divine sense attacks were rare. Moreover, the opponent''s cultivation must be a level above his, or he wouldn''t feel such a sense of crisis.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Meanwhile.


    The two fighting in the front yard also sensed something was wrong.


    "Junior Brother Bai, don''t you feel like these people never run out?" Lin Ziye said gravely.


    They had killed many, yet the enemy''s numbers seemed endless, continuously emerging. More bizarrely, the corpses on the ground didn''t pile up, as if an invisible force was slowly sinking them into the earth.


    Bai Qiushui nodded: "I''ve noticed. These two are clearly using this to wear us down."


    The leader of the Wolf Fang Gang and Xie Yunfei were both in the late Core Formation stage, but neither intended to fight desperately. Instead, they used their subordinates to die wave after wave. Over time, they would exhaust the two, winning without much effort.


    Fortunately, Bai Qiushui was a body cultivator, with minimal true essence consumption, allowing him to sustain such a battle.


    Xie Yunfei sneered: "Heh, even if you''ve realized, what can you do? A body cultivator and a half-baked scholar cultivator, can you break this situation? You''ll die today!"


    As he spoke, more members of the Wolf Fang Gang rushed out, and the speed at which the corpses sank increased, almost visibly.


    Lin Ziye shouted: "The Master never speaks of ghosts and spirits!"


    This was a Confucian saying, meaning the Master never discussed strange phenomena. With this utterance, any evil would be dispelled, a spell to counter bizarre forces.


    In an instant, a surge of righteous energy swept out, flooding into every cultivator present.


    But moments later, there was no effect, and the enemy''s numbers continued to grow.


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    "No good! This spell is useless!"


    Lin Ziye''s face darkened, shouting to Bai Qiushui: "This place is too strange! We can''t delay any longer, use the Master''s power for a swift victory!"


    "Understood!"


    Bai Qiushui nodded heavily.


    Strange? As a body cultivator, he thrived on defeating the strange!


    He took out another scroll of the Master''s sayings, shouting: "The Master never speaks of ghosts and spirits!"


    With these words, Bai Qiushui''s body emitted crackling sounds. His bones expanded, muscles bulged, and his body grew taller. His white robe burst open, revealing a strong back and chest, marked with a large "Virtue."


    However, the character for Virtue was only half-formed, clearly incomplete.


    In an instant, Bai Qiushui grew to five meters, transforming into a muscular giant, his eyes blood-red, like a demon god!


    "¡­¡­" Xie Yunfei suddenly fell silent.


    Lin Ziye also fell silent.


    "Boom!!!"


    Bai Qiushui swung a massive palm, creating a gale a thousand meters high. His fan-sized hand slammed into the crowd, smashing dozens into pulp, erasing even the corpses, leaving nothing but dust, and peeling back a layer of earth.


    Buildings collapsed, the earth shook, and even the sealing formation trembled violently, as if the island itself couldn''t withstand it.


    In the face of absolute power, all strangeness seemed laughable.

 Chapter 359

    "What kind of power is this?" Xie Yunfei''s pupils contracted.


    "Roar!!!"


    Bai Qiushui let out a roar like a demon god and punched the ground again.


    In an instant, the heavens collapsed and the earth cracked. The entire island shook as if it were about to be overturned. Cultivators were sent flying into the sky, their physical bodies shattering. A series of corpses exploded like firecrackers, leaving a vast area of death.


    "Pop pop pop pop pop..."


    The scene was terrifying. Under the absolute crushing force, the members of the Wolf Fang Gang were like ants being blown away by the energy, unable to resist, their bodies exploding into pieces!


    One punch, killing hundreds!


    Looking ahead, a large area was empty, cleared with just a palm and a punch.


    The leader of the Wolf Fang Gang and Xie Yunfei both looked as if they had seen a ghost.


    "Is this really the disciple of the Old Master?" The leader of the Wolf Fang Gang was incredulous.


    Xie Yunfei was also dumbfounded.


    They had only heard of the Old Master of Penglai Island, never seen him. His disciples were mostly scholars well-versed in the books of sages, cultivating righteous energy, all orthodox Confucian cultivators.


    They had never seen such a strange physical cultivator!


    Lin Ziye also showed a look of surprise, exclaiming, "So strong! This is the true teaching of the Old Master!"


    The Old Master traveled the world, with over three thousand students like Xu Qingfeng and Lin Ziye, all inheriting the same teachings! Righteous energy, using the power of words to confront enemies!


    He had never seen a student like Bai Qiushui.


    "Junior Brother Bai, what does ''Confucius does not speak of strange powers and chaotic spirits'' really mean?" Lin Ziye realized that the truths the Old Master usually taught him seemed different from what he taught Bai Qiushui.


    Bai Qiushui didn''t speak, just took out an annotation that read: "The Old Master doesn''t speak, he uses strange power to beat people into a stupor."


    "..." Lin Ziye was silent.


    Xie Yunfei''s eyes flickered as he threw a black thunderbolt, which exploded in mid-air, forming a thick fog that blocked the sky and obscured vision.


    Bai Qiushui said nothing, swinging another punch.


    "Boom!!!"


    The fist instantly extended dozens of feet, like a meteor, clearing all the fog and smashing towards Xie Yunfei, hitting his back.


    "Poof!!"


    Xie Yunfei felt like he was struck by a mountain, blood spraying from his nose and ears, his brain almost scrambled. He flew in a parabolic arc, crashing heavily to the ground, eyes vacant, limbs twitching, his mind blank.


    He was directly beaten into a stupor.


    "Help... help me..."


    He looked towards the backyard, where a powerful divine sense seemed to be descending at terrifying speed.


    ...


    On the other side.


    "Soul Burning Lamp! Dragon Shatter Roar!"


    Xu Hei summoned the Soul Burning Lamp, its illusory flames surging, illuminating the world. When the sword of divine sense approached, it was first burned away, then shattered by the impact of the Dragon Shatter Roar.


    Xu Hei exhaled a breath of turbid air, amazed, "Such a strong divine sense attack!"


    Fortunately, he had prepared the Soul Burning Lamp in advance and had encountered ghost cultivators in simulated battles, knowing how to deal with them. Otherwise, facing such a pure divine sense attack, Xu Hei would have suffered greatly.


    Even so, Xu Hei was still being suppressed, unable to locate the opponent, his skills rendered useless. S~ea??h the N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, the opponent''s attacks grew stronger each time. Even with the dual defenses of the Soul Burning Lamp and Dragon Shatter Roar, it wouldn''t hold for long.


    At this moment, the divine sense reappeared ahead, converging into a vast lake, surging forward.


    Just a glance made Xu Hei''s scalp tingle; this was not something he could withstand!


    "Boom!!"


    Just then, a violent tremor erupted from the front yard, accompanied by shrill screams and demon god-like roars, echoing in Xu Hei''s mind.


    Xu Hei immediately looked back.


    Before long, another tremor sounded, followed by a blood-soaked figure flying from afar, landing not far away.


    Xu Hei focused his gaze and saw it was Xie Yunfei, beaten to such a state, his body a bloody mess, bones nearly shattered.


    "Those two have such strong power!"


    Xu Hei was secretly amazed. Xie Yunfei had once escaped from him unscathed, but now, even with the Wolf Fang Gang''s help, he was beaten so badly.


    The lake formed by the divine sense did not continue to attack but quickly converged into a humanoid figure, entirely illusory, with only a pair of pitch-black pupils visible.


    Taking this opportunity, Xu Hei quickly retreated, moving thousands of feet away. He also saw the giant Bai Qiushui and Lin Ziye.


    However, Xu Hei continued to lurk underground.


    Apart from the powerful divine sense that could see him, no one else noticed him.


    "Hmph, I didn''t expect there to be a big fish." Lin Ziye''s expression was heavy.


    Bai Qiushui remained silent, just holding the Old Master''s sayings tightly in his hand.


    "This is... the aura of the Ghost-backed Old Man, no wonder you''re so fearless! But I''m curious, how did you find this place?" The illusory figure said coldly.


    The person wasn''t too concerned about Xu Hei, who had inadvertently entered the place. The only worry was the two in front of him.


    Especially the muscle-bound one on the right, who had the aura of the Ghost-backed Old Man.


    He was skilled in divine sense techniques, with strange and unpredictable abilities, but he was somewhat apprehensive of the old man''s brute force that could break through all methods.


    "We accepted a sect mission to secretly investigate the Wolf Fang Gang''s collusion with the evil faction. As for how we discovered it, take a guess!" Lin Ziye sneered.


    Their real purpose wasn''t to capture Xie Yunfei.


    Capturing Xie Yunfei was just a ruse to avoid attention; their true goal was to investigate the evil faction behind the scenes.


    The southeastern sea had seen a large number of stillbirth incidents, with half of the biological population gone, which caught the attention of both the Penglai Sea and Penglai Island.


    The difference was, the Penglai Sea had already lost three investigators, prompting them to send elites.


    Penglai Island, however, sent elites like Bai Qiushui and Lin Ziye from the start.


    Yet, these two didn''t have Elemental Infant cultivation, only relying on the Old Master''s treasures to temporarily possess power comparable to the Elemental Infant stage.


    "Were you behind the death incidents in the southeastern sea? Who are you, and why are you doing this?"


    Bai Qiushui''s voice was fierce and menacing, like a demon god from hell.


    The illusory figure merely chuckled coldly, "Let the Old Master come! Although I''m just an avatar, you''re not qualified to face me!"


    "Not talking?"


    Bai Qiushui''s gaze was icy, killing intent overwhelming, "A man''s words are kind when he''s about to die!"


    The sayings in his hand emitted a golden light, enhancing his expanding body, making it swell even more, his pants tearing apart, the half-formed "Virtue" character on his back fully forming.


    Beat a person to the brink of death, and their words become pleasant!


    At the moment the "Virtue" character formed, Bai Qiushui''s power finally broke through a bottleneck, reaching a new level, his muscles turning a pale gold, emitting starlight.

 Chapter 360

    "Roar!!"


    Bai Qiushui let out a beast-like roar, striding forward with each step causing the earth to tremble and the heavens to quake, like an earthquake erupting or a tsunami boiling, his momentum was earth-shattering, like a mountain of muscle on the move.


    A flicker of disdain passed through the eyes of the illusory figure, just as a massive fist swung towards him!


    "Boom!!"


    The force surged forward, aimed at his face, and though his form was an ethereal avatar composed purely of divine sense, he felt a twinge of pain!


    "Words become law, the power of rules, this scholar''s strength is indeed extraordinary."


    The illusory figure''s gaze darkened, saying, "But it''s still not enough!"


    His body rapidly expanded, transforming into a vast lake, and that fist, when it struck the lake, sank in like it had hit cotton, the force only creating a shallow dent.


    But in the next moment, countless divine sense needles shot out from the lake, raining down like a storm, piercing Bai Qiushui''s skin.


    "Puff, puff, puff..."


    Needle after needle embedded themselves, dimming the golden glow of Bai Qiushui''s skin. He swung his fist again, unleashing dozens of punches in an instant, pounding the lake with continuous booming sounds, shaking the heavens and earth.


    "The wise delight in water, the benevolent delight in mountains!"


    Bai Qiushui roared to the sky, his fists like a storm, striking the same dent repeatedly, each punch capable of splitting mountains and parting seas.


    From within the lake came muffled groans, the dent growing larger and deeper, while Bai Qiushui''s golden light grew dimmer.


    "This is trading injury for injury!"


    Xu Hei was secretly shocked.


    As a body cultivator, Bai Qiushui should have been completely suppressed by divine sense attacks, yet each of his punches and kicks seemed to be imbued with a special rule power.


    This was the scholar''s Elemental Infant realm, able to use the physical body to injure divine sense!


    However, there was still a gap in combat power between the two sides, and this alone was not enough to bridge it.


    Xu Hei decided not to hold back any longer. He summoned the ancient Soul Burning Lamp, and upon lighting it, flames surged forth, transforming into an illusory giant dragon, burning towards the divine sense lake.


    "Sizzle, sizzle, sizzle..."


    The flame dragon plunged into the lake, emitting sizzling sounds and wisps of smoke. Seizing this opportunity, Bai Qiushui struck the dent with his fist once more.


    "Just in time, when three walk together, one can be my teacher!"


    Bai Qiushui shouted loudly, the force of his fist surging again, a faint outline of the character "benevolence" appearing on his chest, and in an instant, the dent was pierced through.


    With him present, the combat power of the trio was equivalent to an army!


    "Boom!!"


    The force surged and churned, shattering the lake into fragments, dispersing into a fine rain, utterly defeated.


    "A bunch of rats, thinking they can thwart my grand plan, delusional!"


    The dispersed lake flew into the sky, transforming into a canopy that covered the heavens, instantly dimming the world and extinguishing all light.


    Even the soul light from the Soul Burning Lamp began to fade.


    "Hehehe..."


    Eerie and sinister voices echoed from all directions, reverberating in everyone''s ears, like ghosts and demons, with green eyes appearing in the darkness.


    "Indeed, a ghost cultivator!"


    Xu Hei''s heart sank.


    He had long anticipated such an opponent, and now the adversary could no longer hide.


    At this moment, the resentment on the island was rising at a terrifying speed, almost becoming tangible, with a faint crimson floating in the air.


    These crimsons were converging from all directions, rapidly coalescing in the sky into a single point.


    Xu Hei''s sense of crisis grew stronger, as if some terrifying creature was about to descend!


    Bai Qiushui took a deep breath, feeling the surging power within him, which calmed his mood considerably.


    All fear stems from a lack of firepower.


    As long as his power was strong enough, he had nothing to fear.


    "Thank you for your assistance earlier, fellow Daoist!" Bai Qiushui cupped his fists in gratitude.


    Lin Ziye said, "It''s an acquaintance, someone we''ve both met."


    "Oh?"


    Bai Qiushui was slightly taken aback.


    At this moment, Xu Hei no longer hid, revealing himself from underground, and Lin Ziye immediately recognized him as the butcher''s true form.


    After a moment of surprise, Xu Hei reminded, "Ma Teng."


    "So it''s you!"


    Hearing this name, Bai Qiushui suddenly understood.


    No wonder he felt a sense of familiarity; it was the person who used the Thunder Tribulation Pearl at the Heavenly Dragon Casino.


    "It was him who killed Ma Fugui in the oil well," Lin Ziye added. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Bai Qiushui nodded.


    But now was not the time for reminiscing, as the resentment ahead had reached its peak, continuously coalescing in the air into a mass of crimson flesh.


    At this moment, the flesh was still expanding, with countless green wandering souls flying into it, making it larger and more filled with resentment, almost unbearable to look at.


    Any low-level cultivator who stayed here for even a second would face mental collapse and death.


    "What kind of monster is being summoned?" Lin Ziye said in a deep voice.


    Xu Hei released the Soul Burning Lamp, sending it towards the blood-red flesh ball in the sky, but it couldn''t get close, extinguished by the surging resentment.


    "I understand now!"


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, a cold gleam flashing in his eyes, and he gritted his teeth, saying, "This is a Ghost Infant! The people who died here were used to gather resentment and refine this Ghost Infant!"


    "What?" Lin Ziye''s face changed drastically.


    Xu Hei''s expression was unprecedentedly grim.


    The method of refining a Ghost Infant was extremely vicious, requiring an unborn fetus, whose soul was extracted at the moment of formation, creating the ultimate resentment of heaven and earth!


    The more extracted, the stronger the resentment, and the more terrifying the Ghost Infant!


    Why was Xu Hei preparing magical treasures to counter ghost cultivators?


    Previously, when he killed Hou Siping in the oil well, there was a Ghost Infant fostered within him, giving Xu Hei an ominous premonition, always on guard against the mastermind behind the Ghost Infant.


    To prevent unforeseen events, Xu Hei never engaged in unprepared battles.


    And now, the master of the Ghost Infant had finally revealed themselves!


    Compared to this Ghost Infant master, other so-called demonic cultivators and evil factions were insignificant, Xu Hei finally understood what true extreme evil was.


    This kind of evil made both humans and demonic beasts feel a wave of nausea from the depths of their hearts.


    Xu Hei finally realized why there were so many women here! The so-called pirate group was just a smokescreen; refining the Ghost Infant was the ultimate goal!


    "This person is guilty of heinous crimes, dying ten thousand times wouldn''t be enough to quell the anger!" Lin Ziye''s eyes were cold.


    Bai Qiushui''s clenched fists trembled.


    The scholar had taught him that benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faith were to be explained normally to normal people.


    But for such heinous demonic cultivators, a special explanation was needed!


    Benevolence was a technique to tear the enemy in half! Righteousness was the power to hammer a head into a chest!


    Throughout his life, the scholar had subdued countless opponents with his might, known for his strength, but he always preferred to reason, only resorting to force against such extremely evil individuals!


    "You must be the third protector of the Sea God Sect," Xu Hei said coldly, staring at the sky.


    "Hehe, you guessed half right!"


    From the meatball in the sky came a sinister voice, and on the surface of the meatball, twisted faces appeared, all of them the deceased Ghost Infants.

 Chapter 361

    These twisted faces were mostly newborns, both human and demonic beasts. Among them was the child from the belly of the killer whale that Xu Hei had once seen.


    They had just been born into the world, just gained a soul, only to have it ripped away, losing their lives.


    The women imprisoned in the backyard were all machines for providing souls!


    Such acts are beyond words like heinous!


    "Ah!!"


    At this moment, those faces all emitted eerie cries, some laughing maniacally, some screaming, some weeping. The cacophony of demonic sounds assaulted their ears, causing their heads to swell and nearly driving them mad.


    "Burn the soul!"


    Xu Hei shouted lowly, and soul fire surged out, forming a ring of fire that surrounded him. Lin Ziye drew a talisman, and a vast aura swept out, blocking the assault of the demonic sounds.


    A twisted voice in the air coldly said, "Originally, this Ghost Infant needed another fifteen days to be fully refined. Since you seek death, let you experience it ahead of time."


    As the words fell, the crimson meatball in the sky sprouted various limbs and several heads. The terrifying resentment became tangible, dyeing the space blood-red.


    Illusory shadows appeared between heaven and earth, countless hellish ghosts crawling out from the void, as if they were in an Asura hell.


    "Take action!" Lin Ziye shouted lowly.


    "Roar!!"


    Bai Qiushui roared angrily at the sky, charging towards the mass of flesh. His body swelled once more, his fists dancing like a storm, smashing forward, each punch causing a thunderous explosion.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom!..."


    The meatball suffered heavy blows, bursting with blood plasma, and all the faces emitted sharp cries of sorrow.


    In the next moment, countless bloody tentacles shot out from the meatball, binding Bai Qiushui''s arms and legs. Some sharp spikes flew out, piercing his body, immediately creating bloody holes.


    In the blink of an eye, Bai Qiushui, who had been invincible, became a man covered in blood.


    The meatball had mutated beyond recognition, with all sorts of organs, not just human but also fish-like, all in the form of growing young ones, making one feel nauseous.


    This reminded Xu Hei of the butcher, the difference being one killed enemies, the other killed innocents.


    "With a long sword and a Qin bow, though my head and body part, my heart remains unyielding!"


    Lin Ziye recited scripture, a long bow appearing in his hand, countless flying swords manifesting behind him. His will was firm, his aura exploding in an instant, surpassing the limits of his cultivation, clear energy swirling around him, causing runes to appear from his brow and spread across his body.


    This was the Elemental Infant stage''s intent, and he also had a trump card bestowed by his master to protect him.


    "Go!"


    With a point of his finger, all the flying swords shot out together, and the long bow in his hand released a sharp arrow, piercing the meatball. The cries from the meatball grew more shrill, blood splattering, but the resentment grew even stronger.


    Even with the two of them joining forces, they couldn''t stop the spread of resentment.


    The crimson in the sky grew more intense, the scent of blood thickened, and the aura of the Ghost Infant continued to rise, growing by devouring resentment!


    Xu Hei knew now wasn''t the time to hold back. If this Ghost Infant continued to grow, no one would be able to stop it.


    He immediately took out the golden decree given to him by the old Flood Dragon, placing it on his brow. The decree melted automatically, merging with his horn.


    In an instant, an invisible intent enveloped Xu Hei''s body, and behind him, the shadow of a Flood Dragon gradually appeared, its head lowered, eyes closed, as if in slumber.


    It was like Mo Xuan in slumber, forever lying in that sunless cave dwelling.


    This was an Elemental Infant intent, originating from the old Flood Dragon, yet very obscure. Xu Hei could barely sense what kind of intent it was.


    "Strange, what is Elder Mo''s intent?"


    Xu Hei had seen others use the Elemental Infant decree, whether it was Lei He or Xu Qingfeng, their intents were very clear, one of slaughter, the other of assassination. Including the two before him, their intents came from their master, where words became law.


    But Mo Xuan''s, Xu Hei couldn''t feel it.


    At this moment, the battle ahead had already fallen into absolute disadvantage. Bai Qiushui and Lin Ziye together couldn''t withstand the strength of this Ghost Infant.


    Countless tendrils stretched out, various ghostly figures pounced, plunging the two into a bitter struggle, their injuries increasing. Even the vast aura was rapidly dissipating under the erosion of resentment.


    In his confusion, Xu Hei suddenly had many insights in his heart.


    These insights came from his past experiences, from enlightenment to now, scenes replaying before his eyes, finally settling on that trace of defiance.


    "Defy!"


    Xu Hei whispered.


    Suddenly, the Flood Dragon shadow behind him opened its eyes, raising its head.


    Awakening from slumber, reviving from despair, breaking shackles, shattering cages, this was defiance!


    "Boom!!"


    Xu Hei''s aura suddenly surged upward. This wasn''t the old Flood Dragon''s intent, it was his own intent, defiance! In this powerful intent, the Flood Dragon shadow gradually merged with Xu Hei''s body, becoming one.


    "Roar!!" S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei roared to the sky, the Flood Dragon shadow roaring as well, the roar shaking the heavens.


    "Hmm?"


    In that instant, all the eyes on the meatball turned towards Xu Hei, filled with intense astonishment.


    "This is..."


    The Ghost Infant''s pupils contracted, followed by a surge of murderous intent in its eyes. This child must not be left alive!


    In the next moment, the meatball shot up, actively crashing towards Xu Hei, its gaping maw opening wide, aiming to devour him.


    Resentment descended like a storm, countless infant ghosts shrieking mournfully, rushing from all directions to bite at Xu Hei, wanting to devour his flesh, consume his soul!


    The Ghost Infant''s actions left Bai Qiushui and Lin Ziye momentarily stunned.


    "Dragon Shatter Roar!"


    Xu Hei roared again, this time, with the Elemental Infant intent empowering him, his Dragon Shatter Roar''s power increased more than tenfold. With a single roar, the approaching ghosts burst apart, each one turning to nothing, vanishing into ashes.


    Even the Ghost Infant''s body was stunned in mid-air, countless cracks spreading across it, blood flowing profusely.


    "So strong!"


    Bai Qiushui and Lin Ziye were dumbfounded.


    Just moments ago, they were at an absolute disadvantage, the opponent''s strength beyond imagination. Given time, even with their master''s power, they would be in grave danger.


    But now, the Ghost Infant was drawn to Xu Hei, abandoning its fight with them, turning to attack Xu Hei, only to be injured by him.


    The two were quick-witted, immediately realizing that Xu Hei''s strength had already made the Ghost Infant wary!


    Without any words, the two exchanged a glance and simultaneously charged at the Ghost Infant, unleashing the strongest power of their lives.


    The sky cracked, clear energy flowed, their cooperation seamless, attacking the Ghost Infant.


    With Xu Hei in front and the two flanking from behind, the Ghost Infant showed no fear, coldly saying, "Hmph! Do you really think I can''t deal with you?"

 Chapter 362

    In that instant, countless limbs flew out from within the Ghost Infant''s body, exploding in mid-air and blocking the spell of pure energy.


    Simultaneously, he shot up into the sky, arriving at the backyard and inhaling deeply.


    "Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."


    Suddenly, the female cultivators imprisoned in the backyard snapped their eyes open, and one by one, their ethereal spirits flew out from the tops of their heads, soaring into the sky, only to be devoured by the Ghost Infant''s grotesque mouth.


    These women had been imprisoned for years, serving as soul-providing machines, accumulating a vast amount of resentment, even more than those young children!


    Originally, he was reluctant to sacrifice this group of women, as they could continuously provide benefits.


    But now, to quickly kill these three people, he had no choice but to sacrifice a portion of them.


    "Not good, stop him quickly!"


    Lin Ziye''s expression changed as he rushed to the backyard, drawing his bow and arrow to shoot at the Ghost Infant, but the arrow was turned to ash by the concentrated resentment.


    Bai Qiushui was even more entangled by the resentment, his body stained red.


    "Such strong resentment, we can''t let him absorb any more!" Xu Hei''s face was grim.


    The imprisoned women, each filled with overwhelming resentment, would strengthen the Ghost Infant with each soul absorbed, serving as the best nourishment.


    In just two breaths, the Ghost Infant''s aura had surged by at least thirty percent.


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    Xu Hei soared into the air, unleashing a talisman towards the front, the second trump card he had purchased, the Soul Fixing Talisman!


    "Fix!"


    The Soul Fixing Talisman rippled out, freezing the female spirits in mid-air, interrupting the Ghost Infant''s devouring.


    At the same time, Xu Hei fully activated the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, diving into the thick resentment, his tail slicing through the sky, striking fiercely at the Ghost Infant.


    "Crackling!!"


    The power of Xu Hei''s body transferred from his abdomen to his tail, each transfer increasing the power, and when it reached its peak, this strike could shatter the sky!


    Azure Dragon Combat Technique, Dragon Tail Swing!


    A thunderous roar echoed across the sky, as if the heavens were being torn apart, scattering more than half of the resentment, directly assaulting the Ghost Infant''s face.


    "You really are..." The Ghost Infant''s face changed drastically, countless tendrils shooting out to intercept, but Xu Hei''s tail struck them, causing them to explode, flesh flying everywhere.


    With unstoppable momentum, the strike landed heavily on the Ghost Infant''s body.


    "Smack!!"


    The Ghost Infant''s spherical body was deeply dented, the fierce energy spreading throughout, causing blood to splatter and rain down.


    His entire body was nearly severed by the tail swipe.


    One strike, severely injured!


    "Ah!!" The Ghost Infant let out a piercing scream, countless cries emanating from within, chilling to the bone.


    "Devour for me!"


    He opened his mouth to inhale again, another female cultivator''s spirit was swallowed, rapidly healing his injuries. S§×arch* The Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    However, as he attempted to devour again, he found the backyard empty.


    The hundreds of imprisoned female cultivators were all gone.


    "What?" The Ghost Infant''s pupils shrank, his face darkening.


    At this moment, all the women inside the houses had their foreheads pierced, their divine senses shattered, their souls extinguished, dying instantly.


    Lin Ziye flicked his fingers, coldly saying, "By killing these female cultivators, you can no longer devour them."


    The resentment in the air was too heavy, his attacks couldn''t get close, not even qualifying to harm the opponent, only Xu Hei could approach.


    He couldn''t do nothing, so he targeted the imprisoned women.


    Though they were pitiful, Lin Ziye still acted, exterminating them without leaving a single survivor.


    The Ghost Infant''s face was extremely grim, these were his prepared food, and now they were all dead.


    "Heh, as an enforcer, a scholar, you commit such heinous acts! They were innocent, yet you slaughtered them all, in my view, you''re a demonic cultivator too!" The Ghost Infant sneered.


    Xu Hei was also shocked by Lin Ziye''s actions.


    But recalling what he had said before, Xu Hei wasn''t surprised.


    Back then, in the underwater oil well, Lin Ziye had asked him a question.


    "If you were an enforcer, demanding fairness and justice, do you think the process is important, or the result?"


    Now looking back, Lin Ziye and Xu Qingfeng, both enforcers, were not the same kind of people.


    Procedural justice or result-oriented justice?


    From Lin Ziye''s actions, he didn''t align with either, neither process nor result belonged to the side of justice.


    Seeing he couldn''t harm the opponent, he directly killed all the opponent''s food supply, this decisiveness and mindset might not suit an enforcer.


    But it definitely suited a demon slayer!


    In that instant, even Xu Hei hadn''t thought of this idea, but Lin Ziye did it effortlessly.


    "And you, the virtues taught by your teacher, is this what they amount to?"


    The Ghost Infant looked at Bai Qiushui, sneering as well. Having reached a dead end, he stopped attacking, choosing to taunt instead.


    Bai Qiushui remained expressionless, coldly saying, "Virtue is only for the virtuous! As for a fiend like you..."


    Before he finished speaking, Bai Qiushui suddenly appeared behind the Ghost Infant, delivering a heavy punch to his head, driving it into his chest, spraying blood.


    "This is virtue!"


    Bai Qiushui shouted angrily, grabbing the Ghost Infant''s body with both hands, tearing it apart, flesh flying, the dent from the Dragon Tail Swing splitting open, ripping it into two halves.


    To deal with brutality, one must use brutal methods.


    Xu Hei flashed forward, unleashing another Dragon Tail Swing, smashing the halved ghost shadow into pieces, scattering flesh everywhere.


    Simultaneously, he ignited the Soul Burning Lamp, the raging flames spreading for miles, igniting all the flesh, emitting a sizzling sound, accompanied by wailing screams, countless ghost shadows turning to ash.


    The resentment in this place finally began to slowly decrease.


    The Ghost Infant had reached its limit.


    Without food replenishment, and being besieged by Bai Qiushui and Xu Hei, it was completely annihilated, quickly perishing.


    Xu Hei continued to unleash the Dragon Shatter Roar, dispersing the wandering ghosts, leaving no possible remnants, conducting a thorough sweep.


    He knew the matter might not be over, if it truly was a protector, there might be more tricks.


    Bai Qiushui landed on the ground, his aura rapidly declining, his massive and bizarre body shrinking quickly, muscles withering, bones shortening, in just a moment, he returned to normal height.


    At this moment, his face was pale, his body weak, on the verge of fainting, caught by Lin Ziye, who praised, "Well done."


    Bai Qiushui smiled wryly, "Only... five minutes."


    The battle seemed long, but in reality, it was only half a cup of tea''s time, after receiving the teacher''s power boost, five minutes was his limit.


    After all, his own cultivation was too weak, relying on external power couldn''t last long.


    "Wait!"


    Xu Hei exclaimed.


    At this moment, from the center of the backyard, a strange force began to seep out, a force very familiar, the same divine sense power that had suddenly emerged before.


    Originally thought to have reached its limit by forming a lake, now, new power was appearing.


    Xu Hei finally saw clearly, there was a teleportation array hidden underground.


    At this moment, a pair of eerie green eyes slowly opened within the surging divine sense power, locking onto Xu Hei.


    Simultaneously, a voice like a ghostly whisper from the abyss echoed through the heavens and earth.


    "To make me, the Soul Refining Demon Lord, travel millions of miles to personally act, hmph, you should be proud!"

 Chapter 363

    In that instant, darkness enveloped the world, and the three people present felt their hair stand on end. Xu Hei''s entire body was tense, and the sense of crisis in his heart had reached its peak.


    The other two felt the same. Lin Ziye''s heart was in turmoil as he exclaimed, "Soul Refining Demon Lord!"


    There was no doubt that only the four great protectors of the Sea God Sect were worthy of such a name!


    They were merely investigating evil cultivators. Who could have predicted that they would run into the top echelon of the Sea God Sect, and it was the real body! This was a figure on the level of a master, not someone they could afford to provoke.


    "I said earlier that you guessed half right because I am not the third protector of the Sea God Sect, but the first protector!" Soul Refining Demon Lord''s voice came with a light chuckle.


    As the voice reached them, the thoughts of the three were momentarily frozen, as if a moment of memory had been erased, leaving them unsure of their next move.


    Moreover, a divine sense mark appeared on them, locking onto the three, making escape impossible even to the ends of the earth.


    Lin Ziye''s clarity shook, breaking free from the controlled state. Without hesitation, he grabbed Bai Qiushui and retreated, shouting, "This person is unbeatable! Retreat quickly, I have a way to escape!"


    Xu Hei also swiftly broke free from the control.


    Instinctively, he wanted to retreat, and with his speed, he could immediately create distance.


    But in that instant, Xu Hei''s mind exploded with a crazy thought.


    "No! If what he says is true, and he is the first protector of the Sea God Sect, then we have no chance of escape, certain death awaits!"


    Xu Hei had encountered two demon lords before, the Nightmare Demon Lord and the Yehuo Demon Lord.


    He had deeply experienced the strength of these two; encountering them was a dead end. Even though he was now several times stronger, he still stood no chance against them.


    Even if he escaped, without Hei Huang''s three-piece set, survival was impossible.


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord was stronger than these two demon lords. Could Xu Hei escape?


    No! The hope was slim!


    Even if he managed to get out and reunite with Captain White Tooth, it would likely still lead to death, and he would implicate others, resulting in the annihilation of all three teams.


    This was not on the same level. The sense of crisis in Xu Hei''s heart represented everything. His intuition was always sharp, and this was his judgment of the enemy''s strength, almost never wrong.


    "No! I must not flee. The reason I''m not dead now is that the opponent hasn''t truly descended. I still have a chance, a fighting chance!"


    "Otherwise, once the opponent truly descends, we will all die!"


    In that brief moment, many thoughts flashed through Xu Hei''s mind.


    In a split second, Xu Hei made his decision, his eyes flashing with determination.


    Almost at the same moment Lin Ziye retreated, Xu Hei also took action. Fully unleashing the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, he charged towards the center of the backyard.


    He transformed into a dragon-shaped light, pouncing towards the overwhelming divine sense power.


    "What are you doing?" Lin Ziye exclaimed in shock.


    At a time like this, not running away but charging forward, was he seeking death?


    This was the true body of a demon lord descending, not a Ghost Infant he had crafted.


    Even two mid-stage Elemental Infants from Twin Islands working together couldn''t defeat a demon lord protector, which showed how terrifying the opponent was!


    "Oh?" The Soul Refining Demon Lord also let out a surprised sound, then chuckled lightly, "Do you know why geniuses always die young?"


    As Xu Hei advanced, various Will-o''-the-Wisps appeared before him, ghostly figures flashing in front of him, all souls absorbed by the Soul Refining Demon Lord.


    Although Xu Hei didn''t recognize any of these souls, he could feel that they were all souls of the Chosen.


    "Because they always think too highly of themselves, believing they can accomplish anything, only to end up losing their lives in vain."


    "You will be the next!" The Soul Refining Demon Lord''s voice was icy.


    Xu Hei ignored it, his eyes closed, his entire bloodline mobilized at that moment, concentrating towards his brow, condensing into a single point.


    Since he had decided, he would do it, with no regrets!


    This was a move he had never used before. Today, he would test it on a demon lord!


    Xu Hei''s eyes snapped open, and he shouted, "Dragon Battle in the Wild, its blood is profound and yellow!"


    In that instant, the bloodline concentrated at his brow rapidly released, spreading throughout his body along the dragon vein.


    To read the uncut version, go to ].


    However, the released bloodline was the transformed true dragon blood!


    "Boom!!"


    Xu Hei''s aura surged instantly, his body transformed, dragon horns appeared on his head, dragon whiskers grew, his body crackled as his bones elongated, and a pair of fierce dragon claws grew from his abdomen. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Even Xu Hei''s gaze changed, as cold as ten thousand years of ice, indifferent to all things in the world. There was nothing in heaven and earth that could make him fear, that was the Dragon''s Eye!


    Nine Transformations of the True Dragon, transforming into a divine dragon, Xu Hei used the dragon clan''s supreme skill to transform into a true dragon form in a short time!


    At this moment, the sky changed color, the dark and lightless sky thundered, the wind and clouds howled, and heavenly might gathered, seemingly about to fall.


    Since ancient times, true dragons had long been extinct. In the present age, a true dragon appeared again. Although it was merely a simulated true dragon, it still triggered a series of celestial changes!


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord''s laughter abruptly stopped, his ghostly green eyes suddenly contracted, followed by a surge of murderous intent.


    "My judgment was correct, you must not be left alive!"


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord''s divine sense condensed, transforming into countless long spears, shooting towards Xu Hei, intending to completely engulf him.


    "Puff puff puff..."


    As the spears fell, Xu Hei did not dodge, letting them land on him. At this moment, whether it was his divine sense or physical body, Xu Hei endured a terrifying impact, his entire body seeping with blood.


    Yet, relying on the characteristics of the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, Xu Hei bypassed the blade and sword shadows, reaching the core area of the backyard, and fiercely crashed towards the center of the underground teleportation array.


    His target was not the Soul Refining Demon Lord''s divine sense, but the teleportation array!


    "What?"


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord also let out a sound of surprise, his divine sense quickly converging, transforming into a massive furnace, flames spreading out, engulfing a radius of ten thousand feet, even Xu Hei''s soul was being scorched.


    "Do you think you can break the formation? Foolish delusion!" The Soul Refining Demon Lord roared in anger.


    Xu Hei''s eyes remained as determined as ever. At this life-and-death moment, he was about to unleash his strongest Dragon Tail Swing to attack the formation.


    Suddenly, a second image from the cave dwelling flashed in his mind.


    It was a dragon claw!


    He had used Dragon Tail Swing twice, but the second image, Xu Hei had never used before, not even knowing its name.


    "No, the power of Dragon Tail Swing might not be enough. I must use the second move! I must go all out!"


    Xu Hei''s gaze turned fierce, the intent of that move replaying in his mind repeatedly.


    He had only seen that claw once, only able to simulate a rough idea, but he must succeed, failure was not an option!


    Xu Hei''s gaze focused, the pair of dragon claws under his abdomen reached out, fiercely clawing towards the core of the teleportation array, like a black dragon clawing at the heart, tearing through space, reaching the other side!


    "Rip!"


    Space shattered like fragile glass, cracks spreading. Xu Hei''s entire body seeped blood, clearly this move had reached the limit of what he could endure.


    "Not good!"


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord''s expression changed, hurriedly moving the divine sense furnace to block in front.


    "Kill!!" Xu Hei roared in fury, even though his physical body was shattered, the spiritual will of the true dragon could tear the sky!


    "Crack!!"


    A crisp explosion echoed in all directions, under this claw, the furnace immediately shattered into pieces, exploding, even the space in front was torn by Xu Hei''s claw, leaving a deep fissure.


    And the teleportation array below was also affected by the torn space, under the astonished gaze of the Soul Refining Demon Lord, it instantly collapsed, turning to dust.

 Chapter 364

    The events just now happened too quickly, in the span of a single breath, Xu Hei completed his transformation, tearing through space with one claw and directly shattering the teleportation array.


    A quick look at " will leave you more fulfilled.


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord''s previously calm demeanor vanished, leaving him stunned on the spot. He couldn''t believe that a mere mid-stage demon core cultivator had destroyed the teleportation array right under his nose!


    Immediately, an endless fury surged within him.


    For the first time, he felt anger. Compared to the killing of the Ghost Infant, Xu Hei breaking the array in front of him was like a slap to his face, causing his arrival plan to fail completely!


    The teleportation array required about ten breaths to fully transmit his true form, but with Xu Hei''s destruction, not even half of his divine sense had arrived.


    What infuriated him even more was that Xu Hei saw through his plan, feigned ignorance, and while seemingly launching a mock attack, he actually targeted the teleportation array. Such meticulous thinking was rare even among the Chosen he had slain!


    "Boy, you''ve successfully angered me. Today, I will kill you!!"


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord''s voice carried a hint of madness, his divine sense once again transforming, from a furnace into a mountain-splitting blade, descending from the sky towards Xu Hei.


    "Clang!!"


    In a moment of crisis, Xu Hei could only barely summon the Black Dragon Pagoda and the blood-killing sword formation to block in front, but the Black Dragon Pagoda was directly cleaved in half, and the blood-killing sword formation was shattered into pieces.


    Taking this opportunity, Xu Hei retreated swiftly, yet was still affected by the blade''s light, leaving a deep gash on his body, even shattering part of his dragon scales.


    "Ugh!"


    Xu Hei spat out blood, flying backward and crashing into a pavilion.


    At this moment, both Xu Hei''s physical body and spirit had reached their limits, and the magical treasures on him were stretched thin. Facing such a formidable enemy, the magical treasures he had prepared were nothing more than toys.


    The enemy was too strong! He could destroy the teleportation array and prevent the opponent''s arrival, but that was Xu Hei''s limit.


    Amidst the ruins, Xu Hei took out the Mind Calming Flower Dew and swallowed it in one gulp. This was a spirit medicine that could restore divine sense. He also took out a thousand-year-old spirit medicine, directly swallowing and crushing it, fully refining it with the Demon God Cauldron.


    The knife wound on his body was visibly healing at a speed observable to the naked eye.


    "Slash!"


    At this moment, another blade slashed over.


    Xu Hei raised his dragon claw, colliding with the blade light, and both of his claws were directly severed. Simultaneously, using the force of the recoil, Xu Hei retreated backward, activating the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, escaping a distance of ten thousand feet in an instant, rushing towards the edge of the island.


    "No, you were clearly exhausted, so how do you still have the strength to fight? This recovery ability..."


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord''s voice came with surprise, his divine sense was strong enough to clearly see the changes in Xu Hei''s body.


    Xu Hei swallowing the Mind Calming Flower Dew and the ancient spirit medicine was all seen by him, but what was unbelievable was that Xu Hei refined them so quickly, which defied common sense.


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord realized that the secrets on Xu Hei''s body were far more than he had imagined!


    "Did Mo Xuan give it to you? No, it can''t be Mo Xuan either. The method of transforming into a true dragon, the bizarre recovery ability, you are an even greater threat than Mo Xuan back then!"


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord''s killing intent had reached its peak; if Xu Hei wasn''t eliminated, he would become a major threat in the future!


    "Slash!"


    Another blade descended towards Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei unleashed his full speed, reaching the edge of the island, but this blade locked onto him completely, capable of pursuing him to the ends of the earth, leaving him with nowhere to escape.


    He had interrupted the opponent''s teleportation, but even against less than half of the divine sense, he was still powerless.


    Too strong, too strong, the gap was like a chasm!


    So strong it was despairing!


    "Boom!!!"


    Suddenly, the space at the edge of the island was torn open, and behind Xu Hei in the void, a pair of shark teeth appeared out of nowhere, clamping down on the divine sense blade with precision, producing a thunderous sound that shook the heavens.


    "Bang!!"


    The shockwave blasted Xu Hei away, caught by a porcupine fish.


    Xu Hei turned his head to see a massive shark figure appearing in front of the Soul Refining Demon Lord, it was the captain of the third squad, White Tooth.


    And from the rift at the end, familiar figures emerged one by one, all members of the third squad.


    White Tooth stood firm at the front, his body covered in menacing spikes, the shark fin on his back like a sharp steel blade, from which waves of electricity spread, expanding across the sky.


    "Finally made it!" White Tooth said in a deep voice.


    The entire hunting squad''s third team had arrived!


    "Saved..." Xu Hei breathed heavily, his physical body reverting from the true dragon form to its original size, the dragon claws on his abdomen disappearing, leaving only two bloody holes, the dragon horns and whiskers vanished.


    He had turned back into an ordinary horned serpent.


    Only a scar on his body testified to the perilous battle that had just occurred.


    The porcupine fish shielded Xu Hei behind it, its spikes protruding, forming a spherical shape.


    The electric ray, with a horn on its head, formed an electric net as a barrier in front.


    The seahorse exhaled mist, transforming the world into a realm of dense fog.


    All the team members stood at the front, like a mountain, facing the phantom figure ahead.


    "Heh, I wondered who it was, turns out to be a bunch of beasts! Those three little ants in front, and that devil fish, are they yours?" The Soul Refining Demon Lord sneered.


    White Tooth said nothing, only shouting to those behind him, "You, take Xu Hei back!"


    Hearing the captain''s command, all the team members moved swiftly, retreating in an orderly fashion into the space rift.


    "Hmph!"


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord shot out a sharp sword, piercing through the void, directly targeting Xu Hei''s position. White Tooth''s figure flickered, and the fin on his back instantly slashed down, also piercing through the void, intercepting the sharp sword outside.


    "Quick!" White Tooth shouted.


    All the team members immediately accelerated, entering the rift and disappearing.


    Here, only White Tooth and the Soul Refining Demon Lord remained.


    "Another boring trick, well, killing a Nascent Soul stage shark isn''t a wasted trip." The Soul Refining Demon Lord said coldly.


    At this moment, the restriction on the island was lifted.


    The outside world could clearly see the situation inside, the previously uninhabited island was all an illusion. The real Wolf Fang Gang had not moved away, they had always remained here.


    However, this place created a peculiar space similar to the Penglai Sea, accessible only to internal personnel. Outsiders, even if passing by, would not notice anything unusual.


    Xu Hei was taken by the team members, quickly moving away from the island.


    Xu Hei held on with his last breath, not allowing himself to faint, he lifted his head, looking far towards the direction of the island.


    There, a massive giant tooth shark was battling the demon lord, the murderous aura was sky-shattering, the blood energy surging, the tremors spreading for thousands of miles, the battle between two Nascent Soul stage beings had completely sunk the island.


    "The captain..." Xu Hei hesitated.


    "Don''t worry, the captain will come back, you can rest easy." The porcupine fish said expressionlessly. S§×arch* The Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But Xu Hei clearly saw, the porcupine fish''s eyes were tinged with a circle of red.

 Chapter 365

    Silent, a long silence.


    Xu Hei gazed into the distance, watching as the ruins of the island gradually disappeared from his sight.


    At the same time, the traces of Captain White Tooth and the Soul Refining Demon Lord were lost.


    The members of the third team didn''t pause for a moment, moving at their fastest speed. It was the captain''s order: no matter what happened, obeying orders was the first rule.


    The Soul Refining Demon Lord watched the figures moving away, then looked at the cold-faced White Tooth in front of him. He took out two communication talismans and set them ablaze. S§×ar?h the Novel?ire(.)ne*t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Order one: Hunt down Bai Qiushui, dead or alive!"


    "Order two: Spare no effort to kill Xu Hei, this order is of the highest priority!"


    As his orders were given, the two communication talismans quickly burned to nothingness.


    At that moment.


    The pirate groups of the southeastern sea sprang into action, deploying their elite forces to encircle Xu Hei and Bai Qiushui.


    There were more than one pirate group in the southeastern sea; among them, three were on par with the Wolf Fang Gang, and there were over ten smaller groups.


    They immediately launched a carpet search.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At this moment, the porcupine fish summoned a jellyfish-shaped magical treasure, enveloping all the team members and rendering them invisible, without a trace of breath.


    This was precisely the concealment magical treasure of White Tooth, which he had given to the porcupine fish.


    "Xu Hei, do you know where this jellyfish treasure came from?" the porcupine fish suddenly asked.


    "¡­¡­" Xu Hei remained silent.


    He vaguely guessed something but didn''t speak.


    "This magical treasure, named Phantom Jellyfish, was made from the corpse of the previous captain, reaching the fourth tier!"


    The usually silent sea centipede spoke, "The captain''s name was Bai Huan. Before he died, he sacrificed his physical body, inheriting his concealment ability, and passed it on to future generations."


    Xu Hei suddenly understood.


    When he first saw this jellyfish, he felt it wasn''t man-made, but he never expected it was made from the corpse of the previous captain of the third team.


    "We sea beasts are different from humans; we do not desecrate corpses. Utilizing the corpses of our predecessors to protect future generations is the greatest respect we can offer them!" the porcupine fish said solemnly.


    Bai Huan had been dead for thirty years, but his body continued to protect the members of the third team, hiding their tracks from enemies.


    Bai Huan was dead, but his spirit lived on.


    Xu Hei''s mind suddenly recalled White Tooth, who stayed behind to fight the Soul Refining Demon Lord to the death.


    "Captain White Tooth, he also¡­" Xu Hei''s eyes reddened.


    "Don''t worry, the captain will return," the porcupine fish said with firm eyes, "He is immortal!"


    In the ocean, there are no graves.


    Sea beasts are born in the sea and buried in the sea. On the day they fall, they return everything they have gained to the sea.


    This is the fate of sea beasts.


    Under the protection of the Phantom Jellyfish, the third team moved unimpeded. Occasionally, pirates passed by, but they never discovered them.


    Before long, they had traveled tens of thousands of miles, reaching the edge of the southeastern sea.


    However, here, the number of pirates increased, and pirate ships frequently passed by, becoming more and more frequent.


    The members of the third team gradually realized that although the enemy couldn''t locate them, they had some tracking technique.


    "Where''s our support team?" Qingluan couldn''t help but ask.


    "The distance is too far. These are the local forces of the southeastern sea; they can mobilize at any time. But for our Penglai Sea, by the time the message gets back and the troops arrive, it will take at least an hour," the porcupine fish said.


    They only learned about the situation inside after Bai Qiushui and Lin Ziye escaped, and White Tooth sent a distress signal immediately.


    Unfortunately, this place was too remote. Even for the Soul Refining Demon Lord to arrive, a teleportation array was needed, let alone them.


    White Tooth also considered sending a distress signal as soon as Xu Hei went missing, but asking for headquarters'' support for a newcomer who just disappeared seemed too exaggerated.


    "No choice, I''ll distract them. You use the Phantom Jellyfish to retreat first!"


    The porcupine fish suddenly accelerated, spraying gas from its tail, and shot out of the Phantom Jellyfish''s cover.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Compared to the hiding and maneuvering here.


    On the other side, Bai Qiushui and Lin Ziye had just escaped when they encountered a wave of pirates.


    Fortunately, it was only a low-level pirate group, easily dealt with by Lin Ziye.


    But soon, wave after wave of pirate ships came sailing in.


    Although the order to kill Bai Qiushui wasn''t of high priority, in the absence of Xu Hei, many still came, posing a threat to the two.


    "Damn it! There are so many Sea God Sect followers hidden here; we''ve poked a hornet''s nest!"


    Lin Ziye cursed. They all underestimated the danger of this mission; no one expected the Soul Refining Demon Lord to be here.


    "What does ''damn it'' mean?" Bai Qiushui asked weakly.


    "It''s a curse word. We scholars have to curse elegantly," Lin Ziye explained.


    Seeing more and more pirate ships approaching, Lin Ziye suddenly had a terrifying thought.


    If a pirate group could hide so many female cultivator cauldrons.


    Then, could there be more than one Ghost Infant? Could every pirate island have Ghost Infants being refined?


    Lin Ziye felt a chill run down his spine; it was entirely possible. With the Soul Refining Demon Lord''s methods, he could definitely do it!


    An island capturing hundreds of female cultivators, with so many pirate groups and hideouts, how many would there be in total? Lin Ziye felt a terrifying realization.


    "This news is too shocking; it must be sent back as quickly as possible, or the consequences will be unimaginable!" Lin Ziye gritted his teeth.


    "Whizz!!"


    Suddenly, a cannonball flew towards them, exploding in front of them.


    "Not good!"


    Their faces changed, and Lin Ziye quickly formed the word "escape," grabbing Bai Qiushui and soaring into the sky, avoiding the explosion and retreating a thousand feet away.


    Lin Ziye looked on with a grim face.


    In the distance, a massive pirate ship appeared, speeding towards them. Standing on the bow were two people, none other than the previously missing Xie Yunfei and the leader of the Wolf Fang Gang.


    At this moment, Xie Yunfei was wrapped in white bandages, his face bruised and swollen, clearly not fully recovered from his injuries, but his eyes were filled with malice.


    "You almost killed me before; now, I''m going to skin you alive!"


    Xie Yunfei''s eyes were venomous as he pulled the fuse again, firing another cannonball aimed at Lin Ziye.


    "Fire!" the leader of the Wolf Fang Gang shouted.


    "Whizz, whizz, whizz¡­"


    One cannonball after another soared into the sky, locking onto the two flying figures. More and more pirate ships surrounded them, determined not to let them escape.


    In the blink of an eye, the two were in grave danger. No matter how many tricks Lin Ziye had, he couldn''t avoid being hit by a thunderbolt, losing an arm in the explosion.


    Having lived at sea for many years, Xie Yunfei was skilled in the art of crafting cannonballs. His favorite tactic was firepower suppression, not needing to act himself, letting his subordinates handle it.


    This brought him immense satisfaction, feeling a deep sense of pleasure, and he couldn''t help but burst into wild laughter.


    "Haha! You beat me so badly before, let''s see you show off now! Soon, I''ll take all your arms off," Xie Yunfei laughed, sweeping away his previous gloom, feeling utterly delighted.


    "Look, what''s that in the distance?"


    Suddenly, the leader of the Wolf Fang Gang pointed into the distance and shouted.


    Xie Yunfei immediately looked up, seeing a small black dot flying from afar, growing larger and closer at an incredible speed. As they focused, it turned out to be a pointed projectile.


    The projectile moved at lightning speed, reaching them in the blink of an eye, almost in their faces.


    "Something''s wrong, quick¡­" Xie Yunfei''s face changed drastically, just as the projectile pierced through the defensive shield, burrowing into the pirate ship''s interior, and then¡ª


    "Boom!!!"


    A thunderous explosion echoed across the sky, shaking the sea.

 Chapter 366

    ```


    The pirate ship where Xie Yunfei was located was blown to smithereens, not even leaving a trace. A terrifying mushroom cloud rose into the sky, stirring up monstrous waves and forming a tsunami.


    The dreadful shockwave sank the four or five nearby pirate ships, shattering their hulls into pieces.


    The power of a single shot was terrifying beyond measure! It directly shattered Xie Yunfei''s army formation!


    "What is that?" Lin Ziye''s eyes widened.


    Bai Qiushui was also stunned. He stared blankly at the distant sea horizon, a strange thought inexplicably appearing in his mind.


    On the sea horizon, a silver-white metal warship was approaching, about thirty meters long and ten meters wide.


    Unlike ordinary wooden ships, this one was an ironclad ship, made from third-tier materials, Silver Light Profound Iron, an alloy formed by fusing Profound Iron and Secret Silver, reaching the pinnacle of third-tier strength.


    Even a Cultivator at the Great Perfection of Core Formation would find it difficult to penetrate.


    Coupled with the fourth-tier Formation on the ironclad ship, even an Elemental Infant stage expert would have to expend some effort.


    Standing at the bow of this silver warship was a young cultivator, also dressed in white, bearing a striking resemblance to Bai Qiushui, only younger.


    His demeanor was gentle, neither happy nor angry, with his hands clasped behind his back, exuding a calm and composed aura, and his appearance was quite handsome.


    Seeing that familiar face, Bai Qiushui''s pupils contracted: "Bai Luo?"


    Indeed, it was Bai Luo, the first Chosen of the Heavenly Puppet Sect.


    Bai Luo maintained his gentle demeanor, as if he had been well-educated since childhood, but the pride in his bones was visible to the naked eye. He held his head high, never deigning to look at others directly.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from ".


    "Hmph! Being chased by a bunch of pirates, running like a rat, is this the so-called body cultivation? It''s nothing much. It seems my Puppet Mechanism Technique is superior!" Bai Luo said arrogantly.


    He remembered his purpose for coming to the East Sea.


    It was to personally defeat Bai Qiushui and vindicate the Puppet Mechanism Technique! He would make the other understand that the ancient body cultivation was no match for high technology!


    This was Bai Luo''s initial goal.


    However, every time he thought of Lei He''s dying figure, a monstrous hatred surged in Bai Luo''s heart.


    Uncle Lei had been with him since childhood, guarding him for over ten years. Even when he went to sea, Uncle Lei secretly followed to protect him. At the auction, if not for Uncle Lei teleporting him away at the last moment, he would have died at Xu Fu''s hands.


    The Sea God Sect!


    This was his greatest enemy in life!


    He wanted revenge, to kill all of the Sea God Sect, to avenge Uncle Lei who had protected him for over ten years!


    His gaze swept over the pirate group on the sea, a murderous intent flashing in his eyes.


    "You dogs of the Sea God Sect, with me, Bai Luo, here today, none of you will escape!" Bai Luo shouted, raising the command flag in his hand.


    From the ironclad ship beneath his feet, a dark cannon muzzle emerged, aiming at the distant wooden warship.


    The people on the pirate ship, seeing the silver behemoth, were all shocked, their eyes bulging in disbelief.


    "What kind of ship is that?"


    "That''s the Heavenly Puppet Sect, the Puppet Warship of the Heavenly Puppet Sect!"


    "No way!"


    "It''s said to be the most advanced warship in the world, unbeatable. Retreat quickly!"


    All the pirates were thrown into panic. No matter how foolish they were, they had heard of the Heavenly Puppet Sect''s might. On the sea, it was a moving fortress, impenetrable, while their ships were destroyed with a single shot, a complete technological suppression.


    "Fire!" Bai Luo shouted.


    "Whoosh!!"


    From the cannon muzzle, a sharp white laser was fired, sweeping across and instantly piercing through a pirate ship. Following that, the laser turned, forming an acute angle, piercing through another ship.


    The laser folded four times in succession, sweeping through five ships in total before it ended.


    "Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!"


    Five loud explosions, the five warships swept by the laser, all exploded, turning into a rain of fire that scattered over the sea.


    One shot, five explosions!


    Not only were the pirates dumbfounded, but even Lin Ziye and Bai Qiushui gasped in shock.


    Too... too powerful! Unbelievably powerful!


    Where did Bai Luo get such an otherworldly thing? With one shot, it killed a swath, with long range and stronger attack, it was a dimensional strike compared to those black cannonballs!


    At this moment, Xie Yunfei poked his head out of the sea, just in time to witness the destruction of the five ships, and his soul was almost scared out of him. Without a second thought, he turned and fled.


    He repeated his old trick, taking out a smoke bomb and detonating it. Thick smoke rose, even hindering Divine Sense, as Xie Yunfei dived underwater, fleeing like a fish, with incredible speed.


    "Trying to escape now, too late!"


    Suddenly, a hand tightly grabbed his ankle, refusing to let go.


    Xie Yunfei was horrified. He turned back to look, and his pupils shrank to a point, his whole body feeling as if struck by lightning.


    The one grabbing his ankle was the leader of the Wolf Fang Gang, the person who had been by his side all along.


    At this moment, the Wolf Fang Gang leader''s hair had turned purple!


    "It''s... it''s you?!!" Xie Yunfei''s eyes almost popped out.


    In that brief instant, he immediately understood and figured out many things.


    Why could Lin Ziye track him and infiltrate the Wolf Fang Gang''s lair?


    Why did they encounter Bai Luo?


    Damn it, it was all the work of this undercover agent!


    This wasn''t the real leader of the Wolf Fang Gang!


    If he could disguise himself, why couldn''t others? When it came to disguise, among all bounty hunters, few could match that guy. Even the Soul Refining Demon Lord was fooled, it was simply heaven-defying!


    At this moment, the leader of the Wolf Fang Gang coldly smiled, his wrist exerting force, and with a strong fling.


    "Ah!!"


    Xie Yunfei was thrown into the sky, his entire body''s meridians instantly confined, unable to escape, only able to watch helplessly as he flew towards the ironclad ship.


    "Sending you to your death!"


    Bai Luo waved the command flag once more, a laser fired, hitting the target dead center. Amidst a shrill scream, Xie Yunfei was instantly obliterated, not even leaving a trace.


    Underwater, the leader of the Wolf Fang Gang removed the human skin mask, revealing Han Te''s appearance.


    He took a long breath, cursing under his breath, "Money''s hard to earn, and shit''s hard to eat! Don''t ever ask me for this kind of job again!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    On the other side.


    Under the decoy of the porcupine fish, sea centipede, and two other team members, Xu Hei''s main team successfully escaped danger, leaving the southeastern sea area.


    Compared to Bai Qiushui''s side, the pressure Xu Hei faced was several times greater, and the situation was even more perilous.


    Two other major pirate groups had almost fully mobilized to encircle and intercept them, with forces no weaker than the Wolf Fang Gang. S~ea??h the N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Xu Hei didn''t know the fate of the team members who went to lure the enemy, but there was nothing he could do. He could only use his eyes to firmly remember their appearances, etching them in his heart.


    These team members, though sharp-tongued and always looking down on him before departure, thinking Xu Hei was a burden, proved with their actions that they were worthy of being the elite of the hunting squad.


    "Sea God Sect, Sea God Sect!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes were bloodshot, silently chanting these three words in his heart, determined to remember this deep-seated hatred.


    After leaving the southeastern sea area, they encountered no more pirates. Under the protection of the Phantom Jellyfish, they were completely safe.


    But the team members who left would never return.


    The three newcomers remained silent. This first mission taught them much, but the cost was too great.


    "Woo woo woo, so many people died, I''m never coming back, Mom, I want to go home!" Qingluan''s eyes were red, crying uncontrollably.


    The remaining team members said nothing, anyone could see the oppression in their hearts.


    "Whoosh!"


    Suddenly, a panting sound came from behind.


    Hearing this familiar sound, all the Demonic Beasts looked back, their eyes wide open.


    ```

 Chapter 367

    A massive, rotund porcupine fish charged into the Phantom Jellyfish, exhaling deeply.


    The porcupine fish had expanded to a size of a hundred feet. As it opened its mouth, it spat out the team members who had gone out to distract the enemy.


    They were all alive, just unconscious.


    "Who was the jinx earlier, saying we were all dead, crying and wailing? What a disgrace!" The porcupine fish''s gaze swept over the demonic beasts.


    Qingluan immediately fell silent.


    The eyes of the demonic beasts were filled with wild joy.


    The porcupine fish was silent for a moment, then sighed deeply, "Well, it''s a blessing that we made it back..."


    As he spoke, the porcupine fish suddenly began to sway, and countless cracks appeared on his body, blood seeping out as he closed his eyes.


    "Porcupine Fish!"


    The demonic beasts exclaimed in shock.


    Xu Bai immediately stepped forward, releasing a green light that enveloped the porcupine fish, freezing his rapidly fading life.


    Then, she took out a pile of medicinal powder, blending it into the seawater. With precise control, she directed it into the porcupine fish and every sea beast behind him.


    Their injuries quickly stabilized, and they began to recover at a slow pace.


    "What powerful healing abilities," a crab healer in the team remarked in surprise.


    Crabs can regenerate limbs, and she often used her ability to heal others, but her effectiveness was nowhere near Xu Bai''s. Xu Bai could even heal those at the Elemental Infant stage.


    Xu Hei clearly saw a green cauldron pattern appear in Xu Bai''s pupils.


    "This green cauldron..."


    A flash of inspiration struck him, as if he remembered something.


    It seemed like he had something to give to Xu Bai, but the thought vanished in an instant, leaving him unable to recall what it was.


    The same green light shone over Xu Hei, causing his head to spin, his tense spirit relaxing as he fell into a deep coma.


    At this moment, within Xu Hei''s body, near the Golden Core, a very subtle gray Divine Sense was hidden.


    This was the Divine Sense imprint left by the Soul Refining Demon Lord.


    Thanks to the Phantom Jellyfish and the three-piece set given by Hei Huang, the Soul Refining Demon Lord had been unable to pinpoint Xu Hei''s exact location.


    In that instant, as Xu Hei lost consciousness, the Divine Sense transformed into a sharp spike, stabbing towards Xu Hei''s Golden Core.


    "Hmph!" Xu Bai snorted coldly, her eyes glowing green as a small azure cauldron flew in, enveloping the Divine Sense within Xu Hei.


    "Sizzle!"


    Like snow encountering boiling oil, the Divine Sense melted instantly, a faint, agonized scream echoing as it exploded.


    ...


    On the calm sea, a silver metallic ship was sailing swiftly, cutting through the waves.


    Enveloped by a formation, the ship turned transparent, undetectable by anyone.


    At this moment, there were three figures on the ship. Two were seated¡ªBai Qiushui and Lin Ziye¡ªwhile Bai Luo stood on the front deck.


    "Tsk, tsk, tsk, what a sorry state," Bai Luo shook his head.


    In front of outsiders, he appeared quite graceful, but towards his uncle, he showed no respect, not even sparing him a glance.


    If it weren''t for the fact that his uncle was severely injured and exhausted, he would have loved to fire a laser cannon at him, to show Bai Qiushui how times had changed.


    Bai Qiushui was equally resentful, but being on someone else''s ship, he said nothing, planning to reclaim his dignity next time.


    "And the informant?" Bai Luo suddenly asked.


    "This person is indifferent to fame and fortune, dislikes being in the spotlight, and has already left," Lin Ziye replied.


    "Oh, really?" Disappointment flashed in Bai Luo''s eyes; he had prepared a thank-you gift.


    Meanwhile, Han Te was swiftly fleeing underwater, clutching Xie Yunfei''s storage bag.


    He certainly didn''t want to interact with this group; the fewer people who knew him, the better.


    In fact, he was only after Xie Yunfei''s bounty and had no idea of his connection with the Sea God Sect. He was an innocent bystander dragged into this mess. S~ea??h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Had he known there were people from the Sea God Sect here, along with a protector, he wouldn''t have come even if it killed him!


    "Offending the Sea God Sect for such a meager gain, what a loss! These bastards, they should have warned me about the danger."


    Han Te lamented inwardly, deciding to stay far away from this group and never cooperate again.


    Suddenly, his ears twitched, as if he heard something.


    On the ship, after learning of Han Te''s departure, Bai Luo sighed helplessly, "I had prepared a thank-you gift for him, what a pity. But for someone like him, he probably doesn''t care for something as mundane as Spirit Stones."


    Just as he finished speaking, a figure suddenly appeared on the silver warship''s deck. Though wearing a mask, the striking purple hair was unmistakable.


    The three on the ship were simultaneously startled.


    "He actually came?" Lin Ziye was surprised.


    Bai Luo was equally incredulous; when had this person approached? He had been completely unaware.


    "What did you just say? Spirit Stones?" Han Te seemed quite excited.


    "Uh..." Bai Luo was taken aback, handing over a storage bag.


    Han Te snatched it, counted the contents, and a smile crept onto his lips.


    "As expected from someone in the tech field, loaded with cash," Han Te grinned, cupping his hands towards Bai Luo.


    "Big client, if there''s more business, feel free to contact me anytime. Here''s my contact token! But anything involving the Sea God Sect, I won''t participate in. Farewell!"


    Leaving behind a token, Han Te vanished in the blink of an eye.


    The three on the ship exchanged glances, falling into silence.


    ...


    Penglai Sea.


    With the return of the three teams and the news they brought, the entire Penglai Sea was in an uproar.


    White Tooth had fallen, and the Soul Refining Demon Lord had appeared in the southeastern sea!


    It''s important to know that even among black missions, there are four levels: A, B, C, and D. The mission they were dispatched on was classified as black level C.


    But who would have thought a Demon Lord protector would appear, instantly raising the mission''s difficulty to the highest A level!


    That night, under the leadership of Elder Tiger Whale, all thirteen teams of the Whale lineage were mobilized, even alerting the Water Kylin, who personally set out for the southeastern sea to sweep away the remnants of the Soul Refining Demon Lord.


    For this, Penglai Sea specially activated a teleportation array to reach the scene as quickly as possible, ensuring no one escaped.


    Besides the Whale lineage, the Toad lineage and Sea Serpent lineage also dispatched Elemental Infant experts to provide support.


    Soon, over three hundred sea beast disciples arrived at the southeastern sea, their murderous intent boiling, with a clear goal¡ª


    To kill all the pirates in the area and eradicate any potential Ghost Infants, leaving none behind!


    A bloody purge began.


    First were two major pirate groups, still searching for Xu Hei''s whereabouts, only to be caught by Elder Tiger Whale, unable to escape, completely annihilated.


    Then, Elder Tiger Whale decisively used soul-searching techniques to locate their lairs.


    In the various lairs, as expected, they found hundreds of imprisoned cauldrons, filled with resentment, and Ghost Infants in the process of being refined.


    Faced with Elder Tiger Whale''s full force, the Ghost Infants struggled for only a few breaths before being easily wiped out.


    In the other dozen or so strongholds, they found varying numbers of cauldrons, with Ghost Infants also in the process of being refined, some stronger, some weaker, some in the early stages, others nearing completion.


    However, with the Water Kylin present, none of the Ghost Infants stood a chance.


    They arrived at the small island where the Soul Refining Demon Lord had descended, finding it had long since collapsed into ruins, buried in the deep sea.


    Amidst the ruins lay a massive skeleton, quietly exposed on the seabed.

 Chapter 368

    As time passed, consciousness drifted in the darkness.


    Xu Hei had been unconscious for who knows how long before he slowly awoke, a pungent smell overwhelming his senses.


    He opened his eyes and found himself in a pool of dark green water, filled with a strong medicinal scent that was quite overpowering.


    On a nearby counter hung several pill bottles, and as he looked around, he realized he was in a cave dwelling.


    Xu Hei tried to move but felt intense pain throughout his body, the agony piercing to his very bones, leaving him unable to move and gasping for breath.


    "So much pain! It''s unbearable!"


    This reminded Xu Hei of the first time he was severely injured, but this time, the injuries were clearly more severe than ever before.


    He couldn''t even move, and his divine sense was in a weakened state.


    Xu Hei examined his body internally; his Golden Core had shrunk by half, countless muscles were torn, and most of his meridians were severed. Even his indestructible dragon bone had suffered some damage.


    This shocked Xu Hei. During the battle, he hadn''t realized it, but now that he was awake, he saw just how badly he was hurt.


    Even though he possessed dragon bones and dragon scales, facing an enemy a whole realm higher than himself still left him damaged.


    He was certain that if it were any other demonic beast, survival would be impossible; only he could have held on until now.


    "So thirsty, so very thirsty!"


    Xu Hei glanced at the dark green liquid and plunged into it, drinking more than half in one gulp.


    Though the potion''s smell was pungent, it felt quite good after drinking, and Xu Hei immediately felt much more comfortable.


    The spiritual qi here was abundant, suggesting it was some kind of clinic in the Penglai Sea.


    "You''re awake?"


    At this moment, a voice came from outside the cave dwelling.


    Xu Hei looked up to see a crane walking in, though its legs were a bit short, resembling a seagull.


    "You''ve just woken up, so don''t move around. You''re seriously injured, and according to medical advice, you need at least a week''s rest. You must take one Divine Pill, one Celestial Blue Pill, and one Meridian Renewal Pill each day, and soak in the Miasma Dispelling Powder daily."


    The short-legged crane came to the counter and took down two pill bottles.


    "So troublesome?"


    Xu Hei was surprised; he''d been injured before but never found it this troublesome.


    "This is the only treatment plan Xu Bai developed for you without side effects. You forcibly used high-level immortal spells and were attacked twice by the Soul Refining Demon Lord. It''s a miracle you''re not dead."


    "Though the Soul Refining Demon Lord didn''t kill you, he clearly intended to cripple your foundation, and he had the ability to do so!"


    "If you want to be discharged early, you can, but if problems arise later, don''t blame me for not warning you."


    The short-legged crane spoke tirelessly.


    Xu Hei fell silent.


    He looked at his shrunken Golden Core and suddenly remembered that the Soul Refining Demon Lord had implanted a divine sense imprint in him. Although he used the Phantom Jellyfish and Hei Huang''s three-piece set to prevent the enemy from locating him, the divine sense remained a hidden danger.


    The opponent was a master-level expert in soul arts; who knew what trouble a single imprint could cause?


    "The divine sense imprint... seems to be gone," Xu Hei mused. S~ea??h the n??el Fire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Since the medical advice was to rest, he couldn''t go against it, knowing how severe his injuries were.


    The Elemental Infant decree, combined with the Wild Dragon, and the mysterious dragon claw were all far beyond his level.


    Any one of them could have left him severely injured for a long time.


    With all three combined, the side effects were terrifying, and being slashed by the Soul Refining Demon Lord was a miracle Xu Hei survived.


    At this moment, the short-legged crane brought a pill bottle, opened the stopper, and intended to pour the powder into the pool.


    "Huh? Why is the pool water more than half gone?" the short-legged crane exclaimed in surprise.


    Xu Hei was taken aback and explained, "I... was thirsty just now."


    At this, Xu Hei''s voice trailed off.


    The short-legged crane raised its head, looking at him with eyes wide in disbelief.


    "What''s wrong, is there a problem?" Xu Hei asked.


    He added, "The taste was quite nice, what formula was it made from?"


    The short-legged crane was silent for a long time, staring at Xu Hei before slowly saying, "The water in this pool is a mixture of the toxins and impurities expelled from your body, in short... excrement."


    "..." Xu Hei was silent.


    The next second, he rushed to the side and began to vomit, expelling everything he had drunk earlier, retching uncontrollably.


    The short-legged crane took out a jade slip and entered information into it: "The patient''s mental state is suspected to have issues, and the injury needs reassessment."


    "Recommendation: Extend treatment time."


    ¡­¡­


    Three days passed in a flash.


    Xu Hei was finally able to move, though still in great pain, it was much better than the first day.


    This severe injury was different from before; his self-healing ability was extremely slow. Xu Hei had tried taking Spirit Medicine and refining it with the Demon God Cauldron, but it had little effect.


    "I just turned into a dragon, and the side effects are this severe?" Xu Hei pondered.


    His most severe injury was in the abdomen, where he had once grown a dragon claw. Although he originally didn''t have a dragon claw, it was an additional growth, yet the injury was his to bear.


    Xu Hei crawled out of the cave dwelling and wandered nearby.


    This was a small island, part of the Heavenly Roc clan, specifically for treating the injured.


    The Heavenly Roc clan was responsible for logistical support, and he could see some crane healers flying back and forth in the sky, carrying medicine in their beaks.


    Near Xu Hei was another cave dwelling, and when he crawled to the entrance, he saw a porcupine fish inside.


    Its spines were all gone, leaving only a limp ball, its eyes listless.


    "Oh, you''re here too," Xu Hei said in surprise.


    The porcupine fish glanced at him, then closed its eyes.


    Xu Hei wandered around the island and found that almost all the injured from the third team had been brought here, each needing ten days to half a month to recover. Compared to them, he was considered lucky.


    But thinking of Captain White Tooth, Xu Hei''s mood turned heavy.


    The reason they could still be here recovering was because someone had borne the brunt of everything.


    ¡­¡­


    The recovery time quickly passed.


    In the last three days, Xu Hei almost changed daily, no longer feeling sore in his waist, his back didn''t hurt, and he was full of energy.


    Fortunately, he didn''t repeat the mistake of drinking bathwater, so there was no need to check his mental state.


    Additionally, Xu Hei''s second dragon vein had unknowingly been cleared. He hadn''t even deliberately cultivated it, which was a pleasant surprise.


    "The time is up, how do you feel?"


    The short-legged crane stood in front of Xu Hei, gazing at him.


    "I feel like I can take on ten people," Xu Hei replied.


    "Good, you''re in excellent condition," the short-legged crane noted.


    After completing a series of procedures and conducting a simple physical examination, Xu Hei was finally allowed to leave.


    Originally, given his injuries, he would have needed to lie down for several months, but thanks to proper treatment, the recovery was accelerated.


    "Although you''ve recovered, I remind you not to engage in strenuous activities soon, especially the high-level immortal spells you used before. Avoid using them again for at least half a year!" the short-legged crane advised once more.


    "Understood!" Xu Hei remembered it well.


    Before leaving, Xu Hei considered visiting the other team members from the third team.


    Though he wasn''t familiar with them, they had shared life-and-death experiences together.


    Xu Hei arrived at the porcupine fish''s cave dwelling.


    At this moment, the porcupine fish was bare, without a single spine, but covered in thick plaster from head to tail, looking quite comical.


    The porcupine fish''s pupils contracted, staring at Xu Hei, "You''re... healed?"


    "Yes, it took a week to recover, never been this slow before. Maybe I''m getting old, and my body isn''t what it used to be," Xu Hei sighed regretfully.


    The porcupine fish fell silent.


    Xu Hei looked him up and down, hesitating, "Are you... alright?"


    The porcupine fish glanced at him, proudly saying, "It''s just a minor injury, nothing to worry about. I''m almost healed too."


    Xu Hei nodded, "I thought so, let me help you remove this."


    With that, he climbed up and removed the plaster from the porcupine fish''s tail.


    "Ouch!" the porcupine fish winced, letting out a cry of pain.

 Chapter 369

    "Stop!"


    A furious shout suddenly came from outside.


    Xu Hei turned to see a seagull rushing in. It glanced at the dismantled plaster and immediately glared with anger, "Get out! Get out!"


    Amidst the scolding, Xu Hei was driven out.


    The porcupine fish''s expression clearly showed relief.


    Next, Xu Hei arrived at the cave dwelling of the sea centipede, whose body was covered in ointment, emitting a pungent and unpleasant smell.


    Xu Hei stood at the entrance of the cave dwelling, exchanging silent glances with the sea centipede.


    He said nothing, and the other party remained silent as well. Finally, Xu Hei turned and left.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Xu Hei wandered around, noticing that the other three team members all wore expressions of utter despair. He shook his head and left the Heavenly Roc clan.


    At this moment, a communication jade slip flew over from afar, carrying the voice of Elder Tiger Whale: "Xu Hei, come see me at the Prison Tower."


    "Yes!"


    Xu Hei immediately headed to the Shark lineage, arriving at the Prison Tower.


    The Shark lineage was deserted. Xu Hei had heard that all thirteen teams had gone out for a massive sweep of the southeastern sea.


    Only Elder Tiger Whale was there, quietly coiled beneath the Prison Tower, gazing at him intently.


    "Can you explain in detail what happened on that island?" Elder Tiger Whale asked.


    Finally, it had come.


    Xu Hei knew he would face such questions and had no intention of hiding anything. He recounted the events in detail.


    What happened there was known not only to him but also to Lin Ziye and Bai Qiushui. With the right information channels, it wasn''t hard to find out.


    However, Xu Hei only described the process and didn''t reveal his "Immortal spells," which were his trump card.


    A peculiar light flashed in Elder Tiger Whale''s eyes as he looked at Xu Hei with a newfound respect.


    "To break the Soul Refining Demon Lord''s teleportation array right in front of him and hold out until Captain White Tooth arrived..."


    Elder Tiger Whale''s expression remained unchanged, but his heart was in turmoil.


    Although Xu Hei hadn''t mentioned where his abilities came from, Elder Tiger Whale had a hunch that it was likely given to him by Mo Xuan.


    Yet, no one knew exactly what Mo Xuan had given Xu Hei that allowed him to possess such combat power in a short time!


    And to wield this power wasn''t something just anyone could do!


    Previously, everyone had regarded Xu Hei as a newcomer in need of protection, but Xu Hei had proven with his actions that he was no weaker than anyone else.


    Discovering the Soul Refining Demon Lord''s secret and thwarting the Ghost Infant''s plot was an extraordinary achievement, deserving of countless contribution points!


    Elder Tiger Whale took a deep breath and said solemnly, "Xu Hei, you now have two choices."


    "First, make this matter public, and the sect will grant you the highest level of reward, allowing you to be directly promoted to deacon!"


    "Deacon?"


    Xu Hei was taken aback.


    A deacon was a position second only to an elder, like Captain White Tooth. To become a deacon, one needed at least Elemental Infant stage cultivation.


    "A deacon''s status is equivalent to an Elemental Infant demonic beast, allowing free access to any place, even Penglai Island next door, with the same privileges..." Elder Tiger Whale explained.


    Penglai Island, adjacent to the Penglai Sea, existed in the same space.


    One side was human, the other demonic beasts, and they generally stayed out of each other''s way, though there was some cooperation.


    For instance, both humans and demonic beasts were investigating the southeastern sea.


    Elder Tiger Whale then listed the various benefits of being a deacon¡ª


    Such as receiving three thousand contribution points annually without doing anything, learning the most advanced Immortal spells, receiving guidance from the highest levels, and so on.


    Xu Hei pondered for a moment and then asked, "What''s the second choice?"


    "Second, I will keep this matter confidential for you, and you will still receive the contribution points, but you won''t be able to become a deacon for now. I will attribute the credit to Captain White Tooth," Elder Tiger Whale said.


    "I choose the second option," Xu Hei decided without hesitation.


    "Are you sure?" Elder Tiger Whale frowned, "Becoming a deacon is an opportunity many people can''t obtain in a lifetime. Many never break through to the Elemental Infant stage. This is a special case, a rare chance due to your great achievement. Are you sure you want to give it up?"


    Xu Hei shook his head with a bitter smile, "I already have enough trouble."


    The benefits of becoming a deacon were unimaginable, like the three thousand contribution points received annually, which was enough to make anyone envious.


    However, Xu Hei didn''t believe he had the strength to match the Elemental Infant stage. If his virtue didn''t match his position, he would inevitably encounter various troubles.


    Moreover, with Elder Mo around, he wasn''t lacking in contribution points, nor did he need guidance from high-level figures. The only convenience might be the freedom to come and go as he pleased.


    And... the fame, which was dispensable.


    Elder Tiger Whale gave Xu Hei a long look and chuckled, "Heh, your choice is very wise. If you became a deacon, the position of the third team''s captain might have to be yours."


    "..." Xu Hei was speechless.


    Him as captain? What a joke?


    "Elder Tiger Whale, is Captain White Tooth really..." Xu Hei hesitated to ask.


    Elder Tiger Whale didn''t elaborate, only said calmly, "In a month, the entire third team will gather to welcome a new captain."


    Xu Hei''s body trembled, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and gritted his teeth, "Yes!"


    "Also, since you chose not to become a deacon, I will give you a little extra compensation in a month, as a personal gesture," Elder Tiger Whale added.


    "What compensation?" Xu Hei asked curiously.


    "Don''t ask, or there will be nothing," Elder Tiger Whale replied.


    "..." Xu Hei fell silent.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the days that followed, Xu Hei''s task was to rest.


    Although his injuries had healed, the negative effects of transforming into a dragon remained. His Golden Core had shrunk, his vitality was severely depleted, and his Divine Sense was damaged, all requiring time to gradually recover.


    He visited Elder Mo, who was snoring away and ignored him, so Xu Hei had no choice but to return to the island Elder Mo had given him and enter a closed cultivation mode.


    Outside, the battles raged on.


    The carpet sweep of the southeastern sea continued for half a month and was still ongoing.


    Countless pirate groups were wiped out, whether they belonged to the Sea God Sect or not. If found, none were spared, resulting in that part of the sea becoming an absolute forbidden zone, where no human dared to approach for fear of being caught in the crossfire.


    This was clearly an act of deterrence, with the Penglai Sea expressing a stance that no matter who the enemy was, they would be eliminated, no matter how far.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the depths of the East Sea, at the bottom of a dark trench, stood a grand palace.


    Inside the palace, a chilling atmosphere pervaded, with bones scattered everywhere, and faint sounds of ghostly wails and howls, resembling both flowing water and human screams.


    This palace was the residence of the Soul Refining Demon Lord.


    "Whoosh!"


    A massive figure descended into the palace.


    This person was covered in festering heads, with dozens of tentacles and hundreds of eyes. The mouths on its body all curled into a smile¡ªit was the butcher. Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Soul Refining Demon Lord, I heard your Ghost Infant plan was thwarted by a snake. Is it true?" the butcher asked with a sinister smile.


    "Nightmare, why aren''t you out spreading fear? What are you doing here?"


    A voice full of impatience came from the depths of the palace.


    It was clear that the Soul Refining Demon Lord was in a foul mood.


    In just half a month, all the Ghost Infants he had stationed in the southeastern sea were wiped out, many of which were near completion. Due to one mistake, years of effort were destroyed in an instant!


    Otherwise, once all the Ghost Infants were perfected, they could have been combined into an unparalleled monstrous being.


    "Hehe, although you usually work alone, perhaps we can collaborate on this matter," the Nightmare Demon Lord suggested with a smile.


    "Collaborate, with you? Someone who can''t even manage prison inmates?" the Soul Refining Demon Lord retorted coldly.


    As the strongest of the four guardians, he had always looked down on the other three.


    Especially after hearing that Yehuo Xu Fu was beaten to a pulp, and over a hundred prisoners escaped under Nightmare''s watch, running rampant in the Devouring Demon Lord''s territory.


    His disdain for the other three only grew, considering them all useless.

 Chapter 370

    ```


    However, thinking about such things happening to himself, the tone of the Soul Refining Demon Lord softened a bit as he asked, "How do we cooperate?"


    The Nightmare Demon Lord took out a jade slip and tossed it into the depths of the palace, where it vanished instantly.


    "According to this plan, I harvest fear, and you gain a peerless fiend. We each get what we need, so why not?" the Nightmare Demon Lord said.


    Inside the palace, after a long silence.


    The voice of the Soul Refining Demon Lord came through, "I hope you don''t hold me back!"


    The Nightmare Demon Lord narrowed all his eyes, coldly saying, "I hope you''re more reliable than Xu Fu."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Penglai Sea, Xu Hei''s island.


    In the blink of an eye, it was another full moon night.


    Moonlight spilled down, the sea surface as smooth as a mirror, emitting a silvery glow.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, staring at the walls of the cave dwelling. Under the moonlight, patterns emerged on the walls, each with a unique artistic conception.


    Xu Hei focused on the first pattern, the Dragon Tail Swing move, perfectly manifesting in his mind.


    But this time, Xu Hei didn''t suffer a heavy blow and get knocked back; he could already withstand the impact of this conception and contend with it.


    "Dragon Tail Swing, I''ve mastered it. Now for the second move."


    Xu Hei turned his gaze to the next pattern, which depicted a dragon claw.


    Xu Hei didn''t have dragon claws; he needed to activate Dragon Battle in the Wild and transform into a true dragon to use this move, which also resulted in significant limitations.


    It had to be a life-or-death battle for him to unleash this strike, something he couldn''t use in everyday situations.


    The cost was that the side effects of transforming into a dragon would multiply.


    "Boom!!"


    That conception struck again, and in front of Xu Hei, a dragon claw descended from the sky, hitting his chest.


    "Ugh!"


    Xu Hei spat out blood, once again knocked back, crashing into the corner, but he quickly steadied himself.


    "This strike is still strong, but much better than last time," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He closed his eyes, quietly savoring the previous strike.


    Time passed, from evening to midnight, from midnight to dawn, as he pondered for an entire night.


    Gradually, three words appeared in Xu Hei''s mind: Sky-Tearing Claw!


    Azure Dragon Combat Technique, second move, Sky-Tearing Claw!


    Lacking claws, Xu Hei couldn''t perform it, but he had simulated this move countless times in his mind, mastering it thoroughly, no longer fumbling like before.


    Unknowingly, the sky outside was already brightening.


    Xu Hei opened his eyes, suddenly startled at how quickly time had passed.


    He instinctively looked at the third pattern.


    This pattern depicted an Azure Dragon soaring upwards, with a head-butting motion, a flying dragon in the sky, seemingly about to break through the firmament.


    In front of Xu Hei, a phantom dragon shadow appeared, soaring through the nine heavens, stirring up storms, and charging towards him.


    Xu Hei''s expression changed, quickly using the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon to retreat.


    "Boom!!!"


    With a loud crash, Xu Hei''s entire body trembled violently, as if struck by a mountain, his insides churning, directly knocking him out of the cave dwelling, landing on the sea surface.


    "What a terrifying strike, the patterns behind really can''t be looked at casually," Xu Hei thought with lingering fear.


    He had only glanced at it, not looked closely, yet suffered such a heavy blow. According to his estimation, this move, Dragon Raising Its Head, could only be comprehended at the late stage of the demon core, or even Great Perfection.


    Of course, this was for Xu Hei; for other snake demons, without Elemental Infant stage cultivation, they wouldn''t even have the qualification to touch it.


    At this moment, the sky gradually brightened.


    Xu Hei glanced at the sky, his figure flashing as he entered the second cave dwelling next door.


    The island had three cave dwellings in total. In this second cave dwelling, there were also some patterns carved on the walls, but at a glance, these weren''t combat techniques; they seemed more like spells.


    Xu Hei focused on the first pattern, depicting a dragon swimming in a storm.


    In an instant, Xu Hei''s consciousness blurred.


    His consciousness arrived above the firmament, a fierce wind rising, a giant dragon coiling ahead, the storm invincible, capable of tearing apart all things, even Xu Hei''s physical body felt like it was splitting.


    "Azure Dragon Immortal Spell, first move, Summon Wind!"


    A voice echoed in Xu Hei''s heart.


    "Boom!!!"


    The all-tearing storm descended, blowing away the clouds, extinguishing the sunlight, everything in the world vanishing under the fierce wind, leaving only the raging storm, resembling an apocalyptic disaster.


    Such a terrifying scene lasted only a moment before Xu Hei suddenly awoke, drenched in cold sweat.


    At this moment, the pattern on the wall had disappeared, the sun had risen, and the moonlight had faded.


    Xu Hei stared at the empty stone wall of the cave dwelling, his eyes wide, his heart in turmoil.


    "Azure Dragon Immortal Spell, first move, Summon Wind!"


    Without a doubt, this cave dwelling recorded the spells of the dragon clan.


    Azure Dragon Combat Technique, Azure Dragon Immortal Spell; one for body refining, one for spell cultivation.


    Xu Hei had never seen a true dragon, didn''t know the true dragon''s combat style, but from the stone walls of these two cave dwellings, it seemed anything could be cultivated.


    However, when Xu Hei recalled the content of Summon Wind, he found that this move was infinitely more complex than the combat technique!


    No matter what, Xu Hei couldn''t simulate it. S§×arch* The N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    This move seemed to be a spell only cultivable at the Elemental Infant stage, but Xu Hei had already touched its threshold ahead of time.


    "Summon Wind, I wonder what conditions are needed to perform it."


    Xu Hei sighed inwardly; his comprehension time earlier was too short, lasting only a breath. If it had been longer, he might have learned this move.


    If he had used this Summon Wind move when facing the Soul Refining Demon Lord, he wouldn''t have been so embarrassed; he could have completely avoided the Soul Refining Demon Lord''s second strike.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Next, Xu Hei adjusted his breath on the island for a while.


    Only after his state returned to its peak did he leave the island, heading straight for the Treasure Pavilion.


    In the previous battle, he had exhausted his magical treasures, with the Black Dragon Pagoda and Blood Killing Sword Formation all gone. All he had left were the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd, Soul Burning Lamp, Water Thunder Wings, and some low-grade useless items.


    The opponents Xu Hei faced now were getting stronger and stronger; without top-tier third-grade items, they were useless.


    Sometimes, he even needed fourth-grade magical treasures.


    Xu Hei''s gap with the Elemental Infant stage was too large, and with slow cultivation progress, he could only compensate through other means.


    Before long, he arrived at the island of the Treasure Pavilion.


    At the entrance, Octopus Brother was smoking a pipe, just like before, surrounded by clouds of smoke.


    As usual, Xu Hei took out a tobacco leaf and handed it over.


    Octopus Brother Wang Zhen glanced at him, took the tobacco leaf, and smiled, "Kid, did you offend someone?"


    "Yeah." Xu Hei nodded, "Offended quite a few, actually."


    He didn''t know what the other meant by this; if it was about offending people, he had lost count of how many enemies he had made along the way.


    "Heh, they say the magical treasures you sold last time were all stolen goods, and they want to reclaim them, deducting your contribution points," Wang Zhen sneered.


    "Stolen goods..."


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed, indifferently saying, "The Sea Commerce Guild''s doing?"


    "If it were just the Sea Commerce Guild, I could block it, but the Immortal Pavilion is also meddling, saying you damaged their cave dwelling and want to confiscate your contribution points for compensation. That, I can''t stop!" Wang Zhen shrugged his tentacles, smiling.


    ```

 Chapter 371

    "Immortal Pavilion..."


    Xu Hei''s face immediately darkened.


    Immortal Pavilion? He almost forgot about it.


    The last time he purchased a cave dwelling, it was Mu Hou, the steward of the Immortal Pavilion, who led the enemy in, disrupting his breakthrough and nearly getting him killed.


    And now they have the audacity to accuse him of damaging the cave dwelling and demand compensation. How shameless!


    He had almost forgotten this grudge, but they just had to dig their own grave.


    "How much compensation do I need to pay?" Xu Hei asked. Sear?h the ¦ÇovelFire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "According to their quote, it starts at five thousand contribution points, and it could go up to ten thousand," Wang Zhen sneered. "Just a heads up, since you''ve shown yourself now, the Enforcement Hall will probably come to arrest you in less than the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn."


    Five thousand, ten thousand? That''s daylight robbery!


    Xu Hei''s face remained calm as he said, "Thank you!"


    Xu Hei didn''t blame Wang Zhen; he was grateful that Wang Zhen had told him the truth.


    Without hesitation, Xu Hei flew into the Treasure Pavilion.


    Contribution points?


    He didn''t have many contribution points himself, but he had a second token. However, it wasn''t meant for paying fines; it was for arming himself.


    Entering the Treasure Pavilion, Xu Hei headed straight for the second floor, his figure flashing as he rushed up.


    "Huh? It seemed like a snake just went up to the second floor!"


    "The second floor is only accessible to deacons!"


    Voices of discussion arose in the hall on the first floor, but Xu Hei was too fast for anyone to see clearly.


    ...


    On the second floor of the Treasure Pavilion, as Xu Hei stepped in, he clearly felt a wave of divine sense sweep past him, likely an automatic detection.


    Xu Hei took out Elder Mo''s token, and the divine sense lingered on it for a moment before withdrawing.


    "Elder Mo''s token is indeed useful."


    Xu Hei put away the token and casually glanced around, spotting numerous valuable treasures, all above the fourth tier.


    These were specifically prepared for deacons at the Elemental Infant stage.


    With no one around, Xu Hei quickly began his search.


    The reason he didn''t use Elder Mo''s token last time was that he was unsure about Wang Zhen''s character, fearing he might talk carelessly. After some interaction, Xu Hei found Wang Zhen to be trustworthy.


    "With my current cultivation level, I can barely activate ordinary fourth-tier magical treasures. I have to choose the lowest grade, and it must suit me."


    Xu Hei didn''t expect to defeat an Elemental Infant with his Demon Core Stage cultivation, but he aimed to narrow the gap as much as possible, at least to ensure his survival against an Elemental Infant.


    Therefore, his focus was on life-saving magical treasures.


    There weren''t many options to choose from. After careful consideration, there were three items: a set of armor, a pagoda, and a shield, all of which were fourth-tier inferior grade.


    "Nine Nether Demon Armor, Water Moon Sacred Pagoda, Black Tortoise Shield."


    Xu Hei skimmed through the introductions of the three magical treasures, pondered briefly, and took the Black Tortoise Shield.


    It had the simplest usage conditions; even without refining it, placing it in front could block most attacks and had a certain counterattack effect.


    This item was valuable, requiring thirty thousand contribution points, but it was already quite cheap on the second floor.


    Explore the extended edition on


    At this moment, Xu Hei''s gaze shifted to a bracelet beside him.


    This bracelet, named the Wind Control Bracelet, wasn''t a defensive type but a wind-element functional magical treasure, also fourth-tier inferior grade.


    Xu Hei thought of his Summon Wind technique. Since he couldn''t summon the wind, could using this item as an aid yield twice the result with half the effort?


    He immediately took the Wind Control Bracelet.


    "Two fourth-tier magical treasures, with a total value of ninety thousand contribution points... I hope Elder Mo''s contribution points are enough," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    Even a deacon would need to save up thirty years of salary to afford them, showing their preciousness.


    He arrived at the staircase, about to go down, when Xu Hei suddenly paused and glanced at the passage above.


    The Treasure Pavilion had a third floor!


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, and he immediately rushed up.


    The third floor was very small, with only a few treasures inside.


    "There¡¯s actually a third floor, only elders can enter, right?" Xu Hei speculated.


    Xu Hei took out Elder Mo''s token and looked around. Most of the items here were of no use to him.


    Finally, his gaze fixed on a cup of tea in the center.


    The tea was a dark green color, with a faint fragrance wafting out. Just a whiff made Xu Hei feel much clearer-headed.


    The plaque read three words: Enlightenment Tea.


    Valued at two hundred thousand contribution points!


    "Two hundred... thousand!" Xu Hei''s eyes nearly popped out.


    Clearly, this treasure was one of those with a price but no market. After reading the introduction, Xu Hei understood why it was priced so high.


    Enlightenment Tea could greatly enhance comprehension within an hour, surpassing ten years of sudden enlightenment, and even aid in breaking through to the Elemental Infant stage! No wonder it was marked at such a price!


    Xu Hei swallowed hard, contemplating the potential issues of exchanging for this cup of tea.


    Firstly, exchanging for this tea would definitely go through Wang Zhen.


    After some time interacting, Xu Hei found Wang Zhen to be discreet. As long as he offered some benefits to help keep it a secret, it should be fine, but there was still some risk.


    Secondly, he worried about whether Elder Mo''s contribution points were sufficient. If he couldn''t exchange for it, it would be awkward.


    After weighing it for a moment, Xu Hei decided to take the risk because the benefits were too great, far outweighing the risks.


    He took the Enlightenment Tea and immediately used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, rushing from the third floor to the first floor in an instant, then headed straight for the entrance.


    "I want to exchange for these three items."


    Xu Hei placed the treasures in front of Wang Zhen and presented a black token.


    Wang Zhen''s gaze swept over the Black Tortoise Shield, Wind Control Bracelet, and Enlightenment Tea. His previously lazy eyes instantly froze, finally fixing on the black token.


    "Clatter!"


    His smoking pipe fell to the ground, and he quickly picked it up, taking a deep drag to calm himself.


    Wang Zhen reached out with a tentacle, hurriedly took the token, and smiled, "Oh, so you''re that one''s disciple. You should have said so earlier, haha."


    After deducting the contribution points, Wang Zhen returned the token to Xu Hei, continuously smiling awkwardly.


    Unable to contain his curiosity, Xu Hei asked, "How many contribution points are left in this token?"


    "Are you sure you want to ask? I advise you not to!" Wang Zhen said seriously.


    Xu Hei remained silent, put away the three treasures, and bowed slightly, "Brother Wang, please keep this matter confidential for me!"


    "Of course, I''m not stupid. Go on, go on. Next time, bring me more of that stuff, you know!" Wang Zhen laughed.


    "No need for next time, this time for sure!"


    Xu Hei took out a large handful of prepared hibiscus leaves and, using the Gravity Technique, sent them into Wang Zhen''s storage bag.


    "Oh, we''re all friends here, no need to be so polite."


    Wang Zhen pretended to refuse while opening his storage bag.


    As the large handful of leaves entered, Wang Zhen''s face lit up with satisfaction, his smile crooked.


    Xu Hei was equally pleased. Having won over Wang Zhen, he could now buy whatever he wanted in the Treasure Pavilion, as long as no one else found out.


    Just as Xu Hei was about to leave.


    Suddenly, three figures sped over from a distance, arriving diagonally above Xu Hei. Leading them was an electric eel covered in purple scales, its back bristling with menacing spines, crackling with electricity.


    The two beside it were a starfish holding a jade slip for recording enforcement processes and a squid wearing a monocle.


    The common feature among them was the token they wore: Enforcement Token!


    "Xu Hei, you''ve been reported for stealing treasures from the Sea Commerce Guild and damaging three cave dwellings in the Immortal Pavilion, with conclusive evidence provided. Now, come with us immediately for investigation!" the electric eel said coldly.

 Chapter 372

    Wang Zhen was about to say something when Xu Hei stopped him.


    Staring at the electric eel, Xu Hei said, "Fine, I''ll go with you."


    Getting into a conflict with the Enforcement Hall was very unwise, especially with this electric eel. Xu Hei had a feeling of familiarity about him. The eel was surrounded by electric light, ready to strike, like a tightly wound string, as if he would act immediately if Xu Hei dared to resist.


    Someone was recording the enforcement process nearby. If Xu Hei refused to be arrested, the other party would have every reason to take action. Xu Hei didn''t want to get beaten up for nothing.


    Seeing Xu Hei compromise, a barely noticeable disappointment flashed in the electric eel''s eyes. He nodded and said, "Tie him up!"


    "Yes!"


    An octopus flew out a tentacle-made rope, tying Xu Hei up tightly, then carried him on its back, heading towards the Enforcement Hall.


    Before leaving, the purple electric eel glanced at Wang Zhen and said, "Elder Wang, were you just accepting a bribe?"


    "Fing hell! You¡¯re really pushing it, aren¡¯t you? Say one more word and you¡¯ll never set foot in the Treasure Pavilion again!"


    Wang Zhen''s tentacles danced wildly, spewing thick smoke from his mouth, glaring angrily.


    The purple electric eel smiled slightly, "Elder Wang, don''t get excited, I was just joking."


    "The suspect has been captured, let''s move out!"


    The trio from the Enforcement Hall dragged Xu Hei back the way they came.


    ...


    The Enforcement Hall was located within the Whale lineage.


    This was a place for imprisoning prisoners, and the environment was naturally not good. At a glance, it was gloomy, ghostly winds swirling, bones scattered everywhere, as if many had died here.


    Along the way, Xu Hei was jostled back and forth, while the purple electric eel beside him remained tense, its aura faintly locking onto Xu Hei, ready to strike. sea??h th§× N??elFir§×.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    If Xu Hei made any sudden moves, it would act with thunderous force.


    Naturally, Xu Hei didn''t give him any chance, behaving obediently all the way, leaving nothing to be used against him.


    "This kid really knows how to keep his cool," the electric eel said, his expression dark.


    By now, Xu Hei had remembered why this electric eel seemed familiar.


    We are ", find us on google.


    He looked a bit like Lei Man, skewered and roasted.


    "Could they be relatives, and that''s why he''s targeting me?" Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, a suspicion forming in his mind.


    Before long, they entered a waterless prison, and Xu Hei was brought to a cell.


    The cell was enclosed on all sides, dark and lightless, with only a cramped space to fit in.


    "When will the interrogation begin?" Xu Hei asked.


    "The interrogation requires a process, we have to wait for the victim to arrive. Until then, you''ll stay here."


    Without further ado, the purple electric eel threw Xu Hei into the cell and activated a formation.


    Then, he left directly.


    The starfish that had been recording looked at Xu Hei with a hint of pity, then followed him out.


    Only Xu Hei and the snake remained.


    The air was filled with a musty smell.


    The cell was so small that Xu Hei had to curl up into a circle and shrink his body to fit in. The environment was appallingly bad.


    There was no telling how long he''d be kept here. If they left him hanging, wouldn''t he be stuck here indefinitely?


    "Let''s refine the Black Tortoise Shield first."


    Xu Hei first inserted spirit stones around him, setting up a shielding formation, then took out the Black Tortoise Shield and began refining it.


    ...


    Outside the prison.


    The starfish put away the recording jade slip and asked, "Captain Lei, do you have a grudge against that Xu Hei?"


    She wasn''t a fool; she had seen Lei Guang''s behavior along the way, clearly targeting Xu Hei on purpose.


    "I don''t know him at all, what grudge could there be? A Xing, some things shouldn''t be said carelessly," Lei Guang said sternly.


    A Xing fell silent.


    Lei Guang turned and left directly.


    The one-eyed squid, however, patted her shoulder and said meaningfully, "A Xing, just follow the captain''s lead, don''t ask why."


    "Watch more, think more, understand?"


    After saying a few heartfelt words, the squid swam to the prison door, opened a crack, and sprayed a large amount of ink through the gap.


    The ink was highly toxic. Although it couldn''t kill Xu Hei, it was nauseating, and the smell alone was unbearable, making it impossible to cultivate peacefully.


    The starfish was dumbfounded.


    Inside the prison, Xu Hei saw through the formation that thick black mist was pouring in through the door gap, filling the air with a nauseating stench.


    He didn''t know what it was, but it was definitely meant to disgust him.


    Xu Hei quickly inserted spirit stones, constructing a top-tier third-level defensive formation to block everything outside. This back-and-forth cost him at least fifty thousand spirit stones.


    "All these expenses will be accounted for, and I''ll make you pay back a hundredfold!" Xu Hei''s face was grim.


    ...


    Late at night, at the Treasure Pavilion.


    Just before closing, a figure arrived, moving as fast as lightning, darting into the Treasure Pavilion and heading straight for the third floor, unnoticed by anyone.


    Moments later, the figure stopped on the third floor, revealing a black-and-white form.


    Upon closer inspection, it was the shrunken Elder Tiger Whale.


    Elder Tiger Whale came to the front of the Enlightenment Tea, looking at the empty counter, his pupils contracted, and he exclaimed, "It''s gone?!"


    He looked around, confirming there was no trace of the Enlightenment Tea; it had already been exchanged.


    The Enlightenment Tea was meant as compensation for Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei was the biggest hero of this mission, having thwarted the Soul Refining Demon Lord''s plan, yet he wanted to keep a low profile, giving all the credit to White Tooth.


    As the only one aware of this, Elder Tiger Whale couldn''t just ignore it.


    He had always been fair and just to his disciples, ensuring no meritorious person suffered, but he couldn''t report it. So, he thought of personally gifting Xu Hei a grand present, which was also an investment!


    The most suitable reward was the Enlightenment Tea on the third floor of the Treasure Pavilion.


    But now it was gone!


    "Who on earth exchanged it?"


    Elder Tiger Whale was helpless, his gaze sweeping over the other treasures, none of which were suitable for Xu Hei. Even if they were usable, they would easily attract attention.


    With no other choice, he had only one option left, and the thought pained him.


    ...


    And so, two days passed in a flash.


    Xu Hei had refined about half of the Black Tortoise Shield, gaining preliminary control.


    Although the true essence consumption was enormous, its defensive effect was the strongest Xu Hei had ever seen. Additionally, it had a counterattack effect.


    The magical treasures he had were at most quasi-fourth-level, like the Water Thunder Wings and the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd after absorbing heavy oil, which were fine against the Core Formation stage but useless against the Elemental Infant stage.


    But this Black Tortoise Shield was a genuine fourth-level low-grade magical treasure!


    The ink outside never ceased, occasionally spraying some inside. For an ordinary person, it would have been unbearable long ago. Xu Hei had to replenish the formation with another twenty thousand spirit stones.


    He didn''t know how long they planned to keep him locked up.


    But according to Xu Hei''s estimation, they''d drag it out as long as possible.


    "If that''s the case, then let them keep me here. Let''s see what Elder Tiger Whale will do when the month is up," Xu Hei thought with a cold smile.


    He took out spirit stones again, breaking them apart to carve formation patterns, then took out the Enlightenment Tea.


    The Enlightenment Tea required extremely rare Enlightenment Tea leaves to brew, making it a non-renewable strategic resource, only available for exchange once a year, greatly enhancing comprehension in a short time.


    It could be consumed regardless of cultivation level, with no harm or toxicity.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, focused his mind, and drank the tea in one go.

 Chapter 373

    In an instant, Xu Hei''s mind felt as if it had been submerged in an icy spring, achieving unprecedented clarity. Many previously complex problems suddenly found their breakthroughs at this moment.


    Xu Hei entered a unique state of mind, his thoughts accelerated thousands of times, delving into the minutiae, seeing through countless changes, and touching upon the essence.


    At this moment, all secrets before him were no longer secrets.


    "So that''s how it is, Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, Dragon Shatter Roar, Summon Wind, Dragon Tail Swing, Sky-Tearing Claw..."


    Xu Hei recalled the spells he had practiced before, unraveling many complexities and difficulties, gaining new insights into each move and technique.


    His Divine Sense spread out, and he instantly comprehended the structure and formation of the prison, even seeing through the guards outside completely.


    Everything in Xu Hei''s mind was no longer a secret.


    Most notably, his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon had directly reached the eighth realm.


    Ever-changing Fish and Dragon had nine realms in total.


    The eighth realm allowed for preliminary shape-shifting.


    The ninth realm allowed for infinite transformations, mastering the art of change.


    Xu Hei had already acquired the ability to change his form initially.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Though it seemed slow in narration, time passed swiftly.


    An hour seemed to pass in an instant. Xu Hei opened his eyes, exiting the state of enlightenment, but he was still immersed in the state, savoring the gains from before.


    "Enlightenment Tea truly lives up to its name. In just this brief moment, it felt as if I had experienced ten years of enlightenment," Xu Hei marveled.


    His gains were immense, not only grasping the complexities of Summon Wind but also enhancing all his previous spells to varying degrees.


    The most notable was Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, which he had advanced to the eighth realm, acquiring preliminary transformation abilities.


    "Ever-changing Fish and Dragon!"


    With a thought, Xu Hei''s body entered a blurred state, his bones and muscles emitting a trembling sound, vibrating at a peculiar frequency.


    As the vibration continued, his form began to change. His massive body contracted, standing tall, with four protrusions forming at his abdomen, transforming into arms and legs.


    Moments later.


    Xu Hei transformed into a half-human, half-snake demonic beast.


    At this moment, he had a human head and limbs, resembling a human, but his tail remained, covered in pitch-black dragon scales, with a bald head and a single horn.


    His appearance had a somewhat sinister feel.


    "Preliminary shape-shifting is still too forced," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    In his current form, neither human nor snake, he could easily be mistaken for a monster.


    However, he seemed to recall seeing a snake-like creature in the Classic of Mountains and Seas that resembled his current form.


    With a thought, Xu Hei reverted to his snake form.


    Although an hour of enlightenment had passed, he still needed to seize the time to digest and summarize, not wasting the precious Enlightenment Tea.


    Besides the progress in spells, he could also continue to open the third dragon vein, further advancing his cultivation, reaping substantial benefits.


    Xu Hei took out a bottle of cultivation pills and swallowed them, refining them with all his might. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    And so, Xu Hei was detained for a full half-month.


    After half a month, Xu Hei had fully digested his enlightenment. He had completely opened the second dragon vein and halfway through the third.


    His cultivation had improved by about thirty percent compared to before.


    In fact, as early as when he returned from his mission, both his dragon veins and cultivation had progressed, but lacked the time for tempering. Xu Hei only needed to retreat for a while to achieve great gains.


    It''s just that the retreat location had changed to the prison.


    During this period, apart from the room full of ink, there was no disturbance from outside. This was good, as no one interrupted him.


    Xu Hei was not in a hurry, adding another twenty thousand Spirit Stones into the formation, continuing his retreat.


    It wasn''t until twenty days later that the prison door slowly opened. Xu Hei exhaled, unhurriedly packing up the formation.


    A one-eyed octopus crawled in, glancing at the perfectly fine Xu Hei, a look of surprise flashing in its eyes, but it quickly concealed it, saying indifferently, "The two victims have been brought in, follow me!"


    It extended its tentacles, binding Xu Hei, and led him to the Enforcement Hall.


    Inside the Enforcement Hall, there were a total of five figures.


    Lei Guang, along with his colleague Lei Fei, both eel-like.


    The two so-called victims, Mu Hou from the Immortal Pavilion, and an unknown manager from the Sea Commerce Guild, were clearly sent by Li Yuan¡¯an.


    There was also a starfish responsible for recording.


    Xu Hei glanced at the lineup and knew the outcome.


    The Enforcement Hall was filled with enemies inside and out, was there even a need for a trial? They might as well directly announce the verdict.


    "In my opinion, there''s no need for a trial, just tell me the result," Xu Hei said.


    "How dare you! Speaking such insolence in the Enforcement Hall, showing contempt for the court, first give him thirty lashes!" Lei Guang shouted angrily.


    The octopus obeyed, its tentacles immediately hardening into sturdy rods, crashing down on Xu Hei''s back.


    "Boom!!"


    A dull sound echoed, Xu Hei felt no pain at all. By now, his strength had far surpassed those of the same realm, it was like scratching an itch.


    However, he still put on a show of pain, his face contorted, his body crashing to the ground.


    "Boom boom boom..."


    One rod after another fell with a thud, Xu Hei cooperatively acted, letting out sounds of agony.


    However, Lei Guang''s face was as dark as water, seeing through Xu Hei''s pretense at a glance, he roared, "Are you even trying? This snake is pretending, can''t you tell?"


    The one-eyed octopus''s face changed instantly, hurriedly increasing the force, crashing down like a mountain, smashing Xu Hei''s back.


    Xu Hei spat out a mouthful of blood.


    The thirty lashes were quickly finished, and seeing Xu Hei injured, Lei Guang''s expression slightly eased.


    In reality, it was Xu Hei who had injured himself.


    This was the situation Xu Hei had anticipated long ago, even if he kept silent, they would find an excuse to deal with him.


    Next, it was just going through the motions.


    Manager A presented the stolen goods Xu Hei had sold, such as the Sea Demon Flute and Sword-Swallowing Gourd.


    Xu Hei remained silent.


    Mu Hou used a jade slip to show the destruction of the Cave Dwelling, with Xu Hei''s purchased Cave Dwelling at the center, three nearby Cave Dwellings were completely destroyed, the surrounding area heavily polluted with oil, depicting Xu Hei as heinous.


    Xu Hei still remained silent.


    "Xu Hei, do you plead guilty?" Lei Guang asked coldly.


    Xu Hei didn''t even bother to acknowledge him.


    Finally, Lei Guang announced the verdict, deducting twelve thousand contribution points from Xu Hei, imprisoning him in the dungeon for half a year, with charges including but not limited to murder, theft, contempt of court, destruction of property, and so on, listing a whole bunch.


    If the contribution points were insufficient, they would directly become negative.


    Hearing such a verdict, a cold smile appeared on Xu Hei''s lips.


    "What, you dare to laugh? Contempt of court, do you want an additional charge?" Lei Guang said coldly.


    Xu Hei replied, "If you want to accuse someone, there''s always a way. I don''t acknowledge any of these charges, but I won''t deny the contempt of court."


    "If something like you can be called a court."


    Xu Hei''s words echoed in the Enforcement Hall, causing everyone to freeze. Especially the last sentence, which made Lei Guang pause, his eyes turning red, his chest igniting with raging fury.

 Chapter 374

    No one expected that Xu Hei, facing such a situation, would dare to speak so arrogantly, insulting the enforcers and challenging authority. Wasn''t this courting death? Sear?h the N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The starfish responsible for recording had never seen such a criminal before, which truly opened her eyes.


    "Xu Hei, you have some nerve!"


    Lei Guang was furious and shouted, "Beat him, a hundred lashes!"


    "Yes!"


    The octopus''s eight tentacles all transformed into stick-like shapes, falling like a storm onto Xu Hei''s back, creating a continuous thudding sound.


    This time, Xu Hei couldn''t be bothered to pretend anymore. He lay on the ground motionless, letting the shadows of the sticks fall on him without showing any signs of pain. He even lazily yawned.


    "¡­¡­"


    The entire audience was stunned.


    Goodness, he wasn''t hurt at all; was he pretending all along?


    The octopus who struck was also dumbfounded. He was at the Great Perfection of the Demon Core Stage, yet Xu Hei, without any resistance, couldn''t be harmed.


    Did he have to go all out?


    "Put some effort into it, didn''t you eat?" Xu Hei''s lazy voice came through.


    Without Lei Guang needing to speak, this time Xu Hei was the one making the request.


    This was outright provocation! Blatant provocation!


    The octopus''s heart was filled with overwhelming anger. His eight tentacles intertwined, forming a giant spiral club, crashing down on Xu Hei like Mount Tai, shaking the void.


    This was his full-force strike; even someone of the same realm would lose half their life from such a hit!


    At that moment, Xu Hei''s eyes sharpened, and the Black Tortoise Shield quietly appeared on his body.


    To withstand a full-force strike from someone at the Great Perfection of the Demon Core Stage, Xu Hei wasn''t foolish enough to do so without protection. He was confident, but not arrogant.


    However, he was waiting for the opponent to go all out.


    "Boom!!"


    The spiral tentacles smashed into the Black Tortoise Shield, the sound of the impact echoing in all directions, causing the entire Enforcement Hall to tremble.


    Yet, Xu Hei remained unaffected, while the octopus''s body trembled violently, suffering a strong backlash, spitting out a mouthful of blue blood. All his tentacles shattered, and with a shrill scream, he was sent flying, crashing into the wall, and sliding down limply like a dead dog.


    "What!!"


    Everyone was shocked.


    The managers of the Sea Commerce Guild, Mu Hou, the starfish, and the two enforcers were instantly dumbstruck.


    The scene before them overturned everyone''s understanding. Xu Hei hadn''t moved, yet the octopus was nearly dead. What kind of sorcery was this?


    Xu Hei quickly put away the Black Tortoise Shield. Apart from Lei Guang and Lei Fei, who were at the Elemental Infant stage, no one else saw it.


    The Black Tortoise Shield, a fourth-tier magical treasure, not only had incredible defensive power but also a counter-damage effect, which had nearly cost the octopus his life.


    "What was that magical treasure just now?"


    Lei Fei was so shocked he couldn''t speak. In his twenty years of enforcing, he had never encountered such a thing. They had only heard that among the sea turtle clan, there was a top-tier immortal spell with similar effects.


    "You all saw it just now; he was the one who attacked. I didn''t do anything, so don''t blame me!"


    Explore the extended edition on


    Xu Hei put on an innocent expression and said to the starfish beside him, "Sister Starfish, you recorded everything, right? I really didn''t make a move."


    The starfish didn''t know what to say, only feeling that Xu Hei was increasingly extraordinary. She looked at Lei Guang with hesitation in her eyes.


    Lei Guang gritted his teeth, a fierce killing intent flashing in his eyes. Xu Hei was challenging his authority, and if he didn''t act, where would his dignity be?


    "Rebel, you dare to injure someone in court, defying the law, an unforgivable crime!"


    "Today, I will personally punish you!"


    Lei Guang approached, terrifying electric light scattering, forming an oppressive force that suddenly descended on Xu Hei''s back, crackling. The Enforcement Hall instantly turned into a sea of lightning.


    Xu Hei remained motionless, his eyes gradually turning cold, ready to act at any moment.


    He couldn''t just sit and wait for death. If necessary, he would take out Mo Xuan''s token and seek help from the higher-ups. If that didn''t work, he would use the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon to escape.


    His Ever-changing Fish and Dragon was already at the eighth level, and with the help of Enlightenment Tea, Xu Hei was well aware of the formations here and could completely bypass them. They couldn''t stop him.


    "You say so much, and still want to punish me, just to force me to act, right? As soon as I make a move, you''ll kill me. Am I right?" Xu Hei''s face was cold.


    Lei Guang remained silent, quietly activating the formation of the Enforcement Hall, the lightning on his body spreading out, forming an encirclement.


    Xu Hei was absolutely right. His repeated suppression was to provoke Xu Hei into acting. As soon as Xu Hei made a move, it would be easy.


    He could accidentally kill Xu Hei, at most receiving some punishment, losing some contribution points, or at worst, being demoted.


    But in the end, Xu Hei would be dead.


    That was his goal!


    It seemed Xu Hei was about to take the bait, living up to his youthful impulsiveness, easily angered.


    Lei Guang, though imposing, was inwardly sneering, ready to unleash a thunderous strike at any moment. With his Elemental Infant stage cultivation, killing Xu Hei would take just one move!


    "Hold on!"


    Just as the atmosphere was tense, Lei Fei suddenly shouted from behind.


    Lei Guang frowned and asked, "What''s wrong?"


    "Have you noticed, there''s not a trace of worry in this kid''s eyes. He''s not afraid of you at all!" Lei Fei secretly transmitted.


    Xu Hei''s eyes were always calm, like a still pond. As an enforcer, how could Lei Guang not notice? He had been shouting about punishment just to provoke Xu Hei into resisting.


    He wanted to give himself a legitimate reason.


    "So what?" Lei Guang frowned.


    "You should have heard the rumors about this kid, right? He was on par with Hai Teng, the elders of the six lineages competed for him, and he ended up under the mysterious Elder Mo. He was also one of the first to discover the Soul Refining Demon Lord''s three teams."


    "The shield-like magical treasure he used just now, if I''m not mistaken, should be the Black Tortoise Shield from the second level of the Treasure Pavilion."


    Lei Fei''s words were quick, transmitting in an instant.


    Lei Guang''s pupils slightly contracted upon hearing this, and after a moment of contemplation, his aura also retracted, calming his mind.


    He had been enforcing for twenty years and was naturally not a fool, able to hear the implications in Lei Fei''s words.


    This Xu Hei was definitely not simple!


    Touching him recklessly might lead to great trouble.


    The Black Tortoise Shield, he hadn''t noticed it earlier, but it was a second-level magical treasure. Although he forgot the price, being on the second level meant it was definitely not less than thirty thousand contribution points.


    For Xu Hei to possess this, he couldn''t be an ordinary person.


    He must have a good relationship with some deacon who helped him exchange for it.


    "Wait, the Black Tortoise Shield? Are you sure it''s the Black Tortoise Shield?"


    Lei Guang''s eyes lit up as if he had discovered something, quickly asking.


    "I didn''t see clearly, but it''s very likely," Lei Fei replied.


    "Good, good, I understand."


    Lei Guang took a deep breath, a hint of a cold smile emerging.


    He thought of a possibility, that Xu Hei had bribed Wang Zhen, who used his position for personal gain to give Xu Hei the shield. Otherwise, Xu Hei couldn''t have obtained the Black Tortoise Shield.


    Unexpectedly, just a casual investigation had caught a big fish.


    However, this matter needed further investigation, as Wang Zhen was an elder and couldn''t be moved lightly.


    If this was confirmed, Xu Hei wouldn''t just face a fine of ten thousand contribution points and half a year of detention. He might have his cultivation abolished and be expelled from the Penglai Sea.


    Although Wang Zhen was an elder, he wouldn''t escape severe punishment, likely facing over a decade of imprisonment.


    As for Lei Guang, uncovering a major corruption case would be a significant achievement, possibly allowing him to rise to the rank of elder in one step.


    Thinking of this, Lei Guang completely retracted his aura, the lightning in the Enforcement Hall disappearing, restoring calm.


    "There are still many doubts in this case that need careful investigation. First, take this criminal away and reschedule the trial," Lei Guang said calmly.


    Mu Hou''s face changed, thinking Lei Guang had changed his mind, and quickly said, "What about my compensation¡­"


    "Don''t worry, you won''t miss out," Lei Guang smiled.


    Lei Fei was puzzled.


    With Lei Guang''s temperament, he had easily let it go, and his mood seemed to have improved. What had he imagined?

 Chapter 375

    ``` S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    An hour later.


    Xu Hei was taken to a pitch-black abyssal dungeon.


    The place was quite large, divided into several areas, imprisoning various kinds of prisoners. There were humans, sea beasts, and land demonic beasts.


    As soon as he walked in, a thick wave of Yin Sha Qi hit him, giving Xu Hei the illusion of entering the underworld, causing him to shiver involuntarily.


    The one-eyed octopus was knocked out cold from the backlash, and Xu Hei was personally brought here by Lei Guang and locked in a cell.


    This dungeon was quite spacious, so he no longer had to curl up like before.


    However, the environment here was no better, with eerie Yin Qi and ghostly winds swirling around. The Spiritual Qi was even thinner than outside, and staying here too long might affect one''s mental state.


    The demonic beasts imprisoned here were listless, emaciated, and their eyes were dull, clearly having suffered greatly.


    "Clang!"


    The door was shut, and Lei Guang gave a meaningful cold smile.


    "How long will I be locked up this time?" Xu Hei asked with a frown.


    "Just for injuring someone in the courtroom, you deserve to be imprisoned for a year! As for your other offenses, once I investigate them, I''ll settle them with you slowly!"


    Lei Guang gave a sinister smile and turned to leave.


    Xu Hei looked around. This place seemed like an isolated space, devoid of any Spiritual Qi from the Penglai Sea, like a barren wasteland.


    Staying here too long without replenishing with spirit stones could even cause one''s cultivation to decline.


    The ground was pitch black, with some bones faintly visible, scattered in the soil. The land was damp, with a dark, moldy smell.


    Not far away, a scrawny vulture was staring at him with glowing red eyes, seemingly having not eaten for a long time.


    "What kind of hellhole is this?" Xu Hei muttered.


    He didn''t know much about the Enforcement Hall''s prison, only that it was divided into several levels, with different places for different cultivation levels and races.


    Knowing Lei Guang, this place was likely extremely dangerous.


    Seeing Xu Hei enter, many scarlet eyes appeared from afar, sizing him up, but Xu Hei ignored them and crawled straight towards the depths.


    The demonic beasts here were all land-based. Though starving and filled with greed, none dared to approach, clearly sensing that Xu Hei was not to be trifled with.


    Suddenly, the vulture from before spoke, "Little brother, could you lend us some spirit stones? I''ll return them to you once we''re out!"


    As soon as he said this, all eyes turned to Xu Hei.


    The vulture''s words were clever. He didn''t say "I," but "we," putting Xu Hei against everyone.


    Xu Hei couldn''t be bothered to respond, not even sparing a glance, continuing straight ahead.


    "Are you deaf?" the vulture''s voice turned cold.


    "Scram!"


    He replied with just one word.


    In that voice, Xu Hei infused the Dragon Shatter Roar. If you want to reason, that''s how you do it!


    A terrifying dragon roar swept out like lightning, targeting the vulture''s face, arriving in an instant.


    The vulture''s expression changed drastically. He had been prepared to flee, but didn''t expect Xu Hei to act so swiftly, instantly being sent flying backward, spitting blood, his few remaining feathers falling off, landing far away.


    The scene turned chaotic, with demonic beasts scattering in all directions, fleeing in panic.


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed with disdain. A bunch of rabble trying to extort him? They must be courting death!


    He released his powerful aura and continued to crawl forward. Before long, Xu Hei reached the end.


    The prison was square, a thousand feet in length and width, with the end visible at a glance, where a towering wall stood.


    Xu Hei found a spot near the corner, took out a spirit stone, and quietly began his breathing exercise. Choosing this spot gave him a sense of security, preventing attacks from all sides.


    Of course, the demonic beasts here were all dispirited, with cultivation only at the demon core stage. Even if all the demonic beasts combined, they wouldn''t be enough for him to handle.


    At this moment, within a hundred feet of Xu Hei, there wasn''t a single demonic beast; they had all fled far away, as if avoiding the plague.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei heard a noise coming from the direction of the corner.


    The sound was rhythmic, coming from below the corner, like the sound of digging.


    Curious, Xu Hei crawled over.


    At that moment, the digging stopped.


    A large black dog''s head emerged from the pit, its eyes fixed on Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei stared at the dog''s head, both unmoving.


    "......"


    The atmosphere fell into a long silence.


    Snake eyes met dog eyes, glaring at each other for several breaths.


    The black dog''s head suddenly said, "What are you looking at? Never seen such a majestic demon emperor before?"


    Xu Hei remained silent.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the entrance of Lei Guang''s cave dwelling, part of the Whale lineage.


    Mu Hou took out a storage bag and handed it to Lei Guang.


    "Thank you, Daoist Lei. Today''s matter was truly satisfying! This is a small token of my appreciation!" Mu Hou said with a bright smile.


    "What do you mean by this? I''ve told you before, don''t play these games with me, or I''ll arrest you too!" Lei Guang said sternly.


    Seeing the other''s firm attitude, Mu Hou''s smile froze, and he had to put the storage bag away.


    He was also frustrated. He had asked Lei Guang to do something, and the latter completed it without hesitation, beautifully locking Xu Hei away.


    It seemed Xu Hei wouldn''t be released for at least a year or two, and Mu Hou had received enough compensation.


    However, Lei Guang refused to accept any benefits, which troubled Mu Hou, making him wonder if the gift wasn''t to Lei Guang''s liking.


    If not money, what did he like? Could it be beauties?


    It felt uncomfortable not to express gratitude when asking for a favor.


    "I need to go into seclusion, so I won''t see you off!" Lei Guang said coldly.


    Mu Hou tried to persuade him again, but Lei Guang was unmoved, leaving Mu Hou to sigh.


    Since Lei Guang wouldn''t accept, he''d have to find someone else to give it to.


    After Mu Hou left, another figure arrived shortly, a steward from the Sea Commerce Guild.


    This person was named Jin Wangcai, a trusted aide of Li Yuan''an.


    Compared to Mu Hou, this person was much more shrewd, not directly offering spirit stones, but taking a roundabout approach.


    "Daoist Lei, I heard you like to grow flowers and plants. These are from Mr. Li, bought from an antique market, just for you." Jin Wangcai said with a smile, taking out a pile of flower pots.


    Lei Guang instinctively wanted to refuse, but after glancing at the pots, he was stunned.


    These weren''t just any pots; they were ancient ceramics, highly collectible! Made by craftsmen from Wuyou City, they could fetch at least three hundred thousand spirit stones at auction.


    Of course, money was secondary; he genuinely liked human antiques as a personal hobby.


    Lei Guang glanced at them and said nonchalantly, "Are they real? If they are, I can''t accept them."


    "Haha, of course, they''re replicas. You can buy a set for one spirit stone, not worth much." Jin Wangcai laughed.


    After a moment of contemplation, Lei Guang said, "Well, I do like growing some plants, so I''ll consider it a purchase. Keep the spirit stone."


    He handed a spirit stone to Jin Wangcai, who also filled out a receipt and handed it over.


    Jin Wangcai gladly accepted it, cupped his hands, and said, "Haha, farewell!"


    He hadn''t walked far when one of the ceramics, painted with a snake, suddenly cracked with a "snap."


    "Oh dear, look at the quality of these replicas, so poor! But snakes are indeed unlucky, so it''s good that it broke! Hahaha!"


    Jin Wangcai laughed as he quickly disappeared.


    Lei Guang watched this unfold, his eyes narrowing.


    The Sea Commerce Guild was truly cunning, always speaking in riddles.


    However, even without their reminder, Lei Guang would have acted. Since Xu Hei had already offended him, he couldn''t be allowed to live! Within a week, he must be eliminated, the sooner the better!


    Xu Hei had the Black Tortoise Shield, so the Core Formation stage might not suffice; an Elemental Infant level assassin was necessary.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the pitch-black dungeon.


    Xu Hei sat in place, with a big black dog sitting by the pit, staring at each other.


    "What are you doing here?" Hei Huang asked first.


    "I should be asking you that," Xu Hei replied helplessly.


    This big black dog was none other than Hei Huang.


    ```

 Chapter 376

    The old dog always shows up at strange times and in strange places, leaving Xu Hei utterly speechless.


    "The Yin Sha Qi here is so dense, perfect for my cultivation and safe too. Why shouldn''t I come?" Hei Huang sneered.


    Xu Hei''s expression turned odd. "Did you get caught and brought here?"


    Hei Huang''s eyes widened in anger. "Nonsense, how could they possibly catch me? I came here on my own!"


    Xu Hei remained silent, merely glancing at the deep passageway ahead.


    At this moment, Hei Huang had already dug a tunnel, its depth unknown and its destination unclear.


    Everything was left unsaid.


    Hei Huang''s face turned livid, inwardly cursing that damned Narwhal Elder for being so heartless. If it weren''t for that guy personally taking action, how could he have been caught?


    "Enough about me, tell me, how did you get caught?" Hei Huang quickly changed the subject, hands on his hips.


    "That''s a long story."


    Xu Hei sighed and briefly recounted the events.


    Hei Huang listened with amazement and then burst into schadenfreude laughter.


    "The Sea Commerce Guild wants you dead, the Immortal Pavilion wants you dead, even the enforcement team wants you dead. Hahaha! You might as well just wait to die, there''s no saving you!" Hei Huang laughed so hard his stomach hurt.


    Xu Hei''s mouth twitched. This old dog really was heartless, not even knowing how to say something comforting.


    But indeed, his luck was terribly bad, running into three enemies at once, each wanting him dead, without even needing to coordinate.


    "No worries, I have Elder Mo''s token. If push comes to shove, I''ll just show the token and make a run for it," Xu Hei said.


    Hei Huang chuckled, "The token is useless, they can just pretend not to know. As for running away..."


    Hei Huang spoke while glancing down at the bottomless hole.


    Xu Hei also crawled closer to peer into the hole.


    When he arrived, he saw Hei Huang digging, not knowing how long he''d been at it. Now, there was a pitch-black tunnel, bottomless and destination unknown.


    "Where does this dog hole lead?" Xu Hei asked.


    "What dog hole? This is a space tunnel, leading directly outside," Hei Huang retorted.


    Xu Hei''s expression turned odd again. "Really?"


    "About to... become real!" Hei Huang replied.


    "..." Xu Hei was utterly speechless.


    "You have heavy oil, right? Get some over here, I can speed up the process!" Hei Huang urged.


    Without a second thought, Xu Hei pulled out two barrels of heavy oil and tossed them into the pit.


    He had about a hundred barrels of this stuff, usually useless, but if it could really help construct a formation to teleport outside, it would be worth it.


    However, Xu Hei seriously doubted whether this old dog''s plan was feasible. This was the Penglai Sea, not some other sect; could they really escape so easily?


    Hei Huang said nothing, directly opening the heavy oil and pouring it into the hole, then jumped in.


    "Give me a few days, and I guarantee a passage will be ready!" Hei Huang said earnestly.


    Xu Hei nodded. He had nothing else to do, so he might as well stay here and keep watch.


    The demonic beasts within a hundred feet had been scared off by Xu Hei, though their eyes showed reluctance, especially the vulture he had sent flying, now completely featherless, its eyes filled with malice.


    Xu Hei chuckled inwardly.


    In this prison, all the demonic beasts were at the Demon Core Stage. As long as they weren''t at the Elemental Infant stage, how could they deal with him? Xu Hei couldn''t even fathom losing.


    However, Xu Hei remained cautious, knowing Lei Guang wouldn''t let him off easily and would surely take action.


    ...


    In the following days, Lei Guang conducted a series of investigations into Wang Zhen.


    Whether openly or secretly, no one knew what exactly was uncovered, but it certainly infuriated Wang Zhen.


    As the Elder guarding the Treasure Pavilion for two hundred years, he wasn''t the most senior, but being investigated by a newcomer of just twenty years was a slap in the face.


    Clean? After guarding for two hundred years, how could he be clean? But everyone turned a blind eye, except for this clueless youngster who loved to investigate.


    "Young people these days are getting more and more restless, always wanting to step on the older generation to rise. It''s outrageous!"


    Wang Zhen took out the tobacco Xu Hei had given him, took a deep puff, and cursed at the distant spy, "This was given to me by Xu Hei, see that? Go ahead and report me! Go on!"


    A loach underwater quickly fled.


    "Damn it, I must teach this kid a lesson!"


    Wang Zhen''s face darkened as he took out a communication talisman.


    ...


    At the same time, in the dungeon of the Enforcement Hall.


    "It''s done, it''s done, haha, it''s done!"


    Hei Huang''s excited voice echoed from the depths of the hole.


    With Xu Hei''s heavy oil assistance, it took him only three days to construct a space formation that could connect to the outside, breaking through the spatial barrier of the Penglai Sea!


    This was nothing short of a groundbreaking achievement!


    "It''s done?"


    Xu Hei looked thoughtful.


    During this time, he had been observing Hei Huang''s formation process. After drinking Enlightenment Tea, his comprehension had greatly improved, allowing him to grasp some insights.


    Xu Hei asked, "Is the space here different from other places?"


    "Haha, exactly!" Hei Huang laughed, explaining, "Within the Penglai Sea, every place is filled with Spiritual Qi, and the space is ancient and unbreakable. But this dungeon is somewhat unusual!"


    "By properly utilizing this point, you can fold the space here with the outside, aligning them to enable spatial jumps..."


    Hei Huang explained at length, and Xu Hei listened, somewhat confused but grasping a bit.


    In short, constructing a teleportation array elsewhere to jump outside was nearly impossible, but there was a chance of success in this dungeon.


    "Moreover, my teleportation array is bidirectional! Not only can you jump outside, but you can also come back in from outside, without needing a guard to lead you. You can go back and forth as you please!" Hei Huang said proudly.


    "..." Xu Hei was completely stunned.


    This old dog was truly impressive; he could actually pull this off!


    To enter from outside the Penglai Sea, one must be led by an immortal.


    Xu Hei increasingly felt that this old dog was mysterious and seemed capable of anything.


    However, when Xu Hei''s gaze carefully examined the formation in the hole, he felt something was off.


    Hei Huang smiled and said, "Xu Hei, you try it first."


    Find the original at bit.ly/3iBfjkV.


    "Why don''t you try it?" Xu Hei immediately grew cautious.


    "When there''s something good, of course, a brother should go first. I set this up especially for you!" Hei Huang said.


    I don''t believe you... Xu Hei scrutinized Hei Huang and shook his head again. "No! You try it first!"


    "Oh? You don''t trust me!" Hei Huang glared.


    It wasn''t that Xu Hei didn''t trust him, but the idea of a formation allowing travel back and forth through the Penglai Sea being completed so easily felt unreal, as if there was some trick involved.


    "Just tell me, what''s the success rate?" Xu Hei asked. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Ninety percent! No! A hundred percent!" Hei Huang corrected himself.

 Chapter 377

    He changed his tune, he changed his tune! This old dog must know how unreliable ninety percent is, that''s why he changed his tune!


    Although this old dog has great divine abilities, he never misses a chance to be unreliable, like when he sails a boat, or when he claims to be ninety percent sure. Xu Hei won''t be fooled again.


    "I''ll catch a demonic beast to test it," Xu Hei said with a smile.


    He immediately flashed forward, rushing towards the vulture that had been eyeing him menacingly.


    The vulture''s expression changed, and just as it was about to escape, Xu Hei grabbed it, causing it to scream and struggle continuously.


    "Ow ow! What are you doing! You can''t kill me!"


    "Don''t worry, I''ll show you a treasure."


    Xu Hei smiled slightly, sealed the vulture''s meridians, knocked it out, and dragged it to the pit.


    "Let''s use it for a test," Xu Hei said.


    Hei Huang hesitated, "This guy, will it work?"


    "It''s just a test." Xu Hei threw the vulture into the pit.


    "Buzz!"


    Hei Huang cast a spell, and a ripple of teleportation flashed, a force of space acting on the vulture.


    The vulture''s body shook, entering the space rift. The rift expanded, forming a vortex-like passage, deep and unknown where it led.


    "See, I told you it would work, but you didn''t believe me!" Hei Huang shouted.


    But just as Hei Huang finished speaking.


    A piercing scream came from the space rift, it was the vulture''s voice.


    Xu Hei''s eyes widened, "That vulture is screaming!"


    "Nonsense, that''s not a scream! It''s clearly laughing!" Hei Huang denied.


    Immediately, droplets of blood sprayed out from the space rift, splattering into the pit. The scream abruptly stopped.


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    The place fell silent instantly.


    "......"


    Xu Hei remained silent, slowly turning his head to look at Hei Huang.


    It was clear that the vulture had suffered some unknown harm and died instantly.


    Hei Huang''s face turned black, hurriedly explaining, "That weakling must have moved around in the passage and hit a rift, that''s why it died. You''ll definitely be fine!"


    "Damn! I won''t be fooled again!" Xu Hei cursed.


    This old dog is too unreliable, this is clearly extremely dangerous, he won''t do it.


    "Boom, boom, boom!"


    At this moment, a series of tremors suddenly came from afar, like the sound of a giant stepping on the ground, coming from outside the dungeon.


    The dungeon wasn''t large, only a thousand meters wide, Xu Hei could see at a glance that the door had been opened, and a massive Golden Eagle walked in.


    The Golden Eagle''s body had clearly been compressed, only three meters wide, its aura hidden around the Demon Core Stage.


    However, the Golden Eagle''s eyes were extremely sharp, with just one look, Xu Hei felt like prey being locked onto, his whole body tingling.


    "This is definitely a great demon at the Elemental Infant stage!" Xu Hei was horrified.


    He trusted this sense of crisis, it couldn''t be wrong!


    Not just him, the demonic beasts in the distance also shivered at the sight of the Golden Eagle, instinctively sensing danger and retreating.


    "Bang!"


    The door closed.


    The Golden Eagle''s gaze flashed, locking onto one of the demonic beasts, swiftly darting over, its sharp beak as fast as the wind, accurately grabbing a snake-shaped demonic beast and swallowing it whole.


    The large snake couldn''t even resist, swallowed directly into its belly.


    The Golden Eagle''s eyes flashed with killing intent, charging towards another snake.


    "This is clearly coming for me!" Xu Hei was horrified.


    He didn''t know this Golden Eagle, but it was clear that this was a demonic beast with a strong hatred for snakes, undoubtedly released here to deal with him.


    Of course, besides snakes, any demonic beast in its path wasn''t spared, with a casual flap of its wings, a sharp gale howled, instantly killing a large number.


    Hei Huang''s expression changed, quickly shouting, "Run, what are you standing there for?"


    Xu Hei glared, "You''re not even afraid of Xu Fu, and you''re afraid of this feathered beast?"


    "Is that the same thing? I was fighting for my life! Ah, forget it, if you don''t run, I will!"


    Without another word, Hei Huang jumped in.


    "This..." Xu Hei was dumbfounded.


    Seeing Hei Huang jump in, Xu Hei didn''t hesitate any longer and jumped into the pit. The pit was very deep, a thousand meters, the two demons accelerated their fall, landing on the formation at the bottom.


    "Is this really reliable?" Xu Hei asked again.


    "When have I ever lied to you? I say it''s a hundred percent, it''s a hundred percent!"


    Hei Huang cast a spell, and instantly, a light enveloped them, pulling them into a space rift.


    This space rift was right next to the dungeon wall, with a narrow, deep passage inside, swirling vortices, bottomless, making Xu Hei dizzy.


    Unlike the previous teleportation array, this required them to fly forward themselves.


    During this time, Xu Hei clearly felt a huge tearing force surrounding his body, quickly curling himself up to avoid being affected by the space force, lest he end up like the vulture.


    "This is different from a teleportation array!" Xu Hei was quite surprised.


    "Stop talking, hurry up!"


    Hei Huang sped forward, Xu Hei closely following, rushing towards the other end of the space tunnel.


    "Where are we going?" Xu Hei asked.


    "I don''t know either," Hei Huang replied.


    "......" Xu Hei was speechless.


    "Don''t worry, we won''t go too far, at most no more than thirty thousand miles, that''s the limit distance," Hei Huang said with a smile.


    Xu Hei gritted his teeth, really wanting to give him a couple of slaps, so unreliable.


    "By the way, will that teleportation array be discovered?" Xu Hei asked again.


    "Heh, when has my formation ever been discovered? Not even a Great Golden Immortal could!"


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Outside the Enforcement Hall of the Whale lineage. sea??h th§× Nov§×l?ire.n(e)t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Lei Guang was flying towards the Enforcement Hall with a face full of pride. In the past few days, he had gathered enough evidence to prove that Elder Wang Zhen was suspected of major bribery and embezzlement, using public office for private gain. According to the Beast Law, he would be sentenced to at least ten years and have all his property confiscated.


    This made him very excited.


    "It''s said that Elder Wang has been guarding for over a hundred years, but today he''ll be brought down by me, hehe, maybe I can even ascend to the position of elder!"


    The smile on Lei Guang''s face almost reached half his face, he had never been this happy in his life.


    The assassins he sent out were also flawless. He didn''t give any orders, but that Golden Eagle, whose entire clan had been eaten by snakes since childhood, had a deep hatred for snake demons. Locked in the prison where Xu Hei was, Xu Hei''s fate was predictable.


    Eliminating an enemy and rising to power, Lei Guang felt he had reached the pinnacle of his demonic life!


    Just as he was about to fly into the main hall of enforcement to apply to his superiors for Wang Zhen''s arrest.


    At the door, he encountered Lei Fei.


    At this moment, the latter had a strange expression on his face, looking at Lei Guang without saying a word.


    "Oh? What are you doing standing here?"


    Lei Guang was all smiles, seeing this colleague, he was in a good mood.


    A starfish also appeared, holding a recording jade slip in one foot, silent.


    "Hmm?" Lei Guang squinted his eyes, "What are you..."


    "Whoosh whoosh whoosh..."


    Suddenly, Lei Fei threw out a golden fishing net, instantly enveloping Lei Guang, the net tightening, binding him tightly.


    Lei Guang''s face changed, shouting, "Lei Fei, what are you doing?"


    "By order of the Grand Elder, arrest the criminal!"


    Lei Fei said expressionlessly, dragging Lei Guang into the main hall of enforcement.


    Hearing the term Grand Elder, Lei Guang''s face turned pale, as if he had seen a ghost.

 Chapter 378

    Enforcement Hall.


    At this moment, two massive figures stood on the chief seats, looking down at Lei Guang, who was being dragged in.


    One of the figures was the Grand Elder of the Whale lineage, the Narwhal, whose real name was Jing Wuji, the superior of all enforcers.


    The other figure, equally towering, was black and white, spindle-shaped, and was none other than Elder Tiger Whale of the Shark lineage.


    Lei Guang was so frightened that he was trembling, urgently looking to Lei Fei for help, but the latter ignored him, clearly distancing himself.


    "Two Elders, the prisoner has been brought in. I take my leave!"


    Lei Fei bowed respectfully, turned around, and left the Enforcement Hall.


    Seeing these two figures, Lei Guang realized he was in deep trouble!


    Without needing a reminder, he knelt directly on the ground, banging his head against the floor.


    However, as an eel, it looked more like he was lying on the ground, his head bent and touching the floor, not daring to lift it.


    Jing Wuji said indifferently, "Lei Guang, how many years have you been in the Enforcement Hall of the Whale lineage?"


    "Reporting to the Grand Elder, twenty-one years," Lei Guang replied tremblingly.


    "Hmm, not bad."


    Jing Wuji nodded slightly and smiled, "You''ve worked hard for twenty-one years, it''s been tough on you. From now on, go back to your Cave Dwelling, tend to flowers, and plant some grass."


    Lei Guang''s face turned as pale as paper in an instant, and he exclaimed, "Grand Elder, why is this? What did I do wrong?"


    "I didn''t say you did anything wrong!" Jing Wuji frowned, "I just see you''ve worked hard and want you to go back and rest."


    At this moment, Lei Guang felt as if he had fallen into an abyss, his eyes widened, and his body trembled slightly. He couldn''t accept such a reality.


    He had painstakingly gathered evidence, how could he be expelled at such a critical moment?


    Lei Guang gritted his teeth and said, "Grand Elder, I refuse to accept this. Can you tell me the reason?"


    Seeing this situation, Jing Wuji shook his head.


    Foolish!


    If he had obediently gone back, there might have been a slim chance of survival, but he insisted on courting death.


    He was trying to help Lei Guang by sending him back!


    "Reason?" Elder Tiger Whale stepped forward, his voice as cold as the netherworld, and shouted, "Xu Hei is the one you detained, right?"


    "Xu Hei?"


    Lei Guang''s pupils shrank, and he immediately understood something, hurriedly saying, "Yes, he committed a grave crime, I..."


    "Bring Xu Hei back!"


    Elder Tiger Whale couldn''t be bothered with his nonsense, directly shouting, his voice booming like a bell, resonating throughout.


    Lei Guang immediately spat out a mouthful of blood, flying backward, his Divine Sense severely impacted.


    He glanced at the furious Elder Tiger Whale, realizing he had made a grave mistake, his body trembling.


    Xu Hei?


    He had already sent assassins to take him out! How could there still be Xu Hei?


    He couldn''t understand why a mere newcomer would attract the attention of two Grand Elders, even being specifically named to be released!


    What kind of existence was Xu Hei?


    "Yes, I will handle it immediately!" Lei Guang said tremblingly.


    Elder Tiger Whale squinted his eyes, noticing something amiss, and coldly said, "Forget it, I''ll go with you!"


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    Lei Guang trembled even more, unable to hide the panic in his eyes, and said shakily, "Elder Tiger Whale, this, this dungeon is a restricted area of the Enforcement Hall..."


    "What, is there a problem?"


    Elder Tiger Whale''s voice grew colder.


    The Enforcement Hall''s restricted area, so what? As one of the six giants, where could he not go?


    Jing Wuji might talk about procedural justice, but he didn''t buy it; he only believed in results!


    Lei Guang''s voice trembled, shaking his head, "No... no problem."


    Jing Wuji squinted his eyes, also noticing something amiss, and without another word, swam directly toward the dungeon. Elder Tiger Whale followed closely behind, dragging Lei Guang with a large net.


    The dungeon of the Enforcement Hall was located below the seabed, with eighteen levels, each holding different prisoners.


    It wasn''t until the tenth level that Jing Wuji stopped, and Elder Tiger Whale halted at the dungeon entrance.


    They opened the dungeon door, their Divine Sense sweeping across the entire area.


    At this moment, inside this dungeon, the Snake Demon had been completely devoured, and the remaining Demonic Beasts were severely injured or dead, all cowering in the corners, the ground stained with blood.


    Only a Golden Eagle with a bulging belly sat contentedly in the center, refining the food within its body.


    Elder Tiger Whale and Jing Wuji''s Divine Sense swept across the area, locking onto the Golden Eagle, their eyes immediately filled with shock and anger.


    Having lived for so many years, how could they not understand what was happening?


    "Lei Guang!" Jing Wuji''s voice was as cold as eternal ice, "Can you explain what is going on here?"


    Lei Guang''s eyes were filled with despair.


    Explain, how could he explain?


    Whether a moment earlier or later, he could have perfectly cleaned up the scene, but at this critical moment, there was no way to explain.


    "No need to explain, I''ll search your soul!"


    Elder Tiger Whale directly slapped a fin on Lei Guang''s forehead, casting a Divine Ability, a very cruel forbidden technique, the Soul Search!


    Soul Search was about extracting memories, causing great harm to both the caster and the target, considered a forbidden Divine Ability, not to be used lightly!


    To be more precise, Elder Tiger Whale projected the scenes seen through the Soul Search into the air, letting Jing Wuji know what Lei Guang had done.


    The scenes quickly replayed, presenting Lei Guang''s actions over the past month one by one, laid bare before the two Elders.


    "So that''s how it is, how dare you!"


    Jing Wuji''s eyes were filled with towering rage.


    And after witnessing the truth, Elder Tiger Whale let out an angry roar, "Beast!!!"


    Xu Hei, dead?


    Elder Tiger Whale, as if mad, rushed into the dungeon, searching every corner, inch by inch, but couldn''t find a trace of Xu Hei. sea??h th§× N?vel?ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    He locked onto the Golden Eagle, rushed up, and grabbed its neck, demanding, "Where are the snakes here, why are there none left, speak up!"


    The Golden Eagle trembled and said, "The snakes here, I ate them all!"


    "Boom!!"


    Elder Tiger Whale spat out a water blade, directly chopping off the Golden Eagle''s wings, and its sharp beak, rendering it crippled.


    Jing Wuji''s eyes also showed a look of grief and anger.


    He could understand why Elder Tiger Whale was so furious.


    Xu Hei, a peerless talent, an Unparalleled Arrogance, comparable to the four great demon lords of the past, was gone just like that! Not killed by the Sea God Sect, but by the despicable means of their own people.


    Irony! Such irony!


    Even if Lei Guang were to be executed a hundred times, it wouldn''t be enough to wash away his sins!


    After being soul-searched, Lei Guang slowly regained consciousness. He glanced at the furious Elder Tiger Whale and Jing Wuji, his vision darkened, and he fainted again.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    At the same time.


    Outside the Penglai Sea, in an unknown seabed location.


    In the sand and soil of the seabed, spatial vortices suddenly appeared, followed by a spatial tunnel extending from the vortex.


    "Whoosh!!"


    Two figures emerged from the vortex, descending beneath the sand.


    These two figures were pitch black, none other than Xu Hei and Hei Huang.


    "Where is this?"


    The two demons spread their Divine Sense, immediately discovering they were under the sea.


    The Spiritual Qi was thin, indicating they had left the space of the Penglai Sea and arrived in the outside world.


    Hei Huang quickly scattered Spirit Stones and formation flags, setting up a Formation in this place to stabilize the spatial tunnel.


    "Haha, I told you, this Formation would definitely work! In the future, if we want to go back, we can use this Formation to reach the dungeon directly!"


    Hei Huang stood with his claws on his hips, laughing smugly.


    Xu Hei, however, felt that Hei Huang''s antics were not just for the sake of freely entering and exiting the dungeon; he probably had other motives.


    "So, where is this?" Xu Hei asked.

 Chapter 379

    Hei Huang arranged the area, left a mark, and set up multiple layers of concealment before leaving the seabed and floating towards the surface.


    In an instant, a snake and a dog emerged from the sea, soaring through the air. They surveyed the area within a thousand-mile radius and took out a sea chart to compare the underwater terrain.


    Yet, they had no idea where they were.


    "Where is this place? How strange!" Hei Huang pondered.


    The sea chart recorded the underwater terrain of most of the East Sea. By comparing the terrain here with the chart, it should have been easy to determine their location.


    But this terrain wasn''t on the chart.


    "Could we be lost?" Xu Hei''s face darkened.


    "Impossible! My spatial tunnel can only go up to thirty thousand miles. How could we be lost at such a short distance?" Hei Huang exclaimed.


    He took out the sea chart and examined it carefully, suddenly focusing on an unexplored shadowed area.


    It was a triangular sea region, exactly thirty thousand miles from the Penglai Sea.


    "Could it be..." Hei Huang gasped.


    This shadowed area, triangular in shape, was called the Dragon Triangle by humans.


    Demonic beasts called it the Forbidden Sea!


    Ships passing through here often disappeared mysteriously. Later investigations by powerful beings revealed rare natural disasters in this area, such as spatial rifts, extinction wind swarms, and black death storms.


    Both human cultivators and demonic beasts avoided this region.


    This also meant the underwater terrain of the Dragon Triangle was constantly changing, never fixed!


    Could they have been transported here?


    "Xu Hei, this place is dangerous. Get on the boat, no time to explain!"


    Hei Huang immediately took out a watercraft, boarded it, and sped off in one direction.


    Seeing this, Xu Hei realized the situation was dire and quickly landed on the watercraft.


    As soon as the watercraft started, Xu Hei heard eerie howling sounds echoing from afar.


    Looking up, he saw a gray whirlwind appearing out of nowhere on the sea surface, blowing towards them.


    "Extinction Wind Swarm!" Xu Hei''s face changed dramatically.


    He had heard of this natural disaster on the East Sea. It was a storm that spelled certain death for those at the Core Formation Stage; even a slight touch could blow a person to death, leaving no escape for the soul.


    Hei Huang also panicked, accelerating rapidly. The watercraft dove underwater, rushing towards the distance like a storm, leaving the Extinction Wind Swarm behind.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Meanwhile, in the Penglai Sea.


    The Whale lineage gathered all enforcers for a public trial regarding the case of Xu Hei and Lei Guang.


    The accusations against Xu Hei lacked sufficient evidence.


    The killings and treasure snatching occurred within the Whale Hunting Gang, not violating the Beast Law. As for destroying the Cave Dwelling on Immortal Island, it was merely Mu Hou''s word.


    The only offense was injuring someone publicly in the Enforcement Hall.


    But since Lei Guang himself was in violation, Xu Hei''s resistance seemed justified, thus he was found not guilty!


    Xu Hei was cleared of all charges!


    As for Lei Guang, under the Soul Searching Technique, all his crimes were laid bare. He was sentenced to two hundred years of imprisonment, all contribution points deducted, and rights stripped for life.


    Lei Fei, being an accomplice, was sentenced to three years.


    This case was personally judged by Grand Elder Jing Wuji, with no possibility of alteration or appeal, effective immediately.


    The case caused a stir within the Whale lineage. After all, Lei Guang was one of their own, and committing such heinous crimes was rare, serving as a warning to all enforcers.


    As for why Lei Guang wasn''t executed or had his cultivation abolished, the reason was simple: Xu Hei wasn''t dead!


    His soul lamp was still lit, sparing Lei Guang''s life.


    "With no one in the dungeon, where could Xu Hei be hiding?" Elder Tiger Whale pondered.


    He reasonably believed that Xu Hei, to avoid the Golden Eagle''s pursuit, had used some life-saving method to hide. Sear?h the novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    But after searching all seventeen levels of the dungeon, he found no trace of Xu Hei.


    If not for the rules, he would have wanted to check the eighteenth level.


    "Never mind, as long as he''s safe, let''s see when he reappears," Elder Tiger Whale thought to himself.


    Surviving the Soul Refining Demon Lord, it would be illogical for him to die at the hands of a mere Elemental Infant stage prisoner.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the blink of an eye, three days passed.


    Hei Huang and Xu Hei wandered around the Dragon Triangle for three days, finally escaping various crises and nearing the edge.


    Hei Huang''s watercrafts were destroyed one after another, leaving them with no choice but to travel using their physical bodies.


    "You old dog, this is the route you chose, you almost got me killed!" Xu Hei cursed.


    "How can you blame me? I''m innocent too!" Hei Huang replied bitterly.


    At this moment, they were lurking deep underwater, cautiously moving forward. Compared to the surface, it was safer below.


    "Damn, I''ve realized every time you steer a boat, it capsizes!" Xu Hei scolded.


    "Damn it, even a Great Golden Immortal would capsize in this cursed place, you can''t blame me!"


    Hei Huang was equally aggrieved, feeling incredibly unlucky to have been transported to such a place.


    The underwater world was peaceful.


    Unknowingly, they reached the edge of the Forbidden Sea, at one corner of the triangle.


    Ahead was a trench, like a dividing line, separating the sea. Behind was the Forbidden Sea, ahead was safe territory.


    "Finally, this is the Hidden Dragon Trench. Once we cross it, we''ll be safe!" Hei Huang sighed in relief, grateful for the narrow escape.


    Xu Hei''s mouth twitched. This old dog was too unreliable, constantly switching between being a big shot and a troublemaker. He''d have to be extra cautious when boarding his boat in the future.


    The Hidden Dragon Trench was bottomless, like a giant abyssal maw.


    As they approached, just a glance seemed to draw their minds in, so Xu Hei quickly averted his gaze.


    When you gaze into the abyss, the abyss gazes back at you.


    Unknowingly, it was once again a full moon night.


    Silver moonlight spilled onto the sea surface, penetrating the water, with faint moonlight flowing into the Hidden Dragon Trench, illuminating the trench walls and descending to the bottom.


    In a trance, at the very bottom of the trench, a faintly visible cluster of buildings appeared.


    As Xu Hei crossed the trench, he sensed something and glanced down, his gaze locking onto the cluster of buildings at the trench''s bottom.


    The distance was too great to see clearly, but he felt as if his mind was being drawn in.


    "What are you looking at?"


    Hei Huang came over and patted him.


    Xu Hei withdrew his gaze, urgently shouting, "Did you see that? There''s something at the bottom of this trench!"


    Hei Huang looked down, frowning, "Are your eyes playing tricks on you? There''s nothing down there!"


    Xu Hei became anxious, glaring, "There''s clearly a cluster of buildings at the very bottom of the trench!"


    At this moment, in Xu Hei''s vision, he still saw a large cluster of buildings, nestled at the trench''s bottom, stretching like a mountain range, rising and falling.


    To prove what he saw, Xu Hei even used his divine sense to sketch the buildings, though it was unclear, lacking even an outline.


    Hei Huang carefully observed Xu Hei''s expression, then looked up at the moonlit sky, frowning deeply, and said seriously, "Let''s leave this place first!"


    He grabbed Xu Hei, quickly distancing them from the trench area.

 Chapter 380

    The two demons continued on their journey until they were far from the Hidden Dragon Trench and had reached the outside world, where they finally stopped.


    By now, the sky had brightened, the full moon hidden behind the clouds, and the sun was shining high.


    At this point, Hei Huang had already determined the direction. This place was not far from Star Island, and they could reach it within a day.


    "What exactly is in that Hidden Dragon Trench? Why could I see a cluster of buildings while you couldn''t?" Xu Hei asked, puzzled.


    Hei Huang sized up Xu Hei and laughed, "Xu Hei, regarding this matter, I suggest you don''t tell anyone, nor mention that you can see anything."


    "Why?" Xu Hei was surprised.


    Hei Huang said slowly, "Underneath that Hidden Dragon Trench, I discovered no fewer than ten surveillance formations and five different sources of divine sense. If you go down there, it won''t take more than a stick of incense''s time before a strong cultivator comes to capture you."


    "..." Xu Hei was at a loss for words.


    "However, those surveillance formations are too ancient, some set up in ancient times. Whether their owners are still around is unknown, but I suggest you stay away until you''re at the Elemental Infant stage." Hei Huang sneered.


    Hearing this, Xu Hei''s mind raced, understanding many things.


    On a full moon night, he could see things others couldn''t, which reminded him of the Azure Dragon Combat Technique and Azure Dragon Immortal Spell on the cave dwelling''s stone wall.


    Perhaps this was a secret technique of the true dragon clan, leaving behind an inheritance that only true dragon descendants could discover.


    However, the building complex at the trench''s bottom was likely already exposed, but outsiders couldn''t open it or approach it, so they thought of fishing here to catch a true dragon descendant to help open it.


    He had to admit, after drinking the Enlightenment Tea, Xu Hei''s mind was much more active, able to quickly analyze the crux of the problem.


    "I can only come back after reaching the Elemental Infant stage." Xu Hei sighed. S~ea??h the n?vel_Fire.¦Çet website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Hei Huang rummaged through his storage bag and pulled out a piece of wood, quickly crafting it into a watercraft.


    This place wasn''t far from Star Island, and Xu Hei planned to go there to take care of something.


    "Old dog, where do you plan to go next?" Xu Hei asked.


    "Of course, to Star Island! Those women from the Melodic Sect went too far. Last time, they got me captured, and this time, I must capture a few as human pets!" Hei Huang said viciously.


    "Human pets..."


    Xu Hei''s face turned dark.


    A dog could have human pets?


    "Little Xu, you''re an adult now, right? Today, I''ll show you some fun and broaden your horizons."


    Hei Huang chuckled, took out a pill, and tossed it to Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei caught it and saw it was a Transformation Pill!


    "Old dog, what scheme are you up to now?" Xu Hei glared.


    "What scheme could I have? Of course, it''s to let you experience the beauty of the human world."


    Hei Huang boarded the watercraft with a lewd smile.


    Xu Hei landed on the watercraft, frowned, and said, "Can you be more straightforward?"


    "You''ll understand when the time comes! In short, this Transformation Pill is a good thing. After taking it, not only can you have a human body for a short time, but you can also have human senses and touch." Hei Huang laughed.


    "..." Xu Hei was still confused.


    Human senses and touch, what''s so good about that?


    However, he needed to go to Star Island for something, so it was on the way.


    ...


    A day passed in the blink of an eye.


    As expected, Hei Huang''s watercraft sank again.


    But this time, it wasn''t due to a natural disaster; they encountered two groups of pirates fighting, and coincidentally, a cannonball landed right on the boat, sinking it with one shot.


    The newly crafted watercraft was of poor quality, with no defensive formation set up, and with Hei Huang''s bad luck, having the potential of a vehicle killer, the watercraft was blown to smithereens.


    "Screw this, I''ll never get on your boat again!"


    Xu Hei cursed, deciding to swim over himself, as riding Hei Huang''s boat was tempting fate.


    "How can you blame me? I''m innocent too!" Hei Huang was very helpless.


    Despite the rough journey, they finally reached Star Island after a day.


    Both demons were exhausted, rested outside for a while, disguised themselves, and then planned to enter the island.


    The important business still needed to be done!


    Xu Hei used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, transforming into a half-human, half-snake form, then put on a heavy coat and a bamboo hat to perfectly conceal his body.


    As for the tail, Xu Hei wrapped it around his waist.


    Compared to normal humans, Xu Hei was no different except for having an extra tail, a single horn, and scales all over his body.


    Hei Huang wore a bamboo hat, a raincoat, and carried a long knife at his waist, walking upright like a short martial artist.


    "Little girls of the Melodic Sect, your Grandpa Hei is back, and this time, I''m going to make you all my human pets, hehehe!"


    Hei Huang let out an extremely lewd laugh.


    He glanced at Xu Hei beside him, looked him up and down, and said, "Your look is quite unique!"


    "I didn''t take the Transformation Pill; this is natural talent!" Xu Hei said proudly.


    Hei Huang''s eyes flickered, and he sneered, "So, are you planning to make trouble at the Immortal Pavilion?"


    "Oh? You actually figured it out." Xu Hei was quite surprised.


    "Heh, with your little schemes, you can''t hide them." Hei Huang laughed.


    Xu Hei indeed planned to go to the Immortal Pavilion, regardless of the consequences, to take down Mu Hou.


    If he couldn''t do it openly, he''d resort to a sneak attack; there was always a way.


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    "Do you want me to help, and we can do something big? The usual rule, fifty-fifty split, fair to all!" Hei Huang laughed.


    Xu Hei frowned, glanced at Hei Huang, and said, "Fifty-fifty, don''t cheat me!"


    "When have I ever lied to you? Heaven and earth as my witness!" Hei Huang shouted.


    Xu Hei nodded slightly, "Then it''s a deal."


    The two demons immediately took action, sneaking towards the direction of the Immortal Pavilion.


    Xu Hei''s original plan was to lure Mu Hou out and kill him, but with Hei Huang, perhaps they could confront him directly?


    No, they still needed to plan carefully; what if this old dog tricked him?


    "Let''s be clear, I''ll help you settle the Immortal Pavilion first, and later when we go to the Melodic Sect, you have to help me too!" Hei Huang pushed Xu Hei.


    "We''ll talk about it then." Xu Hei said.


    ...


    The Immortal Pavilion, as a stronghold of Penglai Island in this area, had always been the second-largest trading center, second only to the Sea Commerce Guild.


    Although there weren''t many guests, the quality was high, and most who came to trade were above the Foundation Establishment stage.


    In the back hall on the first floor.


    Mu Hou held a cup of tea, sitting leisurely on a lounge chair, sipping a small mouthful, while two maids massaged his legs, enjoying himself immensely.


    Wang Qin, as usual, knelt in the corner, receiving criticism from the head maid, Liu Hongmei.


    "I''ve told you so many times, why don''t you learn your lesson!"


    "Why don''t I scold others, only you? Think more about your own problems, whether you''ve seriously attended to the guests, whether you''ve listened carefully to Manager Mu''s words, and stop complaining!"

 Chapter 381

    Liu Hongmei was spitting as she spoke, occasionally swinging the whip in her hand, exuding arrogance and perfectly embodying the triumph of a petty person.


    Besides Wang Qin, there was also a newly arrived maid being reprimanded.


    Compared to the new maid''s trembling fear, Wang Qin remained quite composed. Of course, outwardly, she still appeared anxious and obedient.


    After improving her physique, Wang Qin''s cultivation speed increased significantly, reaching the mid-stage of the Qi Refining Stage. In a few more years, she might achieve Core Formation. By then, she wouldn''t have to endure being a maid anymore.


    "At such a young age, she already shows signs of rebellion. Wang Qin needs strict discipline, or she won''t obey when she grows up!"


    Mu Hou stared at Wang Qin in the corner, a cold glint flashing in his eyes.


    Recently, he had been riding high. He had just received news that Xu Hei, who had been troubling him, had died in the dungeon. This was excellent news; he had feared Xu Hei''s revenge, but now he no longer had to worry.


    Mu Hou believed in striking first to gain the upper hand.


    Of course, he also heard that Xu Hei was cleared of charges after his death and that Lei Guang had been imprisoned, but so what? Dead is dead; innocence means nothing then!


    As for whether he would face any trouble?


    His arrangements were flawless. Xu Hei had indeed destroyed his three Cave Dwellings, and the evidence was irrefutable. It wasn''t a false accusation, so what trouble could there be? Unless they captured him and searched his soul, they wouldn''t find any flaws.


    Suddenly, a loud voice came from the outer hall: "The steward of the first floor, come out! I''ve got a business deal to make!"


    Upon hearing this, Mu Hou immediately got up and headed to the hall, putting on a smiling face.


    "Honored guest, what brings you here?"


    He looked at the figure wearing a bamboo hat at the entrance, walked up, and greeted with cupped fists.


    The man in the bamboo hat had his face covered, was entirely clad in black, and had a bulging waist. His aura reached the mid-stage Core Formation, with a faintly menacing presence.


    It was Xu Hei, transformed by the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique.


    "I''m here to buy a Cave Dwelling, a third-tier one. I''ll look first, then buy!" Xu Hei took out a Storage Bag containing three hundred thousand Spirit Stones.


    This was all he had left.


    Mu Hou''s eyes lit up immediately. Customers buying third-tier Cave Dwellings were rare, and having two such deals recently made him very happy.


    As for the man''s disguise, what did it matter? Mu Hou had been in business for countless years and had seen all kinds of customers. He had even dealt with several of the top ten wanted criminals on the bounty list.


    "Honored guest, please follow me. Our Immortal Pavilion''s Cave Dwellings have a reputation..."


    Mu Hou promptly led Xu Hei out the back door, heading towards the rear mountain.


    Xu Hei followed along, listening to Mu Hou''s endless chatter. He was not in a hurry and remained very patient.


    He had already probed Mu Hou''s cultivation, which was at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage. Xu Hei had seen many with such cultivation, most stuck at the late Core Formation stage for countless years. Depending on their methods, their strength could vary greatly.


    Regardless of Mu Hou''s strength, Xu Hei would not act unless he was sure of a kill.


    Before long, Mu Hou led Xu Hei to the vicinity of the Cave Dwelling he had previously purchased. The area had been heavily polluted with oil, leaving no vegetation, but it had been cleaned up.


    "That one!" Xu Hei pointed to the Cave Dwelling he had bought before.


    "Great choice, my friend. This Cave Dwelling is our best third-tier A-grade dwelling, with excellent lighting and a built-in Spirit Gathering Formation, making it a perfect spot for absorbing the power of the stars. It''s worth exactly three hundred thousand Spirit Stones!" Mu Hou excitedly explained.


    Xu Hei smirked coldly. The Cave Dwelling he had already purchased was being sold again. Selling it repeatedly¡ªtruly greedy.


    Mu Hou probably thought he was dead, didn''t he?


    "Open this Cave Dwelling; let''s take a look inside," Xu Hei said.


    "Sure! Follow me, my friend!"


    Mu Hou took out a Token and easily opened the Cave Dwelling''s door, stepping inside.


    Xu Hei''s gaze turned cold.


    At that moment, he suddenly formed a seal with his hands.


    Inside Xu Hei''s Cave Dwelling, countless pillars of Spiritual Qi suddenly rose, and surging Spiritual Power gathered, forming a cage of heaven and earth that instantly enveloped Mu Hou''s figure.


    This was the Formation Xu Hei had set up earlier!


    "What?"


    Mu Hou''s expression changed. Realizing something was wrong, he reacted quickly, taking out a Token with his left hand to call for help and enlarging a Pagoda with his right hand, directly diving into it.


    "Today, you won''t escape!"


    Xu Hei, when he made a move, aimed to kill. The Ten Thousand Poison Gourd flew out, sending poisonous arrows like sharp beams toward Mu Hou. Simultaneously, the Dragon Shatter Roar was unleashed, a deafening screech blasting into Mu Hou''s mind, causing a brief moment of stagnation.


    However, the Pagoda Mu Hou released opened its door, emitting an attractive force that swallowed Mu Hou inside, hiding him within the Pagoda.


    "Whoosh!"


    Ji Ying shot in like lightning, entering through the door almost simultaneously with Mu Hou into the Pagoda.


    Then, the door closed.


    When the poisonous arrows from the Ten Thousand Poison Gourd arrived, they only struck the surface of the Pagoda, making a sizzling sound, but the Pagoda remained undamaged.


    "What a sturdy Magical Treasure!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes narrowed. This Pagoda was even stronger than his Black Dragon Pagoda, likely reaching the fourth tier.


    Mu Hou''s response was decisive, directly summoning a Pagoda to hide inside, avoiding a direct confrontation with Xu Hei, which was unexpected for Xu Hei.


    "Ah!!!"


    Suddenly, a miserable scream came from within the Pagoda.


    Through Ji Ying''s vision, Xu Hei could see Mu Hou being frantically bitten, his body covered with welts of various sizes. Ji Ying, like a mosquito, attacked from all sides, impossible to catch.


    With a casual bite, it could tear off large chunks of flesh. Ji Ying''s mouth was filled with venom, causing the wounds to swell rapidly, becoming as large as buns.


    "Suppress it for me!"


    Mu Hou let out a low shout, and the Pagoda suddenly emitted a brilliant light. The space twisted, and a terrifying gravity descended, pressing Ji Ying downwards.


    However, it was evident that Mu Hou couldn''t fully activate the Pagoda. Beads of sweat appeared densely on his forehead, pouring down like rain. His face was pale, and he was greatly exhausted.


    "Damn it, why hasn''t anyone come yet?"


    Mu Hou was anxious. His signal had been sent back for so long, yet no support from the Immortal Pavilion had arrived. What were they doing? As a steward, being ambushed in his own backyard was simply outrageous! Sear?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


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    Xu Hei''s expression turned cold. His hand curved into a claw, the five fingers bending inward, transforming into the shape of a dragon''s claw, which he then thrust toward the Pagoda.


    As this claw was unleashed, a dragon''s roar suddenly echoed between heaven and earth. Behind Xu Hei, a giant dragon''s shadow appeared, merging with his figure, both reaching for the Pagoda.


    "Sky-Tearing Claw!"


    This was Xu Hei''s first time using the Azure Dragon Combat Technique, Sky-Tearing Claw, in a semi-human form!

 Chapter 382

    Xu Hei not only unleashed the Sky-Tearing Claw, but also activated the Diamond Suppression Technique, concentrating all his true essence into his palm, pushing the power to its limit!


    Although it wasn''t as powerful as when he used it in his true dragon form last time, with the support of the strongest physical cultivation technique, its power was still formidable.


    This claw could shake the heavens! sea??h th§× N?velFire(.)net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    "Crack!!"


    The space emitted a strained, trembling sound, like shattering glass, cracking open as the space was directly torn apart.


    Shattering space signified power reaching the Elemental Infant level, equivalent to a Minor Annihilation Talisman. The gap between the Elemental Infant and Core Formation stages was like a chasm, insurmountable!


    Xu Hei held nothing back, unleashing his strongest attack right from the start.


    "How is this possible?!" Seeing the cracked space, Mu Hou let out a sharp cry.


    "Boom!!!"


    Xu Hei''s claw struck the pagoda, leaving a deep groove on it, the shock spreading inside and out. Under Mu Hou''s horrified gaze, the pagoda was actually torn open with a small hole!


    "Wow!!" Mu Hou suffered a backlash, spitting out a mouthful of blood and flying backward.


    With his cultivation level, trying to wield a fourth-tier magical treasure was already extremely difficult. Now that the treasure was heavily struck, Mu Hou, as the controller, bore the brunt of the backlash.


    "Bang!!"


    He crashed into the inner wall of the pagoda, his true essence in chaos, blood seeping from his forehead, his heart in turmoil.


    He couldn''t believe that someone at the mid-stage Core Formation could unleash an attack comparable to the Elemental Infant stage. What kind of technique was this? It was unheard of!


    "Impossible, this is impossible!"


    Mu Hou was completely dumbfounded, his thoughts racing. Recalling that the opponent had activated the formation within the cave dwelling, his pupils suddenly contracted, exclaiming in shock, "You are Xu Hei?"


    "Correct, but no prize for you!"


    Xu Hei''s expression was extremely cold, suppressing the backlash from using the Sky-Tearing Claw. He no longer maintained his human form, transforming into a long snake, contracting his body, and slipping through the small tear.


    Mu Hou was in utter despair. He immediately opened the pagoda''s door and fled desperately, but Ji Ying swiftly darted into Mu Hou''s ear.


    Mu Hou staggered, falling at the pagoda''s entrance. Without a word, Xu Hei''s dragon tail descended from the sky like a mountain, crashing down on Mu Hou.


    "Boom!!"


    Mu Hou''s protective magical treasures exploded in an instant. Facing Xu Hei''s Dragon Tail Swing, they couldn''t withstand even a breath, and with a tragic scream, his body was torn apart, bursting into pieces, blood and flesh flying everywhere.


    The manager of the Immortal Pavilion, Mu Hou, was blown to pieces by Xu Hei with a single strike!


    The battle seemed lengthy, but in reality, it only lasted about ten breaths. Mu Hou didn''t even have the courage to fight, opting for the most conservative approach by summoning the fourth-tier pagoda for protection and requesting reinforcements.


    In the end, Xu Hei tore through his pagoda in a more domineering manner, smashing Mu Hou into a pulp with a single tail swipe!


    Even Mu Hou''s soul was shattered into nothingness by Xu Hei''s roar, dead beyond dead!


    At the same time.


    On the third floor of the Immortal Pavilion, an elder who was meditating in a secret chamber suddenly opened his eyes and took out a soul lamp.


    This soul lamp extinguished right under his nose.


    The elder in green''s pupils shrank instantly. This was Mu Hou''s soul lamp. How could it suddenly extinguish without any warning? He hadn''t heard a thing!


    "Not good!"


    The elder in green realized that someone had set up an eight-layer restriction here, isolating all detection, and he hadn''t even noticed!


    This elder in green was none other than the Grand Elder of the Immortal Pavilion, Duanmu Qing!


    Duanmu Qing''s face twisted, feeling deeply humiliated. Someone had set up a formation and killed under his nose, and he was completely unaware. This was not only a provocation to the Immortal Pavilion but also a mockery of him! Mocking his incompetence!


    "No matter who you are, today I will tear you to pieces!"


    Duanmu Qing''s anger reached its peak, and with a roar, he charged out from the third floor.


    Xu Hei had just finished killing and hadn''t had time to retrieve the pagoda when he heard a divine-like roar echoing across the sky.


    He saw Duanmu Qing''s figure soar from the distant Immortal Pavilion, rapidly expanding into a giant avatar in the sky, its eyes scanning the world as if it could see through everything.


    Xu Hei acted decisively. Seeing that he couldn''t retrieve the pagoda quickly, he hurriedly grabbed Mu Hou''s storage bag, used Body Swap, and instantly left the place, swapping positions with a puppet thousands of feet away.


    Then, he grabbed the Small Teleportation Talisman and activated it!


    Double displacement, double insurance!


    "Today, no one shall escape!"


    Duanmu Qing''s avatar split into countless illusory clones, more than fifty, rushing in two directions. One-third headed towards Xu Hei, while the other two-thirds headed towards the underground treasury of the Immortal Pavilion.


    Clearly, that was where Hei Huang was located.


    A small portion scattered, preemptively blocking possible escape routes for the two demons.


    Simultaneously, a formation rose from the ground, enveloping the entire back mountain inside and out almost the moment Duanmu Qing appeared, locking even the space, making displacement and teleportation impossible.


    This was the foundation of Penglai Island!


    Xu Hei''s Small Teleportation Talisman was half-activated when the spell mark disappeared, the space frozen, making teleportation impossible!


    This situation was anticipated. Xu Hei made a decisive move, executing the second set of positions!


    "Body Swap!"


    With a thought, he swapped positions with the puppet again, instantly moving thousands of feet away.


    This was a well-known technique from the Puppet Mechanism Technique, called Thousand Puppets Shadow Swap! By placing multiple puppets in specific positions, each puppet connected by puppet threads, continuous swapping could achieve rapid displacement.


    This wasn''t space traversal like the Small Teleportation Talisman but a puppet technique.


    However, this move placed a great burden on the physical body. Multiple swaps in a short time increased the speed and the corresponding load.


    At the same time, it required a high level of divine sense. Each swap needed full control of the divine sense, and Xu Hei had taken a Divine Pill in advance to barely manage it!


    Everything is relative; there''s no absolutely perfect solution! Only Xu Hei could do this; if it were Bai Luo, he might collapse and die after just two swaps.


    "Body Swap?"


    The eyes of the dozen or so Duanmu Qings narrowed. This was a technique from the Heavenly Puppet Sect. Why was it appearing on a snake?


    At this moment, although Xu Hei had reverted to a snake, he still wore a bamboo hat and used Ever-changing Fish and Dragon to transform into a sea snake, constantly disguising himself.


    This made Duanmu Qing even more puzzled.


    It was indeed an effective plan. In an instant, Xu Hei swapped positions four times, finally reaching the boundary of the blockade. He took out a deciphering disk, placed it on the blockade formation, and a gap appeared in the formation.


    This deciphering disk was naturally prepared in advance by Hei Huang.


    Xu Hei slipped through the gap, and at the moment of leaving, activated the Small Teleportation Talisman!


    "Buzz!"


    Xu Hei vanished into the void, disappearing without a trace.


    This entire escape plan was executed smoothly, taking only a few breaths to leave the range of the Immortal Pavilion, even Duanmu Qing couldn''t catch up.


    The dozen or so Duanmu Qings stood frozen, watching Xu Hei escape right before their eyes, utterly powerless!


    The anger in his heart had reached its peak!

 Chapter 383

    The feeling of humiliation hadn''t surfaced in Duanmu Qing''s heart for a long time. The fact that the opponent, merely a Core Formation Stage cultivator, managed to escape from his grasp was an utter disgrace!


    "Find him for me! Even if you have to search the entire Star Island, you must track him down. Don''t spare any snake! No, any demonic beast!"


    Duanmu Qing took out a jade slip and issued a warrant at the fastest speed.


    Then, he headed towards the direction of the treasury to block the way.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Beneath a pavilion of the Melodic Sect on Star Island.


    The space twisted, and the figure of a snake emerged from the center of the distortion, falling into the soil.


    This snake, wearing a bamboo hat, with a slender body and chaotic aura, was none other than Xu Hei, who had fled in haste. S§×arch* The N?vel(F)ire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    The moment Xu Hei landed, he immediately took out a pill and swallowed it, simultaneously biting into an ancient spirit medicine, activating the Demon God Cauldron to refine it as quickly as possible to recover his state.


    At the same time, Xu Hei spread out his divine sense to observe the surrounding environment.


    Without a doubt, he had once again teleported to the depths underground, though he wasn''t sure where exactly this was.


    "Huh?"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei let out a sound of surprise.


    The environment on the surface was a pavilion, very familiar, as if he had seen it somewhere before.


    "Isn''t this the Melodic Sect? I came here last time!" Xu Hei was taken aback.


    He observed the nearby terrain features again, his mouth agape in disbelief.


    "No way, such a coincidence?"


    This place was very familiar; it was exactly where Xu Hei had arrived the last time he used the Small Teleportation Talisman.


    Even the pavilion on the surface was identical; it was the residence of a female disciple at the Foundation Establishment stage, who last time brought back a male cultivator and performed a yin-yang balancing act right in front of Xu Hei.


    However, this time, the succubus who absorbed people''s essence was not present.


    Xu Hei took a deep breath, calmed himself down, and focused on adjusting his state after escaping from the Immortal Pavilion.


    From killing Mu Hou to escaping, it had only been a matter of a dozen breaths. Xu Hei had exerted his strength to the utmost, and his body was feeling waves of fatigue.


    Like last time, he used the Sky-Tearing Claw. The difference was that last time he transformed into a true dragon form and activated the Elemental Infant decree, whereas this time, he only used the Diamond Suppression Technique.


    Both involved tearing through space, but the power difference was vast.


    Similarly, the burden on his body this time was much smaller, and he wouldn''t need to lie down for a week like last time.


    "The difference between a human hand and a dragon claw is really huge," Xu Hei sighed inwardly.


    After reaching the eighth level of Ever-changing Fish and Dragon, Xu Hei could transform into virtual claws to perform the Sky-Tearing Claw without needing to transform into a true dragon.


    Although the power was somewhat less, it was more convenient and had fewer side effects.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    Immortal Pavilion.


    Duanmu Qing stood at the entrance of the treasury, staring at the empty vault, completely dumbfounded as if struck by lightning.


    In just a few breaths.


    The treasury was completely emptied, whether valuable or not, everything was taken, not even a scrap left, even the wall skin was scraped off.


    The walls of the treasury were specially crafted with mystic gold to prevent theft, explosion-proof, shock-proof, with a high safety factor, yet even this was scraped away. What kind of thief was this!


    Is there no justice? Is there no law?


    "Ahhh!!!"


    Duanmu Qing roared towards the sky, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and collapsed to the ground.


    His numerous avatars displayed various emotions¡ªanger, sadness, sighs, shock, contemplation¡ªeach face filled with different feelings.


    Some avatars, unable to bear it, fainted directly, while others showed expressions of fear, and some were enraged.


    "No matter who it is, they must not be spared!"


    "The opponent is too strong, we need to plan carefully and request support from Penglai Island!"


    "Who provoked such an enemy?"


    "Issue the highest level of wanted order immediately!"


    "Unforgivable! I must tear him to pieces!"


    "¡­¡­"


    Soon, a series of orders were issued from the Immortal Pavilion, all guards were dispatched, spreading in all directions to search for clues about the enemy.


    Duanmu Qing''s more than fifty avatars also moved together.


    In the first-floor conference hall.


    The maids also received this shocking news: the Immortal Pavilion was robbed, the steward Mu Hou was assassinated, and the treasury was stolen clean!


    The news was so explosive that they doubted its authenticity!


    It wasn''t until Mu Hou''s broken body was found by the guards that they believed it was true!


    "Steward Mu is dead?"


    Liu Hongmei felt heavy-hearted; she was trained by Mu Hou and served as the head of the maids, often bullying others. Every new maid suffered under her.


    With Mu Hou dead, the steward would be replaced, and whether the new one would promote her was uncertain.


    Compared to Liu Hongmei, the other maids felt schadenfreude; they had suffered under Mu Hou, unable to speak out, and now, that damned bastard finally got his comeuppance!


    "Hahaha! Justice is served!"


    "Who was the kind soul that killed him?"


    The maids were curious, but no one dared to discuss it, fearing someone might overhear and report them, which would be troublesome.


    Only Wang Qin knew the truth of the matter.


    Because she saw the aura of that masked person, it was white!


    "It''s him."


    Wang Qin''s heart raced, but she didn''t show it.


    She just lowered her head, tears welling up, and bowed in the direction Xu Hei left: "Thank you."


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    In the blink of an eye, an hour passed.


    Xu Hei meditated underground for an hour, recovering from his weakness. He opened his eyes and exhaled a breath of turbid air.


    "I wonder how Hei Huang is doing. It''s been half a day, and there''s still no news."


    Xu Hei took out the communication talisman Hei Huang left him, his brows furrowed.


    He wasn''t worried about whether Hei Huang could escape, but rather worried that Hei Huang might sneak out to sell the loot without telling him. With that old dog''s character, he could do anything.


    "Damn it, I can''t suffer a loss either!"


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, and he immediately took out Mu Hou''s storage bag, forcibly breaking it open, causing its contents to scatter.


    However, Xu Hei was disappointed. He had expected that since Mu Hou could casually take out a fourth-tier magical treasure, he would have considerable assets, but there wasn''t much in the storage bag.


    Even the spirit stones amounted to only a pitiful two hundred thousand, which was seriously inconsistent with his cultivation level.


    "Strange, where did this guy''s money go?"


    Xu Hei pondered, picking up one of the pill bottles, which had a seal on it, not knowing what kind of pills were inside.


    When Xu Hei opened the seal and scanned it with his divine sense, he was stunned.


    One, two, three...


    The pill bottle contained a total of thirteen Qingyuan Pills!


    Qingyuan Pills are used for Core Formation Stage breakthroughs, such as from early to mid-stage, or mid-stage to late-stage. Xu Hei had used one Qingyuan Pill to break through to the mid-stage Core Formation.


    The price of one Qingyuan Pill ranges from fifty thousand to two hundred thousand spirit stones, depending on the quality.


    How did Mu Hou manage to get so many Qingyuan Pills?!


    This amounted to two million spirit stones, which was insane! Moreover, Qingyuan Pills aren''t something you can buy just with money; you need the right connections.

 Chapter 384

    Xu Hei rummaged through the jade slip left by Mu Hou and found a list¡ªit was what he had left for procurement.


    "So that''s it, this guy plans to manipulate the prices! First, hoard the goods, then auction them off when the prices peak," Xu Hei mused.


    It wasn''t just the Qingyuan Pills; Mu Hou was also collecting the medicinal herbs needed for their refinement, and there were quite a few in the storage bag.


    At this rate, once the market supply of Qingyuan Pills dries up, the value of these goods in Mu Hou''s hands will multiply several times!


    In fact, Xu Hei''s guess was only half correct.


    These Qingyuan Pills were indeed purchased by Mu Hou from various places, with the intention of hoarding, but he wasn''t acting alone; the other two managers were also involved.


    However, the procurement task was entrusted to Mu Hou.


    Xu Hei wasn''t concerned with these messy affairs. He put away the Qingyuan Pills, planning to use them when he breaks through in the future, and the rest could be sold.


    As for other treasures, he worried they might be stolen goods and didn''t dare to sell them openly, but he had no such concerns with pills, as no one could identify who refined them.


    "Someone''s coming!"


    Xu Hei stored all the treasures into the Void Stone, then used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique, transforming into a half-human, half-snake form.


    Ever since his Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique reached the eighth level, disguising himself had become second nature to Xu Hei.


    Before long, two figures approached from a distance.


    One of them was the enchanting woman he had seen last time, but to Xu Hei''s surprise, though her appearance hadn''t changed, her demeanor was completely different.


    Dressed in white, with a headband and a long sword at her waist, her face was delicate and beautiful, her aura ethereal and pure, like a fairy descended to the mortal world.


    If he hadn''t witnessed her seductive side before, Xu Hei might have been fooled.


    This time, a young male cultivator accompanied her, speaking gently and moving cautiously, as if they hadn''t known each other long.


    However, there was a clear trace of fervor in the man''s eyes.


    "Fellow Daoist Xiao, the Melodic Sect is just ahead; let''s part ways here," the woman in white said with a cupped fist.


    The young cultivator cupped his fists in return, "It''s an honor to meet Miss Mu. May I ask what your plans are next?"


    Mu Ji smiled sweetly, "In a week, I''ll be heading to Sea Lizard Island for a mission."


    The young cultivator''s eyes lit up, and he smiled, "What a coincidence! I also need to go to Sea Lizard Island. We could travel together."


    This was such a clich¨¦, but Mu Ji didn''t call him out on it, her eyebrows raised, "Oh? Really?"


    "Absolutely, a week from now, I''ll be waiting for you here. How about it?" The young cultivator clenched his fists, his voice a bit excited.


    "Alright, it''s a deal," Mu Ji said with a smile.


    With that, they parted ways, and Mu Ji returned to the pavilion.


    Outside, the young cultivator''s gaze lingered on Mu Ji''s departing figure, his smile growing brighter, his inner joy evident.


    "Xiao Chou, Xiao Chou, you swore you''d never get involved with women, yet here you are again."


    "But Miss Mu seems interested in me too. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! If I miss it, I might be alone forever. I can''t let it slip away."


    The young cultivator muttered to himself, his face slightly flushed.


    Deep underground, Xu Hei retracted his Divine Sense, his expression turning peculiar.


    Looking at this young man, he seemed ordinary, his skin a bit tanned, and his build had become much more robust. It was none other than Xiao Chou!


    "Ah, this..."


    Xu Hei was utterly speechless.


    Did Xiao Chou really intend to become Dao companions with this woman?


    Back then, Xu Hei had witnessed this woman drain a male cultivator completely dry¡ªit was quite a spectacle.


    Did Xiao Chou really think this woman was interested in him?


    "This Xiao Chou is really inexplicably confident. Doesn''t he have any self-awareness?" Xu Hei''s expression turned strange.


    Some people always play their roles to the hilt, no matter the angle.


    However, encountering an old acquaintance here was unexpected for Xu Hei.


    Xu Hei had no intention of going up to chat. He was already at mid-stage Core Formation, while Xiao Chou was still hovering at the Great Perfection of the Foundation Establishment Stage. The gap was too large, and if nothing unexpected happened, they probably wouldn''t have a chance to interact in the future.


    As for whether Xiao Chou would be drained by this woman, he could only wish him luck.


    At this moment, Mu Ji entered the pavilion, her expression initially startled, then she looked in Xu Hei''s direction.


    She took a deep breath, slightly bowed, and cupped her fists, "Senior, you''ve graced us with your presence twice. May I ask what brings you here?"


    Xu Hei was taken aback.


    Did this woman actually notice him?


    And judging by her tone, she seemed to have noticed him last time too, but pretended not to see?


    Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, his thoughts racing. Logically, a Foundation Establishment cultivator shouldn''t be able to detect him. Xu Hei suspected that either this woman was hiding her cultivation, had exceptionally high Spiritual Perception like Wang Ding, or had guidance from a higher power!


    Xu Hei immediately ruled out the possibility of her hiding her cultivation. If she were truly Transcendent, why would she absorb the flesh and blood of Foundation Establishment cultivators?


    The second possibility, high Spiritual Perception, Xu Hei also deemed unlikely. Mu Ji was very calm, not at all afraid of Xu Hei suddenly making a move.


    This only indicated that the third possibility, having backing from a higher power, was very likely!


    Xu Hei quickly made his judgment and said calmly, "If I said I was just passing by, would you believe me?"


    Mu Ji was taken aback, then smiled wryly, "I don''t know what is so special about this place that made Senior pass by twice."


    She appropriately showed a puzzled expression, her eyebrows slightly furrowed, each frown and smile exuding charm, completely different from before.


    "Believe it or not, it''s up to you."


    Xu Hei couldn''t be bothered to waste words with her and planned to leave directly. S§×ar?h the N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    Just then, Mu Ji suddenly smiled sweetly and said, "Did Senior come to participate in our sect''s Demon Extermination Assembly?"


    "Demon Extermination Assembly..."


    Xu Hei frowned. He had heard of the Melodic Sect''s Demon Extermination Assembly.


    Every year, the Melodic Sect would capture numerous demonic cultivators and criminals, imprison them, but they wouldn''t execute them immediately. Instead, at the end of each year, they would gather the criminals and have the sect''s disciples publicly execute them.


    The disciples would be ranked based on their demon-slaying prowess.


    They named it¡ªthe Demon Extermination Assembly!


    Xu Hei didn''t understand where the Melodic Sect''s peculiar habit came from, but it had been passed down and held every year, akin to other sects'' annual gatherings.


    "If Senior wishes to participate, I would be willing to act as a guide," Mu Ji said with a sincere look, making it hard to harbor any ill feelings.


    "I''m not interested."


    Xu Hei left a straightforward remark and with a flash, used the Earth Escape Technique to leave.


    He had considered taking action to eliminate Mu Ji to avoid exposing himself. But Mu Ji''s demeanor remained calm throughout, and she could detect his presence without anyone noticing.


    This indicated that she definitely had some backing.


    Xu Hei didn''t want to take such a risk for no reason.


    As for the Demon Extermination Assembly she mentioned, Xu Hei had no interest in it and didn''t want to get involved in matters unrelated to him.


    However, as Xu Hei left, his eyes suddenly narrowed.


    Hei Huang had mentioned wanting to make a move on the Melodic Sect, claiming to capture a few people as pets, coincidentally at this critical juncture.


    Could there be some connection between the two?


    "Is he really just capturing people as pets, or does he have other intentions?" Xu Hei''s eyes flickered, deep in thought.


    Speaking of which, where did that old dog run off to?

 Chapter 385

    Not long after Xu Hei left.


    Inside the pavilion, Mu Ji murmured to herself, "Master, that person just now..."


    "His cultivation isn''t high, but he''s incredibly threatening. Without reaching the Elemental Infant stage, it''s impossible to detain him!"


    A gentle female voice echoed in Mu Ji''s mind, "As for his intentions, I can''t discern them yet. His emotions are very stable, not like he''s lying. Perhaps, as he said, he''s just passing through."


    Mu Ji remained silent.


    "Prepare well for the Demon Extermination Assembly in three days. As long as you secure first place, I can help you break through to the Core Formation Stage!" the woman''s voice said solemnly.


    "Yes!" Mu Ji bowed her head and clasped her fists.


    ...


    Xu Hei donned a bamboo hat and a raincoat, settling down in a modest inn in the commercial district outside the Melodic Sect.


    Such inns were mostly inhabited by low-level cultivators, so Xu Hei wouldn''t attract any attention.


    "First, adjust my state, wait for three days, and see if the old dog shows up. If he doesn''t, I''ll return to the Penglai Sea," Xu Hei thought to himself.


    He was quite exhausted and needed a long time to fully recover.


    Xu Hei casually set up a formation for concealment, then took out a handful of pills and swallowed them, using the Demon God Cauldron to refine them with all his might.


    In the following days, Xu Hei stayed in the inn.


    The incident at the Immortal Pavilion spread like a storm, reaching every corner of Star Island and beyond in just one day.


    All eight major factions were aware, and the streets and alleys were abuzz with discussions.


    Although it wasn''t a glorious matter, to capture the culprits, the Immortal Pavilion had to disclose the details and offered a hefty bounty.


    The mysterious Snake Demon who assassinated Mu Hou had a bounty of two million Spirit Stones.


    The unknown accomplice who stole from the treasury had a bounty of three million Spirit Stones.


    As a result, the bounties for Xu Hei and Hei Huang shot up to the top five on the bounty list, comparable to the great thieves of the Elemental Infant stage!


    Xu Hei remained in the inn resting, but his Divine Sense was extended outward, always keeping an ear on the discussions of passersby.


    "Hei Huang escaped, not even leaving a portrait behind!"


    "Goodness, he even scraped off a layer of wall plaster, so ruthless!"


    Xu Hei clicked his tongue in surprise. The Immortal Pavilion had disclosed every detail to provide more clues for capturing the culprits.


    Everything Hei Huang had done was spread without reservation, known to everyone.


    Xu Hei''s breathing quickened.


    "Fifty-fifty split, fifty-fifty split... How much can I get from this?"


    Xu Hei''s heart raced as the Immortal Pavilion listed the lost treasures clearly.


    Compared to the items in the Immortal Pavilion''s treasury, these Qingyuan Pills he had were nothing!


    The Immortal Pavilion''s disclosure of their losses meant that Hei Huang couldn''t hide anything, couldn''t cheat, and had to hand over half honestly.


    By then, Xu Hei would have enough assets to purchase a fourth-tier Magical Treasure.


    Fourth-tier Magical Treasures were scarce in the Penglai Sea, where Demonic Beast sects found them rare. Xu Hei only had a Black Tortoise Shield to use!


    In the human world, both the variety and quantity of Magical Treasures far exceeded those of Demonic Beasts, and he was certain he could buy something he desired.


    Additionally, he could purchase a large number of cultivation pills to quickly advance to the late Core Formation stage.


    With money, everything becomes easier!


    The only thing that worried Xu Hei was that there was still no news of Hei Huang.


    "Where did that old dog run off to? Could he really have absconded with the money?" Xu Hei''s face darkened.


    In the blink of an eye, three days passed.


    There was still no sign of Hei Huang.


    Xu Hei shook his head, suspecting that the old dog had most likely run off, leaving not a penny for him. How utterly infuriating!


    He had wasted three days waiting!


    It was laughable that he had fantasized about buying a fourth-tier Magical Treasure and pills once he had the money... Ha, what a joke! Next time, Xu Hei wouldn''t believe any talk of a fifty-fifty split! That old dog was nothing but a greedy scoundrel!


    Just as Xu Hei sighed and was about to leave the inn to return to the Penglai Sea.


    Suddenly, Xu Hei took out the communication talisman left by Hei Huang.


    At that moment, the talisman vibrated slightly, and a phantom of a dog''s head appeared, looking panicked, facing Xu Hei and shouting, "Little Xu, save me!"


    The panicked shout from the dog''s head was Hei Huang''s Divine Sense imprint, only now showing any activity.


    "What happened?"


    Xu Hei frowned, it was the first time he''d seen Hei Huang with such an expression.


    "Little Xu, save me! I used the Minor Teleportation Formation and somehow ended up in the Melodic Sect''s dungeon, caught red-handed by a bunch of stinky women!" Hei Huang said with a bitter face.


    We are "pawread.co????", find us on google.


    "..." Xu Hei was silent.


    He stared at Hei Huang for a long while, frowning, "Are you messing with me?"


    "Heaven and earth as my witness, if I, Hei Huang, utter a single lie, may I be struck by lightning!" Hei Huang exclaimed repeatedly.


    Seeing his earnest expression, Xu Hei believed him a little.


    "I already had a grudge with these stinky women. As soon as they saw it was me, they captured me and even sent their strongest Grand Elder to place an eighteen-layer seal on me, sealing my cultivation and physical body. I can''t even move!"


    "They even said they would chop off my dog head at the Demon Extermination Assembly! Little Xu, you can''t just watch me die!"


    Hei Huang had a mournful look, appearing utterly miserable.


    Xu Hei was speechless.


    How could this old dog be so unlucky, teleporting right into the face of his enemies and getting caught? How could there be such a coincidence in the world?


    It was sheer bad luck!


    Initially, Xu Hei didn''t believe it, but then he remembered that he had also teleported into the Melodic Sect twice in a row, raising a bit of suspicion.


    Was there something wrong with the space where the Melodic Sect was located?


    Xu Hei''s eyes flashed as he sneered, "You can just die; I''m not going to save you!"


    He didn''t think the old dog would easily lose his head; he said it deliberately to see how the old dog would react.


    "I''m your master; you can''t betray your master!" Hei Huang gritted his teeth.


    "Who said you''re my master? I don''t acknowledge it!"


    "I don''t care! If you don''t come, I''ll tell the Immortal Pavilion to catch you!" Hei Huang huffed.


    Xu Hei''s face darkened, cursing, "Damn you, old dog, betraying your own people!"


    "Hehehe, I have the Immortal Pavilion''s treasury on me. Don''t you want a fifty-fifty split? Save me first, and I''ll give you half!" Hei Huang tempted with benefits.


    "¡­"


    Xu Hei was infuriated.


    Damn it! This old dog made a good point. If he didn''t save him, how could they split fifty-fifty? Xu Hei was still waiting to strike it rich!


    "Old dog, you better not be lying to me!" Xu Hei gritted his teeth.


    "When have I ever lied to you? Heaven and earth as my witness!" Hei Huang said with a bitter face.


    Thinking carefully, Xu Hei realized Hei Huang might not have lied to him, but it seemed like he was always being tricked, the more he thought about it, the more something felt off.


    "No more talking, my Divine Sense is about to run out. You must come to the Demon Extermination Assembly, or my dog head won''t be safe!"


    Hei Huang hastily left a sentence, and the phantom dog head retracted into the communication talisman, disappearing.


    Xu Hei looked at the empty communication talisman, his expression gradually twisting.


    "Damn dog, such a nuisance!" Xu Hei cursed inwardly.


    S§×arch* The N?velFire.n§×t website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

 Chapter 386

    Xu Hei grumbled, but eventually set off. S§×arch* The novel(F~)ire.net website on Google to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.


    There was no choice; he had to do it for the money! He and Hei Huang were now in the same boat, sharing both fortune and misfortune. They could only take the risk.


    He had only heard about the Demon Extermination Assembly from Wang Qin''s gossip, knowing nothing of the specifics.


    It was only recently, after hearing more discussions from passersby, that Xu Hei understood the truth.


    The Demon Extermination Assembly was meant to slay evil demons and temper disciples, using criminals as whetstones.


    It sounded somewhat like a game, but it was a rule set by the third-generation ancestor of the Melodic Sect, and each time, some disciples would break through because of it, which is why it continued.


    As for where so many criminals came from, besides capturing them themselves, the Melodic Sect would also purchase them from other forces, forming an industry chain similar to slave trading.


    It can be hard to make great work when its stolen from ".


    Xu Hei disguised himself, transforming into a half-human, half-snake form.


    The Melodic Sect prohibited outsiders from entering, except today, when one could enter by presenting an invitation, but masks were not allowed, and true appearances had to be shown.


    In this form, Xu Hei definitely couldn''t get in.


    With no other choice, he took out a Transformation Pill and swallowed it.


    In an instant, Xu Hei''s snake tail retracted, his dragon horns shortened, and the scales on his body all vanished, receding into his skin. He stood tall, his eyes sharp as lightning, transforming into a robust young human.


    Tall as a pine, with an aura like a dragon or tiger, Xu Hei differed from those delicate spell cultivators, resembling more a body cultivator trained in external techniques. At a glance, his imposing presence was evident, with a muscular build and a strong sense of pressure.


    This was Xu Hei''s original form after transformation.


    "Do I stand out too much like this?"


    Xu Hei stood by the inn''s window, looking at the crowd on the street. After some thought, he used the Ever-changing Fish and Dragon technique to adjust his physique.


    In a moment, Xu Hei''s body shrank, his tall stature reducing by half, making him look more like an average passerby.


    After comparing himself with the passing cultivators and making several adjustments, Xu Hei was confident he had reached the average level of a passerby, ensuring he wouldn''t attract attention before leaving the inn.


    Before long, Xu Hei arrived outside the Melodic Sect''s mountain gate.


    He lay in wait, observing for a moment before targeting a lone Foundation Establishment cultivator, successfully stealing his storage bag and taking out the invitation.


    Moreover, he returned the storage bag without the other party even noticing.


    "Luckily, the invitation isn''t named."


    Holding the invitation, Xu Hei walked into the mountain gate.


    Any cultivator entering the gate would feel a Divine Sense sweep over them, quickly retracting after passing over their invitation without further inspection.


    Xu Hei passed the check smoothly, without any issues.


    There weren''t many invited, mostly standing in groups of two or three, from some big family or major force, with few lone cultivators like Xu Hei.


    Before long, he arrived at the central square of the Melodic Sect.


    Here stood a pitch-black high platform, named the Demon Suppression Platform, the battleground for the Demon Extermination Assembly.


    Many people had already gathered, in groups scattered all around. To the east were the sect''s disciples, all female, while to the west were the invited outsiders.


    The eight major forces had all sent representatives to observe the assembly.


    Among them, Xu Hei spotted the leader of the Whale Hunting Gang, Ye Hai.


    This person sat alone, with two attendants nearby, whose cultivation levels were not high.


    Normally, the leaders of the eight major forces wouldn''t attend such annual events, but the Whale Hunting Gang had suffered a severe blow, with the deputy leader killed and the guest elder missing, leaving them at the bottom in strength, so he had to come personally.


    Ye Hai''s name was on Xu Hei''s enemy list.


    "Almost forgot, this guy is still alive and well. I need to find a chance to take him out!" A cold gleam flashed in Xu Hei''s eyes.


    Having learned a lesson from Mu Hou, Xu Hei was determined to eliminate all his enemies!


    Otherwise, who knows when they might pop up to disgust you? It''s necessary to root them out completely, leaving no future troubles!


    Xu Hei casually found an empty spot to sit, cross-legged, observing the surrounding crowd.


    "Huh?"


    Suddenly, Xu Hei let out a sound of surprise.


    In the distance sat a group of people, occupying the territory of one of the eight major forces, the Yunhai Sect, led by the Yunhai Sect elder, Ximen Guan.


    Among them, Xiao Chou''s figure appeared, and from his attire, it seemed he had joined the Yunhai Sect.


    Xiao Chou seemed to sense something, looking over at Xu Hei, frowning, feeling that the other''s gaze seemed familiar.


    But soon, Xiao Chou shifted his gaze back to the Melodic Sect, looking at a female disciple with a look of infatuation.


    That female disciple was Mu Ji.


    "Master, did that person from three days ago come?" Mu Ji asked in her heart.


    "He came, but his concealment ability is extremely strong, and I don''t know his exact location," a voice in her heart replied.


    Xu Hei, wearing Hei Huang''s three-piece set, couldn''t be located by anyone.


    Mu Ji''s heart tightened, her gaze sweeping across the crowd, but she heard a warning: "Focus on yourself, don''t meddle in others'' affairs."


    "Yes!" Mu Ji nodded.


    She was inherently unclean, practicing evil faction cultivation techniques, absorbing human essence and blood, hiding great secrets. Meddling in others'' affairs brought her no benefit.


    Xu Hei sat in place, waiting quietly.


    He also noticed that among the eight major forces, the treatment varied greatly. The Whale Hunting Gang, for instance, only got a small area, sending just three people.


    While other sects got large areas, with differences over tenfold.


    The disparity among the eight major forces was starkly displayed.


    In truth, the Whale Hunting Gang no longer had the qualification to be on par with the other seven sects. After continuous setbacks, they were left with a lone leader, without an Elemental Infant cultivator to hold the fort. Disbandment was only a matter of time, depending on when the Sea Commerce Guild would lose patience.


    As time passed, Xu Hei saw many familiar faces.


    Zhang Tie had joined the Ironclad Sect. Ku Xuan and Zhao Wenzhuo had joined Longquan Temple.


    Xu Qingfeng also appeared, having joined Penglai Island, tasked with investigating the Immortal Pavilion theft case, and attending the Demon Extermination Assembly along the way.


    Among the many disciples of the Melodic Sect, Xu Hei also saw Huang Yu, once of the Purple Mist Sect.


    Seeing so many familiar faces, Xu Hei felt as if he had returned to Wuyou City. Back then, he was still at the Foundation Establishment stage.


    Now, Xu Qingfeng and Zhang Tie were at the late Core Formation stage, Ku Xuan was inscrutable, and the others were all at the Foundation Establishment level.


    Unknowingly, Xu Hei''s strength had already reached the pinnacle among them. And as time went on, the gap would only widen.


    This gap destined that Xu Hei wouldn''t have much interaction with this group.


    ¡­¡­¡­¡­


    After waiting for an hour, it was noon.


    Most of the attendees had arrived, mostly Foundation Establishment cultivators, with some elders at the Core Formation stage, the strongest being like Ye Hai, at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage.


    On the Melodic Sect''s side, five were at the Great Perfection of the Core Formation stage.


    Having been accustomed to the Penglai Sea, Xu Hei suddenly found himself in a place where he had become a top-tier powerhouse.